What was once known as the East Coast Trike-In is now called the National Trike-In, but the annual gathering of three-wheel motorcycles will still have Mount Airy as its home base this weekend.

The National Trike-In is scheduled at Veterans Memorial Park on West Lebanon Street, where it will coexist with the annual Surry County Agricultural Fair Friday and Saturday. While the fair ends Saturday night after a five-day run, the trike-in will continue until Sunday.

Michael Thorpe, fair manager, said a scheduling conflict became apparent early on due to plans for holding the county fair about a month earlier than usual. The trike-in, being conducted for the third year in Mount Airy, has been taking place during the Labor Day weekend.

“The trike-in thing had already been booked,” Thorpe said. “We worked out a deal with the trike-in to share the facilities.”

National Equals Bigger?

Both Thorpe and Tim Nine of Franklinton, longtime director of North Carolina’s chapter of the group Brothers of the Third Wheel, believe the designation of this year’s trike-in as a “national” rather than “East Coast” event should boost attendance.

Before coming to Mount Airy two years ago, trike-ins had been held for years elsewhere.

While trikes are basically three-wheel motorcycles, they can take all kinds of shapes beyond that. For example, one owned by Nine, 61, has a Roman chariot design complete with a fake horse. He has built many of the unusual vehicles over the years.

This weekend’s event in Mount Airy is expected to attract trike enthusiasts from states such as Alabama and virtually the entire East Coast. About 250 people signed the guest book for the 2011 trike-in, Nine said.

Brothers of the Third Wheel has members in various states, according to a web site for the organization.

In addition to the motorcycles, the creativity of trikers extends to the campers and tag-alongs some will bring to Mount Airy, Nine said.

Admission is free to the public for this weekend’s trike-in, which Nine said will be a family-oriented event that will feature a parade through downtown Mount Airy Saturday morning. A procession of the vehicles will leave Veterans Memorial Park at 10 a.m.

A bike show also is planned Saturday afternoon, with a non-denominational church service set for Sunday morning.

Prize giveaways including raffles will be part of the event as well, along with a benefit ride by the Soaring Eagles group.

Gates will open around 9 or 10 a.m. and the trike-in will run to about 5:30 to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Nine said he thinks there will be no problems with his event and the county fair both occupying the same facility Friday and Saturday.

“I think it’s going to be the best of both worlds.”

Reach Tom Joyce at 719-1924 or tjoyce@heartlandpublications.com.