Harley dealership continues to bring community of riders together

Last weekend, Harley-Davidson dealerships hosted “The Grand American Launch Party,” the company’s 2024 Season Opener. Michele Turk, the Stars & Stripes Harley-Davidson event coordinator, hoped for beautiful weather and planned an outdoor event, but the weekend delivered severe flooding instead.

Keeping an eye on the weather a week before, she put a backup plan together and the opener, held inside, was still a hit. Harmonizing with the rainy weather, the dealership served fried chicken, other comfort foods and free beer. Turk was happy to share that 250 meals were served.

“We had a really great turnout despite the rain,” she says. “There was also a sweepstakes with Harley-Davidson to win a 2024 Street Glide or Road Glide. Customers could come into the dealership and enter that sweepstakes and we had stations set up throughout the dealership where they found keywords and entered them into the app to give them another entry in that sweepstakes.”

The keywords were hidden in clusters of balloons throughout the dealership. Stars & Stripes also gave away Harley-Davidson water bottles, cups, stickers and posters, and a live band performed inside the store while guests mingled, ate and drank.

Stars & Stripes Harley-Davidson’s 2024 Season Opener photo gallery:

“It was just a really great time,” Turk says. “Everybody comes in and they hang out, and it’s raining but we’re still having a party, we’re still launching the season, we’re still celebrating motorcycles and having a great time… It was a great weekend once again!”

And she hasn’t taken a break from planning yet. This Saturday, the dealership will host an Easter Egg Hunt and the Easter Bunny will be in attendance. For other attendees, Turk will give out bunny ears and there will be face painting. She says the morning will start with a blessing of the bikers. A minister will say a prayer for the bikers before giving them guardian angel pins. Coffee and donuts will be provided and later, pizza and beer will be served and Open Mic Night will begin.

“I have a very fun job,” Turk says. “We have a great time. We have a really great thing going on here… Customers come up to me all the time and just say, ‘What a difference it’s made.’ The energy we have here, it’s like a big family and it’s so welcoming. It’s such a great environment.”

How does your dealership go above and beyond to serve its customers or connect with its community? Let us know at mhubbard@epgacceleration.com.