By Adam Rollins, Record Staff Writer
The first ever Red, Wright and Blue Motorcycle Fest will be held this Saturday at Cedar Lake Cellars winery near Wright City.The festival is a fundraising event to help the Wright City Police Department pay for a new police dog. The department’s current dog, Zeus, will be retired for health reasons.Replacing a police dog can be an expensive proposition.“We don’t have a solid number yet from the trainer, but it’s typically around $10,500,” said Lt. Randy Deatherage of the Wright City Police Department.The department also will have to purchase new equipment for a new dog, but Deatherage said much of Zeus’ current equipment could be reused.Red, Wright and Blue organizers already presented the police department with $4,500 in May from funds raised ahead of the event.Deatherage said there would be eight to 10 Wright City police officers attending the festival at Cedar Lake Cellars.“Not just for security, but because the event is for us,” Deatherage said. “We want to show our face and be there because we’re beneficiaries.”Weather forecasts for Aug. 19 predict partly cloudy skies with a chance for a rain shower or thunderstorm.Red, Wright and Blue was originally scheduled for April 29. Organizers postponed the event because of a severe weather forecast. Heavy rain caused flooding throughout Warren County that weekend. Aug. 19 was the soonest date that worked for the parties involved and that the venue was not booked, officials said.This potentially will be the largest event city employees have ever hosted, assisted by Cedar Lake Cellars staff. It is scheduled from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.The event will include a motorcycle show, live music, vendors, raffle, silent auction and a helicopter landing. The Viper 100.7 FM radio station is planning a live broadcast from Cedar Lake Cellars during the event.There also will be attractions for children, such as face painting and balloons, and a 6-foot T-rex named Tinker Bell. Event planner Kim Jumper said 25 vendors are planning to set up at the festival, and that organizers are hoping to have 500 motorcycles at the winery that day.Cedar Lake Cellars is providing a VIP entrance for motorcycles where they won’t have to drive on gravel, Jumper added.The first 100 people to register for the motorcycle show will receive a souvenir dash plaque. Registration opens at 11 a.m. the day of the event.Motorcycles will be judged in four categories: vintage, classic, modern and sport/race. Judging will take place between 1-3 p.m. Awards will be announced at 3:30 p.m., including a Mayor’s Trophy, Jumper said.She added that even though forecasts indicate a chance for rain, organizers are hoping for a bubble of perfect weather around Wright City.The Wright City police and fire departments are expecting to direct traffic for hundreds of people coming and going on Saturday.Between the police department’s presence at the winery and normal operations throughout the rest of the city, Police Chief Matt Eskew previously told The Record he expects almost all of his staff to be on duty during the festival.The Red, Wright and Blue motorcycle festival was first proposed by State Rep. Bryan Spencer, whose legislative district includes Wright City and Wentzville. He said he hopes the motorcycle festival can become an annual fundraising event for the city, even after a new police dog is purchased.“I’m excited about starting a new tradition for Wright City,” Spencer said. “This is an example of the community getting involved and taking action.”For anyone looking for one more way to donate, Red, Wright and Blue Motorcycle Fest T-shirts are available for purchase at Wright City Hall and will be for sale the day of the event.More information can be found online at the Red, Wright and Blue Motorcycle Fest Facebook event page.Cedar Lake Cellars is located at 11008 Schreckengast Road.
The first annual Red, Wright and Blue Motorcycle Fest is this Saturday starting at 11 a.m. The event will raise funds for Wright City Police Department to purchase a new police dog. T-shirts are on sale ahead of the event at Wright City Hall.
