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Mountains, Music, and Motorcycles annual event marks 15 years

motorcycles-in-a-row

Riding enthusiasts agree: some of the best motorcycling in America is in the Ozarks. 

Built on that simple premise, a festival organized fifteen years ago with no budget and heavily dependent on volunteers. The first event drew about 350 motorcyclists. Now, thousands of bikers are expected to this annual event.

The 15th annual Mountains, Music, and Motorcycles will be held Aug. 16, 17, and 18 in downtown Mountain View. 

Visitors to the event, which is open to all ages and free, will be able to take part in a variety of activities.  

“This annual event is a favorite of many people; it’s good family fun and a very relaxed atmosphere,” said John Morrow, event chair. “We are always pleased to have the bikes back to Mountain View. This event means a great deal to the community and the charities it supports.”

Friday events will include shopping on the square and with the vendors for the event. A “walk about” scavenger hunt and a charity poker run are scheduled to start at 10 a.m.  Live music, featuring Stillwater Hardy and the Melodikats downtown starting at 6 p.m. Poker Run winners will be announced during the music show. 

Saturday events will kick off at 8 a.m. with the start of a Motorcycle Poker Run, Car Show, and Bike Show. At 10 a.m. there will be the opening ceremonies. Biker Games, a crowd-pleasing favorite, comes next on the schedule. 

Back this year will be a Firetruck Pull, pitting teams of law enforcement officers, firefighters, and first responders, to see who can move a fire truck the furthest — using just pure muscle. Benefits for this event will go to the Special Olympics of Arkansas.   

New for Saturday will be the Beard Contest. Prizes will go to the best styled and kept beards.

“We end the evening on Saturday with two more high-energy bands: Northern Lights, The Arkansas Brothers, and The Lockhouse Orchestra,” said Morrow. “Both of these groups continue the tradition of having great, crowd-pleasing bands playing free to the public on the square.”  

Mountains, Music, and Motorcycles is still operated and managed by volunteers. The Mountain View Chamber of Commerce sponsors this event and all funds raised pay for the event. It is a major fundraiser for multiple charity groups throughout the years. 

“We like to use the Poker Runs as a way to give back to the community,” Morrow continued.  “This year’s charity will be Royal Family KIDS, the nation’s leading network of Camps, Clubs, and Mentoring for children of abuse, abandonment, and neglect.”

All activities are centered on downtown Mountain View. Sunday morning the event ends with a biker church service in the natural setting of the city park amphitheater.

Parking around the historic town square is restricted to motorcycles only during the event. It has grown from the town square to encompass many side streets and other business parking lots. The event brings in visitors that are exposed to the unique culture of this area and generates thousands of dollars for the economy of the region.

Mountains, Music, and Motorcycles focuses on the fact that Mountain View and the region is a motorcycle destination for motorcycle enthusiasts from around the nation. Roadrunner Magazine has named the Ozark Mountain Region around Mountain View one of the top 10 riding destinations in America.

For more on Mountains, Music, and Motorcycles, click here.

Content paid for by the City of Mountain View.

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