Decade strong: Tokens, hot rods and mall venue part of expanding BB&BBQ
Posted: September 18, 2009 at 6:48 a.m.
FAYETTEVILLE — More Bikes, Blues & BBQ coverage at nwanews.com/bbb
This year, when revelers at Bikes, Blues & BBQ in Fayetteville want to buy a beer or sandwich, they will do so with tokens - some of which will commemorate the 10th anniversary of the rally.
What started as a small gathering of riders 10 years ago has since evolved into a rally that attracts hundreds of thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts and the curious as well.
The event begins Wednesday through Northwest Arkansas and ends Sept.
26.
Coins will replace the paper tickets of the past, said Nelson Driver, event director.
Of the 95,000 tokens to be circulated, 10,000 of those - each in $5 denominations - will be nickelplated commemorative coins in honor of the rally's 10th anniversary.
Driver said they will be dispersed randomly among the regular tokens.
"You'll have to take your chances in getting a coin," he said.
Also new this year is BB&BBQ's partnership with the Arkansas Music Pavilion and an event known as Bikes, Blues & Hot Rods Too.
The AMP, located in the J.C. Penney parking lot at the Northwest Arkansas Mall in Fayetteville, will have a variety of activities including free blues music in the morning and afternoon on Sept. 26 and, of course, hot rod automobiles on all days of the rally.
"We felt like it was something we can do that is a little bit different," said Brian Crowne, an organizer with Bikes, Blues & Hot Rods Too.
All of this is good news to Driver.
"The more we can expand, theless pressure we can take off Dickson Street," he said.
Molly Hatchet and Blackfoot will perform at The AMP on Thursday, and Marshall Tucker Band will headline Sept. 25.
Also on display at BB&HRT will be a Venom Indy car driven by Marco Andretti, a motorcycle made with copper from the Statue of Liberty and a Gibson guitar museum bus. A custom car cruise-in will also take place along with helicopter rides from The AMP.
Other helicopter ride options will be available at the Clarion Inn, along with the return of a train that commutes to and from Baum Stadium and Dickson Street. The train is operated by the Arkansas & Missouri Railroad.
"Find a good place to park, and hop the train," Driver said.
Besides music, which will also take place on the main stage in the Walton Arts Center parking lot and the Randal Tyson Track Center, there will be plenty of barbecue.
The Kansas City Barbecue Society and the Southern Living Tour Event hosted by Troy Black will offer barbecue demonstrations and tastings, including at 6 p.m. Sept. 25 with the Simmons Foods People's Choice dinners, which will be sold. Barbecue competitions from the public will also take place.
And, of course, there will be motorcycles.
The Parade of Power featuring thousands of motorcyclists will circle around downtown beginning at 4 p.m. Sept. 26. There will also be poker runs, bike washes and things popping up all over NorthwestArkansas that's motorcycle-related, Driver said.
In addition, scooters will be included this year with a motor scooter scavenger hunt. Scooter riders will travel to different destinations to look for things just as one would on a scavenger hunt, Driver said.
"It's going to be kind of interesting to see how that turns out," he said.
At the River Valley Raceway outside of Siloam Springs in Watts, Okla., will be the Bike Games where people attemptstunts like driving as slow as they can without putting their feet on the ground and, while in motion, motorcycle passengers taking bites out of dangling hot dogs, said Bob Corscadden, a spokesman with BB&BBQ.
Proceeds raised through Bikes, Blues & BBQ will benefit several charities in Northwest Arkansas including Life Styles Inc., SevenHills Homeless Center and the Children's House. Money raised through BB&HRT will benefit Youth Bridge and the Ozark Blues Society.
Last year, it was estimated that 350,000-plus showed up at the rally. With that in mind, Driver wasreluctant to guess how many will show this year.
"You can't count these things," Driver said. "It's like herding ants."
Then, he thought a little harder.
"My official number: a lot," he said.
Entertainment, Pages 20, 21 on 09/18/2009
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