A Route 66-themed fiesta is slated to replace the Fire & Ice Bike Rally in Grants, New Mexico, weeks after the mayor cast a tie-breaking vote to cancel the downtown motorcycle event after 15 years.
The Cibola County Beacon reported the new festival will take place in the third weekend of July 2016, with a big car show as the centerpiece.
Grants MainStreet president Manuel Vasquez gave more details:
Vasquez said the big attraction of the proposed fiesta, or festival, will be a large car show. “About 200 to 300 cars and trucks,” said MainStreet’s president who is a car lover him self, muscle cars in particular. “There will be vendors, street dancing, an endurance race for adults and a bicycle race for the children,” said Vasquez. “But, the emphasis will be the car show, right here, in downtown Grants on Route 66.”
As far as a title for the event, that was “kicked around” also, according to Vasquez. “Rockin on Route 66 is one, but not set in stone,” explained Vasquez. “That is something we will further discuss and possibly decide on Oct. 14.”
The city of Grants voted in August to officially end its support for the Fire & Ice Rally after the police chief reported more than 150 openly armed people at the July event. He also reported a “spike” in crime that weekend, including several fights at motels that injured an officer. Mayor Martin Hicks also said 100 Banditos — a notorious motorcycle gang — also rolled into town that weekend.
Hicks didn’t mention it explicitly, but a May 17 shootout between motorcycle gangs at a Twin Peaks restaurant in Waco, Texas, probably loomed large in his decision to kill the Grants event. Nine people died and 18 were injured in the Waco shootings, and Banditos were seen at the venue before and after the massacre.
We need to cancel the mayor and city councel
This is BS it has already been proven that the ‘twin peaks incident” was caused by the Waco and TX DPS officers and that the bikers had no involvement other than self defense. It is the city councils choice to end this, don’t try and blame it non-existent “biker gangs”.
I have been to the fire & ice rally off & on since 2007. Usually have a great time. Sometimes get a room for the night. Eat breakfast or dinner at the restaurants. Watch the bands, drink beer. Visit the bars. I don’t keep track but l’ll spend between $100-$300. There are thousands of law abideing bikers who attended this rally. I hope fire & ice is back in 2017. The mayor needs to pull his head out of his ass.
I was born and raised in Grants. The money that was brought into the town for this weekend actually brought in hundreds of thousands of dollars into the town and now it is gone. This is the worst desision that this city counsel has made in the history of Grants, New Mexico. I am ashamed to even say that I am from Grants.
I failed to mention that how can the City Police say that there was this many weapons counted or that there was that many “Bandito’s” counted when there was not even one foot patrol counted at this “Fire and Ice” event. I saw personally two Banditos patches and “IF” there was that many weapons counted, what “probable cause” were the police using to search all of these bikers in a mass search for weapons? The Rally only went on for three days, there was an all time low number of attendees at the rally. But the police counted this many weapons and that many Banditos. Sounds like the police and the Mayor just wanted to rid Grants of the rally once and for all. For them to fabricate this many “incidences” and this many undesirables, they were just looking for a reason to end it. The city of Grants needs to take a step back, re-check their priorities in the survival of the city and elect into office people that will make Grants a fun and great city to visit again. Mr. Mayor, and the Ladies and Gentleman of the Grants City Councel. As well as the Grants police department, Chief of Police and all of his little police officer cronies. YOU ARE FIRED.
We had enjoyed Fire and Ice for 10 years, and now it is gone, Every time we attended there was maybe 4-5 biker gang members seen, never seen any trouble. really enjoyed the company of all bikers, 2010 we had a nice conversation with a couple bandidos members. they was kind, polite and seemed to be 2 people that put their pants on just like we all do, they seemed level headed and we enjoyed their humor I say the People of Grants needs to Vote in New Mayor and City Counsel. I SAY KICK THE NOW MAYOR AND CITY COUNSEL TO THE CURB AND BRING BACK FIRE AND ICE. If they do not then Grants will be just another no good place and will loose out on money they so need. Grants will be wiped off the Map in 2 years and people won’t even know where grants is when people talk about it. Look at their Hotels and other Business, they are closing down and leaving for better places., Grants will become a Ghost town that failed all because a Mayor made a bad decision