With Harley Week Gone, Bikefest Beckons

An almost eerie calm settled in Monday over downtown Myrtle Beach, fresh off an active, festive and successful Spring Bike Week. Most of the Harley crowd that took over the Grand Strand the previous week had made its way out of town, and you could practically hear the collective exhale from the vendors as they took full advantage of the brief respite before the next wave.

Ah, but hints of Round 2 still managed to make their presence known along Ocean Boulevard, as a handful of Kawasakis and Hondas periodically zipped past the Starbucks at The Breakers and its small audience of latte-sipping caffeine addicts (count me among that illustrious crew!).

It was as sure a sign as any that the Atlantic Beach Bikefest is coming, and ready to take its place amid the oceanfront revelry.

The $10 admission fee from 2006 to the Atlantic Beach festivities is a distant memory, and that combined with an infusion of talent from new event management should swell the crowds well into the hundreds of thousands for this year’s Bikefest.

The entertainment slate for Black Bike Week 2007 features the inaugural “We Got Next Music Fest” that includes Friday’s kickoff party at Club Afterdeck, Saturday’s Atlantic Beach Pavillion hosted by Atlanta 107.9’s King Arthur, and Sunday’s Atlantic Beach Pavillion hosted by DJ Drama with an “after party” back at Club Afterdeck. Other acts already confirmed include Willie the Kid, Khao, S. Money and Mello Mac.

If you’re planning on coming in and haven’t seen them yet, here are some other helpful sites for planning your Memorial Day blowout weekend in Myrtle Beach:

• Atlantic Beach Bikefest home page - Features a full schedule of events and links for your last-minute lodging needs
• ”We Got Next” MySpace page - Includes more information about “We Got Next” and other featured performers
• BlackBikeWeek.com - Hosts a calendar of events and nearly three dozen discussion forums to connect with fellow visitors (free registration required)

Of course, we also welcome your thoughts and your suggestions for Bikefest “best bets.” Send in your comments, and let us know what makes it special for you.

Enjoy a happy and safe holiday celebration!