Easy Ridin'
By CASEY COLLIER
“Bikers on the Bayou” took place Sunday in Franklin, and was, by and large, a success.
Carrie Stansbury of Cajun Coast Visitors & Convention Bureau said the vendors at the event reported doing a “brisk business,” even after contending with an hour-long rainstorm to start off the afternoon.
Dawn Kaiser-Melancon, event supporter and owner of Borderline Marketing and Consulting, said she approximated 500 visitors showed up for the afternoon of music, food, and the pre-celebration of the 50th anniversary of the film, “Easy Rider.”
She added that she expects next year’s event to be even bigger, as it will mark the actual anniversary of the film’s release.
The Teche Theatre for the Performing Arts screened the feature-length film at 4 p.m., and throughout the afternoon, played the scenes containing Franklin and its landmarks.
Downtown merchants stayed open to do business, a Sunday rarity.
There was a car show, as well as a Rat Rod and bike show, all of which boasted 38 entries.
The winners were: Corkey Downer for best oldest to 1979 car, Brad Weise for best 1980-1999 car, Loyd Courvillier for best 2000 to present car, The Roach won first place in Rat Rods, Bart Brumfield won second place in Rat Rods, Monty Taylor won third place in Rat Rods, Corey Blakesly won Best in Show for bikes, Bruce Ahlbor won Oldest Bike, Dale Estlittle of Pensacola, Fla. won Furthest Traveled and Joe Aufieri won the People’s Choice Award for bikes, after a three-way tie was broken by Franklin Mayor Eugene Foulcard drawing from a hat.
“It was great,” said Foulcard, of the day. “It was very well attended.
“This is just the first of many events we will have in order to revitalize downtown Franklin.
“As I’ve said before, it is all under the lampposts.”
Foulcard thanked the Third Ward Marshal’s Office, St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office and Franklin Police Department for taking part in the event, and said of the turnout, “There were so many bikes out there, I was just blown away!”
The band Low Down played music, and down the road, Arlington Plantation House and Gardens, featured as a backdrop in the movie, sponsored Belles on the Bayou from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with guided historical tours, souvenirs and light refreshments for purchase.
Patrice Williams, board member of the St. Mary Parish Chamber of Commerce, and her husband Johnny were the originators for the tourism idea for a bike event in Franklin.
They are self-professed bikers and travel all over the country.
Williams said she and her husband tend to use backroads and byways that run through the little towns of America, and she thought of Franklin, its landmarks and history, and considered ways the city might become commercially viable to the biking community, and the dollars they tend to spend.
“So, while I was processing all of that,” Williams said, “my husband was watching ‘Easy Rider’ on TV and he was shaking his head and saying, ‘Franklin’s missing the boat.’
“There’s a huge following for ‘Easy Rider’ and bikers are always looking for new places to ride. That’s what they do. They ride into town, and if it’s a town that gets their attention, they are going to stay and they are going to go to the shops, restaurants and bars, and they are really going to enjoy the area.
“Then, they are going to go home and tell their friends about it.”
Thus, the idea was born.
An “Easy Riding on the Bayou” brochure was created by CCVCB and distributed to visitor centers statewide. The brochure recreates the route of the bikers in the movie as they rode through Franklin, as well as a list of local tourist destinations that make appearances in the film, creating a personal tour for enthusiasts to take.
All of which is leading up to the 50th anniversary of the film’s release, which will happen next year.
That is when the seminal gathering is set to take place, and Franklin is literally on the map for a possible tourism bonanza.