Summerside launching its own motorcycle festival

Tourism Summerside has organized its own motorcycle rally after Atlanticade organizers decided to move their event back to New Brunswick.

Summerside hosted Atlanticade, one of the largest motorcycle festivals in the region, for the past three years. But it was recently announced the event will return to Moncton, where it originated.

• Atlanticade leaving Summerside for Moncton, N.B.

So, Tourism Summerside officials have put together SummerRide for July 24 to 26 at the city's waterfront.

"We did see a gap, you know, in our tourism product when Atlanticade decided to move back to Moncton," said executive director Carolyn Thorne.

"And this is something that we hope is going to fill that, with people coming and staying in our hotels, eating in our restaurants and enjoying the other tourism products that we have in Summerside."

SummerRide will take place at the same time as some other events in the city such as the lobster festival and a beach volleyball tournament.

Thorne will promote the new event at a motorcycle show in Moncton this weekend.