Rally on the River is back for its seventh year.

Starting Thursday, the riverfront of Ironton will be teeming with motorcycle enthusiasts for what promises to be a fun-filled weekend.

“With 25-30,000 people coming to town,” Mayor Rich Blankenship said, “I think it will benefit the town. I hope it’s a successful event.”

He said the event is an opportunity to showcase the city to everyone coming from out of town.

As usual, there will be plenty of food vendors to satisfy hunger cravings. Venders open at 11 a.m. on Thursday and Friday, 9 a.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. on Sunday.

There will also be beer gardens. The Rally bars open at 11 a.m. everyday except Saturday when they open at 10 a.m.

“I think the merchants should take advantage of this. There’s going to be a lot of people down town,” said Mayor Blankenship.

On Saturday morning, Buddy’s Tent will have a Big Biker Breakfast put on by the Knights of Columbus. Starting at 8 a.m. you can get pancakes until 10:30 a.m.

Buddy’s tent will also have barbeques on Friday and Saturday.

There will be self-guided tours of the Tri-State all day on Friday and Saturday.

The $1,000 Poker Run will begin registration at 6 p.m. on Thursday at the Sissy Bar.

You can also purchase raffle tickets all weekend. Raffle tickets are $10 a piece.

“The prize is a 2011 Harley Davidson 883 Iron,” said Jodi Rowe-Collins, a member of Friends of Ironton.

The Poker Run will depart at noon on Saturday from the exhibition area on Second Street. The car show also starts at that time in the Eagles parking lot on Third Street. Registration for the car show is in the same location. The bike show and registration will be on Sunday at Bobby Bare Boulevard.

After the Poker Run, stick around for the field events. These biker games showcase what people can do on their motorcycles.

Veterans and people currently serving in the military will particpate in the Parade of Heroes on Saturday evening. The parade starts in Coal Grove and ends with a military tribute at the 92.7 The Planet Stage.

Bubba Blackwell will return this year for another stunt show. The motorcycle daredevil will be performing on Friday and Saturday in the exhibition area.

There will be bands every day at The Planet Stage. Some local and nationally known acts are scheduled to perform.

Derailed, Mojo King and River Town are local favorites. Black Stone Cherry, Unknown Hinson, Blackcherry Smoke and The Earthquakers are also on the bill.

Radio morning show hosts Lex and Terry will also make an appearance on Saturday night.

“I just want to encourage people to drive carefully and obey the traffic laws, and hopefully it will be a successful event for the city,” Mayor Blankenship said.

The Rally closes for the year at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, so be sure to come and join the fun. Organizers assure that there will be something for everyone to enjoy.