Harley marks year of the hog

Gentlemen and gentlewomen, start your engines.

Motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson is celebrating its 100th anniversary with a yearlong blowout that will climax Aug. 28 to 31 in Milwaukee.

About 200,000 people vroomed into Milwaukee for the smaller 95th anniversary party; the organizers of this year’s festivities expect an even bigger crowd. “We will be eclipsing all past events in size,” a Harley-Davidson spokesman predicted.

Tickets, at $50 per person, went on sale last month and cover various events and exhibits for the August weekend. (Some activities are free.)

Ticketed activities include:

* A festival Aug. 28 to 30 featuring an exhibit of motorcycles and memorabilia from the company’s archives, including Elvis Presley’s vintage Harley. The show, dubbed the “Open Road Tour,” has traveled to several U.S. cities and abroad. There will also be music, children’s activities and retail vendors at the festival.

* The first-ever exhibit that will use sketches, videos and mock-ups to show how Harley designs its two-wheelers. At the Milwaukee Art Museum.

Free activities include viewing a motorcade of 10,000 motorcycles, dubbed the Parade of Heroes, through the streets of Milwaukee on Aug. 30; a lakefront music festival on Aug. 31; and tours of Harley-Davidson plants.

Besides these events, there will be organized rides to Milwaukee, dubbed the Ride Home, from four U.S. regions starting Aug. 17. Participants can go at their own pace, linking up with scheduled events along the way.

For tickets and more information, call (800) 431-0084 or visit www.harley-davidson.com.