Head out on the highway: Thunder Beach returns for fall rally - The News Herald
PANAMA CITY — The Thunder Beach Fall Rally 2011 promises to feature more of the events that have made the semi-annual festival the best free motorcycle rally in the United States: more bikes, more bands, more beauties.
The official bike show of the Thunder Beach rally is the most prestigious show on the Emerald Coast and has the largest prize purse of any show in Florida, according to promoters.
The Steelhorse Law "Best of the Beach" Custom Bike Show will be at Pier Park from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Presented by USRiderNews , the show has 16 classes and is sanctioned by the International Master Bike Builders Association. It benefits local Shriner charities and offers more than $15,000 in cash and prizes.
Scott Cochran, show coordinator and Editor of USRiderNews said the magazine uses only IMBBA judges for the Best of the Beach shows. "It's critical that we use individuals who are qualified to judge the technical correctness of the entries," he said in promotional materials. "This Spring we had some wild entries in several categories which would have stumped amateur judges."
Also on Saturday, a cornerstone of the festival will be the annual Sgt. Kevin Kight Memorial Bike Parade, which honors a Panama City Beach police officer who was killed in the line of duty. Participants will meet for lineup at the southwest corner of Richard Jackson Boulevard and Middle Beach Road (across from the old Public parking lot) at 10 a.m. Kickstands are up at 11 a.m. sharp. Sponsored by White Sands Riders, the parade benefits Cops for Kids.
STUNT SHOWS
Kyle and Cody Ives, called the youngest stunt team in America, will perform Thursday, Friday and Saturday at noon, 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. at Frank Brown Park. The brothers have traveled around the world since Cody was 9 and Kyle was 7, riding in "the ball of steel" and performing with circus acts.
They joined forces with Harley Davidson and put together one of the best ball of steel and freestyle motocross shows to date, including freestyle jumping and more stunts. They have performed with Robbie Knieval, Orange County Choppers and many more.
The Nick Lee "World Burnout Tour" will be at 12:30 and 3:30 p.m. daily (Thursday, Friday and Saturday) at Frank Brown Park. Carrying on the tradition of old school burnouts, Wisconsin native Lee is blowing tires and smokin' the crowds. His high-energy and free-standing burnouts have earned him trophies, cash and the nickname, "The Burnout King." He's known for doing the longest motorcycle burnouts and actually catching his bikes on fire.
MUSIC
Live bands play a major role in the festivities. The party started earlier this week with performances by the all-woman country band Mustang Sally and the biker-friendly rock band Geneva, but you haven't missed the opportunity to hear these bands yet. Mustang Sally performs 8 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at Sandpiper Beacon Beach Resort; Geneva is scheduled 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday at Sharky's.
In addition, the main stage at the Shoppes at Edgewater will host tribute bands nightly: Livin' on a Prayer (a Bon Jovi tribute band) plays Friday at 8 p.m.; and Don't Stop Believin' (a Journey tribute band) plays Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m.
Tallahassee's King Cotton band will play the main stage Saturday beginning at 4 p.m. King Cotton's style, rooted in blues, mixes Southern rock boogie and outlaw country to form its own North Florida sound.
POKER RUNS
Three poker runs are scheduled. Each one has registration at noon, with the first bike out at 12:30 p.m. and last bike in at 4:30 p.m. Awards are given at 5 p.m. at the final stop on the run.
l Thursday's run is sponsored by the Shriners with first card stop and registration at Pineapple Willy's.
l Friday's run is sponsored by the Defenders LEMC with first stop and registration at Rock'It Lanes.
l Saturday's run is sponsored by Red Knights MC and Fire & Iron MC, with first card stop and registration at Sharky's Beach Club.
BEAUTY CONTESTS
Thunder Beach Productions is looking for "those lovely vixens" age 18 and older to enter the Miss Thunder Beach Pageant and compete for a chance to win more than $5,000 in cash and prizes. Entry forms can be downloaded from the Thunder Beach Productions website and should be turned in at the company office. The preliminary round was Wednesday at the Kick-Start Party; the semi final round will be 7 p.m. Thursday at Hammerhead Fred's, and the final will be 7 p.m. Friday at Hooters.
Buckaloo's Saloon will host a Daisy Dukes Contest from 1 to 4 p.m. Friday, and Club La Vela will have a Bikini Contest at 2 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Women can also compete in the Ms. Thunder Beach contest, a beauty competition for "hot and sultry" women age 35 and older who "don't necessarily want to take the stage with 18-year-olds," according to promotional materials. The pageant will be 2 p.m. Saturday on the main stage at the Shoppes at Edgewater (there will be no preliminary rounds).
29 Sep, 2011--
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