Take a Road Trip to Baldwin For
BLESSING
Bikes
OF THE BIKES of the
Baldwin’s Blessing of the Bikes approaches BY THE LUDINGTON DAILY NEWS BALDWIN — Motorcyclists will descend upon Baldwin by the thousands for the annual Blessing of the Bikes event in May. The Blessing of the Bikes is a rite of spring for bikers in the area — one that’s been part of the local culture for 46 years. The event stretches over three days, during which motorcyclists from across the region will flock to the Baldwin Municipal Airport on M-37 south of downtown for a festive weekend, culminating with a formal blessing from John Gooch, pastor from the Grand Rapidsbased Roadbed Ministry church. “It’s kind of a biker church,” said organizer Bruce Shantz, whose nonprofit organization Para-Dice Motorcycle Club. This year’s celebration is set for May 17-19, and the blessing itself takes place on 1 p.m. Sunday, May 19, but bikers will gather in the days leading up to the event to celebrate the occasion. The Blessing of the Bikes is a tradition in Baldwin, dating back to 1972, when the event started with just four bikes and eight riders gathering to celebrate the joy and freedom of travel on two wheels.
When those stopped at St. Anne’s Catholic Church in Baldwin, the tradition was born. Now, 46 years later, the event is one of the most popular events in the region for motorcyclists and motorcycle enthusiasts, growing from humble beginnings to a highly sought-out event for motorcyclists from all over the Midwest. The size and success of the celebration varies depending on the weather, and organizers at ParaDice Motorcycle Club are always hoping for good sunshine and clear skies for the event. “The weather has a lot to do with it,” Schantz said, noting that the turnout has drawn as many at 5,000 attendees in previous years. The 2018 celebration was a success following the weatherdampened 2017 and 2016 blessings, during which snow and rain resulted in a decrease in attendance. “We’d like to get back to what we had five to 10 years ago when we had 5,000, 8,000 people,” Shantz said. He said there’s been a lack of interest over the years — partially as a result of weather issues, but also because higher gas prices have made it more costly for people to
attend from far away, Shantz said. “Last year wasn’t too bad,” Shantz said. “I think we had about 2,500 people.” It was an improvement, he said, but higher attendance is always a goal. “We’re hoping for a big crowd,” Shantz said. “Nice weather and a big crowd is what we always hope for.” Admission wristbands will be available for $5 starting Thursday, May 16 at the Village of Baldwin office, 620 Washington St., Baldwin. The wristbands were introduced in 2018 to expedite entry into the airport, and attendees who come with pre-purchased wristbands will have a special lane to move through the crowd. “It gives people a special lane for those people to get into the blessing,” Shantz said. It’s also an important event for Roadbed Ministries, fitting well with the organization’s overall mission and services. “We’re a non-denominational group that believes bikers, like everyone, need help, support and love. And so we operate a facility where they can come in and work on their motorcycles, where we offer some support services, we have recovery meetings, we hold
May 17-19, 2019
services and Bible studies,” said Gooch, who is a biker himself. “We do just about anything that we can to try to help them deal with all of the troubles and the things going on in life.” Gates at the Baldwin Municipal Airport on M-37 will open for this year’s blessing at 9 a.m. The program begins at 1 p.m. and lasts about 30 minutes. Only people with motorcycles will be able to park on the airport grounds, according to Shantz. Additionally, Shantz said drones will not be allowed to film the event this year. Nonprofit organizations also have booths on the airport property, where they sell wares, with money going directly back to those organizations’ causes. There are also many for-profit booths in Baldwin for riders to visit, along with a lot of other events held by area businesses. Proceeds from the celebration will benefit AMVETS. The Blessing of the Bikes is family friendly, and Shantz said organizers are hoping for a safe and fun weekend in Baldwin. For more information, find Blessing of the Bikes Baldwin on Facebook.