Motorcycles take over Super Bowl Sunday 2020

This year, Super Bowl Sunday falls on Feb. 2, 2020. During the day, however, football won’t be the focus for many in the Greene County area, as the 32nd Annual Motorcycle Swap Meet will be held at the Greene County Fairgrounds.

Bobby Deeter, motorcycle enthusiast, started the local event over 30 years ago because of his love for motorcycles and appreciation for the motorcycle business.

The Greene County resident grew his interest by traveling around the country to attend different swap meets, before starting to sell motorcycle parts on his own. This, combined with support from friends and family, led to Deeter creating the local swap meet which has been organized annually for over 30 years.

“My family and friends are participants in it, they help with it,” Deeter said. “It’s always been a real good thing, and if nothing else I get to see friends that I only get to see once a year.”

Over time, he’s watched the swap meet, similar to a vendor fair, grow in size and popularity.

“It started out with one building years ago, and then two buildings, now I have all three buildings and the upstairs in the third building,” Deeter said. “It snow-balled and we’ve had a lot of fun. There’s probably 8-10 vendors that’ve been to every swap meet I’ve had.”

One reason Deeter believes there is a place for swap meets in Greene County is for the antique parts.

“I’ve seen stuff [as old as] 1914 bikes. I’ve seen old motorcycles,” Deeter said. “An associate of American Pickers comes every year and buys. There’s a market for antique motorcycle parts and bikes.”

The event isn’t just for locals, and Deeter said it continues to draw people from all around the eastern part of the United States.

“These vendors come from all over the eastern seaboard,” Deeter said. “They come from Connecticut, New York, New Jersey… all the way down to Florida. I just talked to a guy [from] Florida that’s coming.”

Beginning early on Super Bowl Sunday, and ending well before kickoff of the big game, a variety of vendors will be set-up. According to Deeter, they’ll have everything from used/new motorcycles to antique motorcycle parts.

“Motorcycle parts, motorcycle memorabilia [like] shirts, jackets, leather products, sewing patches onto the jackets,” Deeter said.

Additionally, food and door prizes will be available, and a 50/50 raffle will be drawn with the proceeds going to the American Cancer Society and St. Jude’s Research Hospital.

“We have our own food there and usually sell-out,” Deeter said. “Food is good, and the price is right.”

Vendor set-up for the event is from 6 a.m. until 9 a.m. on Feb. 2. Admission for the event is $6 at the gate, and gates will be open all day starting at 9 a.m.

Deeter said the event will go on, rain or shine. The cold weather doesn’t affect some of the vendors.

“I have what I call Eskimos out in the parking lot,” Deeter said. “I have three buildings at the fairgrounds, but there will also be a couple vendors out in the parking lot, no matter how cold it is, they’ll go outside.”