I Spy . . . the First Biker through the Gate

I spy with my little eye the first biker to rumble down San Benito Street when the gates to the 2016 Hollister Independence Rally officially opened this morning.  This annual biker rally is a three-day event, ending on Sunday, July 3.

Thousands of bikers are expected to descend onto our small city, which some bikers describe as the Birthplace of the American Biker. If you want to know how our town got that designation, click here.

Admission to the rally is free. There shall be lots of food and drink, activities, and three stages for bands and other live entertainment. For details, head over to the Hollister Independence Rally web site.

2015 Hollister Freedom Rally

The Hollister Freedom Rally will be ending in a couple hours. The weather has been perfect for the three-day event. Not too hot, not too cold. And, the fog burned off early in the morning. Hope the thousands of visitors and locals who attended the motorcycle rally enjoyed themselves.

Hats off to the ConvEXX, the rally's organizer, and to Hollister Police Chief David Westrick for a great job of ensuring a safe and peaceful event.

For more photos of the events, check out Take 25's album on Facebook. You don't need to be a Facebook member or sign on to view it.

The Replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Hollister

The Moving Wall, the replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (also known as The Wall) in Washington D.C., is on display at Dunne Park, on Seventh and Powell Streets. It's open for free viewing 24 hours a day during the Hollister Freedom Rally.

Completed in 1982, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was built to honor the military men and women who served within the combat zone consisting of Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and other coastal areas. The names on the wall are the 58,272 military personnel who were killed or remain missing in action since 1959.  For more details about the memorial, please click here.

The Moving Wall was created to bring the memorial to people who may not be able to visit the actual one in Washington, D.C. The replica is half the size of the memorial. It has criss-crossed the United States every year for more than 30 years. For info about the Moving Wall, please click here.

John Caldwell wrote a wonderful article in BenitoLink.com about The Moving Wall coming to town. It includes an interview with local veteran Bernie Rameriz who remembers the seven Hollister men who were killed in action and are noted on The Wall. To read "A moving memorial to Vietnam vets comes to Dunne Park", please click here.

During the Moving Wall's stay in Hollister, it is being hosted by the following groups. Thank you for sponsoring its display in our community.

Three More Days Until. . .

The Hollister Freedom Rally!

Over this Fourth of July weekend, the number of people in Hollister shall be nearly threefold, if not more, as bikers from all over California, the United States, and even the world rumble in to visit the Birthplace of the American Biker. 

Lots of activities are planned for this free three-day event, from Friday, July 3, to Sunday, July 5. 

Touring Vietnam Veterans Memorial 

The Touring Vietnam Veterans Memorial, hosted by the local Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion branches, will be arriving on Thursday afternoon. It'll be set up at Dunne Park on Seventh Street. For more details, check out this article. 

Friday Contests

Who's got the best tattoos? Join or watch the tattoo contest at the Veteran's Building Stage. Registration is between 2:00 and 2:30 p.m., with the contest starting immediately afterwards. 

The Custom Bike Show is a competition of the best bikes in various categories, such as the Best Custom Bike, Best Bobber, and Best Paint. Participants will display their bikes from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the lawn at the corner of San Benito and Fourth Streets. The award ceremony will be 5:30 p.m. 

Saturday

On Saturday, actors Tommy Flanagan (Chibs) and Mark Boone Junior (Bobby) of Sons of Anarchy will be doing a Meet & Greet at the Veterans Memorial Building, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

Starting at 6:15 p.m. on the 7th Street Stage will be the Ms. Hollister Freedom Rally Contest.  For more details, click on this link. 

Live Music All Day Long

Bands will be performing on three stages in Downtown Hollister. Music will run on Friday and Saturday, from 12 to 6 p.m., and on Sunday, from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. For the schedule of bands, visit this page.

Live performances will also be happening at Bolado Park, the official campground for the Motorcycle Rally, on Friday and Saturday. Many local bands, such as Change in the Weather and Kizmet, will be performing there from 3:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Admission fee for non-campers is $10. Check out this link for the schedule. 

Headlining Concerts

This year, the rally will feature big-time concerts in Downtown Hollister. The streets will be rocking and rolling with The Fabulous Thunderbirds on Friday and The Guess Who (yes, the Guess Who!) on Saturday. Both concerts start at 7:30 p.m. You can purchase tickets online at the Hollister Freedom Rally web site. 

There's a lot more going on. Check out the Hollister Freedom Rally web site and Facebook page for more info.   

Today, I'm linking up with Our World Tuesday. Click here to check out posts from participants from around the world.

The Quiet Before the V-r-r-r-r-r-mmmm

Come this Friday morning, the streets of Downtown Hollister will be filled with bikers and their motorcycles, and will stay filled until Sunday evening.

We expect tens of thousands of visitors in Hollister over the Fourth of July weekend for the annual Hollister Freedom Rally, a free biker event that is said to be the largest in California. For the details, visit the Hollister Freedom Rally website.

R is for. . .

Rally. Motorcycle Rally. The Hollister Freedom Rally!

This year, thousands upon thousands bikers from all over the United States will trek to Hollister on the Fourth of July weekend to take part in the annual motorcycle rally that celebrates "The Birthplace of the American Biker". This event has been held officially, and unofficially, since 1997. The city of Hollister held the first rally to commemorate the 50th anniversary of a biker's incident that happened in Hollister over the Fourth of July weekend in 1947, upon which the movie The Wild One, starring Marlon Brando, was based.

I've written about the 1974 incident, as well as the history of the rally event, in an earlier post. If you're interested, check out this page.

This year's free motorcycle rally will be a three-day celebration, taking place on July 3, 4, and 5. In addition to lots and lots of bikes, there'll be live music, contests, and biker games throughout the event. A few of the major highlights are:

• The Touring Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall on display from July 3 to July 6 at Dunne Park
• Thunderbirds concert on July 3
• The Guess Who concert on July 4
• Sons of Anarchy stars Tommy Flanagan and Mark Boone, Jr. sign autographs on July 4
• July 4 Fireworks

For more details about the 2015 Hollister Freedom Rally, visit its official website.

Click here to find other A to Z challenge participants.

June – July 2015 Annual Events in San Benito County

Here are some annual events taking place in June and July of this year in San Benito County. Click the following links to find out about events in other months.

• March - May 2015
• August - October 2015
• November - December 2015

JUNE  2015

June 20 and 21: Hollister Airshow  

June 20 - 21: Annual Early Days at San Juan Bautista State Park 

June 6 - 28: San Benito County Saddle Horse Show & Rodeo is a month-long event. Some events are free.

• June 6: Miss Rodeo Contest 
• June 20: Memorial Ranch Rodeo
• June 21: Roping competition 
• June 25: Saddle Horse Parade and Fiesta in Downtown Hollister
• June 26–28: San Benito County Saddle Horse Show and Rodeo 

June 28: Old Mission San Juan Bautista Fiesta  Update: The fiesta for the public has been cancelled. But, the parish will still hold a parish gathering in the grove.

JULY 2015

July 3 - 5: Hollister Freedom Rally 

July 4: Fourth of July Kiddie Parade  

July 11: 19th Annual Indian Canyon Storytelling and Indigenous Gathering 

July 18: 29th Annual Street Festival, Car Show and Swap 

Final Day of Hollister Rally

Tens of thousands of bikers, non-bikers, families, locals, and out-of-town visitors have been having a ball these past three days at the Hollister Rally.

Today, the three-day motorcycle and music street festival will end at 3 PM. And the downtown streets are expected to open around 6 PM.

Happy Fourth of July!

Driving through downtown Hollister yesterday evening, the Husband and I noticed motorcycles already lining San Benito Street. The fun has started.

Have a joyful, peaceful, and safe Fourth of July weekend celebration, one and all!

2014 Hollister Rally: Things to Know

Many thousands of bikers are expected to visit Hollister over the Fourth of July weekend for the Hollister Rally. The free event will be open on Friday and Saturday, from 9 AM to 9 PM, and on Sunday, from 9 AM to 3 PM. 

San Benito Street will be an amazing sight with motorcycles of all sizes and types parked on both sides of the street throughout downtown. Various bands will be playing on three stages—East Street, 4th Street, and 7th Street—throughout the event. Lots of good food will be available at the Food Court on Sixth and East Streets, and two beer gardens will be open at Fifth Street and Seventh Street, both off  San Benito Street.

For more information about the schedule and vendors, go to the Official Hollister Rally website. 

July 3 Street Closures

Tomorrow, the town will be setting up for the rally. The following downtown streets will be closed from 6 AM to midnight.

• East Street, from 4th Street to South Street
• 5th Street, from Monterey Street to Sally Street
• 6th Street, from Monterey Street to Sally Street
• 7th Street, from Monterey Street to Sally Street

Update: San Benito Street will close to traffic at 8 PM.

July 4 Weekend Street Closures

The following downtown streets will be closed from 6 AM on July 4 to 9 PM on July 6:

• San Benito Street, from 4th Street to South Street
• Sally Street, from 5th Street to South Street

The city parking lots downtown will be closed as well. For specific details, click here. 

First Aid Station

A first aid station will be available at the Fire Station on the corner of Fifth Street and Sally Street.

Security and Safety

Police Chief David Westrick has it all covered. If you want to know specifics, read this article "Police Prepared for Biker Rally Crowds" by Adam Breen at BenitoLink.com.

Fourth of July Fireworks

The official Fourth of July fireworks display will be at the Marguerite Maze School on Meridian Street, about a mile east of downtown Hollister. Fourth Street turns into Meridian Street at the intersection after the railroad tracks. The fireworks show will start at 9:15 PM.

Church Fundraisers

The Hollister United Methodist Church, at the corner of 5th and Monterey Streets, will have an All-You-Can-Eat Breakfast from 8 AM to 12 noon on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The breakfast includes pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausage patties, orange juice, and coffee. Admission: $12 for adults and $6 for children (12 and under).

St. Luke's Episcopal Church, at 720 Monterey Street (by 7th Street) will be selling lunch, featuring linguica, for $6 from 10 AM to 3 PM on Friday and Saturday. They will also be offering bike parking on those dates for $5.

Enjoy yourselves, everyone!

The 2014 Hollister Rally

Are you ready for the 2014 Hollister Rally?

Come two weekends from now we will have thousands of visitors in our town and county, enjoying the annual biker festivities. The event will run from 9 AM to 9 PM on both Friday (July 4) and Saturday (July 5) and from 9 AM to 3 PM on Sunday (July 6).

To learn more about the schedule and vendors, head over to the Official Hollister Rally website. And, if you'd like to know how Hollister became known as the "Birthplace of the American Biker" and how this annual motorcycle rally came to be, check out this Take 25 to Hollister post written in 2008.