The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Local News

June 14, 2009

Spa City gearing up for annual Motorcycle Festival

Debbie Schwarz Simpson

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS — The city is revving up for its second annual Motorcycle Festival slated for June 26-28.

Police Chief James Hylton is coordinating the event, which will kick off with a bike show and wind down with a gospel sing.

“Numerous people came to me to ask if I would head a project that would bring the motorcycles back to White Sulphur Springs,” Hylton said, looking back to last summer when the Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America made a scheduled stop in the Spa City.

“It (the Charity Ride) brought 1,200 cycles and 4,000 people into White Sulphur.

“We’re also celebrating our centennial this year.”

With the exception of the ATV mud bog, all competitions will be at Memorial Park, the city’s recreation complex.

Trophies and cash awards will be presented for the People’s Choice, Oldest Running and Longest Traveled in the bike show on June 26. The show will be sponsored by First National Bank in White Sulphur Springs.

The Greenbrier Valley Circuit Riders will give the bike blessing on Saturday morning, June 27, with the day’s competitive activities to include a poker walk, poker run and biker games.

“Awards will be presented after each race,” Hylton explained.

“Our big event is the poker walk. It is 2.5 miles in White Sulphur Springs with five different stops. All of the proceeds from the poker walk will go to the Greenbrier Valley Cancer Center.” Sears in Fairlea is donating the prize money for the poker walk.

“We will have 12 different classes,” he said in looking ahead to the mud bog which will be staged on city-owned property off Big Draft Road on Sunday, June 28.

Trophies will be presented at the mud bog, which carries a $7 admission fee. Youngsters 7 and under will be admitted free.

“We will have something planned for each evening,” Hylton noted.

“They are back by popular demand,” he said of Richard Hefner and the Black Mountain Bluegrass Boys. The band, out of Pocahontas County, will perform at the festival on Friday evening.

“On Saturday evening, there will be motorcycle activities and we’ll have a gospel sing on Sun-day. We hope that local churches will take part in the gospel sing.”

All of the entertainment is free.

For additional information on the festival, contact Hylton at 304-536-1454 or 304-536-1466.

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