Roar to the Shore event info in brief
Roar to the Shore event info in one place: the rally has not been held since 2019 and no return has been announced. Below is what happened, what a rally weekend looked like and what fills the September weekend now. For events in the Wildwoods that weekend, check the Wildwoods tourism website.
Current status
There is no 2027 Roar to the Shore on the calendar. The rally last ran September 5 to 8, 2019. In July 2020 organizers announced on the event’s Facebook page that the City of Wildwood had denied the permits needed to hold it. When we checked in October 2026, the roartotheshore.com domain was listed for sale, and a national rally calendar marked the event as canceled.
How it started
The rally grew out of the New Jersey State Rally, which began at Maxwell Field in Bergen County with about 250 bikes, according to a 2013 Rider Magazine report. It later moved south to Wildwood. Sources differ slightly on the count. The 2013 rally was promoted as the 19th annual, while coverage of the cancellation says it ran 23 straight years.
What a rally weekend looked like
Roar to the Shore ran Thursday through Sunday on the weekend after Labor Day and was free to attend. Vendor areas sat in the Wildwoods Convention Center lots near Burk and Ocean Avenues and in the streets and lots around Oak and Atlantic Avenues. Past schedules included:
- A guided ride to a pig roast at a local Ford dealership
- A free walking poker run between local establishments
- Battle of the Biker Bands semifinals and finals
- A custom bike show on the boardwalk
- A rubber duck ride on the boardwalk tied to a motorcycle giveaway
- A bike lights show after dark
In some years the Wildwood Tattoo Beach Bash ran the same weekend, and national vendors made the trip. Hot Leathers, the leather and apparel retailer, announced plans to set up at the 2012 rally.
Crowd size
All attendance figures here are historical estimates. An organizer put the 2012 crowd at about 70,000. A former Cape Classics MC president estimated a peak of about 130,000 riders in 2004. A 2019 radio report cited roughly 80,000 for the 2018 rally.
Why it ended
During the 2019 rally an outlaw motorcycle club held its national gathering in town, and local reports counted 26 arrests that weekend. That October, officials from Wildwood Crest met with Wildwood and North Wildwood to discuss whether the event should continue. The permits were denied the following summer. In September 2020 an organizer told 6abc it looked like the end of the road, though he hoped the city would reconsider. Local press reported that riders still came to Wildwood that weekend in 2021, without an organized rally.
What fills the weekend now
In 2025 the Greater Wildwoods Tourism Improvement and Development Authority launched the Thunder Over the Waves Airshow in the same late-season slot. The 2026 show ran September 11 and 12 over the beachfront. If you plan a ride for that weekend, expect airshow crowds rather than a motorcycle rally.
How to check for a revival
If Roar to the Shore ever returns, the first signs will be a permit approval from the City of Wildwood and a public announcement from an organizer. Until you see both, treat third-party listings with future dates as unconfirmed.
On this page
Roar to the Shore at a glance
Dates
Not held since 2019. No 2027 dates announced. It ran Thursday to Sunday on the weekend after Labor Day.
Where
Wildwood, Cape May County, NJ. Past vendor areas were the Wildwoods Convention Center lots and Oak and Atlantic Avenues.
Nearest airport
Atlantic City International (ACY), about 45 road miles
Helmet law
Required for all riders and passengers in NJ. Operators also need goggles or a face shield.
More for this rally
FAQ
Questions riders ask
When was the last Roar to the Shore?
The last rally ran Thursday, September 5, through Sunday, September 8, 2019, centered on downtown Wildwood and the Wildwoods Convention Center lot. The city denied permits for 2020, and no rally has been held since. Riders who still visit in September now share the town with the Thunder Over the Waves Airshow on the weekend after Labor Day.
Who organized Roar to the Shore?
Organizers changed over the years. Rider Magazine reported that the Cape Classics motorcycle club and One Off Marketing produced the 2012 rally, and 6abc identified Roland Roy as an organizer in 2020. There is no active organizer today, and the old event domain is listed for sale.
Was Roar to the Shore free to attend?
Yes. It was promoted as the largest free motorcycle rally in the Northeast, so walking the vendor areas and watching the bands cost nothing. Some contests, such as the custom bike show, charged an entry fee. For most riders, lodging, fuel, food and merchandise were the real costs of the weekend.
Could the rally come back?
Nothing has been announced. A return would need new permits from the City of Wildwood, which ended the event over safety and image concerns, and the town has since built a different event around that weekend. We will update this page if an organizer or the city announces a new date.
Sources
We checked these sources when we wrote this guide. Always confirm with the organizer before you travel.
- ‘Roar to the Shore’ organizer fears event could be permanently canceled due to Pagans (6abc, Sept. 2020)
- Wildwood ‘Thunder Over the Ocean Airshow’ to fill Atlantic City void (Breaking AC, Feb. 2025)
- Thunder Over the Waves Airshow will return to Wildwood (CBS Philadelphia, Sept. 2025)
- Thunder Over The Waves Airshow 2026 (Greater Wildwoods Tourism Improvement and Development Authority)
- Borough of Wildwood Crest Tourism Commission meeting minutes, Oct. 9, 2019
- Wildwood’s ‘Roar to the Shore’ in danger (WPG Talk Radio, Oct. 2019)
- 2013 Roar to the Shore: Takin’ it to the streets (Rider Magazine)
- 2012 Roar to the Shore (Rider Magazine)
- Roar to the Shore Motorcycle Rally Is Coming! (Wildwood Video Archive, 2015)
- Roar to the Shore – Wildwood Bike Week (Patriot Connections, 2012 listing)
- 2019 Roar to the Shore (CycleFish)
- 2026 Major Motorcycle Rallies (Lightning Customs)