Bikefest, a weekend-long event featuring live music, racing and demonstrations at the Wiscasset Raceway, bears little resemblance to the controversial Oxxfest concert, raceway owner Doug White said.
“This isn’t a concert,” White said in a July 8 phone interview. “This is some additional entertainment to an event that’s already going on.”
White applied to the town for a special amusement permit on June 28. The Wiscasset Board of Selectmen set a public hearing for Tues., July 20 at 7 p.m. to discuss the application.
At the June 1 public hearing for Oxxfest, many residents expressed concerns about fallout from the concert, especially security issues. Selectmen approved the permit with the stipulation that they will review the impact of Oxxfest before granting approval for further concerts.
At the Tuesday, July 6 selectmen’s meeting, Sherri Dunbar reminded the selectmen of their decision and asked why they were considering White’s application for Bikefest.
Interim Town Manager Don Gerrish told Dunbar town ordinances require the town to hold a public hearing for any permit application.
White, however, said he expects little resistance from the town. “The majority of the people are all pro-economic development… I think everything will go forward positively,” he said.
Unlike Oxxfest, which will feature platinum-selling bands, including headliner Shinedown, the bands at Bikefest are “just a couple of local bands,” White said.
“It’s not like the concert,” he said. “These are just local guys that play local barrooms.”
White said he didn’t know the names of the bands.
Bikefest, White said, will bring “a different type of customer” to the raceway. Saturday and Sunday both feature charity rides, including, on Sunday, the annual “Toys for Tots run,” he said.
In other raceway news, Oxxfest ticket sales have been strong, White said. “They’ve filled 6000 tickets already,” he said. “We hope to hit that 8,000-10,000 mark.”
For more information about Oxxfest, Bikefest, or other raceway events, including the Lincoln County Fair, which runs July 22-25, visit www.wiscassetraceway.info.
