The Traveler

Issue date: 9/29/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Veronica Pucci Bikers fill Dickson Street during the annual Bikes, Blues & BBQ rally and help boost the local economy.

Last weekend, hundreds of thousands of bikers swerved into Fayetteville to attend the biggest charitable motorcycle rally in the nation: Bikes, Blues & BBQ. The rally - centered around Dickson Street - grows in size each year as its reputation spreads, and such a bombardment of people helps boost the economy for Fayetteville businesses.

When Carmen Atkinson, part of a six-person biking crew from Panora, Iowa, was asked how much money she planned on spending at her first BBB rally, she responded, "Thousands baby, thousands!"

Atkinson was quick to follow that "Rodney plans on spending another hundred bucks on me, too."

Atkinson and her group estimated they'd each spend about $1,000 by the end of the weekend.

While the Panora group might be diagnosed with the "first timer's spending disease," many bikers make it a point to visit Fayetteville for the festival every year. Doug Wydale from Missouri is one of these regulars.

"[I've] been coming down here ever since the thing started," Wydale said. "[I] come down here every year - gets bigger and bigger every year."

Because of the growth of BBB, Wydale prefers to attend on Thursdays and Fridays with the smaller crowds. However, this doesn't stop him from reaching into his wallet for some leisure spending.

"I spent $300 already for the motel room and another $100 last night on service," Wydale said with a smile.

Perhaps the most profitable form of business last weekend was the downtown entertainment that attracted residents and visitors to local bars and restaurants.

"All of it is revenue," said Kenny Brown, a Vietnam veteran who's been riding a Harley since 1967. "You got to look at it from the stand point of the amount of money it brings in."

Brown said he enjoys spending his money on the food offered at BBB.

"There's good food here, really good food," he said. "If someone comes up here and they can't find something they like, they're in the wrong world."

Food and souvenirs are the bait of BBB, with stands run by traveling vendors who attain their spots in the festival by paying a rent. A man who prefers to go by Mr. Charley ran a food stand at the rally. Stubborn to give an exact answer and a true identify, Mr. Charley said the amount he makes "varies, depends on the weather, depends on the day."

Although mysterious, the carnies certainly make the rally's heart beat by selling their snacks and souvenirs.

It's through things like these that everyone involved contributes to BBB, which has donated more than $500,000 to local charities since it started nine years ago, according to its Web site. In 2007 alone, BBB donated more than $100,000 to 27 charities.

The rally does not use local government funding, and the amount of money donated to charities does not include the total amount of money brought to Fayetteville.

BBB made its annual appearance in Fayetteville this weekend but left the city in its dust yesterday. Money is a funny thing - it can come flying at you all at once, but in a second, it can be gone.

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools