Bike Week kicks off this weekend in Daytona Beach with changes in place
Bike Week kicks off this weekend in Daytona Beach
Bike Week kicks off this weekend in Daytona Beach and it will look a little different from years past. Vendors who were forced out of Biketoberfest last year are back. The city has granted permits for outside entertainment as long as businesses include it in the master plan and limit capacity.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Hundreds of bikers are already in town a day ahead of the official start of Bike Week 2021.
Daytona Beach Police Chief Jakari Young said his department is prepared for the popular event.
"Oh, I think it’s gonna be big! I think it’s gonna look like the pandemic never surfaced," he said.
Chief Young said his officers will be using drones to have an overview of Main Street. He said they would be used for officer safety, not monitoring crowds for social distancing.
"We kind of establish a perimeter around Main Street to kind of avoid the officers having to mix in large crowds unnecessarily," he explained.
MORE NEWS: Volusia sheriff says email threat to airport spoofed to look like it came from abroad
In January, Daytona Beach City Council approved permits for outside entertainment and vendors as long as businesses listed in the master plan kept a 60 percent limit on capacity inside.
"I’ve got 32 cameras everywhere so I can pretty much monitor myself but I’m actually going to have a spotter that walks through the bar," he said.
Chief Young said his officers won’t be monitoring the 60%rule instead rely on bar owners to comply.
Bobby Honeycutt with Froggy’s Saloon said he’s happy with the city’s decision.
"We are gonna be responsible and I’m glad they put that back into our hands we can actually do the things we need to do to survive," he said.
Tune in to FOX 35 Orlando to watch the Central Florida latest headlines.