Mike Parker: Recruiting special events boosts local business
In astronomy, a syzygy occurs when three or more celestial bodies form a roughly straight-line configuration in a gravitational system. The most common arrangement includes the moon, sun, and another planet aligning to impact the earth’s gravitational forces.
Sometimes in our county’s economy, we encounter a syzygy of sorts. This weekend we will experience just such an event. First, the Lenoir County Fair kicks off on Tuesday, October 3, and runs through Saturday, October 7.
The Lenoir County Agricultural Fair is now in its 68th year, the product of the Lenoir County Fair Association. Held each fall, the fair features amusement rides, exhibits, and entertainment for everyone. At the heart of the fair’s activities are competitions in agriculture and culinary areas. Recent attendance figures have averaged 10,000 per year.
The second significant impact on this year’s economic syzygy features roughly 1,000 bikers coming to our area Friday afternoon and evening and heading out early Saturday morning. These bikers are part of the 24th Cycle NC: Mountains to the Coast.
Imagine just for a moment the fortitude and conditioning each biker must have to undertake a 469-mile trip from Banner Elk to Emerald Isle. Their ride begins on Sunday, October 1, and will culminate on October 7.
The bikers will travel from Banner Elk to Wilkesboro, then to Winston-Salem, and onward to Mebane. On Day 4, they ride from Mebane to Henderson and the next day on to Tarboro. On Day 6, they travel from Tarboro to Kinston, and on the final day, they finish the trip at Emerald Isle.
Safety is a primary concern. The Cycle NC cue sheets feature turn-by-turn instructions and an overview map available electronically in PDF format. The links to the pdf files will be e-mailed directly to all registered participants to view and download before the start of the event. In addition to the cue sheets, road markings at each turn will guide the bikers along the routes.
If a biker needs assistance during the ride, bike mechanics will be at both the start and finish of the route and at various rest stops to repair the bikes and get bikers back on the road.
Cycle NC Support and Gear (SAG) vehicles assist riders in need. If bikers need help, they just pull off the road and pat the top of the head. A SAG vehicle will stop to assist.
The Tourism Development Authority staff have been making plans for the Cycle NC stop here in Kinston for months. We should give all the riders and support team a warm welcome. The TDA staff is preparing information sheets with tidbits of local history and brief descriptions of key sites along the bike path. Hopefully, these bikers will want to come for a return visit.
This first October weekend will be the initial syzygy. Another will come October 21 when the Mother Earth Ironclad Half Marathon and 5K races occur that morning while the CSS Neuse II hosts Breakfast on the Boat. Brad-fest, a music festival in memory of Brad Elmore, kicks off at 3 p.m. that same day.
Exciting events are in the air. Be sure you are a part of that excitement.
Mike Parker is a columnist for the Neuse News. You can reach him at mparker16@gmail.com.
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