Character and freedom, that’s what it’s about. It’s in people and it’s in the place. It’s what draws us to events. And it’s what the Party at the Pen East has in spades.
The show I’m referring to, often called PATP-East, took place this past June in Mansfield, Ohio. The man behind it is Luke Morris, a Born Free award-winning custom bike builder and giant, yet gentle soul who looks like he came right out of The Lord of the Rings on the big screen. Luke’s background, in addition to building bikes and working for the railroad for years, includes founding the Chop Merchandise brand and organizing the Lolo chopper run in Idaho. Then, in 2022, after telling his good friend and fellow custom bike builder, Todd Asin, that he wanted to throw a big party or bike show, Todd suggested he check out the Old Idaho State Penitentiary as a possible location. Long story short, the show came to be and was a massive success, with more than 180 custom bikes on display that very first year. A pre-show ride up to Idaho City, organized by another good friend and custom bike builder, Matt Whitlock (Luke, Matt, and Todd have each won a best of show award at Born Free, the most coveted prize at Born Free each year that comes with a trip to Japan for them and their bikes!), combined with good music, curated vendors, tattoos, and associated parties, turned the show into a complete event.
Much of the success of that first, and subsequent, PATPs can be attributed to Luke himself. The man is not only a fantastic-looking character, but he also has great character. Jeff Grabau, another one of Luke’s close friends, told me, “There was no attitude and no Ego, which stems from the character of the guy putting it on, Luke. He’s a great dude, as genuine as they come, and deserves everything.” Between his talent, creativity, wherewithal, and positivity, the show was meant to be.
It was Jeff who suggested to Luke, after the first Boise event, that he should consider an event in the eastern half of the country. Then Jeff’s wife, Jennifer, discovered the Ohio State Reformatory was available to rent. This 600-cell Romanesque Revival prison, built in 1886 and operated from 1896 to 1990, came to mind quickly because it was the primary filming location for one of Jeff and Jennifer’s favorite films, “The Shawshank Redemption.” So, while you may have never heard of this prison, you are likely familiar with it and would know it drips with character, with cellblocks that would make for an eerie backdrop to a stunning lineup of custom motorcycles.
The eastern edition didn’t happen overnight. In fact, there were two more PATPs in Boise before it came to life, but the wait was worth it. While I don’t often attend first-year events, the buzz around this one was different from most. To start, there’s the track record of the Boise event, albeit 2,000 miles away. Then there’s Luke’s reputation in the motorcycle community. Add to this the fact that Ohio is a great state to host a motorcycle event, as it is always one of the top states for motorcycle registrations, and if you include the surrounding states, there are nearly 1.5 million motorcycle registrations within a day’s ride. Lastly, there’s the actual reformatory, with its fantastic history, in a town that welcomes motorcyclists—and you’re off to a great start.
Bikes started pulling into the prison on Friday morning and were positioned in front of the cells at a three-quarter angle, pipe-side out, as they came in. While setup was still underway, at 3 pm, 60 bikes left Hale’s Harley-Davidson in Mansfield for an hour-long ride through Mohican State Park to the Iron Pony Saloon in Lakeville, OH, which raised the energy level and helped set the stage for the weekend. The return ride landed this great group of bikes onto the Brickyard in downtown Mansfield, an outdoor, brick-covered entertainment area where a stage was set up for live music. This is also where everyone headed from the Pen after load-in ended at 8 pm for the event’s “pre-party.”
Saturday morning saw dark skies and scattered rain, but it didn’t deter the many riders who came to see what this new event was all about. There was a lot of excitement as the doors opened at 11 am and people realized just how much there was going on. In addition to the actual bike show, there was an art show upstairs, and Joseph Wyman, the traveling tintype photographer, had a studio set up where he was shooting portraits all day long. Many also availed of the self-guided tour and displays showcasing the prison’s rich history, with special attention to the story behind The Shawshank Redemption.
The bikes on display were diverse in style, yet they shared a common thread. The majority of them were garage-built, and unlike some shows, these bikes gave off a vibe of being ridden, as many were from surrounding states, right into the hall. The 60s and 70s were well represented, so much so that even bikes with new powerplants reflected the very best of 60s and 70s style. Additionally, there was a good representation of survivors, race-inspired machines, antiques, restorations, and some over-the-top art bikes. Tightly arranged into three of the four main cell blocks, it was daunting to look down these long lines of bikes and slowly look up toward the three floors above.
You couldn’t help but imagine, in this cavernous, echoey space, what it may have sounded like when it was filled with the 1800 prisoners the facility was built to hold, or even worse, when there were as many as 3,600 inmates crowded into these cells in the 1950s. Many claim they feel the energy of the many men who were incarcerated here, as well as those who died in the building, from the very blocks from which the prison was built. Hence, the prison claims to be “one of the most haunted prisons in America,” and to this end, there is a book titled “The Haunted History of the Ohio State Reformatory.” There is so much interest in this side of the prison that they offer Ghost Walks, Ghost Hunts, and even “Private Paranormal Investigations.” And for those so inclined, EMF meters to measure the ambient electromagnetic fields, laser grids, and micro red pod proximity sensors to detect motion and visual disturbances, even in the dark, are available for rent.
Adding to what was going on indoors, out in the prison yard, More than 200 bikes had pulled in with a “Grass Pass,” and were considered part of the show. There was a carnival feel to the midway, with food vendors, a car show, and a curated selection of vendors. Entertainment was also provided by Hobo Bill and his fellow stunt riders, who set up their American Motor Drone Wall of Death, where they performed live-action vintage motorcycle thrill shows on 90-degree walls.
To be sure the weekend would be full of nonstop action, the party continued back at the Brickyard in downtown Mansfield, only it was billed as the “after-party” on Saturday night. The park-like, bricked-over area was again packed with bikes as the Grave Bathers Band and the Heavy Seventies performed live from the stage. There was a buzz in one of the adjacent buildings where Oliver Peck and his Elm Street Tattoo studio artists were set up, and where Joseph Wyman moved his portrait studio to continue his portrait sessions.
One thing that continued all weekend was a raffle to raise money for “In the Wind Foundation,” a veteran-focused foundation Luke created to give back to the community. This year, they gave away (at the finale three months later in Boise) a beautiful 1966 Harley Davidson Shovelhead, a Jesse James custom AR rifle, a Zev Tech 9mm pistol, a custom Rockwell watch, and a custom knife! The charity giveaway raised over $50,000 from this effort, which went towards flying disabled combat vets from all over the US to enjoy the Ohio event and experience the sense of freedom it offers. The ITW Foundation also helped one veteran amputee get his own bike after he got his motorcycle license just a month after attending one of the Boise events, and plans are moving forward to bring vets to other motorcycle events all around the country. As Luke sees it, this sense of freedom is something they may not get anywhere else.
Looking ahead, as Luke tends to do, he envisions the Party at the Pen growing quickly in Ohio. The facility is much larger than his Boise venue, and it offers many opportunities. He now wants to add vintage nitro-dragsters, more classic cars, a kickstart competition, and a stunt show. And with Mansfield being so cooperative, he’s working on closing off some of Mansfield’s downtown streets to host a true block party next year.
Luke put it best: “The penitentiary is all about being locked down, while motorcycles are all about freedom.” This contrast lies at the heart of the Party at the Pen and is the soul of the show itself. It’s the spirit of every rider who rolled through those iron gates, turning a place once defined by confinement into one bursting with life, sound, and camaraderie. For a weekend, the prison’s cold stone walls echoed not with chains but with laughter, engines, and music. And whether you were there this year or plan to make the trip next time, this is the kind of event that reminds us why we ride—and why we keep coming back.
For more information, visit www.partyatthepenshow.com
In 1979, Easyriders started to publish some of Michael’s motorcycle photography. He photographed a number of smaller events and features specifically for them, proved his abilities and then was off on his third trip to Sturgis in 1981, now on assignment for Easyriders, for whom he has returned there ever since. Also in 1981, after a solo exhibition of his work at the Gallery of Photography in Dublin, Ireland, which was boycotted by the League of Decency, Michael became disillusioned with the “art world” and again changed course. He stopped publicly exhibiting his photographs in favor of publishing his motorcycle work in Easyriders and simultaneously began developing his career as a commercial advertising and corporate photographer. By 1982, his studio was open in Boulder, Colorado. It wasn’t long before he developed a clientele that included companies like IBM, Sun Microsystems and Kraft Foods.
- Heading to Tōhoku – An Annual Trek to Meet Japanese Customizers - March 13, 2026
- Motoverse, the Annual Celebration of Everything Royal Enfield - December 30, 2025
- Freedom Behind Bars: The Party at the Pen East - November 14, 2025