The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is no ordinary event. It’s motorcycles and moto culture with a breadth impossible to comprehend unless you’ve been to the Black Hills of South Dakota yourself. Founded in 1938, the festivities will resume again Aug. 4-13 for the 83rd iteration of the rally.
Continue below for event and entertainment schedule.
The Opening Ceremony parade will start Friday, Aug. 4, and includes Sturgis Mayor Mark Carstensen, Grand Marshall Laura Klock, and other dignitaries, as well as an inspiring flag procession. Following the parade will be a “trick roping, whip cracking, and fancy gun spinning” performance by Loop Rawlins, who has won five International Wild West Arts Awards and appeared on the television show America’s Got Talent.
Live music will follow at the Harley-Davidson Rally Point and other locations in and around Sturgis throughout the evening, the weekend, and the rest of the following week.
Find all of American Rider‘s Sturgis coverage and news here.
On Saturday, the Mayor’s Pub Crawl will visit five famous downtown Sturgis bars: One Eyed Jacks, the Loud American Roadhouse, the Oasis, The Knuckle Saloon, and the Iron Horse Saloon.
While the bike shows are too numerous to list them all, the Rat’s Hole, Biker Belles, and School’s Out Chopper Show should not be missed, as well as the “1st Sunday in Sturgis Motorcycle Show,” sponsored by V-Twin Visionary, J&P Cycles, and Rumble On.
Besides awesome bikes, other tell-tale signs of an avid Sturgis rally fan are ink and facial hair. Northern Hills Tattoo & Piercing will present a tattoo contest on Aug. 8, and there’s also a Beard & Mustache Contest on Aug. 9.
When you’ve seen your share of parked bikes and are ready to hit the road, there are several guided rides to enjoy, including the 21st annual Mayor’s Ride, Medicine Wheel Ride, Veteran Warrior Ride, Legends Ride, Biker Belles Morning Ride, Rusty Wallace Charity Ride, and Western Frontier Motorcycle Ride, just to name a few.
There are also many beautiful and historic locations to find on your own, including Mount Rushmore, the immense Crazy Horse Memorial, Custer State Park, and the town of Deadwood. Also worth exploring are sites in neighboring states like Wyoming, including its famous Devils Tower and Bighorn National Forest. For those unfamiliar with the area, the Ride with a Local program lets you join a group of motorcyclists on guided tours of the backroads and best places to visit in and around the Black Hills, taking place Aug. 6-12.
And if you’re looking for a mini-rally, ride 30 miles east of Sturgis to Black Hills Harley-Davidson in Rapid City, where you will find hundreds of motorcycle-related vendors, as well as the largest selection of new and pre-owned bikes in this region of the country.
As the sun sets, make sure to head to the Sturgis Buffalo Chip, located just east of the city off Highway 34, for more music and entertainment than you can shake a stick at, including headliners ZZ Top, Koe Wetzel, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Limp Bizkit, Styx, REO Speedwagon, Whiskey Myers, George Thorogood and the Destroyers, and Def Leppard.
Also this year, before the Def Leppard concert, catch the death-defying Death Wire Daredevil Spectacular, which will have Wall of Death daredevil Kyle Ives jumping a motorcycle over Blake The Flying Wallenda, who will be attempting one of the longest highwire walks of his career over the Sturgis Buffalo Chip amphitheater with no safety netting.
If you can’t find fun things to do at the Sturgis Rally, you’re not trying hard enough. We’ll be there with our boots on!
For more information, visit the Buffalo Chip website, the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally website, or American Rider‘s Sturgis page.
Event Highlights
Friday, Aug. 4
Opening Ceremonies and Parade – 3 p.m.
Harley-Davidson Rally Point, Sturgis
Time Montana – 8:30 p.m.
Sturgis Buffalo Chip
ZZ Top – 10:30 p.m.
Sturgis Buffalo Chip
Saturday, Aug. 5
Mayor’s Ride – 7 a.m. check-in
Community Center, Sturgis
School’s Out Chopper Show – 11 a.m. registration
Sturgis Buffalo Chip
Mayor’s Pub Crawl – 6 p.m. check-in
Harley-Davidson Rally Point, Sturgis
The Downboys – 7:05 p.m.
Sturgis Buffalo Chip
Steel Panther – 8:30 p.m.
Sturgis Buffalo Chip
Koe Wetzel – 10:30 p.m.
Sturgis Buffalo Chip
Sunday, Aug. 6
Medicine Wheel Ride – 8 a.m. registration
Bear Butte State Park, Sturgis
1st Sunday in Sturgis Motorcycle Show – 11 a.m.
Corner of 6th and Lazelle, Sturgis
Ted Z & The Wranglers – 7:05 p.m.
Sturgis Buffalo Chip
Tommy Howell – 8:30 p.m.
Sturgis Buffalo Chip
Lynyrd Skynyrd – 10:30 p.m.
Sturgis Buffalo Chip
Monday, Aug. 7
Legends Ride – 10:30 a.m.
Historic Franklin Hotel, Deadwood
Leilani Kilgore – 7:05 p.m.
Sturgis Buffalo Chip
Lita Ford – 8:30 p.m.
Sturgis Buffalo Chip
Limp Bizkit – 10:30 p.m.
Sturgis Buffalo Chip
Tuesday, Aug. 8
Biker Belles Morning Ride – 7:30 a.m.
The Lodge at Deadwood
Biker Belles Women’s Bike Show – 11 a.m. registration
Sturgis Buffalo Chip
Tattoo Contest – 5 p.m. registration
Harley-Davidson Rally Point, Sturgis
Tommy Howell – 7:00 p.m.
Sturgis Buffalo Chip
Styx – 8:30 p.m.
Sturgis Buffalo Chip
REO Speedwagon – 10:30 p.m.
Sturgis Buffalo Chip
Wednesday, Aug. 9
Rusty Wallace Charity Ride – 1 p.m. kickstands up
Spearfish City Park, Spearfish
Beard and Mustache Contest – 5 p.m. registration
Harley-Davidson Rally Point, Sturgis
Devon Worley Band – 7:05 p.m.
Sturgis Buffalo Chip
George Thorogood and the Destroyers – 8:30 p.m.
Sturgis Buffalo Chip
Whiskey Myers – 10:30 p.m.
Sturgis Buffalo Chip
Thursday, Aug. 10
Western Frontier Motorcycle Ride – 8 a.m.
Sturgis Buffalo Chip
Rat’s Hole Custom Bike Show – 10 a.m. registration
Sturgis Buffalo Chip
Death Wire Daredevil Spectacular – 5 p.m.
Sturgis Buffalo Chip
Pop Evil – 8 p.m.
Sturgis Buffalo Chip
Def Leppard – 10:30 p.m.
Sturgis Buffalo Chip
Friday, Aug. 11
Veteran Warrior Ride – 11:30 a.m. kickstands up
2130 Main St., Sturgis
Peach Street Revival – 7:05 p.m.
Sturgis Buffalo Chip
Puddle of Mudd – 8:30 p.m.
Sturgis Buffalo Chip
Buckcherry – 10:30 p.m.
Sturgis Buffalo Chip
Saturday, Aug. 12
Big Skillet – 7:05 p.m.
Sturgis Buffalo Chip
Petty and the Heartshakers – 8:30 p.m.
Sturgis Buffalo Chip
Back in Black – 10:30 p.m.
Sturgis Buffalo Chip
