Donning jackets that featured patches with their names stitched on them, Stiletto and Sporty Black were two of many out-of-town bikers who enjoyed opening Friday night of the Atlantic Beach Bikefest.
The couple came all the way from Syracuse, New York, and they didn鈥檛 regret a single minute of their 14-hour drive.
鈥淚鈥檝e been coming for years, and this is a vacation,鈥 said Sporty Black, an avid bike lover. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a vacation and for us, it鈥檚 a way to have fun with other people who like bikes.鈥
The small town of Atlantic Beach welcomes thousands of Black bikers from across the east coast during the Black Pearl Cultural Heritage and Bike Festival, commonly referred to as Black Bike Week. The celebration centers around the town鈥檚 main street, Atlantic Street, and kicked off Friday, May 23, 2025.
Stiletto, who sat side-by-side with Sporty Black, watched the Friday evening crowd get heavier and heavier as the sun went down to kick off Memorial Day weekend.
The bikes and friendly faces were highlights of the night. But so, too, was the sunshine and warm weather.
鈥淭his is great because we鈥檙e from Syracuse and we鈥檙e used to getting all the rain,鈥 Stiletto said. 鈥淲e get a lot of bipolar weather. So to be here on this strip and to have the beach back there, very nice.
鈥淭his is an opportunity to be around Black people. My people. And showing mad love. It shows that we can all get along and have fun. To relax, have fun and to be amongst one another.鈥
Sporty Black bought his bike back in 2017, but he鈥檚 since had two knee replacements and is heading toward a third. But, he made some modifications to his bike to help him get ready for weekends like this one.
鈥淚鈥檓 getting older,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 got this left knee replaced, and then the right one, and this right one is about to have another one. I didn鈥檛 want to spend the money to [upgrade the bike], but I want to ride. I needed some easier ways to get off and on.鈥
Bikefest, officially called the Atlantic Beach Memorial Day Black Pearl Cultural Heritage and Bike Festival, is celebrating its 45th year. More commonly known as Black Bike Week, the event dates back to its early editions in the 1980s and features parties, live music, entertainment and meet-and-greets throughout the weekend.
The celebration of Black culture and bikes features plenty of music, vendors, food options and more. It鈥檚 hard to walk the main portion of the rally without smelling homemade dishes and seeing plenty of style 鈥 from custom leather jackets to bright, lively hats and accessories.
For out-of-town visitors, it鈥檚 a place that feels like home.
鈥淭his is a comfortable spot,鈥 said Eulonda, a biker from Charlotte who sat and mingled with the crowd on Friday. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very comfortable. It鈥檚 very welcoming. It just brings us joy. You see people dancing around, having fun and mixing and mingling. We feel comfortable here, and we really feel like this is our second home at one point in time every year.鈥
Cadillac Stan agrees.
Standing in the center of the action and looking out at the crowd filling up the Atlantic Beach streets, the man with one of the coolest names of the weekend said he hoped this year 鈥 his first time back to the event in 10 years 鈥 would inspire a new generation of bikers to appreciate the time spent in the Horry County coastal town.
鈥淚t鈥檚 one of those ancestral things,鈥 Cadillac Stan said. 鈥淭his is where the Black bikers started out, right down here. My dad used to come down here.
鈥淚 would say [I hope others] learn the history and find out how all of this got started. You can come socialize with all the Black clubs, and mainly to find out how Atlantic Beach got started. Don鈥檛 come down here and just say I鈥檝e been to Atlantic Beach. Know why you鈥檙e here in Atlantic Beach.鈥
The small town of Atlantic Beach welcomes thousands of Black bikers from across the east coast during the Black Pearl Cultural Heritage and Bike Festival, commonly referred to as Black Bike Week. The celebration centers around the town鈥檚 main street, Atlantic Street, and kicked off Friday, May 23, 2025.
Bikefest will continue throughout the weekend, featuring unique bikes, cars, food and live music by the oceanfront.
Big crowds are expected throughout the weekend, which makes those like Stiletto and Sporty Black excited for what lies ahead.
They hope others will consider joining them.
鈥淵ou will enjoy this,鈥 Stiletto said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a time to kick back and let your hair down. It鈥檚 all comfortable. You can dress comfortably. This isn鈥檛 formal. You鈥檙e just outdoors, enjoying the outdoors and being around different states. You see different bikes and different skills from so many different people. This is a place to come showcase it.鈥
(1) comment
Black Bike Week is Ok as long as they keep it up in Atlantic Beach where it belongs! We don't want them here in the City of Myrtle of Myrtle Beach!!! [angry]
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