KIMBALL, W.Va. – After a rainy forecast delay last week, the “Head of the Dragon” Motorcycle Run is set to have “kick stands up” on Saturday, October 8, 2022.

After another year’s planning and work with the Town of Kimball, which holds its Fall Festival along with Bradshaw’s Fall Festival on the same day making this a Countywide event, motorcycles and sports car will roar.

The ride will start registration at Kimball at 9:00 a.m. and there is no registration fee but donations are gladly accepted. The motorcycles are scheduled to pull out at 11:00 a.m. to ride the adventurous and curvy roads of McDowell County.

Multiple vendors are scheduled to provide food and local arts during the registration process with the cyclists expected to start the “Ride of a Lifetime” at 11:00 a.m. The course travels over 50 miles of scenic roadways in McDowell County that will give riders thrills and experiences of riding their bikes on beautiful West Virginia country roads.

This event completes the Body of the Dragon motorcycle rides and is said to be one of the most beautiful and challenging. Specially designed Head of the Dragon t-shirts and patches are available to commemorate the special experience of riding the Head of the Dragon in the mountains of southern West Virginia.

Ride officials state that out of state riders will be introduced to this unique experience in McDowell County with a tour and viewing of the historical sites in the County with local historian Jay Chatman.

“This event has proven to be a great economic boom to McDowell County and this whole area as it has brought hundreds of motorcyclists from as many as eleven States plus scores of local riders. The economic development potential of this motorcycle and sports car ride is providing tourism for McDowell County and southern West Virginia and is bringing diverse activities for attraction of even more tourists,” said event coordinators.

One of the top attractions to this awareness ride is the “Stunt Army” which will give three shows of their amazing acrobatic feats on motorcycles. This is the event everyone has been waiting to see again since the dynamic show of last year.

Live music will be performed throughout the day by various groups and soloists. A Cornhole Tournament by “Outlaw Cornhole” is scheduled with inflatable Bouncy Obstacle Course and Slide, multiple games for children and closing out the day, a fireworks display.

The event is hosting one of the largest car shows in the area with Jack Necessary coordinating the show. Classic cars along with customized vehicles will be displayed with awards for Best of Show, a $300 prize, and People’s Choice and Top 20 trophies. The vehicles will be shown along Route 52 in Kimball.

As the Kimball Fall Festival is being held on the day of the event, the Council of the Southern Mountains is providing restrooms and other amenities for the riders and Festival attendees. Local eateries are setting up for the day while many local businesses are providing Head of the Dragon sponsorship. The Iaeger VFW Post 1144 and Leonard England have been instrumental again planning this year’s event and providing the metal sculpture of the Head of the Dragon, which is located in Kimball along U.S. Route 52.

So come see the fire breathing Head of the Dragon 50-mile road course over the most beautiful country roads in America as the roar of the “Dragon” will be heard on October 1, 2022 in the County of McDowell.

For more information, visit headofthedragonwv.com and visitmcdowellcountywv.com or call Tammi Ferrell at the Council of the Southern Mountains at 304-436-6800 or Pam Huff in Bluefield at 304-327-5305.

The event is held annually in McDowell County and was created by the Council of the Southern Mountains, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization to overcome the causes and effects of poverty, assist seniors and people with disabilities by bringing economic development and tourism to southern West Virginia.