Daytona Bike Week began with a single race on January 24, 1937, when 45 riders competed in the first Daytona 200 along a beach-and-highway course as 15,000 spectators looked on. Though World War II forced the race’s cancellation in 1942, riders kept coming, preserving the event’s spirit until the race returned in 1947 and eventually moved to the Daytona International Speedway in 1961. By then, it had already evolved from a local motorsports event into a major cultural gathering.

 

In the decades that followed, Bike Week exploded into a ten-day celebration filled with custom bike shows, live music, vendor expos, group rides, and street festivals spread across Daytona Beach. Today it draws more than half a million attendees from around the world, blending tradition, adrenaline, and community into one of motorcycling’s most iconic experiences—an event that honors its sandy, racing roots while continuing to grow each year.