NATCHEZ — Hold on to your handlebars — the Project Independence Ride for Autism is coming to town.

One hundred and fifty miles away, 300 bikers are lining up in Scott, La., beginning this afternoon and Saturday morning to head down to Natchez.

Once here, they’ll pile into Doc Biglove’s for a poker game and concert featuring Fade 2 Blue, of Nashville.

During the ride, which doubles as a poker run, bikers will draw cards at different stops along the way — St. Francisville, La., Alexandria, La., and Natchez.

The three top hands are given a cash prize at the end of the run.

Registration for the ride is $35 and all proceeds go to Project Independence, an organization based on autism awareness.

This year is the sixth ride, and the fourth year that it’s come to Natchez.

Donald Royer, Project Independence board member and events coordinator, said Natchez is perfect for the event in many ways.

First, he said the route to Natchez is enjoyable.

“You can ride all the way to Natchez without riding on any interstate, which bikers try to avoid when riding for pleasure,” he said.

Also bikers can ride on the Natchez Trace Parkway and there are plenty of stops along the way for the bikers to enjoy, he said.

Royer said city and tourism officials have been helpful in planning the event every year.

“The City of Natchez is really rolling out the red carpet for us,” he said.

Selah Havard, director of sales for the Natchez Convention and Visitors Bureau, has been working with Royer in getting the event organized.

She drove down to the event’s registration in Scott Wednesday night to help out.

“I’m making sure they have everything that they need,” Havard said. “They honestly said that they would never hold it anywhere else but Natchez.”

Indeed, Royer said the event took place in Galveston, Texas, twice but it was less-than-accommodating there.

Royer said he plans to keep coming back to Natchez.

“God willing for the foreseeable future, that’s where we’re going,” he said.