Harley-Davidson of Michigan City brought the biker community together for its 25th annual Blue Ball Run & Chili Cook Off on Saturday, November 2.
Katlyn Slater, office and finance manager at Harley-Davidson of Michigan City, has been a part of the Blue Ball Run & Chili Cook Off event for more than a decade. She believes this is one of the most beloved annual events in the biker community that they put together.
“This is the one event that we’ve done every single year since the shop first opened,” Slater said. “It’s a cool tradition that we have and all of the proceeds go to Toys for Tots or local food banks. We try to spread the wealth of donations from the bikers. They’re willing to help and they get to ride their motorcycle, so it’s a win-win situation for everybody.”
With this being the 25th year of the event, Slater is grateful that the Harley-Davidson family and customers have been so supportive in keeping this tradition alive.
“We have so many riders who love to come back for traditions like this one,” Slater said. “It’s a great experience for the people that haven’t done it before. We still have a handful of customers who have been doing it since we started. Everyone is welcoming to the new riders no matter if they’re older or younger. They love to check out the bikes, talk about their bikes, and get an opportunity to hang out with this community.”
Another element that makes this event special for many of the bikers is that it’s often the last hurrah before they put their bikes away for the winter season.
“That’s why it’s called the blue ball ride,” Slater said. “We do the ride whether it’s raining, chilly, or sunny. We were fortunate to have such beautiful weather today. This might be the only event that some people have time to come out to throughout the year, so it’s our mission to make sure it continues to be successful. Our staff does a great job at getting this event ready on time every year.”
One attendee who loves the Blue Ball Run & Chili Cook off is James Rotering. This is the fourth time that Rotering has participated in the event.
“A friend of mine told me about it in 2009 and that was the first time I did it,” Rotering said. “It’s a great benefit for all of the bikers that come to Harley-Davidson and there’s always an impressive turnout.”
With this being a local event that helps bring together a wide range of riders, this event has always grabbed Rotering’s attention.
“When you can get friends together on a nice day like this, that’s what it’s all about,” Rotering said. “I enjoy riding together with groups. I don’t do many poker runs but this is one of the few that I really love being a part of.”
Following the ride, everyone came back to the shop to enjoy some chili and vote for their favorite one. The winner received a prize and walked away with bragging rights.
Harley-Davidson of Michigan City reaching the quarter-century milestone with the Blue Ball Run & Chili Cook Off is a strong indicator of the dedicated members of the biker community. Their team is hopeful that the next 25 years will continue to grow this event.
“I’m excited to see plenty of familiar faces that I haven't seen in a long time,” Slater said. “We have nice weather and a nice turnout once again. I’m also looking forward to seeing how much money we’ve raised to help spread the wealth in this community as much as we can.”
For more information about Harley-Davidson of Michigan City, please visit its website.