More than 100,000 cyclists have descended on Daytona Beach for the annual bike week, complete with fun activities like cole slaw bikini wrestling and wet t-shirt contests.
Bike Week 2023 has already garnered a larger crowd than in previous years, as thousands have thronged the streets of Daytona Beach. Even before the event began on March 4, locals noticed that more motorcycles were cruising their streets than normal and more will only arrive as the event runs through March 13.
The event takes place in several counties: Volusia, Flagler, St. Johns, Duval and others, and it is estimated that the event will receive up to 400,000 visitors during the 10 days.
Local hotels reported higher than normal booking numbers, and Ormond Beach-based Elite Hospitality Inc CEO Manoj Bhoola expected all 533 rooms at his hotels to be completely sold out by the end of the event.
“Unlike last year, reservations started coming in two to three months in advance,” he told the Daytona Beach News-Journal. “With people trying to get back to the new normal, enthusiasm for outdoor events like this is extremely high. We are seeing that most of our clients are from states other than Florida.’
Bike Week 2023 has already garnered a larger crowd than in previous years, as thousands have thronged the streets of Daytona Beach.
Even before the event began on March 4, locals noticed that more motorcycles were cruising their streets than normal and more will only arrive as the event runs through March 13.
The event takes place in several counties: Volusia, Flagler, St. Johns, Duval and others, and it is estimated that the event will receive up to 400,000 visitors over the 10 days.
The area’s largest hotel, the Hilton Daytona Beach Oceanfront Resort, said its 744 rooms would be “100 percent sold out every night.”
“Without a doubt, Bike Week 2022 looks to be one of the best performing events in our destination,” general manager Jim Berkley told the Daily Daytona Beach News.
Last year’s event was shrouded in the uncertainty of the pandemic, but as nearly all COVID-19 protocols have been lifted across the country, this year’s riders are ready to rock and roll.
Janet Kersey, who works for the Chamber of Commerce and helps organize the event, said the number of out-of-state visitors is already higher and she has noticed many different license plates on the bikers.
“It’s pretty impressive,” he told the Daytona Beach News-Journal. ‘Last weekend, I was out and saw a lot of cyclists, and also a lot of cyclists with license plates from all over the country.
‘People are leaving that cold weather and coming down to the Florida sun. They just want to travel, and Florida has been open for business.’
Volusia County lost $852 million due to hurricane damage and the Chamber of Commerce is happy to see a boom in hotel bookings, estimated to generate $1 million in hotel taxes this month.
The organizers hosted coleslaw and slime wrestling where women wrestle in a field.
Bike Week organizers held a wet t-shirt contest, where willing women wore Dirty Harry T-shirts while men poured jugs of water over their chests.
Women compete in the wet t-shirt contest during Daytona Florida bike week
The women stood in a separate area as a lively crowd cheered and used selfie-sticks to film the entire event.
“We’ve worked very, very hard since the hurricanes to make sure things are going well for our visitors who come to the city,” said Janet Kersey, who works for the Chamber of Commerce. Spectrum News 13.
And well they did. The weekend full of fun events has drawn huge crowds.
Country music star Eddie Montgomery kicked off with a performance at the Iron Horse. Its opening acts consisted of longtime local artists Reuben Morgan and Whey Jennings.
In addition, the organizers of Bike Week held a wet t-shirt contest, where willing women wore Dirty Harry T-shirts while men poured jugs of water over their chests.
The women stood in a separate area as a lively crowd cheered and used selfie-sticks to film the entire event.
A couple drives around town on an orange bike while wearing matching orange shirts.
Local hotels reported higher than normal booking numbers as riders packed up to enjoy the 10-day event.
A man displays his maroon bicycle as onlookers admire it from the sidewalk.
Many of the bikes on display throughout the event are bright, colorful and eye-catching.
A group walks through a line of bikes at Teddy Morse Destination on Thursday
A group of motorcyclists wear Brothers Forgiven vests at the event
A group of men film what appear to be men riding bicycles inside a large metal cage.
The organizers also hosted coleslaw and slime wrestling where women wrestle in a field.
Despite the great amusement of the attendees, almost 70 were sent to the hospital in the first five days. Twenty of them were seriously injured and were sent to Halifax Health Medical Center, the only trauma center in the area, and required surgery, according to the Daytona Beach News-Journal.
Injuries are up five from the previous year and nearly double since 2021.
Two have died in Flagler and Volusia counties, but so far the deaths are down from eight last year, according to the Daytona Beach News-Journal.