Annual Tejon Street Bike Fest draws estimated 30,000

Sunday afternoon thunderstorms did little to dampen the enthusiasm for a yearly motorcycle event on the streets of downtown.

By the time the 15th Tejon Street Bike Fest ended at 6 p.m., a crowd estimated at between 30,000 and 35,000 had enjoyed motorcycles, food, drink, music, merchandise and a variety of activities.

Organizer Jim Wear said the event is the state’s largest one-day biker event.

“We’re outdoing Denver,” he said. “It’s because the city and police cooperate with us and this area is very motorcycle friendly.”

Police closed several streets to make room for the bikers and their motorcycles.

Wear said 65 percent of the attendees are from outside El Paso County and 25 percent are from outside Colorado.

Organizers set a goal of raising $15,000 for the American Cancer Society and Rocky Mountain Motorcycle Museum.