Members of the Fairfax HOG Drill Team from the Fairfax Harley Owners Group perform motorcycle stunts before the Ride of the Patriots procession into the District. Photo by Steve Hibbard.
Fairfax — As many as 4,000 motorcyclists flocked to the City of Fairfax for the 19th
annual Ride of the Patriots as part of the Rolling Thunder celebration on Sunday, May 28, 2017. The event was sponsored by the Harley Owners Group and Patriot Harley-Davidson to pay tribute to America's servicemen and veterans and raise awareness for American POWs and MIAs of all wars. After assembling at Patriot-Harley-Davidson on Lee Highway, the bikers followed a route to the Pentagon where they joined with hundreds of thousands of other bikers from around the country for the 30th Annual Rolling Thunder gathering
headed to the National Mall and the Vietnam Veterans' Memorial in the District.
In Fairfax, the event featured a short parade with both City and County of Fairfax officials along with State and Congressional representatives, police, fire and rescue units, Veterans groups, the Fairfax High School Marching Band, and the Northern Virginia Firefighters’ Emerald Society Pipe Band. There were 153 volunteers who helped make the event happen.
The keynote speaker was Lt. Col. Jonathan Velishka who has held Field Artillery command positions around the world, including Iraq, Afghanistan, and Korea. Following the ceremony, there was a full police escort to the Pentagon going about 35 mph by the Fairfax County Motor Squad and units from the City of Fairfax, Fairfax County Sheriff, Arlington County Motor Squad and other jurisdictions.