DIGBY, N.S. — The 15th annual Wharf Rat Rally is underway in Digby and will wrap up on Sept. 1.
According to Laura Simmons, the rally’s executive director, an economic impact study in 2017 found 8,020 bikes and 21,870 people came 3.1 times into Digby, making 68,480 total visits over the five days of the rally. Similar numbers were expected this year, she says.
The aim, says Simmons, is to create the best family-friendly, multi-day motorcycle rally in Canada. With that in mind, there are a variety of activities for all ages, and visitors don’t even need a motorcycle to attend or enjoy them.
This year’s lineup includes new events like a spare parts swap meet, a street dance and axe throwing. The entertainment on the main stage will feature special guests from Glasgow, Scotland, a tribal band called Clann an Drumma.
Guided motorcycle tours are another highlight of the event, says Simmons. who is unsure when they began happening.
“Although I attended on my own motorcycle in the early years,” says Simmons, “I wasn't aware of any guided tours or rides, although they probably happened.”
Those coming to the Wharf Rat Rally with kids will enjoy looking at the custom bikes, watching the chainsaw sculptor, seeing the precision drill team, stunt show and BMX shows, and, of course, the fireworks.
To make it easier for visitors to get into town, Simmons says the Transport de Clare shuttle does a free loop from Walmart to downtown and back. You can wait for it at one their stops and hop on. More information about shuttle service and other Wharf Rat Rally info can be found on the Wharf Rat Rally website, wharfratrally.com.
The five-day event brings Digby to an international audience, resulting in future visits by people who may not have otherwise heard of the town or the area, says Simmons. The economic impact is as great as the event itself, she says.
(WRITTEN BY LAURA CHUCHILL DUKE)
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MORE FYIs.....
With the amount of motorcycles and people that will be in Digby this week for the Wharf Rat Rally, having a traffic plan in place is essential. The following plan is outlined on the event’s website for the 2019 event.
Because of the new location of the Harley-Davidson demo rides - right downtown - the curved section of Water Street will be closed to all traffic. To access the wharf, continue north on Water Street and then make the hard right turn onto the extension of Prince William that will take you down to the wharf.
During Wharf Rat Rally: Starting at 8 am Friday, Montague Row, Water Street and Birch Street are one-way northbound. At 5pm Friday, those streets become accessible to motorcycles only until Monday morning. Also starting at 8 am Friday, First Avenue becomes one-way southbound. Queen Street becomes one-way northbound. All vehicles can access these two streets.
THE 2019 TRAFFIC PLAN AS POSTED ONLINE.
A REMINDER: Event organizers are issuing a reminder that cars and trucks that are not totally off of traveled portion of roads are subject to tickets and towing. For the safety of everyone, emergency vehicles must be able to get through the streets. So the town and organizers say to make sure you are parked off of the pavement and not impeding traffic.
There is also parking available in public and private areas around Digby: malls, schools, government buildings.
RESIDENT PASSES: For residents on Montague Row, Water Street, Birch Street and Maiden Lane, resident passes were available starting in mid-August. Distribution has once again been happening through the town hall during their open hours.
EXERCISE CAUTION: On Sunday night after the fireworks, organizers ask people to watch out for traffic volunteers who will be directing traffic in the dark at street intersections, and also for the RCMP at the intersection of Warwick and Victoria Streets. The intention is to keep the traffic flowing.
There has been a lot of highway construction happening in Digby County as a result of work to the new section of Highway 101. No construction work will be taking place during the Wharf Rat Rally.
SHUTTLE SERVICE
FROM THE WHARF RAT RALLY WEBSITE
Kings Transit: On Saturday, Aug. 31, Kings Transit is offering free shuttle service from Cornwallis and Weymouth into Digby. Digby is in the middle, so it is visited every hour; Cornwallis and Weymouth every 2 hours. First bus leaves Cornwallis at 9am, disembarks in Digby at 9:30am, picks up in Weymouth at 10am and disembarks in Digby at 10:30am. Cornwallis pick ups will be on the even-hour and Weymouth on the odd-hour. The last bus departs Digby for Cornwallis at 6:30pm and last bus departs Digby for Weymouth at 7:30pm.
Within Digby: The Wharf Rat Rally has contracted one shuttle bus provided by the charity Transport de Clare and sponsored by NSLC's Cabbioke. The shuttle will run ONLY FRIDAY EVENING, SATURDAY during the day AND SATURDAY EVENING. The route for both is as follows:
Pick up and drop off locations are:
- Between Walmart and the Atlantic Superstore, in front of the Walmart garden centre
- In front of the Sunset Pub / Bruce Chev Olds
- Guy's Frenchy's parking lot
- In front of the NSLC by Sobeys
- At the Wharf Rat Rally Welcome Centre
- At the Arena on Shreve Street
- In front of Town Hall and the Sydney Street Pub downtown on First Avenue
- Behind Headquarters on First Avenue
- Back to the Welcome Centre
- Back to Sobeys / NSLC and then
- Back to Walmart
The shuttle bus will have the NSLC Cabbioke logo on the front.
ON SATURDAY: The NSLC Cabbioke Shuttle will be at Bay Ferries' Digby terminal at 10:30am to pick up passengers arriving from Saint John, New Brunswick and will return at 5:00 pm to drop off passengers who have visited Digby for the day and are returning to Saint John. The downtown Digby pick up/ drop off location will be behind Headquarters on First Avenue. When the NSLC Cabbioke Shuttle is not making ferry terminal runs, it will flow back into the cycle from Walmart through Conway downtown and back again.
ALSO WITHIN DIGBY:
If you are a volunteer or have parked nowhere near a shuttle stop, the Wharf Rat Rally's own limited shuttle service may be able to help you. Call 902-245-4263 and let the volunteer know where you are, and where you'd like to be taken. This service is graciously supported by registration revenue, area car dealers and Enterprise Rent-a-Car because we really will pick you up!
Also, The Annapolis Basin Confeence Centre runs its own shuttle that makes more frequent trips to Cornwallis Park than the Wharf Rat Rally shuttle. Many of the hotels and campgrounds around Digby also offer a shuttle service – check with their front desks.
Wharf Rat Rally's own shuttle service for volunteers and overflow calls is supported by area car dealers andlogo enterprise Enterprise Rent-a-Car. We really will pick you up. Our shuttle number is 902-245-4263.
Also, the event website makes note of taxi services that are available. The Taxi companies DO NOT go downtown on Water Street near everyone's bikes until past 10pm. If you need to meet up with a taxi between 7am and 10pm, please go uphill one street to First Avenue to catch it there.
Taxi Services:
Kathleen’s Shuttle 902-249-0086
Basin Taxi 902-245-4408
Admiral’s Taxi 902-245-4542
Digby Cab 902-245-6162
WHARF RAT ACCESSIBILITY
The Wharf Rat Rally has services in place to help accommodate accessibility needs during the event. Information is included on the event website.
For handicap parking, the website points to two options.
People are advised to make their way to the Evangeline Mall (where Tim Horton's and Dollarama are located). From there, call the event shuttle service at 902-245-4263.
According to the website, the shuttle service will either 1) give you a ride downtown or 2) escort you downtown past the barricades.
If you would like to bring your vehicle downtown, people are asked to be patient while the shuttle dispatcher sees if there are any spaces available. There are three blocked-off spaces for handicap parking in front of the Visitor Information Centre.
If the three spaces are full, people will have to take the shuttle ride. People can call the shuttle number again when there are ready to go back to your car, or go to the rally Headquarters and ask for a ride (this is where the shuttles wait between calls).
If one of the parking spaces is available, either a shuttle or a motorcycle will come to meet you at the mall, so tell the shuttle dispatcher where you're parked and what you're driving. Or, the website says, the dispatcher may ask that you move closer to town. Either way, you'll be met and a rally volunteer will let the person at the barricade know to allow you through.
Once you're ready to leave your parking space, remember that the road is one way toward the wharf and drive carefully as pedestrians will sometimes step into the street.
Accessible Washrooms: There is an accessible washroom at the Visitor Information Centre and another one at the Heritage Hall at the north end of town.
