Uniontown hosts Cycles in the City
Motorcycle riders and folks allured by the shining chrome and thundering exhaust of two-wheeled machines will have plenty of activities to get revved up for this weekend at the third-annual Cycles in the City in downtown Uniontown. “We kind of doubled everything,” organizer Ron Romeo said.
Doubled were the number of days of the event and the number of stages where bands will perform.
A second day, Friday, was added so two motorcycle movies could be played at the State Theatre Center for the Arts.
The classic movie “Easy Rider,” begins at 7 p.m. and “The World’s Fastest Indian,” which was released this year, starts at 9 p.m. Admission to the theater is $5, but the event is free.
“That’s going to be a really nice addition,” Romeo said. “It’s like a pre-fest warm up kind of thing.”
A stage in front of the State Theatre on Main Street and a second stage at Grindle Station on Pittsburgh Street will be the venues for at least seven bands on Saturday.
The bands will begin performing at 1:30 p.m. at both locations. The acts are Among Autumn, Impact, American Band, Happy Ending, Daddy Longlegs, Bad Mojo and Area 51.
Beverage booths will be located at both venues and food vendors will also be on hand.
Bikes will be in the spotlight Saturday beginning with a poker run that leaves Miller’s Yamaha on Connellsville Street at 9 a.m. and ends on Main Street at 1:45 p.m.
Main Street will be closed from Morgantown Street to Gallatin Avenue, and Beeson Boulevard will be closed between South and Penn streets.
People riding their bikes to the event should take Morgantown Street to Main Street and park there beginning at 11 a.m.
Last year’s Cycles in the City, which was held in July, drew 380 motorcycles and around 3,000 visitors.
There is a $10 fee for bike owners to register their rides for three people’s choice awards. Judging begins at 3 p.m. and National Road Harley Davidson is providing the trophies.
For a $5 fee, bikers can enter a bike weight-guessing contest.
“We’re going to have a lot of fun with that,” Romeo said.
While different contests are being devised, one could involve letting bikers guess the weight of their bikes with them and their “babes” in the saddle.
Romeo said entrants will have to ride their bikes on to a 3-inch high platform scale to get weighed.
Vintage motorcycles will be on display at Grindle Station.
At 5 p.m., Uniontown attorney Thomas W. Shaffer is sponsoring boxing matches in the Fayette County Public Service Building parking lot.
Tickets are needed for the boxing matches. Tickets can be purchased by calling Shaffer at 724-425-1162. Tickets are also available at the event sponsors, which are Uniontown Kawasaki, Miller’s Yamaha, GMS Racing Engines of Uniontown, National Road Harley Davison, West Side Auto of Uniontown and Romeo and Sons.