(Image courtesy of Moto Craft)
Prince Edward County is poised to be a motorcyclist’s heaven.
That’s not to say it isn’t already. Any weekend between April and October here will see many visitors who prefer to tour our roads on two wheels. And there’s plenty of homegrown motorcyclists from all corners of the County, too.
But a motorcycle experience unlike any other in Canada, the Moto Craft Festival, is coming to the County this summer. It will transform Base31 on the Civic long weekend, August 1-3.
“Moto Craft is the ultimate festival of motorcycle culture. It’s where speed, art and music all come together,” Festival organizer Alex de Cartier puts it.
“From a non-motorcyclist perspective, there’s going to be lots to see and do,” says Mr. De Cartier.
“From a driver’s point of view, there’s an incredible amount of things to do.”
This year’s is the second annual Moto Craft festival. The first took place at the Canadian Exhibition grounds in Toronto last summer. But Mr. De Cartier said his organizers wanted a community-based festival that will also draw enthusiasts from Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa — and beyond.
“We wanted to create something where you can come, you can stay and create memories about the show, about Base31 and about Prince Edward County. The County is such a great ride spot to begin with and we really want to make this an annual destination.”
What’s on offer? First of all: riding! BMW Motorrad, Ducati, Husqvarna, and Dilawri INEOS are offering official demo rides on-site all weekend long.
If you are more into mixes of dusty trials and cross roads, Canada Rides will offer 5 to 6-hour Adventure Rallies for both on- and off-road enthusiasts. Each ride starts at 9 a.m. Riders can arrive back at Moto Craft in the afternoon with plenty of time to soak in the rest of the festival — check out the bike displays, grab a beverage at The Commissary, catch a stunt show, or just wander and hang with friends.
If speed is more your thing, there are arm-drop drag races. Line up, drop the flag, and go head-to-head with friends. It’s all for fun. No timers. No slips. Just bragging rights.
If you need a splash of death defying with your speed, Moto Craft is a must.
For the first time ever, American Motor Drome Company is bringing its famous Wall of Death show to Canada.
What started in the early 1900s on carnival midways across the United States comes north of the border for the first time with vintage Indian and Harley-Davidson motorcycles defying gravity up 14-foot vertical walls inside a 30-foot-wide wooden silo.
If your adrenaline still hasn’t kicked in, Canada’s top Harley stunt crew Highway Heathens are a high-octane brother and sisterhood of pro riders who push the limits of what’s possible on two wheels.
”Think no-hand wheelies, burnouts thick with smoke, slow-speed wizardry, and full-throttle mayhem when it comes to this thrilling stunt show,” says Mr. De Cartier.
If the frenetic pace ever becomes too much, Moto Craft also offers a bit of quiet and calm. A museum-quality selection of historic, hand-crafted and unique motorcycles will be on display inside one of Base31’s hangars. Over 100 entries from the Canadian Vintage Motorcycle Group and the Haas Moto Museum will be in residence here.
From the mid-1880’s, when Daimler Reitwagen combined a bicycle with a combustion engine, to today’s new age creations, motorcycles have always been equal parts art and function.
With this in mind, Moto Craft is home to an art and film festival. But don’t arrive at the gallery thinking you’re in for a Peter Fonda/Dennis Hopper rerun. Moto Craft’s art and photography exhibitions as well as films are selected by The Motorcycle Film Festival (TMFF). Documentaries from new and established directors are just part of what’s on offer.
For more information including Moto Camping options at Base31, visit Moto Craft.
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