Santa leads Toys for Tots ride

Usually Santa’s preferred mode of transportation is by sleigh, but Sunday afternoon it was a Harley. The man in red led the way for more than one thousand bikers who took part in the annual Toys for Tots Ride.

In its seventeenth year, the event is the largest drop off point for Toys for Tots in New Hanover County. The riders took a forty mile trip around the Port City, coming from Carolina Coast Harley on Market Street to downtown and back again. Organizers said it gets everyone in the holiday spirit.

“This event does it for everybody, and its not just Harley riders here. There are other riders, all kinds of riders, and everyone is welcome. Its not about any particular group, it is about the children,” said Toys for Tots Ride coordinator Janice Noyes.

The event has grown tremendously over the years, coming from fifty riders to more than a thousand.

Anyone who would like can still drop off unwrapped presents at Harley Davidson on Market Street throughout the week.