Motorcycle Rally Planned

Marion now called ‘Home of the Hog’

By Maribeth Vaughn

mvaughn@chronicle-tribune.com

Chronicle Tribune_Monday, August 16, 2010 1:07 AM EDT

At a glance:
What: Hog Daze Night motorcycle rally
When: Sept. 18; Chasing Tail ride at 2 p.m.
Where: Ind. 18 along the Mississinewa River, just east of Ballard Field
Details: Live music, vendors and hog roast will be held, as well as free primitive camping Friday and Saturday night, with RVs at $20 and special rates at Hotel Marion. Vendors are recommended to reserve space early by calling 662-1192. For more information, call 662-9931 or visit www.homeofthehog.com.

Marion is now being called the “Home of the Hog” as a new festival to celebrate its motorcycle history is in the works.

Hog Daze Night is set for Sept. 18 as a motorcycle rally. It will invite bike enthusiasts and the general
public to remember the 90th anniversary of the Marion International Motorcycle Race, where the first
Harley victory lap with a live pig took place. The team became known as the Hog Boys, which
eventually led to using the term “hog” for large motorcycles, according to historians and city officials.
“It’s kind of amazing the more you dig into it how much motorcycle history there is here,” said Aletha
Dunston, Main Street Marion president and city planner.

Dunston is organizing the event with Jonathan Perez, chief of staff for the mayor “I haven’t talked to anybody who’s not excited about it, from vendors to motorcycle businesses toriders,” Perez said.

Milwaukee’s Harley-Davidson Museum commemorated the 1919 Marion race earlier this year, by
showing historic film footage of the race that was recently found. The subsequent 1920 race is
believed to be the beginning of the term “hog” when winner Ray Weishaar adopted a small pig from a
local farmer as a mascot. A photograph of the two became one of the most famous images in Harley
history, Bill Jackson, museum archives manager, said in March.

Dunston said to commemorate that race, a real pig will be used once again to ride in a side car of the
“Chasing Tail” ride at the event.

The ride will also raise funds for the Hoosier Burn Camp. Free primitive camping will be held at the
site, which is on Ind. 18 just west of Ballard Field, by the Mississinewa River.
There will also be vendors, special rates at the Hotel Marion, and live music including Kashmir, the Led
Zeppelin Show.

The festival will be combined with Main Street Marion’s annual Octoberfest. Dunston sees the event as
something that could thrive each year and get bigger.

It’s also one week before the Jonesboro River Rally, as well as Ducktail Run and the James Dean
Festival. Dunston said it could mean for a weeklong motorcycle event in Grant County, in collaboration
with the river rally. Pat Mitchell, River Rally organizer, said he’s excited about the possibilities.

“I thought it was just really neat,” he said of when he first heard of Hog Daze Night. “It’s going to be a
really cool thing for Marion… I think it could be one of the major events for the state definitely, if not
the region.”

Mitchell and Perez said motorcycle enthusiasts will enjoy the historic value of the event. A history tent
is planned to exhibit film footage and photos of the 1920 race.
Perez and Dunston said anybody can come to Hog Daze Night and enjoy the camping, food and music,
even if they’re not necessarily riders.

“This is not just strictly for motorcycles,” Perez said. “This is for everyone, whether you’re a rider or
not. We want you to come and celebrate history. This is not only Harley history, but this is Marion
history.”

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