By Brandon HENSLEY

September always brings the start football season, but in La Crescenta it also means it’s time to gear up for Joe’s Minibike Reunion Tour. For the third straight year, the minibike tour will take place at Crescenta Valley Park this Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

“It’s a short, fun gathering where guys get a chance to show off their bike, but more importantly they get see all the other bikes,” said event organizer Joe Sebergandio, who has done plenty of promoting around town the last couple of years to make sure his passion project gets enough recognition.

It certainly worked last year. Sebergandio estimated over a thousand people came out to CV Park last year to check out all kinds of bikes, including ones by manufacturers Taco and Honda, and those custom-built.

When asked about changes to this year’s event, Sebergandio said, “I’m not sad to say that there really aren’t.” Most of the day will look similar to last year. Registering a bike will cost $20, and those who enter can win prizes and awards based on which category their bike is entered. Merchandise will be available, including T-shirts and jackets, which will come in black this year.

Sponsors include Taco Mini Bikes, Honda, Pioneer electronics and local automotive repair shop Campbell’s Automotive. Money from sponsorships is a big deal this time around, and Sebergandio said he has enough to hold a minibike build-off contest up to $5,000 this year. It is sponsored by Taco. More details will be revealed at the event.

“There were over 200 manufacturers at one time back in the ’60s and ’70s, and there are only a handful of them left, and for it to be Taco, an iconic brand here on the west coast, them being a sponsor [for the show as well as the contest] – that’s another big part of the excitement that I have,” Sebergandio said.

Sebergandio said last year’s event felt like a legitimate show; now he just wants it to continue to grow.

“I’m hoping for a little bit of an increase in [the number of] bikes,” he said.

The biggest change, really, is the location at CV Park. Before the tour was held near New York Avenue. Now it will be to the west at Hindenburg Park, near Lauderdale Avenue.

“It’s a beautiful area, and a large area. It’s grassier,” Sebergandio said, who noted he was just glad to secure CV Park again as it gives the event stability, which is important to him.

If the weather stays as hot as it has been, that could detract some from coming. Still, as Sebergandio said, at least it’s not on the East Coast where it could rain.

“We’ve got sunny skies, and if it’s a little bit warmer than we’d like [that’s fine],” he said.

For more information, visit joesminibikereunion.net.

  Brandon Hensley