Daytona Beach, FL - It's now official. Welcome, to Biketoberfest 2019.
And there are some new features coming to this Biketoberfest that haven't been seen yet at one of the rallies.
Between today (October 17th) and Sunday (October 20th), the event will host a number of different activities and shows throughout the Daytona Beach area, which includes racing, motorcycle shows and multiple vendors.
It all kicked off earlier this morning at Harley Davidson Thunder Valley, located just outside of the World Center of Racing, the Daytona International Speedway. Lori Campbell Baker, the Executive Director of the Daytona Beach Convention And Visitors Bureau (CVB), announced that finding out what to do on Biketoberfest just became a lot easier, thanks to a new app.
"The Biketoberfest app is now available," said Baker. "It has our favorite rides, our favorite places eat, our favorite places to go. Just a lot of activities."
For more information on the app, you can visit the city's website. The app is available for free on the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.
Local law enforcement figures were present at the launch as well, pushing what they think is the most important detail about Biketoberfest, safety. Division Chief Brian Henderson with the Volusia County Sheriff's Office says that you should expect to see a lot of deputies out and about.
"You'll see increased visibility of our traffic folks. And there are some deputies that you won't see," said Henderson. "And the main goal here is to make sure this is a safe event."
Daytona Beach Police Chief Craig Capri, who said he's been seeing bikers come in since Sunday, is hoping people stay safe and limit their distractions while on the road since bikes are sometimes easy to miss. But, most importantly, he's hoping people are traveling sober.
"You gotta be focused on your driving. Put the cell phone down, focus, don't speed, have a good time especially if you're on a motorcycle," said Capri. "Don't drink and drive, take an Uber, park your bike in a secure location."
And while the event is mostly hosted within Volusia County, Flagler County is still expecting an impact on their traffic. Brittany Kershaw, the public information officer with the Flagler County Sheriff's Office, says deputies will be out on increased patrols countywide with a focus on A1A and US-1. The DUI patrol unit will also be in effect Friday through Sunday.
WNDB's sister station, 95.7 The Hog, will also host the event as the official radio station of Biketoberfest 2019.
News Daytona Beach would like to remind eventgoers and drivers to never drink and drive, look twice and save a life, and have a fun and safe time during Biketoberfest 2019.
