83rd STURGIS MOTORCYCLE RALLY

One of America’s annual summer traditions has become the legendary Sturgis Motorcycle Rally held each year in Sturgis, South Dakota. Nowhere in America can you find a more Patriotic, Conservative, and friendly group of Americans than at the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. The 10 day event takes place in the surrounding Black Hills and Sturgis, South Dakota during the first week of August each year, and is attended by not only motorcycle enthusiasts, but families and tourists as well. Since its inception, private area businesses have been organizing, promoting and hosting events such as races, concerts, and motorcycle rides which has made the Sturgis Rally what it is today. 2023 marks the 83rd annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally with an estimated attendance of over 700,000.

The very first Sturgis Motorcycle Rally was held on August 14, 1938 and founded by Clarence “Pappy” Hoel who owned the Indian motorcycle franchise in Sturgis, South Dakota and started the Jackpine Gypsies motorcycle club. The rally was called the ‘Black Hills Motor Classic” and consisted of motorcycle racing and stunts, and in the early 1960’s the rally added the Hillclimb and Motocross races. The Jackpine Gypsies motorcycle club was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 1997, and still owns and operates the Hillclimb, Motocross tracks and areas where the rally is centered. There were nine riders participating in the original half- mile race which was sanctioned by the American Motorcycle Association and included eight riders on Indian bikes and one rider on a Harley Davidson. The first over-all champion was Johnny Spiegelhoff. A crowd of spectators also attended the parade, street carnival, motorcycle stunts, Model-T races and community dance; while “Pappy” Hoel performed his famous stunt, crashing through a burning wall of pine boards, which became a common and more advanced practice for many of the rallies over the years. Clarence “Pappy” Hoel was inducted into the American Motorcycle Association Hall of Fame in 1998.

The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally brings in folks from all over the United States and other countries as well. Accommodations for attendees in Sturgis and the surrounding areas includes numerous Hotels, RV Parks, Campgrounds, Cottages, Vacation Rentals, Bed and Breakfast Inns and the legendary Sturgis Buffalo Chip, in addition to numerous dining and shopping locations. The Buffalo Chip is a huge part of the Sturgis Rally experience and has become a destination for motorcyclists, campers, rockers and more! Offering several RV Parks, Information Center, Cabin Rentals, Campgrounds, Shower and Restroom Facilities, Free Pancake Breakfasts, Food and Merchandise Vendors, Bars, Gas Station, Bike and Auto Repair Centers, and Amphitheater, not to mention the numerous Events and Entertainment such as Bike Shows, Bike runs, Contests, Concerts and more. Some of the 2023 rock concert line-up at the Sturgis Buffalo Chip Amphitheater included: ZZ Top, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Def Leppard, REO Speedwagon, STYX, and more. A beautiful site on the Buffalo Chip grounds is the ‘Freedom Field’ featuring acres of free standing American Flags paying a patriotic tribute to our Veterans and Military, in addition to the Buffalo Chip’s Military Tribute Day hosted each year.

Some of the major Sturgis Motorcycle Rally’s sponsors include: Coca-Cola, Harley Davidson, Indian Motorcycles, Jack Daniels, Dixxon, Progressive Insurance, Veterans of Foreign Wars and more. This year’s “Legends Ride®” hosted by Progressive is an awe-inspiring motorcycle ride from historic Deadwood to the Legendary Buffalo Chip. South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem participated in this year’s ride and one hundred percent of the rider fees are donated to local charities.

Each year the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally brings in a huge portion of annual income for local businesses and various charities. In 2022, the annual event brought in over $1.54 million in tax revenue for the State of South Dakota, with the City of Sturgis donating over $1 million dollars to local and state charities. Sturgis City Manager said, “It’s one of the largest charitable events in the State”. Governor Noem, the City of Sturgis, local businesses and thousands of its citizens work tirelessly all year long to host the annual ‘Freedom’ Event for the Country and the hundreds of thousands of Conservative Americans who attend each year.

In 2020, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem and the City of Sturgis drew national attention when she announced that she would not close her state down or cancel the rally due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In a letter penned by Governor Noem and posted on www.governor.sd.gov, she stated, “To me, the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally has always been a symbol of our Freedom. That became even more true in 2020. In the midst of a pandemic, when some states were forcing businesses to shut down and cancelling any and every public event, we still held the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Sturgis went on without a hitch, completely shattering the media’s pandemic narrative. The 2020 Rally made it clear that South Dakota was thriving without mandates and lockdowns – and Sturgis became a symbol of Freedom to the entire Country.”