When Clarence "Pappy" Hoel purchased an Indian Motorcycle franchise in the depths of the Great Depression, he had no idea that he was about to begin the most famous motorcycle gathering in the world. It all began in 1938, when Pappy, his wife, Pearl, and his newly founded Jackpine Gypsies Motorcycle Club decided to host a race in Sturgis. Nine participants and a mere 200 spectators attended. Today the City of Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is one of, if not 'the' largest gatherings of motorcycle enthusiasts in the world. The Rally occurs every August in the Black Hills of South Dakota, home to Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse National Memorial and Devil's Tower Monument to name a few of the area's most recognized 'icons'. The 2022 City of Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, August 5th - 14th, celebrates the 81st Anniversary of the event that has become known to motorcycle enthusiasts throughout the world as the "Granddaddy of 'em all". Attendance for the 2015 Cityof Sturgis Motorcycle Rally was estimated at 739,000 with participants from all 50 states as well as Canada and dozens of other international communities including Japan, Australia, Germany, England, etc. From South Dakota’s Governor, to entertainment and sports superstars, to motorcycle industry legends, you’re likely to find them all strolling Main Street and enjoying the sights and sounds that are "Sturgis"! City of Sturgis Social Media ‘Public Comment’ Policy
The purpose of this site, as well as other social media sites used by the City of Sturgis, is to present matters of public interest to residents, businesses, and visitors. While these sites are intended to help get topical and timely information out to a wider audience, the information on these sites may become outdated or may be incomplete due to the limited function of these sites. In many cases, links are provided from these sites to pages on our official website Sturgis-sd.gov that may contain further details. We encourage viewers to submit questions, comments, and concerns, but please note that all City social media sites are moderated and these sites are not considered a public forum. The City of Sturgis reserves the right to block and or delete comments that are deemed inappropriate. The following are some examples of inappropriate comments. This list is for illustrative purposes only and is not an exclusive list. Use of vulgar, threatening, or abusive language
Personal attacks of any kind toward another individual or group
Offensive comments that target or disparage any ethnic, racial, age, religious group, gender, sexual orientation, or disability status
Use of a sexually explicit, vulgar, or otherwise offensive icon or “avatar” to represent themselves
Spam or include links to other sites
Comments that are off-topic and not related to the informational item
Advocates illegal activity
Advocates for or against those involved in election campaigning
Promotes particular products and or services
Uses personally identifiable medical information
Additionally, some social media sites will provide random or targeted advertisements on these pages which are not produced, nor controlled by the City of Sturgis. The products, services, and content of these advertisements is not determined by, nor endorsed by the City of Sturgis. Please note that the comments expressed on this site do not reflect the opinions and position of the City of Sturgis or its administration and employees. If you have any questions concerning the operation of this site, please contact the Public Information Officer at 605-347-4422 ext. 209. Any employee, official, volunteer, or member of the public is expressly prohibited from using the City’s logo, font, emblems, badges, insignia, or position except in the course of fulfilling their express obligations to the City of Sturgis. Any unauthorized use of such items is strictly prohibited.
