RALEIGH, N.C. — Raleigh streets roar to life once again Sept. 26-28, 2014 during the 10th annual Ray Price Capital City Bikefest, presented by Nationwide Insurance. The festival features a wide range of family friendly activities in downtown Raleigh and at the Ray Price dealership. Capital City Bikefest is the state’s largest motorcycle rally and has been named “Best Event” nationally by Dealernews. New this year to coincide with the 10th Anniversary, the Ray Price Motorsports Expo will debut inside the Raleigh Convention Center, featuring a custom bike show with $15,000 in prizes.
“We love bringing thousands of motorcyclists and their families into downtown Raleigh,” said Mark Hendrix, general manager of Ray Price Harley-Davidson and Ray Price Triumph. “With this being the 10th anniversary of our outdoor street festival, plus the launch of the Ray Price Motorsports Expo indoors, this year’s Capital City Bikefest will be a huge weekend for bikers and motorsports fanatics.”
More than 85,000 people attended Capital City Bikefest last year. Attendance was dampened from previous years due to inclement weather, and yet the direct economic impact included $3.6 million in visitor spending. More than 100,000 visitors attended in 2012, for a direct economic impact of more than $5 million, according to Greater Raleigh Convention & Vistors Bureau data.
This year, Capital City Bikefest begins Friday, Sept. 26 with a kick-start parade and opening ceremony. Food trucks, artists and vendors line Fayetteville Street, with live music from more than 20 bands on three stages throughout the weekend. Other unique activities include: a Parade of Lights, Raleigh Tattoo Festival, Patriot Ride, trapeze artists and stunt shows, and numerous charity events that benefit the USO of North Carolina and the U.S. Veterans Corps. Capital City Bikefest has raised more than $100,000 for charity.
The new addition of the Ray Price Motorsports Expo also brings excitement indoors. A custom bike show will feature as many as 100 custom bikes built by professionals and hobbyists from across the country, competing for $15,000 in prizes. The nation’s top custom bike builders have been invited to unveil 2015 models. Ray Price Performance will build a custom bike “live” over three days to support Kangaroo Express’ “Salute Our Troops” Campaign.
Other indoor activities feature an action sports exhibition with motocross, BMX and motorcycle stunt shows. Also featured: a classic motorcycle exhibit, a 1940s rockabilly-style pin-up contest, and a biker fashion show.
“Add it all up and Capital City Bikefest becomes a great destination festival for our community, and a huge visitor weekend for bikers from across the Southeast and along the East Coast,” said Hendrix.
Capital City Bikefest was formed in 2005 in partnership with the City of Raleigh to become North Carolina’s first downtown motorcycle rally, held in Raleigh’s Moore Square. The next year, Capital City Bikefest became the first large-scale festival created by a local business to bring a fresh roar of life back to newly re-opened Fayetteville Street, attracting 65,000 attendees. Capital City Bikefest celebrates its 10th anniversary this year with annual attendance estimated at more than 100,000 visitors. It has been named the nation’s “Best Event” by Dealernews, the leading publication covering the powersports industry. Events benefit the nonprofits USO of North Carolina and U.S. Veterans Corps. Ray Price Capital City Bikefest has been presented by title sponsor Nationwide Insurance for the past eight years. Learn more at http://www.capitalcitybikefest.com. Follow the festivities on Twitter: @RayPriceHD and #BikefestRaleigh.
For more than 30 years, Ray Price Harley-Davidson in Raleigh, N.C. has served as one of the Southeast’s top motorcycle dealerships. Staff has centuries of combined Harley riding experience to provide award-winning customer service and education programs for beginners-to-expert riders. Best known as home to Hall-of-Fame racing legend Ray Price, the dealership actively supports area nonprofits and is responsible for the state’s first Iron Elite bike rally to celebrate African-American bike culture. Learn more at http://www.rayprice-hd.com.
