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Weirs Beach, New Hampshire: Visitor Guide to the Beach, Boardwalk and Cruises, Plus Living Near the Weirs

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Weirs Beach, New Hampshire: Visitor Guide to the Beach, Boardwalk and Cruises, Plus Living Near the Weirs

October 9, 2026

Tom DeMatteo

Written by Tom DeMatteo

Broker/Owner, Owl's Nest Real Estate · · Updated · 21 min read

Weirs Beach is a free public beach and lakeside village in Laconia, New Hampshire, on the western shore of Lake Winnipesaukee. The beach is open 7 a.m. to midnight, and from the Saturday before Memorial Day through Columbus Day you pay $2.00 to $2.50 an hour to park. There are no lifeguards. The boardwalk, arcades and M/S Mount Washington dock are steps away.

Key takeaways:

  • Cost: the beach is free. In season, parking is $2.00 an hour on Lakeside Avenue (2-, 3- or 5-hour limits) and $2.50 an hour at the Endicott Rock lot (no limit), per the City of Laconia.
  • Hours: Laconia Parks & Recreation's rules (updated 2023) open city beaches at 7 a.m. and close them at 10 p.m., except Weirs Beach, which closes at midnight. Bathhouses run 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in beach season.
  • Is it open now? The beach park is; the summer attractions are not. The Mount Washington's 2026 season ended October 24, and paid parking stops after Columbus Day.
  • No lifeguards, no dogs. Swimming is at your own risk, and city rules keep animals off the beach and out of the water.
  • Big dates: 2026 fireworks ran July 3, July 18, August 1, August 15 and September 6. The 104th Laconia Motorcycle Week is June 12 to 20, 2027.
  • Living here: the Weirs is part of Laconia (2025 tax rate $12.98 per $1,000 of assessed value). Short-term rentals are allowed by right only in certain zones, and the rules tightened in March 2026.

"The Weirs," as locals call it, packs a lot into a few blocks: the beach and the boardwalk, the lake's flagship cruise boat, a scenic railroad, the arcade Guinness once called the largest in the world, and every June the centre of the oldest national motorcycle rally in the country. This guide covers the visit first, then the quieter Laconia beaches (Bartlett Beach and the two Opechee beaches), then what you should know before buying a condo or cottage near Weirs Beach, NH, including Laconia's short-term rental ordinance.

For every other swimming spot in the state, our guide to public beaches in New Hampshire compares more than 40 of them on fees, parking and lifeguards.

In this guide

Where is Weirs Beach, New Hampshire?

Weirs Beach is not a separate town. It's a neighborhood of Laconia in Belknap County, at the north end of the city where the Weirs Channel carries Lake Winnipesaukee's water south into Paugus Bay (Wikipedia). U.S. Route 3 runs through the village. South of the Weirs, along Paugus Bay toward Lakeport, the same road is called Weirs Boulevard. If you're searching "Weirs Boulevard, Laconia, NH" for a listing or a motel, it's that stretch of Route 3 along Paugus Bay.

The name is older than any of it. The channel at the lake's outlet was the site of Aquadoctan, one of the largest known Native American villages in New Hampshire. People there built fish weirs, traps of saplings and branches, across the outlet to catch migrating fish, and the archaeological record at the site runs from about 9,000 BCE to the late 1600s (Wikipedia, Aquadoctan). The European name "the Weirs" comes from those traps.

Endicott Rock

In the channel beside the beach is Endicott Rock, a boulder that Massachusetts Bay Colony surveyors carved in 1652 to mark the northern limit of the colony's charter, three miles north of the Merrimack River. It carries the inscription "IOHN ENDICUT GOV" and the surveyors' initials, and it has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1980 (Wikipedia). The city park around it, Endicott Rock Park, is the official name of the public beach.

How much does Weirs Beach cost? The beach and parking

The public beach is a city park run by Laconia Parks & Recreation. Here are the facts the city publishes on its Weirs Beach (Endicott Rock Park) page and its Weirs parking page:

Weirs Beach (Endicott Rock Park)
Admission Free; you pay for parking
Parking, Lakeside Avenue $2.00/hour; spaces have 2-, 3- or 5-hour limits
Parking, Endicott Rock lot $2.50/hour; no time limit
Paid-parking season Saturday before Memorial Day through Columbus Day
Enforcement hours 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily in season
Paying Kiosks by space number; coins, cards or pay-by-text
Lifeguards None. Swim at your own risk
Bathhouses 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily in season, weather permitting
Boats Cartop boats (canoe, kayak, paddleboard) launch from the far left, past the bathhouse; nothing with paddles in the swim area
Not allowed Cooking, loud music, alcohol, smoking or vaping, and animals on the beach or in the water

Two practical notes. For a full beach day, the Endicott Rock lot costs a little more per hour but has no time limit, so you won't have to keep going back to the kiosk. And the city doesn't allow saving spaces. Once a space opens, it's anyone's.

The Weirs is the busy one among Laconia beaches. The sand faces the town docks, the Mount Washington ties up next to the swim area, and the boardwalk is a minute away. That's the appeal on a July afternoon, and the reason some people head to Bartlett or Opechee instead (see the other Laconia beaches, below).

Are dogs allowed at Weirs Beach?

No, not on the sand or in the water. Laconia Parks & Recreation's Rules and Regulations (updated for 2023) say animals "are not allowed in the water, on the beach or on athletic fields." Leashed dogs may be walked on other park property if you pick up after them.

Is Weirs Beach open? Hours and season

Weirs Beach is a city park, so the beach itself doesn't close for the winter: under Laconia Parks & Recreation's rules, all city parks and beaches open at 7 a.m. and close at 10 p.m., except Weirs Beach, which closes at midnight. What changes with the season is everything around it. The city staffs the bathhouses only during its summer beach season, which it starts around the end of June and posts each year on its Beaches page, and it charges for parking only from the Saturday before Memorial Day through Columbus Day.

Here's what is open when, from the operators' own published schedules:

At the Weirs Season Hours or schedule Source
Beach (Endicott Rock Park) Year-round 7 a.m. to midnight Laconia Parks & Recreation rules
Bathhouses City beach season, early summer to late summer 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., weather permitting City of Laconia
Paid parking Saturday before Memorial Day through Columbus Day Enforced 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. City of Laconia
M/S Mount Washington Late spring to late October 2026: 10:00 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. summer sailings; last cruise October 24 Mount Washington Cruises
Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad Seasonal; check the operator 1- and 1.5-hour trips from the Weirs Meredith Area Chamber
Fireworks Summer 2026 shows July 3, July 18, August 1, August 15, September 6 Lakes Region Chamber
Motorcycle Week Mid-June June 12 to 20, 2027 Laconia Motorcycle Week Association

So if you're asking "is Weirs Beach open" in November, the answer is yes for a walk on the sand and the lake views, with no paid-parking season to worry about, and no for the cruises, the bathhouses and many of the boardwalk's seasonal businesses. For this summer's exact beach-season start, call Laconia Parks & Recreation at (603) 524-5046.

What is there to do on the Weirs Beach boardwalk?

The Weirs boardwalk follows Lakeside Avenue above the beach, with arcades, snack stands, gift shops and the big arrow-shaped "Weirs Beach" sign. The Half Moon arcade, bumper cars and pizza stand are boardwalk mainstays (weirsbeach.com). The Winnipesaukee Pier, built in 1925, drew the big-band acts of its day (Wikipedia).

Up the hill on Route 3 is Funspot, at 579 Endicott Street North. It opened on June 27, 1952 as the Weirs Sports Center, and Guinness World Records named it the "Largest Arcade in the World" in 2008. Its third floor holds the American Classic Arcade Museum, a nonprofit that keeps about 250 games from 1989 and earlier playable (Wikipedia).

When are the Weirs Beach fireworks?

Weirs Beach puts on free fireworks several times each summer. For 2026, the Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce listed shows on Friday, July 3; Saturday, July 18; Saturday, August 1; Saturday, August 15; and Sunday, September 6, weather permitting. The July 3 Independence Day show went up at 10 p.m. from the beach; the others at 9:30 p.m. from a barge on the lake. Rain dates were July 25 and August 8. The 2027 dates usually appear on the Chamber's events calendar in spring.

For a fireworks night, arrive early. The paid lots fill, and the boardwalk and the beach are the best seats.

How do you take the Mount Washington cruise from Weirs Beach?

The M/S Mount Washington is Lake Winnipesaukee's flagship and Weirs Beach is its home port. The current 203-foot ship was launched in 1940 on the hull of an 1888 sidewheeler, and it replaced a steamer of the same name that first sailed in 1872 (Wikipedia). Its Weirs Beach dock is at 211 Lakeside Avenue (Mount Washington Cruises, Our Ports).

For the 2026 summer, Mount Washington Cruises announced its biggest schedule change in decades (April 8, 2026 announcement):

  • Weirs Beach departures at 10:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., plus a new 3:00 p.m. sailing.
  • Wolfeboro departures at 11:15 a.m. and a new 1:45 p.m. Passengers boarding in Wolfeboro can now get off at Weirs Beach, so you can cross the lake without a car.
  • The Winnipesaukee Spirit moved to Center Harbor, and the refurbished Winnipesaukee Belle runs cocktail cruises from Meredith and Weirs Beach.

On September 30, 2026 the company announced that the Mount Washington is returning to Alton Bay after repairs to the piling cluster the ship docks against there.

The fall schedule is shorter. The company's autumn page lists 2.5-hour narrated tours daily at 10:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. from Weirs Beach and 11:15 a.m. from Wolfeboro, plus Sunday brunch cruises. The 2026 season ended with the Halloween Masquerade Ball on Saturday, October 24. For the best leaf-peeping dates around the lake, see our New Hampshire fall foliage guide. The U.S. Mailboat, the Sophie C., sails only in summer; in 2026 it ran June 21 to September 12 (Mailboat cruises). Check cruisenh.com or call (603) 366-5531 before you go.

Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad: the train from Weirs Beach

The Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad runs vintage trains along the lake's western shore between Meredith, the Weirs and Laconia. According to the Meredith Area Chamber, trips from Weirs Beach last 1 hour or 1.5 hours, the round trip from Meredith Station (154 Main Street) takes 2 hours, and a 2.5-hour excursion from Laconia is new. The railroad also runs seasonal specials, such as Fourth of July trains to the Weirs fireworks. For current schedules, see the operator's site, gsscenic.com, or call (603) 745-2135.

When is Laconia Motorcycle Week (Bike Week) at Weirs Beach?

Every June, the Weirs becomes the centre of Laconia Motorcycle Week, which the City of Laconia calls the oldest national motorcycle rally in the United States. The 2026 rally, the 103rd, ran from 8 a.m. Saturday, June 13 to midnight Sunday, June 21 (City of Laconia). The Laconia Motorcycle Week Association has set the 104th rally for June 12–20, 2027 (laconiamcweek.com). Lakeside Avenue is the traditional focal point (Wikipedia), and lodging fills up early. Paugus Bay Campground already lists itself as full for Bike Week 2027.

If you're thinking about owning near the Weirs, keep rally week in mind. It brings a week of noise and traffic, and it's also a week of strong rental demand for properties that are allowed to rent short-term (see the rental rules below).

Is the Weirs Drive-In open?

The Weirs Drive-In, at 76 Endicott Street North (Route 3), first showed movies in 1949. It didn't open for films in summer 2024, when its longtime owner, Pat Baldi, said she could no longer run it herself. She said the property would keep hosting special events such as Motorcycle Week. The 12.62-acre site was listed for sale at $4.9 million, and an earlier 2017 sale fell through over concerns about the site's archaeological importance (Concord Monitor, April 30, 2024).

The drive-in planned a return to movies in 2026. In March, it said films would come back starting in July (WOKQ, March 31, 2026), and its relaunched website sells movie-night tickets alongside Motorcycle Week vendor space and summer RV camping. As of early October 2026 the site says it's closed for the season until June 2027. Call the movie line, (603) 556-2320, for next summer's schedule.

Is there a Weirs Beach NH live cam?

The easiest Weirs Beach NH live cam to reach right now is run by Winnisquam Marine, the boat dealer and marina, from its Winni Marine location at 96 Channel Lane, near Weirs Beach on the Paugus Bay channel. Its Winni Marine live feed page carries two YouTube live streams. One looks down Lakeside Avenue past the lit "Weirs Beach" arrow sign toward the lake. The other looks across the channel from the marina's docks. We checked both on October 5, 2026, and both were streaming current video.

Other cams have watched the Weirs over the years, including the long-running WeirsCAM on the roof of the Winnipesaukee Pier, hosted by the Winnipesaukee.com community site, and a Weirs Channel cam sponsored by Channel Waterfront Cottages. We couldn't confirm that either was live when we checked, so we haven't linked them.

If a cam is down, check back later; private cams go offline from time to time. A YouTube live stream can get a new link when its owner restarts it, so go through the marina's webcam page rather than an old bookmark, and be wary of sites that only show a still photo.

Before you drive over, it's often more useful to check the Laconia parking page for the season and the NHDES Healthy Swimming advisories for bacteria postings.

Laconia beaches beyond the Weirs: Bartlett, Opechee and Bond

Laconia sits between Lake Winnipesaukee, Paugus Bay, Lake Opechee and Lake Winnisquam, so it has public beaches on several different lakes. Here are the Laconia NH beach options besides the Weirs:

Beach Water Cost Lifeguards Bathhouse (in season) Boats
Weirs Beach (Endicott Rock Park) Lake Winnipesaukee Free; paid parking None 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Cartop only, far left
Bartlett Beach Lake Winnisquam Free, free lot None 8 a.m.–5 p.m. No launching or landing
Opechee Cove Lake Opechee Free None 8 a.m.–7 p.m. Cartop only, far left of the swim area
Opechee Point Lake Opechee Free None 8 a.m.–7 p.m. No launching or landing
Bond Beach (residents only) Lake Opechee $15 city resident sticker Weekdays 9 a.m.–5 p.m. 9 a.m.–5 p.m. No launching or landing

Sources: City of Laconia pages for Weirs Beach, Bartlett Beach, Opechee Park, Bond Beach and the city's conservation lands page, which places Bond Beach on Lake Opechee.

Bartlett Beach, Laconia

Bartlett Beach is Laconia's beach on Lake Winnisquam; the state's Lake Winnisquam map marks it on the Laconia shore. The city says there's no charge to park in the Bartlett Beach lot, and asks drivers to use the marked entrance and exit to protect the vegetation. The bathhouses are open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in season. There are no lifeguards. No boats of any kind may be launched or landed there, including kayaks, paddleboards and rafts; the city points boaters to the state ramp nearby. The city's page also has a swimmer's itch advisory.

If you're searching "Bartlett Beach NH," note that this is not the town of Bartlett in the Mount Washington Valley; it's this Laconia city beach. Compared with the Weirs, Bartlett is quiet: free sand and free parking, with no boardwalk, no cruise dock and no arcade. Homes around Winnisquam are on our Lake Winnisquam real estate page.

Opechee Cove and Opechee Point

Opechee Park is Laconia's largest park, with ballfields, a track, a skatepark, a day camp and two beaches on Lake Opechee. Opechee Cove is along North Main Street. Opechee Point is behind the Opechee peninsula, and boats may not launch or land there. Both have bathhouses open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. in season, and neither has lifeguards. The city is open about water quality: the Cove "can often test high in E.Coli Bacteria," while the Point tends to test cleaner. Check the advisories before you swim at the Cove, especially after heavy rain.

Bond Beach

Bond Beach is Laconia's residents-only beach, on Lake Opechee at Bond Beach Park, which shares its 36-acre property with the Elm Street School. You need a $15 city beach sticker from City Hall to park. It's the one Laconia beach with lifeguards, on duty 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and boats can't launch or land there. Residents' guests should plan on the Weirs, Bartlett or Opechee.

Where can you camp near Weirs Beach, NH?

There are campgrounds near Weirs Beach, NH on both the Laconia and Gilford sides:

  • Paugus Bay Campground, 96 Hilliard Road, Laconia, is the closest to the Weirs. It's on Paugus Bay and offers transient stays and seasonal sites, some of them for sale. It doesn't take online bookings, so call (603) 366-4757.
  • Gunstock Mountain Resort campground, 719 Cherry Valley Road, Gilford, has about 260 sites, from full-hookup to basic, plus rustic cabins, on the ski area's grounds, a short drive from the Weirs over the Gilford line.
  • Ellacoya State Park, Gilford, has a 37-site RV park on the lake's southwest shore with water, electric and sewer hookups and a 600-foot sandy beach. Tents aren't allowed, and in 2026 sites were reservable from April 30 through Columbus Day weekend.

For camping at Weirs Beach in June, book well ahead for Motorcycle Week; as noted above, at least one campground was already full for 2027 by October 2026.

Living near Weirs Beach: condos, cottages and real estate

The Weirs has more condos than most of the Winnipesaukee shoreline. Wikipedia counts four marinas in the village, along with motels, cottage complexes and condominiums (Wikipedia). In practice you'll see:

  • Condos on the hill above Lakeside Avenue and along Weirs Boulevard, many with lake or bay views, shared docks or boat-slip options, and association rules that matter as much as the unit.
  • Cottage colonies that were converted to individually owned cottages, often seasonal, sometimes with a shared beach.
  • Year-round homes and waterfront on Paugus Bay, Winnipesaukee and up the hills toward Meredith and Gilford.

The city around it: Laconia's 2025 total property tax rate was $12.98 per $1,000 of assessed value (NH Department of Revenue Administration), and Zillow's typical home value for the city was about $443,000 in August 2026 (Zillow Research). Those are citywide figures. Prices at the Weirs vary widely with the water: a unit with a deeded slip and a lake view sells in a different market than a cottage across the road. Our NH property taxes explained guide shows how to turn a tax rate into a bill. For frontage beyond the Weirs, see our waterfront homes for sale in NH.

What we check on any Weirs condo or cottage:

  1. The association documents. Rental rules, pet rules, boat-slip assignment (deeded, leased or waitlisted), reserves and any special assessments.
  2. Seasonal vs. year-round. Some cottage communities shut off water in winter. That affects financing, insurance and whether the city's rental rules treat the unit as a "seasonal dwelling" (below).
  3. Rally week. Visit in June as well as October. Some owners plan around Motorcycle Week and some rent into it.
  4. Zoning. Laconia's zoning district decides whether short-term rentals are allowed at all.

Browse current Weirs-area condos and the wider Winnipesaukee market on our Lake Winnipesaukee real estate page and our Lakes Region condos for sale, or widen the search to all Lakes Region real estate.

Can you Airbnb a Weirs Beach condo? Laconia's short-term rental rules

Before you buy at the Weirs to rent it out, check the zoning. Laconia regulates short-term lodging under Zoning Ordinance §235-41:M, which the City Council narrowly passed in December 2019. NHPR reported that it exempted the commercial and shorefront residential zones so that tourist areas such as Weirs Beach could keep operating (NHPR). The city's Short Term Lodging application, last revised in 2020, sets out the original rules:

  • Commercial Resort (CR) and Shorefront Residential (SFR) zones: short-term lodging permitted, with no limit on the number of separate rental periods.
  • Industrial zones (I, IP, AI): prohibited.
  • All other zones: prohibited unless the property is owner-occupied, meaning the owner lives there at least 150 days a year.
  • Seasonal dwellings in the RS, RG and RR1 residential zones: May 1 to October 31 only, up to 15 separate rentals or 120 nights.

The rules tightened in 2026. On March 9, 2026 the City Council voted 5–1 to amend the ordinance (Laconia Daily Sun, March 11, 2026). Short-term lodging is no longer allowed by right in the Residential Single-Family (RS) zone; new operators there need a variance from the Zoning Board of Adjustment. Owners who were already renting legally in the RS zone aren't affected. The Planning Board, which recommended the change 4–1 on March 3, said an owner without a permit when the amendment passed would not be grandfathered (Planning Board minutes). The amendment also changed the definitions, performance standards and special exception process, so the 2020 application form may no longer describe every requirement.

That means two things for a buyer at the Weirs. First, the zoning district matters more than ever: the commercial and shorefront zones are where short-term rentals have been allowed by right. Second, under the original rules an approval belonged to the owner, so a change of ownership needed a new application. Don't assume the seller's rental history comes with the property. Confirm the property's zoning district, its permit status and the current rules with the Laconia Planning Department, (603) 527-1264, before you count on rental income.

Short-term rental owners also have to collect New Hampshire's Meals and Rooms (Rentals) Tax, which is 8.5% (NH DRA), and condo bylaws can be stricter than the city. We run the numbers on specific units through our short-term rental analysis, and if you already own one, our guide to selling a short-term rental in New Hampshire explains how permits and bookings affect a sale.

Nearby: where the Weirs fits on Winnipesaukee

The Weirs is the busiest stretch of the lake's western shore; our Lake Winnipesaukee guide covers the rest of the lake, from the Broads to ice-out, and our list of things to do in Laconia covers the rest of the city. North on Route 3 is Meredith, with its marina district and the railroad's home station. East across Paugus Bay and Route 11 is Gilford, with Ellacoya, Gunstock and quieter residential shoreline. For boat ramps around the lake, see our NH boat launches guide. For the buying side of lake life, docks, frontage and shoreland rules, see the Lakes Region waterfront guide.

If you're weighing a condo at the Weirs against a cottage on Winnisquam or a house in Gilford, talk to us. We'll pull the sales, the association documents and the zoning before you make an offer.

Frequently asked questions

Is Weirs Beach open?

Yes. Weirs Beach is a city park that, under Laconia Parks & Recreation's rules, is open daily from 7 a.m. to midnight. The bathhouses open only during the city's summer beach season, paid parking runs from the Saturday before Memorial Day through Columbus Day, and the Mount Washington cruises run from late spring to late October (the 2026 season ended October 24). There are no lifeguards at any time.

Where is Weirs Beach, New Hampshire?

Weirs Beach is a village in the northern part of the city of Laconia, NH, in Belknap County, on the western shore of Lake Winnipesaukee where the Weirs Channel runs into Paugus Bay. U.S. Route 3 runs through it, and the beach, boardwalk and Mount Washington dock are on Lakeside Avenue.

Is Weirs Beach free?

Yes. There's no admission fee for the beach at Endicott Rock Park. In season, from the Saturday before Memorial Day through Columbus Day, you pay to park: $2.00 an hour at the Lakeside Avenue kiosks, which have 2-, 3- or 5-hour limits, or $2.50 an hour at the Endicott Rock lot, which has no time limit. Parking is enforced 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Are there lifeguards at Weirs Beach?

No. The City of Laconia says Weirs Beach, Bartlett Beach and both Opechee beaches have no lifeguards and swimmers swim at their own risk. Bond Beach, which is for residents only, is the one Laconia beach with lifeguards on weekdays.

Are dogs allowed at Weirs Beach?

No. Laconia Parks & Recreation's rules say animals are not allowed on the beach or in the water at city beaches, including Weirs Beach. Leashed dogs can be walked elsewhere on park property if owners pick up after them.

Where can I camp near Weirs Beach, NH?

Paugus Bay Campground on Hilliard Road in Laconia is the closest. It has transient and seasonal sites and takes bookings by phone. In Gilford, Gunstock Mountain Resort has a large campground with hookup and basic sites, and Ellacoya State Park has an RV park (no tents) on Lake Winnipesaukee that in 2026 took reservations from April 30 through Columbus Day weekend. Book early for Motorcycle Week in June.

Can I rent my Weirs Beach condo on Airbnb?

It depends on the zoning district and the condo association. Since 2019, Laconia has allowed short-term lodging by right in its Commercial Resort and Shorefront Residential zones, which cover the tourist areas at the Weirs, and limited it elsewhere, mostly to owner-occupied homes. In March 2026 the City Council tightened the rules again and ended by-right short-term rentals in the Residential Single-Family zone for anyone not already operating legally. Under the original rules, a city approval belonged to the owner and didn't transfer to a buyer. Confirm the zoning and permit status with the Laconia Planning Department, and read the association bylaws, which can be stricter still.

When is Laconia Motorcycle Week?

The rally is held every June, with Weirs Beach as its traditional centre. The 2026 rally, the 103rd, ran from Saturday, June 13 through Sunday, June 21. The 104th rally is set for June 12–20, 2027, according to the Laconia Motorcycle Week Association.