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Thousands flock to Sturgis for annual motorcycle rally |
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Sunday, 16 August 2009 |
 Brian Hawkins/SDN Main Street in Sturgis was lined with motorcycles of every size, shape and color as far as the eye could see during the Sturgis South All-Bike Motorcycle Rally on Saturday. By BRIAN HAWKINS
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STURGIS — Every August for 13 years now, the population of this small west Oktibbeha County town increases from around 200 to anywhere from 20,000 to 30,000 people.
But that’s the way the people of Sturgis like it as they work all year preparing for the third weekend in August and the Sturgis South All-Bike Motorcycle Rally.
While formal registrations were down this year — most likely due to the current national economic downturn — there was little doubt that thousands of people were enjoying this year’s Rally festivities on Saturday.
“We only had about 850 people pre-register for the Rally this year when we’ve had as many as 1,700 or 1,800 in the past,” said Tony Jackson, who co-chairs the Rally registration with Carolyn Oswalt. “But from what we’ve heard, other events are also seeing lower turnouts. We’ve had vendors tell us that the big blowout in Gulfport was one-fourth of what it had been in the past. We’re just glad folks keep coming here.”
And come they have. Oswalt noted Friday night that many Rally-goers arrived early in the week to stake out their campsites at Diane Jackson City Park, and Sturgis businesses have also enjoyed a boost this week as they do every year, said Mayor Walter Turner, who was keeping busy Saturday helping to facilitate Rally events.
“We all do our part to help make the Rally happen,” Turner said. “We just appreciate the fact that people support our town.”
Motorcycles of every shape, size and decor could be seen lining Main Street (Highway 12) through Sturgis on Saturday, and vendors offering every kind of food imaginable, T-shirts, souvenirs, tattoos and leather goods were enjoying steady traffic.
But for the bikers attending the Rally — who came from as far away as California and Pennsylvania — it’s the friendly atmosphere that makes coming to Sturgis so much fun.
Good friends Charlie Ray and Elbert Baldwin from Oakland, Miss., both agreed the Rally, which has attracted national entertainers the past several years, continues to get better and better.
“This is the fourth time we’ve come up,” said Ray as he enjoyed the cover of a shade tree near the main Rally registration tent on Main Street. “We meet a lot of good people every year, and there’s plenty of good food to eat and a lot of great bikes to see.”
Baldwin said he is constantly amazed at the new bike designs he sees at the Rally.
“You get a lot of ideas for bike designs. You see a good variety here, no doubt about it,” Baldwin said. “It gets better and better every year.”
In addition to various rides and concert performances, many competitions are held during the Rally, including a Bike Show, Dice Run, Burnout Contest and the Biker Games. Prizes are given in a variety of categories for the various competitions.
Rally activities conclude at 9 a.m. today with the annual Blessing of the Bikes ceremony.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 17 August 2009 )
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