(Sept. 22, 2016) While the ultimate justification for Bike Week and its related events is the amount of business its arrival attracts, Snow Hill’s first foray into a motorcycle-themed event, the “Ride to Sturgis,” last Saturday, brought a lot of people to the namesake park, but not very many to downtown shops.
“It’s definitely coming back next year,” Michael Day, town economic development consultant, said. “This was one of those things where the people who came this year will tell all their friends, so we’ll have more next year.”
Day said he has had several people ask him to be on the committee overseeing and developing the event next year. Moreso than the town, the ride along Route 113 is considered the draw.
“Route 113 is a beautiful drive from Berlin to Snow Hill, down into Pocomoke City and a lot of people go down to Chincoteague,” Day said.
Rolling fields, wide open spaces and few billboards and signs line mainland Worcester’s major north-south highway.
Day said he guessed about 500 people rode to Sturgis Park, but didn’t have an exact count because bikers came, and went, in waves —by design.
The Ride to Sturgis event took place mainly under the pavilion at the park, while vendors and visitors set up in the adjacent parking lots. Harley Vincent and the Panhead Pickers provided music. Bikers were encouraged to visit town, grab something to eat or drink, maybe do a little shopping and rest by the Pocomoke River for as long or as short a visit they wanted.
The event was busier closer to the noon start, but Day said there were always new people arriving as others left right up until the 4 p.m. end.
“Amanda Lee, the tattoo model and our special guest, stayed a lot longer than I thought she would,” Day said. “She told me it was because everyone was so nice to her.”
But for those outside of Sturgis and the town itself, the event didn’t seem to be a big money maker.
Several downtown businesses open during the event had few to no visitors, with at least one exception – the Harvest Moon Tavern. The local bar and grill had a steady stream of motorcycles parked out front and is easily accessible from Sturgis Park in the back, making it a perfect spot to get out of the sun, or grab a quick bite to eat. Harvest Moon was also a stop on one of the weekend’s poker runs.
“This time it was all about the ride,” Day said. “We just gave them a destination — everybody just wanted to be out riding. I don’t know yet if we’ll keep that aspect, or focus more on trying to keep people here, but that’s an idea for next time.”
“It’s definitely coming back next year,” Michael Day, town economic development consultant, said. “This was one of those things where the people who came this year will tell all their friends, so we’ll have more next year.”
Day said he has had several people ask him to be on the committee overseeing and developing the event next year. Moreso than the town, the ride along Route 113 is considered the draw.
“Route 113 is a beautiful drive from Berlin to Snow Hill, down into Pocomoke City and a lot of people go down to Chincoteague,” Day said.
Rolling fields, wide open spaces and few billboards and signs line mainland Worcester’s major north-south highway.
Day said he guessed about 500 people rode to Sturgis Park, but didn’t have an exact count because bikers came, and went, in waves —by design.
The Ride to Sturgis event took place mainly under the pavilion at the park, while vendors and visitors set up in the adjacent parking lots. Harley Vincent and the Panhead Pickers provided music. Bikers were encouraged to visit town, grab something to eat or drink, maybe do a little shopping and rest by the Pocomoke River for as long or as short a visit they wanted.
The event was busier closer to the noon start, but Day said there were always new people arriving as others left right up until the 4 p.m. end.
“Amanda Lee, the tattoo model and our special guest, stayed a lot longer than I thought she would,” Day said. “She told me it was because everyone was so nice to her.”
But for those outside of Sturgis and the town itself, the event didn’t seem to be a big money maker.
Several downtown businesses open during the event had few to no visitors, with at least one exception – the Harvest Moon Tavern. The local bar and grill had a steady stream of motorcycles parked out front and is easily accessible from Sturgis Park in the back, making it a perfect spot to get out of the sun, or grab a quick bite to eat. Harvest Moon was also a stop on one of the weekend’s poker runs.
“This time it was all about the ride,” Day said. “We just gave them a destination — everybody just wanted to be out riding. I don’t know yet if we’ll keep that aspect, or focus more on trying to keep people here, but that’s an idea for next time.”