Atlanticade success hinges on the weather - Jun. 30, 2010
BY KATHY BOCKUS
kathy@stcroixcourier.ca
ST. STEPHEN – Plans are in place, events, accommodations and venues are booked.
Now, it’s all up to the weather.
The Atlanticade Motorcycle Festival is ready to roll out the red carpet for motorcycle enthusiasts from throughout Canada and the United States from June 30 to July 4.
The number of participants, says organizer Dale Hicks, will all depend on the weather.
“You can plan everything but the weather,” said Hicks. “If we have good weather, there will be a pile of bikes; if not, we won’t. If it’s raining, people won’t come.”
After three years in Moncton, the festival has moved to St. Andrews and organizers have made a three year commitment to Charlotte County.
Hicks said registrations are “still rolling along” at the same levels as in past years, but cautioned not to read too much into those numbers because most people who attend an Atlanticade festival don’t register.
“We did surveys that showed up to 75 per cent of people never register,” said Hicks. “I’ve been to seven events and only registered at one.”
Hicks felt the registration numbers for this Atlanticade may come close to the all-time high of 250 registrants.
If the weather is nice, Hicks estimates there will be between 4,000 and 5,000 motorcyclists who attend the festival.
If people come from far and wide as expected, it “bodes well for tourism” in the region said Hicks.
“I will say this. People keep referring to the Hog Rally in 1998, what a great event it was, all the people who were around, and how all the businesses were busy,” said Hicks.
“From my understanding, there were between 1,200 to 1,800 bikes then.
This event, at its worst-case scenario if it rains, will bring that many.”
Hicks said one committee member has the responsibility of taking pictures of motorcycle licence plates as a point of reference when organizers determine how far participants journeyed.
In years past, the festival has hosted bikers from as far away as the Yukon, said Hicks. “And we have the pictures to prove it.”
This year’s registrants so far include people from Newfoundland and the other Atlantic Provinces, the New England States, “and a whole raft coming from Ontario.”
Hicks is certain there won’t be any criminal element bike club members attending.
“If there are, it will be the first time,” said Hicks. “They are not the element that would be attracted to something like this.”
Commenting on the RCMP’s plans to have all hands on deck during the festival given the expected volume of participants, Hicks says “the more police the better.”
“Having a cop on every corner would be great,” said Hicks. “It only enhances what the event is all about – socializing for John Q. Public, the guy who has a job, a family and kids.
“It’s not Peter Fonda in ‘Easy Rider’. It’s about the guy who gets up every day, goes to work, takes his kids to soccer and hockey and who happens to have bike in the garage.”
Hicks said the Snowbirds, the Canadian Armed Forces aerobatic exhibition squadron, will perform a “fly past” over St. Andrews at 10 a.m. June 30 which will coincide with a flag raising ceremony at the Fairmont Algonquin.
The official opening ceremonies, which will include a blessing of the bikes, will take place from 12 noon to 1 p.m. at the Algonquin.
Hicks said he’s looking forward to the time when Atlanticade concludes and he can tell Charlotte County residents, tourism operators and businesses, “Now you know what we’re talking about.”
“What I am looking forward to is getting it over with,” said Hicks. “There’s so much speculation, excitement and rumours. Once it’s over, we can say ‘that’s what it is all about.
Now, that’s our event’.”
He likened the pending Atlanticade and Charlotte County relationship like going on a blind date.
“You’re anxious to open the door and see what it looks like,” he joked. “Let’s get the blind date over and you’ll know what you’re dealing with.”
Meanwhile, Kathleen O’Halloran, director of sales and marketing at the Algonquin, said while she can’t discuss number of rooms already booked, there are still rooms available for the dates Atlanticade will be held.
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