Bikes, Blues & BBQ Crews Roll into Town

Setup has already begun for the annual Bikes, Blues & BBQ, one of the largest motorcycle rallies in the nation, that kicks off Wednesday in Fayetteville.

“I got out here at 8 o’clock and we have had people out here earlier,” said assistant event director, Coleson Burns. “We are just setting up the infrastructure. These are the setup days of the rally. As you’ve seen around, we’ve got vendors setting up, the tents are being setup, the electricity is in place, and we are getting the plumbing in place as well for the vendors.”

Bikes, Babes & Bling is merging with Bikes, Blues & BBQ, making this year’s event even bigger than years’ past.

Organizers say a lot of time and money go into planning an event of that size.

Tom Pagnozzi’s business, Southern Trend Clothing, is in charge of designing and printing the official Bikes, Blues & BBQ apparel. He said he has been planning for the event for a year now.

“It’s just time, it’s getting everything in order the way you want it, they way its set up so when someone goes from one tent to the next tent they are fairly similar as far as workers and getting the product in the same spot,” Pagnozzi, said.

Organizers estimate more than 400,000 people, and 100,000 bikes, will make their way to Fayetteville for the rally. In fact, some have already started rolling in.

“They trickle in, last night I was out and their seemed to be a number of them in,” Pagnozzi said. “But come Wednesday and Thursday, it’s up and down the street.”

Events will be held on Dickson St. as well as the Washington County Fairgrounds, Baum Motorcycle Village and the Northwest Arkansas Mall.

The motorcycle rally will include live music, shopping, contests, tons of food and much, much more.

Bikes, Blues & BBQ kicks off Wednesday afternoon and runs through Saturday night.