"I would think in the next several years you will see bike week starting on Monday, or the event going from Sunday to Sunday,'' said Ralph Pontillo, executive director of Roar on the Shore Inc.

What began in 2007 as a three-day event that attracted about 10,000 bikers and visitors has transformed into a five-day rally that could pull in 170,000 people by Sunday.

Get ready for Roar on the Shore.

The 11th installment of the region's largest motorcycle rally gets underway Wednesday with an organized ride departing from Penn State Behrend and a headline concert featuring Jackyl near Perry Square in downtown Erie.

Between Wednesday and Sunday afternoon, bikers and visitors can partake in 11 charity motorcycle rides, enjoy nightly live concerts near Perry Square, buy a motorcycle accessory or two from more than 100 vendors, or simply watch bikes roar by and take in the atmosphere and scenery along a blockslong stretch of State Street downtown.

"I think you can see the logical progression of this event growing, and I would think in the next several years you will see bike week starting on Monday, or the event going from Sunday to Sunday,'' said Ralph Pontillo, executive director of Roar on the Shore Inc. "It's part of the natural evolution of this. Our decision to expand the rally will be decided by visitors who attend the event, by how the crowds go and whether they demand more rides and activities.''

Organizers estimated the five-day Roar on the Shore rally in 2016 attracted about 165,000 bikers and visitors, and pumped about $25 million into Erie's economy.

With good weather, organizers hope attendance will grow to 170,000.

Most of Erie County's 4,300 hotel rooms will be booked this week by Roar on the Shore visitors and those who are visiting Erie for other summer tourism activities, according to Jon Oliver, president of VisitErie, Erie County's tourism promotion agency.

"This is a way for the locals to truly see the impact of these events,'' Oliver said. "Whether the bikers and visitors are at restaurants, shopping at the mall or are frequenting taverns and other businesses, you see motorcycles at all of these establishments. They are all individual, economic stimulus packages. They're here to spend money and leave money behind in this community.''

As of earlier this week, Roar on the Shore officials had received pre-sale charity ride purchases from bikers from 18 states including Texas, Florida, Georgia, Wyoming, North Dakota, Colorado, Washington and Maine, according to Tammy Polanski, spokeswoman for the Manufacturer & Business Association, which organizes the rally.

Wednesday's third annual Fallen Riders Memorial Run will open the activities. Registration is scheduled from 2 to 6 p.m. at Penn State Behrend. Donation is $20 per bike at the gate. The 36-mile run will end at Perry Square.

Proceeds from the event will be donated to Fallen Riders Memorial Fund of Erie County, which assists families who have experienced a motorcycle fatality.

About 350 bikes registered for the 2016 Fallen Riders Memorial run. That event raised about $10,000 for the charity.

"The biker community is always supportive and generous when it comes to charity,'' Pontillo said. "There are hundreds of rides throughout our community where they raise significant funds to help a multitude of charities. The question is who gives back to them, and when you do give back, what do you give back? When a biker is fallen, their family is provided much necessary funds to help deal with that. It certainly doesn't make the pain go away, but it is a part of the motorcycle community banding together to support one another in their greatest moments of need, so we are deeply committed to the Fallen Rider program.''

The signature ride and event of the five-day rally takes place Thursday with the annual Bringin' in the Roar parade from Presque Isle Downs & Casino, 8199 Perry Highway, in Summit Township, to Perry Square.

Staging for bikers will take place in the casino parking lots from late morning until the ride departs at 6 p.m.

"The parade from Day One has taken on a life of its own,'' Pontillo said. "It is so amazing to line up, take off and start to move through those streets, and be greeted by this incredible display of Americana. Every grand marshal who has ever taken part turns to us at the end and says, 'I can't believe what just happened, I can't believe what I just saw.' There are flags, there are kids, there are grandparents, men, women, children, it doesn't matter. They gather on their grass edge, they make hamburgers and hot dogs and they watch the bikes go by. It's really a cool thing that happens.''

From the casino, the parade will head south on Route 97, west on West Townhall Road, south on Shunpike Road, west on Lee Road, north on Old French Road, north on Route 505 (Perry Highway) to 26th Street, and north on State Street to Perry Square.

An estimated 20,000 spectators will line the parade route, Polanski said.

"The nonriders are just as excited about the parade as the folks who are participating," she said.

Leading the parade as grand marshal is actor Danny Trejo, 73, whose film career includes roles in "Desperado,'' "Heat,'' "From Dusk Till Dawn,'' "Machete,'' and "Con Air.''

Trejo has had recurring television roles in "Sons of Anarchy'' and "King of the Hill,'' and has appeared on episodes of "Breaking Bad'' and "Modern Family.''

"Danny is one of those actors who is fascinating,'' Pontillo said. "The guy is in everything. He's one of those actors who has been around so long he has an amazing story, coming from nothing, being in big trouble, going to prison, rehabilitating himself, coming out, straightening out and getting married. He's a good man who does great presentations across the country about becoming sober, staying sober and living a rich, full life. I think people are going to be fascinated by his intellect and his passion for what he does. I think he will make a great grand marshal.''

Trejo was scheduled to fly to Erie from Los Angeles on Wednesday, Pontillo said. Trejo will conduct an autograph session Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Off-Road Express vendor tent at Perry Square.

Friday's Roar on the Shore agenda is highlighted by Erie Mayor Joe Sinnott's Thunder on the Isle: The Mayor's Ride around Presque Isle State Park. Several hundred bikers usually participate in the event.

Registration and staging will be held from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Manufacturer & Business Association parking lot, 2171 W. 38th St. The ride departs at 5:30 p.m. Donation is $20 per bike.

"We created that ride and came up with the concept of going around Presque Isle, celebrating the mayor and thanking the city through that effort for all they do for Roar on the Shore,'' Pontillo said. "This year, our board said why don't we host it here at the association, and show folks what we've got and how we do things. We're thrilled to move it here.''

Pontillo said the Thunder on the Isle ride will continue even after Sinnott's three-term tenure ends in January.

"We have asked Joe Sinnott to stay on the board of Roar on the Shore and continue as a board member, and he accepted,'' Pontillo said. "He loves this program. He won't be mayor, but he will still be there to help us plan and design and continue to expand this program.''

"The incoming mayor will also be invited to be on the board and will lead the parade if he chooses to next year,'' Pontillo said. "That's the mayor's ride. If he refuses, or can't do it, or doesn't want to ride a motorcycle, we will arrange for some type of vehicle where he can be seen and we would escort him through that. I think it's a very important part of what we do. We can't do this without the city. It's our way of saying thank you.''

Four charity rides are scheduled for Saturday, and Roar organizers added a new ride — Roar to the Parks — on Sunday. That ride will depart at 10 a.m. from Waldameer Park & Water World's Rainbow Gardens parking lot and travel to the Pymatuning Spillway and Woodcock Lake Park before returning to Erie's UPMC Park for the Erie SeaWolves baseball game.

Roar on the Shore's headline concert performers at the Country Fair main stage near Perry Square are Jackyl Wednesday night; Molly Hatchet Thursday night; Great White Friday night, and Cinderella's Tom Keifer Saturday night.

There are 102 vendors scheduled to appear, including 35 local vendors, Pontillo said.

"There are two primary economic impacts. The first is we're raising money for the charity, and that's a critical mission of this program. The second piece is the fact that so many people support this program, so many are involved in it that there is a spinoff economic effect that goes on within our community. We see that each year in the number of hotel rooms that are booked this year for next year in advance. We see it in restaurants and bars and the stores. They're out and embracing the community and they're having a great time. I think the economic impact is far more than $25 million."

Ron Leonardi can be reached at 870-1680 or by email. Follow him on twitter at twitter.com/ETNleonardi.