Die-hard bikers turn out for snowy Friday the 13th in Dover, but most leave motorcycles at home

Snowy cold conditions appear to have kept the usual crowds away from Port Dover for Friday the 13th.

Bikers normally flock to the lakeside Ontario town whenever the 13th day of the month falls on a Friday. The tradition dates back to 1981 and the event regularly draws tens of thousands of visitors.

But on Friday morning, CTV News spotted only three motorcycles downtown.

There were still dozens of people in the streets and stores had their usual Friday the 13th t-shirts out for sale, but many visitors said they opted for four-wheeled means of transportation to get to town.

Penny and Geoff Cox of Wyoming were among them. The couple said they usually come by motorcycle, but decided to take their car this year because of the cold.

"One of us always tries to come here," Geoff Cox said. "But this year, I got this day off, so we both decided to come down."

Penny and Geoff Cox travelled from Wyoming. (Dan Lauckner/CTV Kitchener_

Al Lancaric and his brother drove in from Toronto.

“In the summer, yes it was great," Lancaric said. "You couldn’t walk through here, there was so many people, but it’s not the case today."

Regardless of the weather, many visitors said they still wanted to come to town to make sure they got a t-shirt and met up with some of the people they look forward to seeing each year.

Frozen Friday: a motorcycle sits covered in snow in Port Dover on Jan. 13, 2023. (Dan Lauckner/CTV Kitchener)

“It’s great," local rider Moe Elmore said. "It just shows a lot of support for it, especially our local businesses that you see around. Just to see everybody, especially after the whole COVID thing. It’s been great to see faces and actually communicate with everybody. And it’s nice to see everybody still pitch in.”

Staples of the event, like Paul "Thong Man" Nurmi also made sure to show up.

"To show everybody there might be white here, but in your heart, I’m forever young," said Nurmi, who’s been coming to the event for three decades.

Port Dover Friday the 13th staple, Paul "Thong Man" Nurmi, fist bumps a passerby on Jan. 13, 2023. (Dan Lauckner/CTV Kitchener)

Although he left the bike at home this time, while also adding a few more layers of clothing.

"It’s a shame with the weather, if it had been a couple days ago I would have brought my bike up," Nurmi said.

Retailers were also pleased with the turnout.

“Business is decent for a January,” said Jai Dehaan, co-owner of Titanium Customs.

A man walks by a store selling Friday the 13th t-shirts in downtown Port Dover on Friday Jan. 13, 2023. (Dan Lauckner/CTV Kitchener)

Ahead of Friday, police warned blowing snow and cold could cause treacherous road conditions. On Friday afternoon, police said there were no reports of traffic incidents throughout the day.

Due to the lower-than-expected turnout, no road closures were put in place.

There are two Friday the 13ths in 2023. The next one will happen on Friday, Oct. 13.

Paul "Thong Man" Nurmi chats with a police officer in Port Dover on Jan. 13, 2023. (Dan Lauckner/CTV Kitchener)