Plant City Rocks (Keep it Rockin')
Just in case you have been trekking in the Himalayas or white shark hunting in New Zealand the last couple of months and have missed the hottest new biker event in Central Florida, the new Plant City Bike Fest "Rocks". In my opinion. Plant City's first two monthly events surpass most veteran events and rank up there with some of the best in potential, including my favorites, Leesburg and Key West. Billed more like a bike night than a larger event, Plant City not only has brought in impressive biker numbers the first two months, (in the area of 3,000 to 4,000), it has brought in a serious number of vendors, which I personally believe is a large part of the Biker attraction. Plant City had roughly 30 vendors at their November event and that was up considerably from October. Plants City's attractive refurbished downtown (not unlike Leesburg) is not only welcoming to guests, it has that old town feel that makes a casual stroll while checking out the sights both relaxing and fun. I have noticed that many non-bikers, civilians as I call them, are really turned on by the non-conventional atmosphere. It's exciting the first time you experience the noise, chrome, and leather apparel and makes it a real gas for most regular (non-biker) type folks. As for the entertainment, the music has been fairly good (better the first month) and the management of the bike show has been fine. Vendor prices to the public are fair, as are the restaurant and tavern charges. Master of Ceremony's duties have been taken care of by Radical Randy of Born to Ride TV and Randy always does a great job (keep the music going Randy). The Plant City Police Department has been cool and law enforcement issues have been almost non-existent. I'm not sure 5 or 6 cops standing in the middle of the main intersection are really necessary but the police officers have been understanding and tolerant.
Now, having given the good folks at the Plant City Chamber the much deserved credit they have earned, I do have some comments that I have heard around the biker community that might be of interest. My mother used to say, "You have two ears and one mouth for a reason", so I like to listen to the customers whenever they speak. Here are a few things they (the customers) have told me.
1. Add Beer tent or Beer street: Many believe a beer tent or a limited access area for the consumption of cold beer is needed. The rational is that bikers like to be outside and if you look at all of the really large events, they all have lots of outside areas with music and beer. Great events like the Key West Poker Run in Sept. annually block off some street areas where beer is allowed on the street. Usually these events have civic organizations vend the "brewskis" with special permits and give the proceeds to worthy charities in the area. Many time distributors donate the beer. Police officers sometimes man the beer stands and check for ID's and even issue bracelets to legal drinkers. If properly organized and policed, bikers will behave and usually be less troublesome than the general population. It's a great fundraiser for some worthy cause, it helps keep the crowd at the event and really doesn't effect the tavern traffic (taverns will all be full anyway). Personally, I feel safer at a bike event than I do at the local high school football game.
2. Lengthen the event: Some have already started talking about extending the event. I would like to see it last a little longer. Maybe an early afternoon start would afford organizers more time to take care of the bike show and other special programs, like tattoo contest, beauty contests, more bands etc. More importantly, it would give vendors who sponsor the event an opportunity to sell some products (4 hours isn't long). Local businesses like restaurants, hotels, and other retail establishments would also have a better opportunity if bikers were in the area for a longer period of time.
3. More Lights: Even though the areas along the railroad tracks are well lighted, I believe more light towers and vendor electrical hook ups would be nice. A little whining was heard by vendors, including myself, as we went looking for outlets to plug in our lighting when the time-change made it dark at 5:40 pm. Keep the vendor areas well lighted to add to the vendor appeal and keep the event safe.
4. More vendors: I believe the more vendors, the more appeal to bikers and ultimately the more successful the show. I believe that huge events like Daytona thrive because they continue to grow and evolve. It doesn't matter how many days you spend at bike week there is always something new to explore. It's sort of like the county fair. Attendees walk around and visit the attractions and the more attractions there are to look at, the longer they stay. Many events limit the number of vendors and in my opinion limit their appeal. Plant City had roughly 30 vendors at their last event and that was up considerably from the first event. When Bikers run out of entertaining things to look at, they will ride to the next venue. Don't let the event get boring. I have heard talk of limiting vendors at Plant City and I hope this doesn't happen.
In conclusion, I don't propose that I am the guru of bike events but I have been attending these events for 30 some years and I believe that successful events have a few things in common.
1. Successful events continue to evolve so the show doesn't become stagnant. Entertainment must continually change and the quality of bands is always important. Big names bring big crowds and big revenues for businesses and vendors.
2. Successful shows give the attendees some space to operate (tolerant police officers), good value for their dollar, and respect bikers and their spending power (no price gouging). Today's bikers eat, drink, tip, and basically use their gold cards to entertain themselves. Events like Plant City can easily grow and produce millions for their community economy. When organizers recognize the potential and act accordingly, the possibilities are staggering. Good value for the attendees is key.
3: Bikers control the success of the event: Remember that the biker community really controls the success of the event. I heard someone say the event belongs to the Chamber. Not really. Remember the success depends on the Biker Community and their willingness to support the event. It doesn't matter whose event it is, if no one comes. Listen to your customers and respond in a positive way and you will succeed.
Congratulations all around for the organizers. Keep up the good work, Plant City, keep it growing and you'll reap huge rewards with a super event. Ride Safe.
