Businesses are expecting more bikers than last year for the fall bike rally which begins Wednesday.
Denise Triece at Myrtle Beach’s Harley-Davidson dealership is anticipating higher numbers for the fall event. She called around to area hotels and it appears reservations are up compared to last year.
“The more the merrier, it’s great for tourism, great for the economy and anything we can do to boost that, helps out,” Triece said.
The spring bike rally typically draws more people to the Myrtle Beach area than the fall event.
“It’s a little bit more laid back, there's not as much going on but it's still good for the people that are here,” Triece said.
The bike rallies had seen a drop off in attendance in recent years. This came as the City of Myrtle Beach put in place a helmet law, which the state Supreme Court later did away with. Now it appears attendance is bouncing back.
“People have moved forward from that and people are kind of past all that,” Triece said.
Some visitors prefer the rally because it is lower key. Bill Harvey is attending the rally with his family and friends from New Jersey.
“We’ve been coming for 15 years, we now just come for the fall because the spring got too crowded,” Harvey said. “There’s less people, the weather is good and the kids are back in school.”
Ben Eickbush travels to bike rallies all over the east coast selling products to the bikers. He and his crew set up a vending area for this rally behind the Harley-Davidson dealership.
“We meet a lot of really good people out here,” Eickbush said. “The spring rally seemed really good so we’re hoping that the fall rally is really good also.”
The business spread beyond the motorcycle dealership to area hotels and restaurants. Preparations were well underway Tuesday at the Beaver Bar in Murrells Inlet.
Airbrush artist Nathan West set up a stand at the bar with all his supplies. He’s ready for the influx of bikers.
“They feed the hotels, the feed my business in Myrtle Beach, they feed us down here too, and it’s a good thing,” West said.
Triece said some events this weekend include a charity ride and fish fry, a jazz and blues festival at Docksiders and a tattoo and music festival at the convention center.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement