Like many other Fourth of July events that have been put on hold since the economic downturn in 2009, the Hollister Motorcycle Rally was one of them due to excessive financial risks. On January 7th the Hollister City Council approved the return of the event and it will be held on July 5th and July 6th of 2013.
Hollister, California is known as the birthplace for the image of the American Biker. In 1947, over the Fourth of July weekend, a rowdy group of bikers road into Hollister and terrorized the town. A picture that was taken of a drunken biker sprawled on his bike, surrounded by empty beer bottles, was published in Life Magazine along with a story depicting the terror the town suffered through on that fateful weekend. The story became even more famous when a movie starring Marlon Brando, “The Wild One”, came out on the big screen. Between the press and the movie, America quickly grabbed on to the folklore that follows the city of Hollister and in 1997 the Hollister Independence Day Motorcycle Rally was born and became the largest motorcycle rally on the West Coast.
The businesses and citizens of Hollister and the efforts of Worldwide Dynamics Inc. are to be given the credit for the return of the Hollister Motorcycle Rally. Local supporters like Mike Corbin (Corbin Saddles) held smaller events during the hiatus of the event over the Fourth of July weekend to keep the riders coming back, but now that the city is again hosting the official event, it is expected to be better than when it was last held in 2008.
Attendees of the event will be welcomed with motorcycle-only parking in downtown Hollister and side streets filled with a wide variety of motorcycle rally vendors. Two large entertainment areas will offer a local beer garden and live entertainment and major manufacturers will be at the event offering demo rides in multiple locations. On Saturday, the center lane parking on the main drag will host the official bike show and as in previous years, Mike Corbin will be hosting his Annual Rider Appreciation Day at the Corbin factory on the north side of town.
Besides attending the motorcycle rally, riders can also enjoy beautiful scenery while riding in the area, or they can stop at a local winery for a wine tour or enjoy concerts at a local vineyard’s outdoors amphitheater. More details can be found on the Hollister City website or on the Motorcycle Industry Council website.
