NW Arkansas readies for Bikes, Blues & BBQ
Annual charity event draws thousands
Northwest Arkansas is again gearing up for Bikes, Blues & BBQ , the region’s annual festival that bills itself as the world’s largest charity motorcycle rally. It kicks off its 19th year beginning Wednesday and lasts through Saturday.
The organization’s website calls the event a rally with a purpose, saying that over the years, it has raised $2 million for charities in the region.
As bikers overall have aged, the festival organizers have taken steps to broaden the event’s appeal.
“It’s something we talk about in the boardroom all the time — what is the next generation of enthusiasts?” Bikes, Blues & BBQ Executive Director Tommy Sisemore said. “We have definitely tried to evolve the rally to attract new usership.”
It’s a reality of which the motorcycle world is keenly aware. In July, Harley-Davidson embarked on a strategy to gain 2 million riders over the next decade, grow its international business by 50 percent and launch 100 new bike models.
But widening the appeal for this week’s festival doesn’t mean visitors should expect vegan brunch or electric scooter parades. New features this year include a tattoo and art expo at the Fayetteville Town Center,
bull-riding at the Washington County Fairgrounds and a barbecue cookoff for kids. The organization’s website has been revamped, and three new board members have been added.
Justin Tennant, a Fayetteville City Council member who joined the board this year, said that of the people who ride, “I find a lot of them are accountants and bankers and doctors and men and women who travel together as a couple. They ride to different parts of the country and enjoy the outdoors. To me, that does fit with what Fayetteville is about.”
Tennant joined the board in part to help create a more diverse festival. More amusement and venues, music and activities to attract a wider group of people equates to more dollars for charity and local businesses. It also means more tax revenue for the city and region, Tennant said.
“It’s a win-win when you bring in more people,” he said.
However, some residents will take umbrage with the festival no matter what it has to offer. The sheer magnitude of thousands of people flooding into one area poses challenges.
Some businesses don’t see the benefit from the influx of people every year.
Cary Arsaga, whose family owns the area’s Arsaga’s coffee shops, said The Depot on Dickson Street will close during the festival this year. Business drops to about half of what the restaurant usually does, and Arsaga said the week serves as an opportunity to deep-clean the place.
In the past, he’s tried changing up the menu and making a few adjustments, but for the past few years it’s just been easier to close, he said. Vendors typically set up in the parking lot outside The Depot, which tends to divert attention from his business, he said.
“Some of the local businesses don’t reap the benefits of all the people being there,” he said.
And a flood of rumbling motorcycles is normally not a residential area’s idea of serenity. In the historic Washington-Willow neighborhood near Fayetteville’s College Avenue, Katie Mihalevich, a member of the property owners association, said her family usually takes a mini-vacation during the festival.
She said she understands the enthusiasm for the motorcycling culture, plus the benefit to charities and sales tax revenue, but the noise is a bit much for her young children.
She described the 2 a.m. exodus of motorcycles when the bars close.
“We leave town,” Mihalevich said. “Some of our closest friends live in the neighborhood, and we all just sort of make it an excuse to go do something together.”
Motorcycle enthusiasts are as diverse as the communities in which they ride, said Peter terHorst, a spokesman with the American Motorcyclist Association, which promotes motorcycle living and activity.
“The common value that binds them together is the feeling of freedom and independence,” he said.
There have always been generational differences when it comes to motorcycling, but the common thread is the love for getting around on two wheels, terHorst said.
“For younger riders who want to move up to a motorcycle, this is a great time to start because there is an amazing array of entry-level offerings from the manufacturers,” he said.
A wider selection of new models has helped diversify the crowd, said Kyle Johnson, general manager at Pig Trail Harley-Davidson in Rogers.
“It used to be the bikers were the bad boys and rebels and whatnot, but it’s a sport. It’s a recreation. You see people in our dealership from all walks of life,” Johnson said.
New models on the way include an electric bike — which is a sort of mix between a hog and a dirt bike — and a “naked” sport bike.
With more diverse models and the region’s beautiful scenery, naysayers should give the experience a whirl, Johnson said.
“I highly encourage you to give motorcycling a shot. It’s totally different from anything else. You don’t have, like with a car, the cage around you,” he said.
Bobby and Staci Tyler of Springdale joined the Northwest Arkansas chapter of Riders United for Children about eight months ago. Bobby Tyler said they joined to socialize with other motorcycle enthusiasts but also as a way to help children and families.
That desire to give reflects the majority of people in the biking community, particularly at this week’s charitable festival in Northwest Arkansas, Bobby Tyler said.
“A lot of money gets raised for good purposes,” he said.