Red River revs for Memorial Day weekend, but ...

May 23—RED RIVER — Rudy Romero and John Ortega rolled a corn roaster down a trailer ramp earlier this week into Brandenburg Park in this small mountain town in preparation for this weekend's Memorial Day festivities.

Because of a celebrated motorcycle rally, Memorial Day weekend traditionally has been a big money-maker for Romero, who owns the roaster, and Ortega, who sells fair-style food out of a trailer.

But after a shootout between rival biker gangs last year, the motorcycle rally that drew as many as 20,000 people to Red River is gone, replaced this year by a family-friendly "Mayfest in the Mountains."

"I don't expect any home run numbers or big numbers," Ortega said. "The past was good, but I think people are still going to come up — it's Memorial weekend; they want to do something."

Last year's shootout, which left three people dead and five injured, looms large here as the three-day holiday approach.

But change is hard, and in some circles, unpopular. At least one Red River business is looking to attract motorcycle enthusiasts with a "Revive the Ride" promotion, hoping they'll come back to spend money in the town's restaurants and bars.

The mixed messages have split some residents — those who support the riders who've been traveling to Red River for years against others who praise the new push for family-oriented activities that could lessen the potential for violence.

Mayor Linda Calhoun said there will be a strong police presence in town this weekend, including as many as 30 state police officers and help, if needed, from the Taos County Sheriff's Office.

"We basically planned it like we do every year," she said.

"We can't prohibit anyone from coming," Calhoun said. "We welcome motorcyclists."

A town without a rally

From a table at Red River Brewing Co., owned by her son Michael Calhoun, the mayor reflected on the town's big motorcycle rallies of the past, when up to 20,000 bikers and tourists would come to Red River to celebrate and spend money.

But following last year's incident, town officials decided to eliminate "anything that would be specifically targeted toward motorcyclists," Calhoun said.

The shift has had an effect on some of the town's hotels, Calhoun acknowledged, which are reporting lower than normal bookings.

"Hotels are not filled, and there's some concern about that," she said. "But of course, with anything new, it's going to take some time to grow."

Vendors vs. locals

In years past, as many as 75 vendors would set up and sell everything from motorcycle patches to food across the town's main street.

This year, no vendors will be allowed on the street and a smaller number of vendors will fill Brandenburg Park, where the town plans to host a variety of events — including live music, bounce houses for kids, cornhole and other games — through Monday.

That's welcome news to Heather Larson, owner of Starr Trading Post, which sustained bullet holes from last year's gunplay. (The building doubles as her home, and she remembers realizing shots were being fired. "I had to have my children lay down on our kitchen floor," she recalled.)

The store sells everything from apparel to gifts to fishing gear but hasn't profited greatly from the Memorial Day weekend festivities. She said it's usually the lodging businesses and bars and restaurants that perform the best.

Larson said foot traffic in her store has already increased with the limit on vendors.

"So many vendors take money out of our local economy. Vendors come in, they set up, they sell hundreds of thousands [of dollars worth of product] and then that money leaves," she said. "I think that for retail, business will be better this year — we're already seeing more people here this year that are here to experience Red River."

Larson's sentiment is shared by Michael Calhoun, whose brewery was hopping Thursday afternoon with travelers and residents stopping by for a beer or a bite.

He said the town's new series of events for Memorial Day is more in line with the vibe of the town and the people who live there.

"It's a three-day weekend — people are going to be in town no matter what," he said. "I would really rather see if we can [put on something] more consistent with Red River's values the rest of the year and deemphasize the rowdy biker weekend — and emphasize the weekend as something that's appropriate for everybody."

The great divide

Others in Red River aren't so sure about the new direction. Motherlode Saloon owner Steve Heglund, sitting outside his other business, Texas Reds Steakhouse, recalled just how important the motorcycle rallies were in years past, calling it "everyone's big weekend."

Heglund said few things could replace the biker rallies of years past, let alone "Mayfest in the Mountains." Along with his wife and employees, he is hosting a "Revive the Ride" event aimed at bringing bikers to town for a series of events focused around live music.

He said the town's decision to step back from a bike-centric weekend was a "knee-jerk reaction."

"They still don't understand the economic impact it's going to have on this community," he said. "And they didn't consider it before making their decision — which many of us don't agree with.

"We waited seven months, and after seven months they concocted nothing," Heglund added, contending his event is "just a continuation of what it's always been."

Macy Brooks, a seasonal bartender working for Heglund, said Red River is likely to see more "day-trippers because people want to see what's happening and they need to know how to plan for next year."

She said she and Heglund also have put together a list of "biker-friendly businesses" in town.

"We are working with Wicked West Harley-Davidson in Santa Fe, and we have a guided ride coming from the dealership on Saturday," she said. "Bikers are a very communal group, and they want to know where they feel welcomed."

What does the future hold?

As the weekend approached, many in Red River were filled with questions, if not worries. Will there be less foot traffic? Will bikers continue to come through town?

Max Khudiakov, the town's director of economic development and tourism, said he and others "do anticipate a decrease in visitation for this weekend as it is a big change for many folks," noting that once the town's new event begins to grow, "it will get back on track."

Mayor Calhoun agrees, but said the town will convene a meeting to assess how its new event went and how to best plan going forward.

"[The rally] was a huge economic driver for us," she said. "It's going to be a struggle, but we all feel like this is the right thing to do."