by Lydia Fielder
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Northwest Arkansas lodging and campgrounds are packed with the thousands of people in the Fayetteville area this weekend for the annual Bikes, Blues & BBQ motorcycle rally.
The BBB Executive Director said he estimates almost 400,000 bikers and spectators will travel to the area to attend the event’s 19th year. This has area local booked completely full months prior to this weekend, so they are able to spike nightly rates.
“Our normal rates are about 100 percent, and we may go anywhere from two to three hundred depending on the event,” said Candlewood Suites General Manager Sean Hearn, who also said his hotel is completely booked for the weekend.
Many attendees unable to get a hotel room or seeking a different lodging experience booked through vacation rental websites. Airbnb, a popular short-term lodging service, connects people offering residences or rooms with others who want to rent them for brief stays.
Long-time Fayetteville resident Gwen Watkins hosts an Airbnb on the bottom floor of her home near campus. She said it is booked out to bikers for the third straight year, which comes at a large economic gain.
“I make about three times as much this weekend. We plan to use the extra money to travel to Los Angeles to visit my daughter,” Watkins said.
Though these local amenities are booked, the most populated lodging option is local campgrounds.
“It is fun and different than staying in a hotel,” said biker Keith Hale, who drove alone to the event from Mississippi and will camp until Sunday. “I get to relax and just do some riding.”
Colorado-native Jeanna Hamilton has camped at the Washington County Fairgrounds for the rally the last five years because she said she enjoys the community.
“What I enjoy most about camping is getting here early and watching the people arrive, meeting them as they come,” said Hamilton. “We always meet some really nice people.”
While camping is a major draw, event research found that attendees primarily come for one simple reason — to ride their motorcycles.
According to the organization’s website, the Washington County Fairgrounds are the official campgrounds of BBB. The festival kicked off Wednesday and runs through Saturday.