Eclectic and eccentric. Garish and gaudy. Quite refreshing—and even family oriented.

These are just some ways people describe the Louisiana Bicycle Festival in Abita Springs. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who’s familiar with UCM Museum proprietor John Preble, who, along with other area businesses, has sponsored the event every Father’s Day since 2000. The museum serves as the festival’s epicenter.

The festival has attracted a national following, welcoming all—from today’s mountain bikers and BMXers to custom-bicycle builders and vintage-bicycle collectors. It’s a great opportunity to see some interesting bicycles, with the custom bikes (referred to as “kustoms,” with a “k”) reflecting a variety of tastes, from pedal-powered re-creations of custom Harley choppers to bikes with sleek frame designs that defy categorization. Also featured are imaginatively decorated art bike creations like past winner Miles Hamaker’s Mardi Gras-beaded cruiser.

There’s a bit of competition, too. A show judged by the audience and participants gives prizes to the top bike builder/customizer in several categories. Although it’s not primarily a commercial event, the festival does serve as an informal marketplace for bicycle collectors from around the country.

The UCM Museum’s collection of vintage bicycles often draws folks with older bikes who have questions about their value, which is heavily tied to their condition. John explains, “In Louisiana, we have a problem with humidity and rust. Most bicycles found in our state are rusted to a point that causes serious depreciation of the value. The common 1950s balloon-tire bicycle with the metal tank is very popular with collectors, and a clean 1970s bike with banana seats can be worth thousands. The Schwinn brand is the Cadillac of bicycles.”

Jim Wilson of New York, editor-in-chief of bikerodnkustom.com, a webzine devoted to the needs and interests of customizers and bicycle hot-rodders, is one of the festival sponsors. He and his brother Dave Wilson, of Baton Rouge, provide worldwide coverage of the event via the Internet.

“The Abita festival is a major event. For all I know, it could be the major event of its type in the USA or the world, especially among people in the BikeRod&Kustom realm,” says Jim. “My theory about its popularity is that building custom bicycles is a pretty solitary activity, and real gratification comes from showing it to other people who do the same thing.”

Texan Sam Lingo has participated in the festival for a few years. His enthusiasm is reflected in his generosity—he is donating a bicycle as one of the show’s first prizes. “This year we will be giving a bike to the best Jr. Hot-Rodder. We really needed to let the young kids win a bike, too, because some of the “old kids” really build some great kustoms,” says Sam.

Organizer John Preble thinks that one group of bikers has not been well represented in past years: bicycle racers. He says, “I was encouraged last year when someone brought in a wonderful collection of vintage racing bicycles. It got a lot of attention, and I expect to see more of these bikes at upcoming festivals.”

The Louisiana Bicycle Festival will be held in Abita Springs on Father’s Day, June 19 from 10am to 4pm. For more information, go to http://ucmmuseum.com/bikefest.htm, call 892-2624, or e-mail John Preble at ucm@seelouisiana.com.