- May 6, 2024
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Iron Horse Saloon reported being busy despite the lower Biketoberfest turnout (Photos by Emily Blackwood).
Max Skinner was one of the many bikers that still attended the annual event despite Hurricane Matthew.
Though the attendance for Biketoberfest was down, the people who came were happy to be there.
Every year, the businesses that participate in Biketoberfest put in a lot of work to make it a successful event. But this year, they had to put in a little more overtime.
"We had just a few days to prepare," said Mandy Rossmeyer of Bruce Rossmeyer’s Harley-Davidson. "It's my family's bread and butter. We would never consider not having it."
Destination Daytona was just one of the many businesses on North U.S. 1 that had little time to get ready for the weekend-long event that typically brings in 150,000 bikers to town every year. Hurricane Matthew hit Florida's East Coast Oct. 6 and Oct. 7 bringing down many trees and power lines with it. Some businesses, like the Iron Horse Saloon, didn't get power until two days before the event kickoff.
"We did our best to keep everything going," said Iron Horse Co-Owner Melissa Penland. "We were trying to follow the city's lead, and we made every effort to possible to make sure everyone who came was happy."
Though attendance numbers are not yet available for this year's Biketoberfest, Lodging & Hospitality Association of Volusia County President Bob Davis told the Daytona Beach News-Journal, he estimated a decrease of at least 60%. The Daytona Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, the organization that puts on the event, could not be reached for comment.
"Our numbers were low compared to last year," said Rossmeyer, "but considering what everyone went through to get here, we're pretty happy. Not too many people were here, but the people who were here were spending money and having fun."
