Bling was in the air at the second annual Bikes, Babes and Bling Festival. Everything that could shine did—the sun, the musicians, and the glitzy array of items for sale from the numerous vendors. The babes in attendance had a great opportunity to ride, relax, listen to music and get their shop on, and the men seemed to be enjoying it all just as much.

About 4,000 people turned out for this year’s event; not bad when you consider that, as far as rallies go, it’s still quite new. “We more than doubled the attendance of Bikes, Blues and BBQ in its second year,” reported event director Coleson Burns. “It’s still growing, and we’re still tweaking, but we’re really pleased with the way it all turned out.”

It helped to wear sunglasses while attending the two-day festival, not only to shield your eyes from the blazing sun, but to deflect some of the shine on all of the merchandise. There was plenty of jewelry, tools, gorgeous shirts, jeans and leather jackets, boots, patches, vintage clothing, skin care and eyewear. Vendors such as Papa’s Leather Barn from Oklahoma City and Leather Headquarters from Las Vegas came to sell their wares, as did B Unlimited, the official Bikes, Babes and Bling merchandiser.

Other merchants offering bling included Markets Unlimited, Mary Kay and Three Dogs Apparel. Licensed massage therapist Linda Bryant of Pilates Plus offered chair and table massages to those weary bikers willing to plunk down $5 to get the road kinks worked out of their muscles. Pig Trail Harley-Davidson of Rogers, Arkansas and Heartland Honda of Springdale were both showing their latest models with Pig Trail offering simulated rides to potential buyers.

Some vendors were there to educate: ABATE, The Arkansas State Police, The National Federation for the Blind, and Project Save Our Children from Drunk Driving Unlimited were all there to drop knowledge and raise awareness.

There were food and drink booths aplenty: Porky Chicks BBQ, Carson’s Concessions and It’s Greek to Me were there to feed the babes and anyone else whose stomach was growling. Local favorite Jose’s offered mojitos, margaritas and other liquid refreshments, and the Razor’s Edge served up delicious biker breakfasts on Saturday morning.

Blingy events were going on all weekend. The crowd was wowed by the fashion show where gorgeous models donned fabulous frocks and strolled down the runway in style. There were clothes for all occasions, from bike riding to formal affairs, offered by shops that cater to their cycling clientele. Beauty’s Boutique, Puttin’ on the Ritz and Three Dogs Apparel were among those who presented the latest in biker babe-wear. Puttin’ on the Ritz also sponsored a clothing swap, and all proceeds went to a local women’s shelter. In fact, a portion of all proceeds from the weekend’s events are donated to area non-profits. Both the fashion show and the swap were a huge success, according to Coleson Burns, who reported that four times more people attended the fashion show this year than last.

The focus was definitely on the bling over the weekend, not just bling for the eye, but for the ear as well, with rock and blues bands from Fayetteville to Saint Louis taking control of the main stage both day and night. Babes competed for the title of Karaoke Queen of Bling, sponsored by Karaoke Madness. “It was a phenomenal success,” Coleson reported. The winner was Tricia Kuri, who took home $300, recording studio time, a chance to sing on the Main Stage, and a custom guitar strap made by the late Bruce Walker of Flying Possum Leather.

The Bling Fun Run attracted enthusiastic participants, as did the Parade of Power. Bikes, Blues and BBQ holds an annual Miss BB&BBQ contestant, and all things being equal, Bikes, Blues and Babes held their version, a Bling King competition, where buff boys strutted their stuff for a crowd of enthusiastic babes. Glenn McCracken was crowned King for the second year in a row, winning the $250 prize and the approval of the ladies.

While there were plenty of men in attendance, clearly this was a weekend for the women to ride, rejuvenate, and enjoy. As Coleson Burns pointed out, Bikes, Babes and Bling is still in its infancy as far as motorcycle events go, but it’s a growing one. It’s also a really fun one.

For more Bikes, Babes and Bling photos, visit: http://arkansasbiker.info/BBB5/11.html