DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Thousands of bikers are expected to pour into Daytona Beach once again this weekend for Biketoberfest, which officially kicks off Thursday.
The annual four-day event comes on the heels of Hurricane Milton, with many areas of the city still cleaning up and dealing with damage.
There are a few campgrounds and businesses around Volusia County that were so flooded or damaged that they can’t open back up yet, but many businesses reported to News 6 that they are ready to welcome people through their doors.
On Main Street, a few businesses just got their power back on Wednesday, leaving them not only scrambling to host a big event but an event that’s one of their biggest money makers of the year.
“For this area, June to September is super slow always for us. In October, having a really big Biketoberfest is great for us. It kind of injects the life back into the area,” said Tom Caffrey, owner of the World’s Most Famous Brewery, “They can use That money to help repair the building and many people are probably going to do the same.”
Many businesses are still working to fix the damage and may only be open to smaller capacities, but owners like Grady McCarty at Punk Rock Pizza on Main Street said they’re ready for a touch of normalcy returning after the storm.
“Not only for revenue standpoint, but the demeanor of the area for everybody, to bring their spirits up a little more. We went through something that was pretty horrible for a lot of people,” McCarty said.
Daytona Beach police will be out in full force, too.
Police Chief Jakari Young said they aren’t expecting record-breaking crowds this year with some bikers from out of state canceling, worried how it might look here, but there will still be tens of thousands in town.
He urged bikers and drivers to use more caution after this storm and riders needing to be on the lookout for sand and debris in the road.
“Looking at the areas that primarily host the event, via Main Street, MMB, and some of the other venues, everything is dry,” he said. “You’re going to have streets that have debris along the roadway. A good breeze can throw debris out into the roadway, so that’s why it’s more important for everybody to slow down and keep their head on a swivel.”
Main Street will be open to biker traffic only during the event. Biketoberfest starts on Thursday and runs through Sunday.