NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. — It’s loud, it’s packed, and it’s one of the biggest weekends of the year in downtown New Port Richey. The Cotee River Bike Fest is rolling back into town this weekend, bringing thousands of visitors and a major boost for local businesses.
If riding motorcycles is your thing, like John Hill, then New Port Richey is the place to be.
“We call it blowing the ugly off where I’m from. So, yes we crack the throttle. We are going to come blow the ugly off,” said Hill, who owns Get Hooked Riverside restaurant.
Hill is among several downtown business owners gearing up for the three-day event that features food, music, and motorcycles.
“When you come down here and you see all the bikes just down the middle of the road it’s incredible,” said Tina Marie Farrell, the event chair.
Many say the festival is more than just a biker gathering, it’s a showcase for how downtown New Port Richey has grown and transformed over the past decade.
“I’ve been in this area pretty much my whole life and to see downtown grow over the last 10 to 15 years has been phenomenal,” said Kyle Baud with Team Farrell, one of the event sponsors.
The Kangaroo Country Bar is one of the newer spots helping to energize Main Street.
“The growth is spoken about daily. Not only in our community, but when people come from as close as Tarpon Springs, Dunedin, Clearwater area. They are like ‘wow, it really has come up a lot in the last couple of years,’” said owner Jessica Lazaris.
Another major project reshaping downtown is the Railroad Square development, which will bring new pedestrian areas and shaded walkways a block off Main Street.
“The city is putting so much time and money into the area. A lot of new businesses coming in,” Hill said.
Organizers say the Cotee River Bike Fest draws around 40,000 people each year.
“We have a big map of the United States and they get to pin where they are from. So we’ve noticed and we see the hotels fill up around here now when they didn’t back in the beginning,” Farrell said.
Beyond the economic impact, the event also gives back. Each year, proceeds are donated to local charities across Pasco County.
The free annual festival runs Friday through Sunday at Sims Park and throughout downtown New Port Richey. Hours are 5 to 11 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Events include live bands, custom bikes, bike shows, a poker run, a bikini contest, a Little Miss Cotee River contest, and food, beer, and merchandise vendors.
More information is available at thecoteeriverbikefest.com
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