Wharf Rat Rally Revs Up

The sixth annual Digby Wharf Rat Rally will be in action Sept. 1–6 with a new motorcycle stunt group, plenty of specialty bike builders and a massive crowd.

With over 90 volunteers this year, Wharf Rat Rally chairperson Glenn Dunn expects the event to run smoothly, and he’s predicting 100,000 people or more will crowd Digby streets throughout the event.

Returning this year is motorcycle manufacturer Harley Davidson with its demonstration rides, and Honda will be joining the rally for the first time. Popular events such as the water sports, ‘wall of death’ and specialty bike builders are also returning.

“We have some different specialty builders and new stunt motorcycle group called The Stunters from New Brunswick,” Dunn said.

The rally’s headquarters are in a new location this year, having moved into the former Movie Gallery Building about a month ago.

For visiting bikers, this year’s rally offers motorcycle tours to places such as the Historic Gardens in Annapolis Royal, Acadian French Shore, Digby Neck and Kejimkujik National Park. Wharf Rat Rally has also teamed up with Jost Vineyards and a Pinot Grigio wine with a Wharf Rat Rally label is available at Digby’s NSLC. The wine is selling nicely, noted Dunn. Among prizes for draws this year are two Harley Davidson motorcycles, a trip valued at $3,000, and a 42-inch LCD television.

“We’ve had excellent cooperation with the town, municipality, provincial and federal governments this year,” said Dunn. “It’s been quite refreshing.”

There are also a few groups of motorcycles traveling a fair distance to attend the rally.

“We have a group travelling across Canada from Alberta. Belt Drive Betty is coming. Darrell Mac, a comedian who’s filming his shows as they go across Canada for the Comedy Network and Mike Cole who does fundraising for diabetes,” said Dunn.

There’s also a group riding from the U.S. Eastern Seaboard and another from Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

As for traffic concerns, Dunn said there will be more RCMP officers and they will advertise the alternate route into Digby better this year.

“I hope that everybody enjoys this rally as much as they’ve enjoyed every other rally,” he said.

Events Nova Scotia will be bringing a group of people to the rally to conduct a detailed economic impact study, he added.

Story by: Leanne DeLong

The Digby County Courier

26 Aug 2010