The Inaugural Yooper Motorcycle Show and Swap Meet, the first mud run of the summer, and an allterrain vehicle fun run, will combine for a full weekend of motorized entertainment in St. Ignace Saturday, May 24, and Sunday, May 25. The event is planned by the St. Ignace Special Events Committee.

Following the festivities, there will be a Remembrance Ride to honor fallen soldiers on Memorial Day, Monday, May 26, at 9 a.m. The ride begins at Castle Rock. A Blessing of the Bikes ceremony concludes the ride at Bridge View Park.

The motorcycle show and swap meet is open to the public from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Saturday, a $2 daily admission charge allows patrons into the motorcycle show, swap meet, and to view Mud Run trucks on display. Sunday, for $5, admission includes admission to the mud run and motorcycle show events.

Organizers are expecting motorcycles of all kinds to be on display inside and outside Little Bear East Arena. Motorcycles registered for the event will be judged in six categories, including best American, best foreign, custom, chopped, antique, and rat. Awards will be given to the top three motorcycles in each category, and a trophy will be awarded for best overall.

The show will feature two prominent members of the biker community. Motorcycle builder Ron Finch of Finch's Custom Styled Cycles of Pontiac will discuss the art of motorcycle construction. The winner of the Discovery Channel's Biker Build Off, Mr. Finch will display some of his favorite motorcycles.

The Yooper Motorcycle Show will also feature photographer and author Tom Zimberoff of San Francisco, California, who will sign copies of his books, "Art of the Chopper" and "Art of the Chopper II." Mr. Zimberoff's photographs have appeared on the covers of Time, Fortune, Money, and People magazines. Currently, he is working on an exhibit for the William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum.

Sunday evening, a two-hour boat cruise will take participants to view a fireworks display over the Straits of Mackinac. Tickets are $15 and will be on sale at the Arnold Line Dock and are on sale now at the St. Ignace Visitors Bureau office. The cruise leaves at 8:45 sharp.

Events planned in conjunction with the motorcycle show include pub crawls Friday and Saturday nights, a beer tent, and a pig roast.

Also on Saturday, the Mackinac County Sportsmen's Off Road Vehicle Association (MCSORVA) will sponsor a Fun Run around the St. Ignace area and includes routes west to the Curtis area. Participants will collect playing cards from various businesses, and the best poker hand will win a grand prize of $250. At least 30 door prizes will be given away.

ATV registration starts at 8 a.m. and will continue until 10:30 a.m. The registration fee is $10, and proceeds will benefit MCSORVA. Participants can walk, ride, or drive to the designated businesses along the route. Cards will be dealt between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., at Little Bear East.

Call Steve DuFresne at 643- 0366 for information about the contest.

In addition to the motorcycle show, Sunday, May 25, will be a day of revving engines and flying mud for the Truck Mud Run at Little Bear East.

Hosted by the St. Ignace Chamber of Commerce, mud run registration will begin at 9:30 a.m. There will be several classes of trucks, with a free children's ATV fun run at 11 a.m. An admission price of $5 will be charged at the gate, and children 12 and younger will be admitted free.

A concession stand, beer tent, and pig roast will be offered Saturday and Sunday.

Other dates for mud runs in St. Ignace this summer are July 5 and September 6. More information about the mud runs is available at the Chamber of Commerce office at 643-8717.

At a recent Traverse City prize drawing promoting the inaugural Yooper Motorcycle Show, former St. Ignace residents Becky and Gerry Tucker won a St. Ignace vacation that includes two nights' lodging, restaurant certificates, ferry tickets to Mackinac Island, and casino tokens.

Those interested in exhibiting motorcycles can register with the St. Ignace Visitors Bureau by calling 643-6950 or (866) 327-0548.