The 2025 85th Anniversary Sturgis Motorcycle Rally Attendance Was Up over 14%. Now that the books have officially closed on another incredible rally, everyone is asking the same question – How big was the 85th Sturgis Rally in 2025? This year’s attendance was up significantly from 2024. In fact, 2025 drew in the largest number of visitors in the last 5 years! Read on to see how the numbers break down.   What was the Sturgis Rally Attendance in 2025? SD Department of Transportation reported traffic counts of 537,459.     The DOT reported the 2024 Sturgis Rally attendance of…

Every summer, the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally turns the Black Hills of South Dakota into a high-octane hub of chrome, leather, live music, and unforgettable memories. But behind the scenes of all that rumbling and revelry is an army of workers—bartenders, cooks, retail clerks, parking crews, security staff, stagehands, merch sellers, and more—who make the magic happen. If you’ve ever thought about working the Sturgis Rally, you’re not alone. Thousands of people look for temporary work each year during Rally Week (and the days before and after), hoping to earn some cash and be part of the experience. Whether you're after…

Thinking about becoming a vendor at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally? With hundreds of thousands of riders rolling into the Black Hills each August, it’s one of the most exciting and high-traffic opportunities for businesses of all kinds. If you've ever dreamed of setting up your own booth—selling food, gear, services, or souvenirs—you're in the right place. 1. There is no central gate or single location for the Sturgis Rally. Think of it like Mardi Gras: events and vendors are spread across the entire Black Hills region, not just in the city of Sturgis. The Rally is a regional celebration, not a single…

  The world-famous motorcycle rally didn’t become legendary overnight. From humble beginnings to headline-making moments, the Sturgis Rally is packed with stories that are as wild as they are historic.       Here are 20 fascinating facts through the years that dive into the unexpected, unforgettable, and undeniably bold legacy of the rally that put this small South Dakota town on the map:   1. The 4th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally (August 16-18, 1940) It was the first time maroon printed T-shirts advertising the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally hit the shelves, marking the beginning of rally merch history.   2.…

  The 85th anniversary of the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is more than just a celebration of motorcycle culture, it’s about the legacy of a historical event that has spanned generations.     Here are the top 10 facts about the world’s most legendary motorcycle rally that you need to know:   1. A Milestone Celebration The rally will run from Friday, August 1, through Sunday, August 10, 2025, marking its 85th anniversary. This significant milestone is expected to draw record-breaking attendance, with enthusiasts from around the globe converging to celebrate the rich history and culture of motorcycling.   2. Anticipated…

  Camp Zero is a wild playground where the spirit of the 1980s rallies is alive and kicking.   Created for those who crave the raw, unpolished rally experience, Camp Zero is a unique mix of fun events, crazy activities and a community vibe that screams “Join the party!”   That’s right, we’re talking minibike races, crazy contraptions and more shenanigans than you can shake a wrench at.   Tucked away in the northeast corner of the legendary Buffalo Chip, Camp Zero isn't just a location; it's a revolution.   It’s right in the sweet spot of the Sturgis Buffalo…

  There’s nothing quite like the first time. The fluttering heartbeats, awkward movements, nervous exploring, building excitement and then…it’s over so fast you think, are we done already? We’re talking Sturgis here, ya perverts…     Losing your Sturgis Rally V-Card is an experience that you’ll never forget, but it doesn’t have to be awkward or result in an apologetic getaway quicker than “the act” itself. The rally is something that can be pleasurable year after year, including your first one. If you want to skip the awkward and go right to euphoria during your Sturgis Rally, learn some moves…

The 85th Sturgis Rally set for Aug. 1-10, 2025 is potentially going to be the largest rally yet, however, some wonder how the Sturgis City government’s recent unrest, budget cuts, and unprecedented turnover will affect the 85th Rally.  It won’t.  Why? Black Hills area businesses are at the helm, as they always have been. “What’s great about the Sturgis Rally is that no single entity owns it,” said Randy Peterson, owner of Sturgis.com, the original go-to source on everything Sturgis Rally. “It’s not a government-run event. It’s put together by individual businesses, clubs and communities all around the Black Hills.…

Everyone has a story about a “good idea” that didn’t turn out so “good.” One that, against your will, stole back the word from any future story you’ll tell and replaced it with “The Worst” idea ever. You know the ones… A lower back tatt of Nancy Reagan that looks more like Mick Jagger. A one-buck fixer-upper you picked up and never fixed up. Your third marriage. (Why stop there?) Unfortunately, bad ideas are the stories we hear and tell most often.  For one, they’re easy to remember.  And they’re easy to tell because… who doesn’t love a long hug…

Now that the books have officially closed on another incredible Sturgis Rally, everyone is asking the same question – How big was the 84th Sturgis Rally in 2024? This year's 2024 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally attendance was up slightly from 2023. Read on to see how the numbers break down. What was the Sturgis Rally Attendance in 2024? SD Department of Transportation reported traffic counts of 470,987.   The DOT Reported the 2024 Sturgis Rally Attendance of 470,987. According to the official traffic numbers released by the South Dakota Department of Transportation, the 84th Rally in 2024 was slightly bigger than…

It’s probably obvious that you’ll find plenty of incredible bands and bikes at the Largest Music Festival in Motorcycling®. What you might not know is there’s a ton of off-the-wall activities to do at the Sturgis Rally when you’re not ogling beautiful bikes or singing your heart out with your favorite band. Throughout each afternoon at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, you’ve got the chance to watch or participate in some wild, freaky, seriously strange and utterly hilarious fun and games at locations throughout the Buffalo Chip property. These activities aren’t kid tested or mother approved, but that doesn’t mean you…

A 30 year Sturgis Rally tradition continues when the Buffalo Chip Poster Model Search kicks off this February. Want to know what it takes to score the Rally’s most coveted modeling job? Read on to learn about the 2023 Buffalo Chip Poster Model. Buffalo Chip Poster Model Em Powered spent the 2023 Sturgis rally hanging out at the Chip, participating in signature rides like Biker Belles Women’s Day, and rocking out in the Amphitheater to bands like ZZ Top and Def Leppard - all while representing The Best Party Anywhere. If you missed out on basking in her beautiful presence…

There's nothing in the world like the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Our rides, concerts, and events are as notorious as they are famous. You've heard stories of horned men, buffalo hide bikes, and bartenders on stilts pouring drinks down people's throats. You've seen iconic Sturgis Motorcycle Rally celebrations on T.V.: Travel Channel, Discovery Channel, and every news channel known to man. Maybe you've been to the Sturgis Rally and ridden past Mount Rushmore, through the Needle's Eye, or scraped pegs on the 360-degree Pigtail Bridge turns. You want to experience the Sturgis Rally, and you should. It's easy to imagine yourself…

[movie trailer voice] In a world… where real bikers no longer exist and the niche culture is merely a curiosity to the rest of the world… Where the Sturgis Rally is reduced to just sightseeing by urban tourists with live music, food vendors and children's entertainment.  [caption id="attachment_185155" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Credit: wayfarer@bikernet.com/Bikernet[/caption] Where it has nothing to do with bikers - just like those reenactments of the Old West and the Civil War for tourists. [caption id="attachment_185153" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Credit: wayfarer@bikernet.com/Bikernet[/caption] Where only the cops will have real motorcycles and guns, we’ll see something like a Macy's parade, and a…

Jelly Roll will headline Aug. 6, 2024 at The Best Party Anywhere® Sturgis, SD (November 9, 2023): Sturgis Buffalo Chip fans prayed for Jelly Roll, and he is exactly what they are getting this coming Sturgis Rally. On Aug. 6, 2024, Jelly Roll brings his one-of-a-kind brand of soulful musical poetry to The Largest Music Festival in Motorcycling®. Concerts are free with a campground admission pass. Passes are available at BuffaloChip.com and for the next six days only the Chip is offering multi-day packages for 50% off. Southern hip-hop maestro turned country star Jelly Roll is not merely an artist;…

Forget everything you think you know about the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally and start from ZERO. Over the years there's been a lot of debate about what Sturgis is or isn't, and who it is or isn't for. "It's just a bunch of big wheel baggers.” "It's not my scene." "There's nothing there for me." Insert any number of other zero fun or legit excuses. A few years back, the Sturgis Buffalo Chip decided to call BS on that line of thinking. The Buffalo Chip asked themselves, if you're with the largest gathering of moto enthusiasts and music festival fans in…

The 2023 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally Attendance Was Down 8.1%. Now that the books have officially closed on another incredible Sturgis Rally, everyone is asking the same question – How big was the 83rd Sturgis Rally in 2023? This year's 2023 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally attendance was down from 2022. Read on to see how the numbers break down. What was the Sturgis Rally Attendance in 2023? SD Department of Transportation reported traffic counts of 458,161. The DOT Reported the 2023 Sturgis Rally Attendance of 458,161 Was Down 8.1%​ from 2022 According to the official traffic numbers released by the South Dakota…

Eighty-three years ago, a man named Pappy knew that to throw a proper party you had to set the right mood. If he were advising on first dates, that might include a flower on the seat, a bottle of wine on moonlit haystacks and her arms wrapped around you when you…ride home. But Pappy wasn’t there to stare deep into your eyes and make babies. Instead, he was about to launch the world's largest motorcycle rally - a party he knew would require high energy, entertainment, and, let’s not forget, smiling faces. There’s more to the formula you don’t know.…

It takes a spectacle to want to spectate, a death survivor challenging death to make it spectacular, and the headline “Are These Guys Going to Die?” to remind you that consequences are serious. But you don’t know the half of it. Yet. If you overheard a man’s voice say, “My girlfriend’s elephant is too old to breed,” your ears would perk up, your left eye would squint in disbelief, and, while turning your head to see who it was, you’d ask yourself, “Did I hear that right?” When you did, you’d find a stocky man in a red silk shirt…

A good adventure is one that doesn't leave you feeling the same-ole-same-ole, adds excitement to your life, and truly gives you a new story to tell. You may have had one or two that changed your life. And you’ve talked about them non-stop since – the pleasant surprise you had when you discovered that sign at the top of the pass that said “Curves Next 80 Miles,” the sudden hail storm that forced you into a stranger’s driveway who invited you in for coffee and a chat, and later, the tequila, the Aerosmith concert where the singer fell off the…