Wow. What a year. I remember thinking that last year’s event would be difficult to top. And yet, here we are, blowing it out of the water.
Our total numbers were significant. I’m told the final attendance count was about 2000 people. It’s amazing to think that a church led motorcycle event has become the largest single day motorcycle gathering in the Ottawa region. And yet, here we are, competing with Ride for DAD each year for largest event (Good thing Ride for DAD is an amazing event that should be supported along with our Swap Meet).
This was our first year at the Vanier location, and we were unsure how we would manage parking in the neighbourhood. While I’m sure we caused some inconvenience among some neighbours, for the most part, things would seamlessly. We did send a letter around to all our neighbours apologizing in advance for any disruptions the event would cause and offering them a free hamburger if they choose to come check out the gathering. A few took us up on the invitation.
It was amazing to hear so many positive comments about the facility. I was working behind the bar most of the day, and so I had the chance to talk to most of the people who came through the building. As I handed them a coffee or bottle of water, they would express how impressed they were with the building. Many suggested they would be coming to check out a church service at some point in the future. It was exciting to be able to shake people’s ideas of what a church building should look like. Our mix of modern and traditional was clearly a hit.
People were also incredibly generous. We don’t charge anything for admission or to have a vendor’s booth. We sell burgers and t-shirts and hope we make enough to pay all the expenses. At the last minute, we decided to put a box near the entrance where people could make donations if they wished. Well, they did. Over and over, people dropped bills into the box. In the end, we were all blown away by how much came in. We managed to double what we needed. We don’t do these events to make money, but by bringing in extra, we are able to make budget on other activities we do.
So, an amazing day all round. Next year promises to be even better!
