74th Annual Trailblazers Banquet

An all-time record crowd of 800 was in attendance at the Carson 
Center on April 7th for the 74th annual Trailblazers banquet. With 
legendary motorcyclists and industry leaders from wall to wall, 
the event had strong emotions running the entire time. Attendees 
got to see and talk with old friends at the Tom Cates Memorial 
Bike Show presented by Hagerty, held in the courtyard in the 
afternoon. The evening dinner program, emceed by Larry 
Huffman and Trailblazers president Don Emde, opened with a 
rousing National Anthem sung by Sandi Weidler and an invocation 
by Craig Vetter. The program continued with awards from the bike 
show, a toast to the late-great Skip Van Leeuwen, Hall of Fame 
inductions for Scott Autrey, Kel Carruthers, Debbie Evans-Leavitt, 
Bruce Flanders, Dennis Kanegae and Chuck Miller and a 
presentation of our Dick Hammer Award to the family of the 
late-Tom White, who passed away last November. The event 
concluded with the annual photo of the attending Trailblazers 
Hall of Fame inductees past and present. Photo by Dennis Suter.

Mark your calendars!

75th Annual Banquet to be held on Saturday, April 6, 2019.

Tickets to go on sale in January 2019.

Be a Member

Banquet attendees receive a year’s membership in the Trailblazers. 
If you did not attend this year and want to keep up on news of 
events and activities, a one-year membership is $10. 
Go to the Banquet Tickets link above to join.

The Trailblazers Motorcycle Club is also on Facebook.

74th Annual Trailblazers Banquet

Where: Carson Center, Carson, CA. Off I-405 at Carson Street Exit, go west (under the freeway). The Carson Center shares the same parking lot with the Doubletree Hotel (which is visible from the freeway). Online: http://carsoncenter.com

When: Saturday. April 7, 2018 – Bike Show opens at 3:00 p.m. / Banquet begins at 6:30 p.m. Contact info. Email: CLICK TO EMAIL. Phone (day of event): 909-226- 6038. Internet: Facebook (Trailblazers Motorcycle Club) and website: www.trailblazersmc.com

Bike Show
Bike Show Move-in: Banquet attendees with motorcycles to display should be there from Noon to 2:00. No pre-registration. First come, first served until the area is full. You must have a ticket for the banquet to display or view the bike show. We do have limited security on-site, but everyone is encouraged to bring your own locks and display info, also drip pans required. The Tom Cates Memorial Bike Show presented by Hagerty opens at 3:00 and runs until 6:00. There will be judging and three winning machines will be brought into the hall for the trophy presentation during the banquet program.

Check-in / Ticket Will Call
Your banquet tickets will be available in your name at Will Call. If you had an un-named person on your table list, those will be given GUEST passes and will be in your envelope. You are probably familiar with our Pit Passes that everyone needs to wear.

Banquet
Since we will have a record crowd of 800 this year, we are going to open the banquet hall doors at 5:00 p.m., with the program still beginning at 6:30. For your friends and family who are not attending, the banquet will again be on Facebook Live on the Trailblazers Motorcycle Club page beginning at 6:30. Look for link to Live Video. It will cut off at 7:00 and resume at 8:00.

Program schedule / details (subject to change)
6:25 - Welcome by emcee Larry Huffman
6:30 - National Anthem sung by Sandi Weidler / Welcome from Trailblazers President Don Emde, Bike Show awards, Toast to Skip Van Leeuwen & invocation by Craig Vetter
7:00 - Dinner Break
8:00 – In-Memoriam video / Awards Program begins
9:00 - Dick Hammer Award presentation
9:30 - Group photo / Banquet concludes