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Dream Ride Experience to benefit Special Olympics

 

The 2014 Dream Ride Experience, presented by Bozzuto’s Inc. and the Hometown Foundation to benefit Special Olympics, will take place Aug. 23-24 in Farmington, CT. The event will unite motorcyclists, classic and exotic car enthusiasts, and families and friends who want to be part of a fun, festive event to support Special Olympics, according to a July 21 press release.

A motorcycle ride with starting points at Harley-Davidson dealerships across the state and drawing participants from three countries — the United States, Canada and Australia — and 12 states (including Connecticut) and a host of activities are planned. These include a Twilight Car Cruise & Wrangler Rally, Dream Show car exhibit, celebrity guest appearances, kids’ activities and miniature golf. (To view a full schedule of events and register, go to www.dreamride.org.)

Registration is $30 for adults for a one-day pass (includes Twilight Dream Cruise on Saturday night or Dream Ride/Dream Show on Sunday) and $50 for a two-day pass (includes Twilight Dream Cruise on Saturday night and Dream Ride/Dream Show on Sunday); $15 for children 10-16 (each day); and free for children under 10. Register by Aug. 15 and receive an official Dream Ride Experience T-shirt. Additional fundraising to support Special Olympics is encouraged. And, follow Dream Ride at facebook.com/DreamRide and twitter.com/DreamRideExp. To find out about sponsorship opportunities, call 203/250-5660 or email [email protected].

Dream Ride Experience highlights will include:

Saturday, Aug. 23

• Dream Ride presents national recording artist Lonestar at the Farmington Polo Grounds, 152 Town Farm Road, Farmington, CT. General admission tickets and lawn seats are $30 and may be purchased at www.dreamride.org. Gates will open the day of the show at 5 p.m.; the concert will begin at 7:30 p.m. The concert will be held rain or shine.

• Ice cream/golf at Farmington Miniature Golf, 1048 Farmington Ave., Farmington.

• The Twilight Dream Cruise & Wrangler Rally presented by, and originating at, Papa’s Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram, 585 E. Main St., New Britain, CT. The cruise will conclude at The Farmington Club and be followed by a party featuring great food and live music. Check-in 3 p.m. at Papa’s Dodge; cruise begins at 5:15 p.m.

Sunday, Aug. 24

• A motorcycle ride with nine satellite sites across Connecticut converging at The Farmington Club. (Motorcyclists from other states and countries will arrive throughout the weekend.)

• Dream Show, an elaborate auto show at The Farmington Club to be judged by a panel of notable car connoisseurs.

• An all-day party featuring great food, vendors, live music, a kids’ corner and pet adoptions. Celebrity guests will include Wayne Carini, host of the Velocity channel’s “Chasing Classic Cars;” John Ratzenberger, best known for playing mail carrier Cliff Clavin on the sitcom “Cheers,” lending his voice to Pixar’s feature films including “Toy Story,” “Monsters Inc.” and “Cars,” and host of “Made in America;” and Tim Harris, a Special Olympics athlete and owner of Tim’s Place, a Tex-Mex restaurant in Albuquerque, NM, known for providing “the friendliest service in the world” and offering “breakfast, lunch and hugs.”

The Dream Ride Experience aims to unite thousands of motorcycle and car enthusiasts to enjoy the ride, celebrate Special Olympics athletes and join in a movement that inspires respect, acceptance and inclusion for all people with and without intellectual disabilities — both on and off the playing field. Last year’s Dream Ride raised $520,000 for Special Olympics. The event has raised $2 million since its inception, according to the press release.

Sponsors include Aqua Turf; Campus Customs; Dasani; The Farmington Club, Monster; Papa’s Dodge; Revelation Productions; Steinger, Iscoe & Greene; Trantolo & Trantolo; Western Beef; Bozzuto’s Inc.; The Hometown Foundation; and local IGA Supermarkets.

 

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