Laconia event info in brief
Laconia event info in one place: Laconia Motorcycle Week runs June 12 to 20, 2027. Below are where it happens, what a typical day looks like, the riding laws to know and who runs it. Always confirm the schedule on the official Laconia Motorcycle Week website before you travel.
2027 dates
The Laconia Motorcycle Week Association has scheduled the 104th rally for Saturday, June 12 through Sunday, June 20, 2027. For comparison, the 2026 rally ran June 13 to 21. The week traditionally ends on Father’s Day weekend.
The full 2027 event calendar had not been published when this guide was written. The rundown below is based on recent rallies, so confirm each date on the official rally website before you plan around it.
Main events in a typical rally week
Rally Headquarters and Lakeside Avenue
Weirs Beach is ground zero, with vendors, live music and free motorcycle parking on the strip. Daily Gypsy Tours, which are guided scenic rides, leave from Rally Headquarters.
Peter Makris Memorial Ride
This charity ride opens the rally on the first Saturday from the Naswa Resort. The 2026 ride was the 20th and included a police escort and laps at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Racing at New Hampshire Motor Speedway
The Loudon track hosts vintage racing on the first weekend and the Loudon Classic on the second. The 103rd Loudon Classic, billed as America’s oldest motorcycle road race, ran June 19 to 21, 2026 on the 1.6-mile road course. Manufacturer demo rides also run at the speedway during the week.
Gunstock Hill Climb
Riders charge up the landing hill of the 70-meter Torger Tokle ski jump at Gunstock Mountain Resort in Gilford. In 2026 it ran on Wednesday, June 17, with a bike show and stunt shows. A hill climb exhibition on Tower Street in Weirs Beach traditionally comes the day before.
Mount Washington
Many riders head north to the Mount Washington Auto Road. The 2026 calendar listed a “Ride to the Sky” group ride there on June 18.
Rides, shows and contests
Expect charity and memorial rides, bike shows, build-offs and skills contests across the Lakes Region, including shows at Laconia Harley-Davidson in Meredith. Organizers also promote an evening cruise on Lake Winnipesaukee aboard the M/S Mount Washington.
A short history
The rally traces back to the summer of 1916, when Gypsy Tour riders headed up US Route 3 and gathered at Weirs Beach. According to the association, the Federation of American Motorcyclists made the tour official the next year, and the American Motorcycle Association later took over sponsorship. Road racing moved to the Belknap area in Gilford in 1938 and to the Loudon track that is now New Hampshire Motor Speedway in the mid-1960s. Over time the gathering grew into a full week ending on Father’s Day, and the name changed from Gypsy Tour to New England Tour and Rally and then to Laconia Motorcycle Week.
Because the rally was not held in seven years, including during the Great Depression and World War II, the numbering runs behind the calendar. In 2017 the American Motorcyclist Association recognized Laconia as the oldest national Gypsy Tour in the country.
Who runs it
The Laconia Motorcycle Week Association is a nonprofit that markets the rally. Individual venues book their own bands and entertainment, and the City of Laconia handles vendor licensing and the temporary traffic order for rally week. This guide is independent and has no connection to any of these groups.
How big is it?
Crowd counts are rough estimates because there is no central ticketing. Organizers estimated a peak of about 375,000 visitors in 2004, and the association said 2026 turnout may have been 20 to 25 percent below recent years.
On this page
Laconia Motorcycle Week at a glance
Dates
June 12 to 20, 2027 (the 104th rally)
Where
Weirs Beach in Laconia, NH, with events in Gilford, Loudon and Meredith
Nearest airport
Manchester-Boston Regional (MHT); Boston Logan (BOS) and Portland, Maine (PWM) also work
Helmet law
Required only under age 18; eye protection required if your bike has no windshield
More for this rally
FAQ
Questions riders ask
Why is 2027 only the 104th rally if it started in 1916?
The organizers explain that the rally was not held in seven years because of national and world events, including the Great Depression and World War II. Those gaps are why the count reached 103 in 2026 and 104 in 2027, and why some people wrongly assume the rally began in 1923.
When is the Gunstock hill climb?
The AMA-sanctioned hill climb at Gunstock Mountain Resort in Gilford is traditionally held on the Wednesday of rally week. In 2026 it ran on June 17 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., organized by the New England Hillclimbers Association. The 2027 date had not been posted when this guide was written, so check the Gunstock or rally calendar in spring.
When is the Loudon Classic?
The Loudon Classic runs at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon during the second weekend of rally week. The 103rd running took place June 19 to 21, 2026, with the main event on Saturday afternoon on the 1.6-mile road course. No 2027 date had been announced when this guide was written, so watch the speedway and race organizer announcements.
Where can I get event information during the rally?
Rally Headquarters on the Weirs Beach boardwalk along Lakeside Avenue is the hub for information during the week, and daily Gypsy Tours leave from there. Before you travel, the association publishes the free Laconia Rally News, which you can download from the official site, along with an online events calendar.
Sources
We checked these sources when we wrote this guide. Always confirm with the organizer before you travel.
- Laconia Motorcycle Week (official site, homepage)
- Laconia Motorcycle Week: Rally FAQs
- Laconia Motorcycle Week: History
- Laconia Motorcycle Week: Parking
- Laconia Motorcycle Week: Lodging
- Laconia Motorcycle Week: Recurring Events
- Laconia Motorcycle Week: June 2026 events calendar
- Laconia Motorcycle Week: Patrons
- City of Laconia: Motorcycle Week
- Boston Globe: Laconia Motorcycle Week 103rd (June 22, 2026)
- Road Racing World: 103rd Loudon Classic June 19 to 21, 2026
- Lakes Region Chamber: 2026 Gunstock Hill Climb