from the Gowanda PennySaver - June 1, 2003

Gowanda gears up for Harley Happening      The Friends of the Hollywood welcomes all to attend the fifth annual Harley Happening at the Hollywood. The rally to raise funds and awareness toward the restoration of Gowanda's historic Hollywood Theater is set to begin the evening of Friday, June 6 and continue throughout the weekend.      Taking place on West Main Street in Gowanda, the rally consumes downtown in a display of Harley-Davidson motorcycles, live musical performances and motorcycle-related attractions. There is no admission fee to the rally, although there are several ways attendees can make donations. The rally is sponsored by Gowanda Harley-Davidson, Molson Canadian, Coors Light and funded in part by the New York State Council of the Arts Decentralization Regrant Program administered by the Cattaraugus County Arts Council.      "This year's event will be bigger and better than anything we've done before," says rally Coordinator Randy Rosen.      The Harley Happening at the Hollywood boasts over 20 different and tasteful food vendors; a larger beer garden featuring Molson Canadian, Coors Light, Killian's, non-alcoholic beer and Mike's Hard Lemonade; live music featuring Rod Tucker, Tell Mama, Nobody's Chyld, Silver Xtreme, Ozone Rangers, The Road Runners Band, Joe Wagner and the Bar King Spiders; the Harley-Davidson Traveling Museum; a Ride-In Bike Show presented by Southern Tier, NY HOG; a genuine Harley-Davidson MotorClothes® Fashion Show by Pat Bruehl and Gowanda H-D® MotorClothes Dept.; a Tattoo Contest presented by MJ Stayer; plus Hollywood Theater tours, assorted vendors and other attractions.      "Official" Event Guides are available beginning May 29 at select area businesses, including in Gowanda: Gowanda Harley-Davidson, Gowanda Pharmacy, Art's Grocery, and Lou Ann's Smoke Shop; in Jamestown: Harley-Davidson/Buell of Jamestown; and Irving: JR's Smokeshop. The guide will also be available during the Harley Happening at the Hollywood in front of the Hollywood Theater. For a dollar donation, the guide contains the complete schedule, plus event and band details and an entry to win Winston Cup Driving Experience, Dale Earnhardt leather jacket or Gowanda Harley-Davidson gift cards.      Commemorative t-shirts will be available for sale during the event at the Hollywood Theater. Each year a unique logo is developed, featuring the essence of the Harley Happening at the Hollywood by professional graphic artists licensed by Harley-Davidson Motor Company.      We are especially proud of this year's logo, being the fifth annual," says rally Marketing Coordinator Brian LeBarron. "We wanted to capture what the Harley Happening at the Hollywood means to the bikers who repeatedly attend every year and support our cause. As a biker, one of the most enjoyable moments of the event has to be riding past the marquee on your Harley motorcycle at night. Seeing that marquee light up West Main Street, while the music of the bands echoes in the background, is a really inspiring feeling of what can become."      Several chances on exciting prizes are available with a donation. A handmade Harley-Davidson t-shirt quilt, a complete Epiphone guitar starter package, Harley-Davidson artwork by renowned artist David Barnhouse and a Harley-Davidson 100th Anniversary Leather Jacket autographed by Willie G. Davidson, grandson of one of the original founders of Harley-Davidson Motor Co. Finally, one lucky winner will win a brand new 100th Anniversary Harley-Davidson XLH Sportster® 883 courtesy of Gowanda Harley-Davidson, Inc.      Rally attendees are encouraged to spend generously with the vendors and local businesses, which in return support the theater through donations. Donations can also be made directly to the restoration efforts. Please contact the Friends of the Hollywood at (716) 532-6103 or www.hollywoodtheater.org.      Listed as a New York State and National Historic Registry Landmark, the Hollywood Theater is an architectural masterpiece. Since fundraising began, several restoration achievements have been realized with the aid of additional grants. Phase I was completed in the winter of 2000 and included total roof replacement on all four levels, targeted asbestos abatement, limited masonry repair, roof drainage piping and architectural fees. The year 2002 saw considerable work completed on Phase II including restorative or selective brick replacement on all exterior walls, parapet repair; clay camelback coping, asbestos abatement, facade enhancement, repainting of the Hollywood logo above the marquee along with a new roof above the marquee itself. Both phases of the restoration efforts thus far have focused on insuring the stability of the building against the elements.      "There is no question that available funds drive the progress and time schedules for the restoration of the theater. Patience, time and money will make the restoration of this landmark structure a reality," says Hollywood Theater Advisory Board Director Bryan Bradley.      Restoration of the theater is complex and often highly challenging. All proposed work and specific restoration methods for the theater must be reviewed and approved in advance by the New York State Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and partner agencies. To achieve a total and historically correct restoration, costs are estimated at $3 million. The final result is that Gowanda's historic Hollywood Theater is being restored as a regional rural center for the visual and performing arts to spur economic commercial growth and tourism in the Gowanda area.      The Friends of the Hollywood is a grass roots volunteer organization that assists the not-for-profit Hollywood Theater Advisory Board in creating fundraisers to restore Gowanda's historic Hollywood Theater. Gowanda Harley-Davidson is an award-winning Harley-Davidson dealership recoguized as Community Service Dealer of the Year 2001, Eastern Region by Harley-Davidson, Inc. for their role in the Hollywood Theater restoration project.