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 Masonic Lodge Clock Tower

I think it's time for another view of our famous timepiece in Downtown Hollister.

Until tomorrow. Tick, tock. Tick, tock. . . .

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.

Illusions in Santa Ana Valley

Doesn't it look like the mountain is fenced off? And, that the mountain is quite nearby? For that matter, are those really mountain peaks?

I'm on Santa Ana Valley Road looking up at the Diablo Range through a fence, on which the other side rows of corn are growing.

See you tomorrow.

The SBC Saddle Horse Show & Rodeo Parade!

It was a perfect summer evening for the San Benito County Saddle Horse Show & Rodeo Parade. Geri Johnson, retiring Hollister City Clerk, was the Grand Marshal of the parade that kicks off the 82nd annual event at Bolado Park this weekend.

The parade had horses and rodeo royalty, community figures and groups, school kids and youth groups, singers and bands, and more. Here's just a sampling of the participants.

I'm sharing this post at Friday My Town Shoot Out, a new meme for me. Every week participants post photo around a theme, which this week is the color red. And, there was a lot of red in yesterday evening's parade.  Click here to check out posts from bloggers around the world.