Biketemberfest at the Weirs celebrates fifth year

LACONIA — Hundreds if not 1,000 or so people swarmed the upper section of Weirs Boulevard for Biketemberfest 2022 Saturday. The weekend festival featured multiple bands, karaoke, food, and beer, over a three-day period, from Friday to Sunday.

For Tower Hill Tavern owner and operator Anthony Santagate, the Biketemberfest is another dream come true for his business.

“It's been great. It gets bigger every year,” said Santagate, who started Biketemberfest half a decade ago. “We can fit about 3,000 [people] in our allotted area. Generally, we get 15,000 throughout the weekend.”

While not on the same grandiose scale as the century-old Laconia Motorcycle Week, it didn't stop attendees from diving in and enjoying themselves.

“Wanna know why this is a good time?” asked former gubernatorial candidate Jay Lewis as he listened to a live rock band on the street. “Because it's an adult party. No kids, no dogs. Everybody having fun.”

As classic rock blared from one of the venue's outdoor stages, local bars like the Crazy Gringo and Tower Hill Tavern overflowed with customers. Servers sold beer from sidewalk pop-up tents, while a cook grilled fresh burgers in open air.

Patron Alexander Schettino could be seen dancing wildly with a Budweiser in hand to the tunes of Frankie Boy and the Blues Express on Saturday. For Schettino, of Boston, the variety of music at Biketemberfest is what sets the event apart.

“This is my first Biketember. It's fantastic. I'm really happy Anthony [Santagate] could put on such a great block experience,” said Schettino, who has summered in the Lakes Region for 20 years. “There's several stages here, there's a lot of music here. I think that it's really important for the region to have a lot of music. This allows people to have new music, unlike Bike Week that has always throwback, but this gives an opportunity for people to experience original music in the area.”

Santagate also emphasized the presence of music to the festival.

“I have Back in the Day playing on the main stage, Frankie Boy and the Blues Express playing right out here on the Suckerpunch Saloon stage, Eric Grant Band's playing downstairs, Ink is playing up at the Rec Yard and then we're doing big stage karaoke at Tower Hill.”

When asked about the origins of Biketemberfest, Santagate grinned and said he "just had a good idea."

“It just seemed like all the other places that have Motorcycle Week have a fall fest — fall rally, they call it — so I figured Laconia should have one too,” Santagate said, remembering the harder years during COVID-19 and other challenges. “The third year the city wouldn't give us the permit for the outdoor area, so you couldn't drink on the street. But since then, we've been able to do it and the city has been great with us and the Department of Public Works has helped us out a lot.”