It started on Friday, November 13, 1981, when Chris Simons and roughly twenty-five friends met at a hotel bar in Port Dover, had a good enough time to say they would do it again on the next Friday the 13th, and did. That is the whole origin story, and the event’s own site tells it in about the same number of words. Forty-five years on, a Port Dover Friday the 13th guide is mostly about logistics: when to leave, where to park, what the lake wind does in November, and how to get home. Before any of that, it is worth having your Ontario motorcycle coverage in order, because this is the one day a year when everyone you know is on the same road.
This is the first-timer’s version, laid out in the order the day actually happens. The next dates, according to the official Friday the 13th date list, are Friday, November 13, 2026 and Friday, August 13, 2027.
The week before
Any Port Dover Friday the 13th guide starts here: check the event site for road closures and the traffic plan. Norfolk County and the organizers publish where bikes come in, where cars are turned away and which streets are closed, and it changes from date to date. Then look at the bike. A hundred kilometres of slow, stop-and-go riding in a crowd is hard on a clutch hand, a cooling system and a set of tires that were borderline in August. Fuel up the night before; the stations nearest town are the busiest in the province that morning.
Pack for the weather you will actually get, not the weather in the photos. Port Dover sits on Lake Erie, and the lake decides the temperature.
The morning of: every Port Dover Friday the 13th guide says leave early
It is the oldest advice about this day and it is still right. From the GTA, plan on being on the road before the sun is properly up. Highway 6 south through Caledonia and Hagersville is the classic route and the busiest; the side roads through Jarvis, Simcoe or Waterford are quieter and get you into town from a different direction, which matters once the main approach is a parade.
Ride like it is a group ride even if you came alone, because by Hagersville it is one. Staggered formation, a full following distance, and no passing in a line of bikes; the group riding signals guide is worth a read the night before if it has been a while.
Save your money
Parking closest to the main street is paid, and lineups form early. Riders who come in on the side roads and park a few blocks out walk five minutes and skip both the fee and the queue. Bring cash either way; not every lot and vendor takes cards, and the bank machines run dry.
Getting in and parking
The part no Port Dover Friday the 13th guide can plan for you: follow the marshals, not your GPS. The last few kilometres are managed: bikes are funnelled into designated parking areas and the main street itself is closed to traffic, so the plan you made at home stops mattering once you see the first volunteer in a vest. Park where you are told, note the street, and photograph the corner. Thousands of cruisers look alike from behind at four in the afternoon.
Lock it. A crowd is a crowd. Ontario’s stolen motorcycle roundup is not a Port Dover story, but a disc lock and a bike parked in sight of the crowd rather than behind a building is a cheap habit.
In town: what a Port Dover Friday the 13th actually looks like
Main Street becomes a slow river of people between two banks of parked bikes. Vendors line the side streets with patches, gear, food and the year’s t-shirt; the event site posts vendor information each date. The pier and the beach at the bottom of the street are where the crowd thins out, and the perch and chips at the lake end are the tradition most first-timers are told about before they are told anything else.
Walk the whole thing once before you buy anything. Then find a spot on the pier, eat, and watch bikes come in. That is the event. There is no schedule, no stage you have to be at, and no wrong way to spend the afternoon.
Red flag
The ride home is the risky half of the day. A beer with lunch and a long, cold, tired ride into a low sun is the combination that ends badly. Ontario’s rules on alcohol and riding are strict and the enforcement around the event is visible; treat the day as dry from the moment you leave the driveway until the bike is back in it.
The ride home
Leave before the crowd leaves, or well after. Mid-afternoon is when the whole town points north at once, and Highway 6 turns back into a slow procession. If you have the daylight, take the lakeshore roads west toward Turkey Point or east toward Selkirk and come north on a road nobody else chose. In November, daylight is the constraint: sunset comes early, the temperature drops with it, and a two-hour ride home in the dark and cold on a tired body is not the way to end the day. Plan to be moving by early afternoon on the winter dates.
November versus a summer date
| Summer date (June to September) | Late-autumn or winter date | |
|---|---|---|
| Crowd | The big one; expect the full parade | Smaller and quieter |
| Weather | Warm, often hot on the pavement | Cold lake wind; rain, sleet or snow are possible |
| Daylight for the ride home | Plenty | Short; leave early afternoon |
| Gear | Ventilated jacket, sun protection | Layers, heated grips or gloves, a neck tube |
| Best for | The full experience | A first visit without the crush |
The November 13, 2026 date is a winter-style event. The August 13, 2027 date is the summer kind. First-timers who want the full parade should aim for August; first-timers who want to see the town without the crush will find November friendlier than it sounds, if they dress for it.
The short version
The whole Port Dover Friday the 13th guide in one paragraph: check the traffic plan the week before, service the bike, and fuel up the night before. Leave the GTA before sunrise, ride the side roads in, follow the marshals, and photograph where you parked. Walk the street once, eat on the pier, stay dry, and leave either before or well after the crowd. Then do it again on the next thirteenth. Trusted by Ontario riders for more than 25 years, Riders Plus has watched a lot of first-timers become regulars, and riders in Brantford and Brant County or Welland and Niagara who have the shortest ride of anyone can get a motorcycle quote before the season closes.
Good to know
This article is general information, not professional advice. Rules, road conditions, event details and requirements vary and change over time. Confirm anything that matters to you with the relevant authority, and talk to a licensed Riders Plus broker about your own coverage. Riders Plus Insurance is not responsible for decisions made solely on the basis of this article.
Download the free quick guide
A one-page timeline for your first Friday the 13th: the week before, the morning, in town, and the ride home.
Frequently asked questions
When is the next Port Dover Friday the 13th?
According to the official date list on pd13.com, the next one is Friday, November 13, 2026, followed by Friday, August 13, 2027 and then Friday, October 13, 2028. The event happens on every Friday the 13th, whatever the month, so the gap between dates varies from a few weeks to more than a year. The November date will be a cold, quieter, winter-style event; the August date will be the full summer version. Check the event site before you go, since the traffic plan and vendor details are posted per date.
Is Port Dover Friday the 13th only for cruiser riders?
No. Every kind of bike and rider shows up, and plenty of people come by car and walk in from the outer lots. It does have a strong cruiser flavour, and Main Street on a summer date is as good a look at Ontario’s cruiser culture as you will get in one place. A first-timer on any bike will be made welcome; the only thing that gets a sideways look is riding through the crowd faster than a walk.
What should I do if my bike breaks down in town?
Ask a marshal or a nearby rider first; on this day the crowd is the best roadside assistance in the province, and someone within fifty feet has the tool you need. For anything serious, know before you leave home whether your policy or a roadside plan includes towing, and who to call. Your Riders Plus broker can tell you what you carry, and the Report a Claim page on this site explains what to do if the day goes properly wrong.
Can I bring a passenger to Port Dover?
If your licence permits passengers, yes, and plenty of couples make the day of it. Two things to plan for: a long, slow, stop-and-go approach into town is tiring for a passenger, so a backrest and a decent seat matter more than usual, and the cold on a November date hits the passenger harder than the rider. Brief them the way the Ministry’s handbook suggests, and make the ride home the early kind.
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