By PAULA TRACY, InDepthNH.org
LACONIA – Saying they are optimistic they
can still hold the 97th Progressive Laconia Motorcycle Week in June, the board
of directors of the annual gathering said it will make a decision no later than
April 30 on whether or not to postpone the event until the end of August.
Bike Week is among the nation’s largest gathering of motorcycle enthusiasts who
come to the Granite State for a series of events, which center in the Weirs
Beach area of Laconia each June.
It provides a major economic boost each spring, particularly to the Lakes Region’s hotels, restaurants and bars as they open for the summer.
Other major bike events in the country are at Daytona in the Spring and Sturgis, South Dakota in the fall.
The Board of Directors of the Laconia Motorcycle Week Association held a teleconference meeting on March 26 and determined a decision would be made no later than April 30 on whether or not the rally would be postponed from June 13-21 to August 22-30, according to its website.
“This could be a huge boost for the morale of not just motorcycle enthusiasts but everyone in the region,” says Charlie St. Clair, executive director for the Laconia Motorcycle Week Association.
“This event brings millions of dollars to the state and is critically important to New Hampshire businesses and our tourism economy. Not only that, but we have also all been cooped up inside for well over a month – What better way to tell the world we’re returning to normal when we hear the familiar June roar of motorcycles returning to Weirs Beach?”
The health and wellness of fellow riders and motorcycle enthusiasts everywhere continue to be Laconia Motorcycle Week’s #1 priority. Over the next several weeks, the board will continue to maintain communication with local and state officials and will post any/all updates to LaconiaMCWeek.com, through their e-newsletter, and on all #LaconiaMCWeek social media channels.