By JESSA PEASE / Staff Writer

PELHAM— After an astounding 250 riders showed up to participate in the inaugural Bama’s Boots, Bands & Bikes II event last year, Peggy Seibert is determined to make this year’s festivities even bigger.

The two-day event, running July 22-23, consists of a VIP dinner at Cantina Laredo, a charity ride starting at the Heart of Dixie Harley-Davidson and a culminating party dubbed HarleyFest.

“(My favorite part was) seeing those bikes and seeing those results and seeing how many people do care about out Veterans,” Seibert said of last year’s activities.

This year, the proceeds will benefit the veteran organization Three Hots and a Cot, which serves veterans by providing a place for homeless veterans to receive the assistance they need to transition back to civilian society.

Rusty Coones, who plays Quinn on Son’s of Anarchy, will also attend the events, spending time granting autographs, hosting question and answer sessions and participating in the festivities.

“I’ve found the biggest community that supports veteran is the biking community,” Seibert said. “There’s a TV show, Son’s of Anarchy, and the biking community really likes the bikers, they like the characters. (Coones) is a good fit, because the biker community bends over backward to help veterans.”

The VIP dinner will take place from 7–11 p.m. at Cantina Laredo in uptown Birmingham. Guests will meet and attend an autograph session with Coones, along with enjoying free souvenir, a buffet meal with drink tickets and a silent auction.

The charity ride begins at Heart of Dixie Harley-Davidson in Pelham with 9 a.m. registration featuring free coffee and doughnuts. Coones will make an appearance from 10-11 a.m., and the riders will head to the Riders Harley-Davidson in Trussville at 11:30 a.m.

Shelbie Z, from American Idol and The Voice, will kick off HarleyFest with her rendition of the National Anthem. Ken Randolph and Cooter Brown will perform from 1–4 p.m., and Randy Buell Band will take the stage from 5–9 p.m.

Seibert said the event features, vendors and food trucks, a celebrity autograph and picture session, a celebrity question and answer, a silent auction and a 50/50 raffle.

There will also be inflatables, face painting, balloon artists, games and prizes for kids.

Single tickets for the VIP dinner cost $85, two cost $150, a group of five tickets is $350 and 10 tickets are $650.

Rider registration is $35 and passengers are $15. Both tickets include a patch. Very important biker tickets may be purchased for $30, and T-shirts may be purchased for $15 to $20 depending on size.

For more information, visit Cotsforvets.org/events. To purchase tickets visit the Riders Harley-Davidson in Trussville, email bb2tickets@gmail.com or call Seibert at 329-4272.

“One of the things impressed me last year (was) the older vets, to see them still just enjoying it,” Seibert said. “The pride that they still had, and the way they want to support the current (service members). The community spirit, and I’m not a biker, but I have learned to really respect them and what a great family they are.”