Preparing for Sturgis Rally Is a Massive Undertaking

With 500,000+ visitors and $800+ million in revenue on the way, here’s how two Sturgis businesses are getting ready.

Each and every year, the Sturgis Rally brings brings hundreds of thousands of bikers together in the remote confines of Sturgis, South Dakota for 10 days of unbridled fun. This year’s rally, which takes place on August 3-12, also marks 78 years for the historic event. After a few down years, event organizers expect 2018 to represent yet another year of rapid growth. And as you might imagine, the logistics behind the massive Sturgis Rally are nothing short of incredible.

To put things in perspective, Black Hills Harley-Davidson has hired an additional 500 employees specifically to handle the massive traffic this week brings. And the dealership has a special plan in place to handle the countless visitors it will host over that time frame.

“We pride ourselves on having a structure,” Al Reiman,president of Black Hills H-D, told KOTA News. “So it’s very easy to get into, very easy to get out of. Easy to park, easy to stop, easy to shop. So what we find is a lot of people go up and ride Main Street in Sturgis and see that opportunity. Then they come down here to do their shopping.” And they sure do a lot of shopping. Reiman expects the dealership to sell a whopping 600 motorcycles in just 15 days surrounding the event.

With an event this large, it isn’t just the typical tourist stops that see an influx of business, either. Jambonz, a local Cajun restaurant, is actually down the road from downtown. But the Sturgis Rally is a big boon for them as well. “We get people coming in as soon as we open,” said kitchen manager Krissie Traversie. “We’re busy all day. Nights are busier than days. We get a lot of bike traffic, we get a lot of foot traffic coming back and forth.”

With what promises to be over a half-million visitors hitting the tiny Black Hills town, these local businesses are primed to grab their slice of the estimated $800 million the Sturgis Rally brings in annually.

Brett Foote

Brett Foote has been covering the automotive industry for over five years and is a longtime contributor to Internet Brands’ Auto Group sites, including Chevrolet Forum, Rennlist, and Ford Truck Enthusiasts, among other popular sites.

He has been an automotive enthusiast since the day he came into this world and rode home from the hospital in a first-gen Mustang, and he's been wrenching on them nearly as long.

In addition to his expertise writing about cars, trucks, motorcycles, and every other type of automobile, Brett had spent several years running parts for local auto dealerships.

You can follow along with his builds and various automotive shenanigans on Instagram: @bfoote.