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Wheels & Wings marks 14 years

Organizers expect heavy attendance to the event

Motorcyclists passing through the Ebensburg area Thursday will have a chance to catch a bite to eat, as chicken wings fly from more than a dozen local vendors.

Those wings later will be judged and scored as part of the annual Wheels & Wings event.

This marks the event’s 14th year, and Ebensburg Borough Community Development Director Danea Koss said attendees can expect “much of

the same.”

With one big exception — heavy rainfall, which currently isn’t in the forecast.

“It seems every year we have some rain,” Koss said.

The past two year, downpours have soaked the borough streets, as event stalwarts donned ponchos and carried umbrellas, determined to still enjoy their wings.

Rainfall had a negative impact on attendance. Koss said attendees typically begin watching weather forecasts early in the week.

If rain is predicted, it “deters people from coming out”, she said.

In the days leading up to this year’s Wheels & Wings, forecasters have predicted sunny skies for Thursday, said John Banghoff, a meteorologist with the local National Weather Service office.

“Thursday, at this point, looks to be pretty nice,” he said.

On Monday, National Weather Service forecasters predicted a chance of thunderstorms Wednesday night into Thursday morning.

But after 9 a.m., skies are likely to be mostly sunny with high temperatures of 76 degrees, with a partly cloudy night, according to forecasts.

Koss mentioned those predictions, saying she expects large crowds for the one-day event.

“I hate to even say that because I don’t want to jinx it,” Koss said.

The motorcycle-centric event is scheduled for 6 to 9:30 p.m. in the borough’s business district.

“It’s definitely great for the town,” Koss said, explaining estimates show that about 20,000 people attend the event on an average year.

Wheels & Wings has never been the lone area motorcycle-centric event. It is held each year to coincide with the first day of Thunder in the Valley, a large-scale annual motorcycle rally in Johnstown.

This year, it also will have to compete with the Pennsylvania Roundhouse Rally, a first-time event scheduled for Wednesday through Saturday at a number of locations across Blair County.

“That’s kind of the unknown for this year,” Koss said. “I don’t think it will affect our event too much. I think everybody is kind of anxious to see how that goes.”

This year, 13 vendors are to serve their wings, which will later be evaluated by a panel of judges who will award the title of “best wings.”

Other food items and beverages — including alcohol — will be served.

A car and motorcycle show, raffles and live music also are on the agenda. Vehicle registration is to begin at 4:30 p.m., with room for only 250 vehicles.

Additional information about the Thursday event can be found online at www.ebensburgwheels.com or by calling 472-8414.

Information about Thunder in the Valley can be found at www.visitjohnstownpa.com/thunder-valley. And information

about the Pennsylvania Roundhouse Rally can be found at www.paroundhouserally.com.

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