Dear Editor,
Over the last month I have been reading in the San Francisco Chronicle how that city would be shutting down the annual Halloween party in the Castro District, and was reminded of how the City of Hollister cancelled the motorcycle rally for the July 4th weekend in 2006. Even without an official rally that year, numerous bikers turned out in Hollister that weekend. I suspected the City of San Francisco would have that same problem on Halloween. But according to the November 1 edition of the Chronicle, the city got the quiet Halloween they hoped for, with a few protesters.
Hollister reinstated the motorcycle rally for 2007, but the setup of vendors instead of bikes (as in prior years) on Main Street angered a lot of the event-goers, as did the fact that the event was on July 6-8, July 4 having fallen on a Wednesday. People were no longer able to buy fireworks. Just a few days ago I did a search on Google on the rally for 2008, and according to this link, http://www.horsepowerpromotions.com/bikes/upcomingevents.htm: The 2008 motorcycle rally is scheduled for July 11-13. What? Is this true? A week after Independence Day weekend? What is the reason for this?
Back to the San Francisco Halloween story. San Francisco Supervisor Bevan Dufty is already aware of the fact that Halloween next year is on a Friday (2008 is a leap year) and says that there is no way to shut down a party in the city on a Friday night. July 4th will also be on a Friday next year, and does the City of Hollister plan to stop bikers from possibly showing up that day? July 4th is a legal holiday making it easier for potential rally-goers to get off work and such to come to the rally. Are we going to face two consecutive weekends of heavy traffic next July? Who is going to celebrate July 4th a week later?
Again, what is the reason for having the motorcycle rally a week later next summer? Are those dates for certain?
Jamie Ghione, Hollister
