Special Events for the 72nd Annual Sturgis® Motorcycle Rally
Sturgis Rally Department Announces Special Events for the 72nd Annual Sturgis® Motorcycle Rally August 6-12
Join us at the City of Riders Expo – Friday, August 3 – Saturday, August 11
The Sturgis City of Riders Expo Lot will be filled to the brim with vendors, after-market
parts suppliers, fabricators, artists, free music and educational seminars. Motorcycle
enthusiasts won’t want to miss the activities taking place at the Expo all week. The City of
Riders Expo is located on Lazelle between Fourth and Fifth Streets in downtown Sturgis.
The Expo consists of both indoor and outdoor vendor areas, the Activity Center in the
middle of the outdoor vendor lot and the Entertainment Corridor on the east side of the lot
at Kinship and Lazelle.
City of Riders Free Music Series – The City of Sturgis invites you to jump start your
evening with free music entertainment in the heart of Sturgis. Featuring free live music
Saturday – Monday at the City of Riders Entertainment Corridor. Music starts at 5:30 p.m.
nightly.
Saturday – Judge Jackson recently featured at the Laughlin River Run, this band
ROCKS. Playing hit after hit of classic rock…. If there is a soundtrack to your life,
this is it.
Sunday – Dirty Word is made up of five of the most talented musicians in the Midwest.
From funky soul to the hard core guitar of Journey and Led Zeppelin – you won’t find
a more versatile, energetic and passionate performing group than DW.
Monday – Northern Comfort started as an acoustic trio playing in the Twin Cities.
Known for performing a wide variety of genres and tailoring their performance to the
crowd. Northern Comfort takes pride in rockin’ three part harmonies and grooves that
make the dance floor rock!
Shooters Images Photographic Retrospective of the Sturgis Rally – Deb and Don Kates
are among the most talented and respected photographers in the motorcycle world. They are
both riders and regularly attend the Sturgis® motorcycle Rally. They have captured the
essence of this great event over a period of years. The City of Sturgis invites you to enjoy
this photographic retrospective of the Sturgis® Motorcycle Rally on Sunday, August 5, from
10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. at the City of Riders Activity Center.
SWOOP Productions Stunt Team – From day one, Swoop has been focused on the
extreme motorsports lifestyle. Regularly touring with choreographed shows that always
leave audiences wanting more! Show attendees are allowed the opportunity to be a “stunter”
and pop their own wheelies on the “Swoop wheelie machine”. Performing Sunday thru
Wednesday and Friday at 1:00, 3:00 and 5:00 daily. See them at the City of Riders
Entertainment Corridor.
10th Annual Mayor’s Ride – Monday, August 6. Join the Mayor, SD Governor and other
celebrity guests on a fully escorted VIP ride through the beautiful Black Hills of South
Dakota. This event raises funds for the Sturgis Volunteer Fire Department. For registration
information visit sturgismotorcyclerally.com or call the Rally Department at (605) 720-0800.
Scott Jacobs and David Uhl Art Show – The City of Sturgis is pleased to welcome two
internationally known and respected painters to the City of Riders Activity Center on
Monday, August 6 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. The public is invited to stop by and meet the
artists, view their work and enjoy wine tasting hosted by the Belle Joli Winery.
Military Appreciation Day – To show appreciation for our military, Tuesday, August 7 is
Military Appreciation Day at the Rally. The celebration will kick off with the arrival of the
Rolling Thunder Ride (Dakota Thunder Motorcycle Club) from Ellsworth Air Force Base at
2:00 p.m. A ceremony honoring a local WWII Veteran will take place at 2:15 p.m. in the
VIP tent at the City of Riders Expo Lot. At exactly 2:59 p.m. a minute of silence will be
observed on Main Street followed by a thundering B-1 fly over of Sturgis Main Street at 3:00
p.m.
The Dakota Thunder Motorcycle Club is comprised of active duty and retired military and
their spouses from the Black Hills area of South Dakota. The club focuses on safety while
riding in the hills and promotes camaraderie among riders in all clubs. This ride is open to
all members of the military. To find out more about how you can participate, visit
www.dakotathunder.com.
USO Stuffing Party and Craig Morgan concert – In honor of our Military, Jack Daniels
will be hosting a USO Stuffing Party at the City of Riders Expo as part of their “Toast to the
Troops” campaign. From 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. volunteers will be stuffing 10,000 care
packages for our military service men and women. As a special thank you, Nashville star
and veteran Craig Morgan will be giving a free concert at the City of Riders Entertainment
Corridor at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, August 6.
South Dakota Artisans Showcase – Hosted by Prairie Edge Trading Company out of Rapid
City. A variety of artists will showcase their work at the City of Riders Expo Activity Center
on Wednesday, August 8 from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.
First Annual Big Bagger Show – Eddie Trotta of Thunder Cycle Design and John Shope of
Sinister Industries will hold the first annual Big Bagger Show on Thursday, August 9 from
9:00 a.m. until 3:00 a.m. at the City of Riders Entertainment Corridor.
Industry Round Table – A View From The Inside –The roundtable will feature a
collection of industry leaders and VIP’s in an interesting and exciting format to discuss
current trends and topics impacting the V-Twin market. This event is open to the public and
will take place at the City of Riders Event Center on Thursday, August 9 at 2:00 p.m.
Also in Downtown Sturgis:
Sturgis Moto Fest – August 4 at the Sturgis Fairgrounds featuring Freestyle Motocross, Step
Up and Quadzilla events.
Featured Bike Builder of the Day – 10:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. daily, August 5 – 10.
Stop by and meet the featured bike builder – Paul Yaffi, Eddie Trotta, John Shope and more.
A different builder will be featured each day. Main Street in front of the Sturgis Motorcycle
Museum.
Historic Jackpine Gypsies Half Mile Race – Racing fans won’t want to miss the best flat track racing available during the 2012 Rally. The historic half mile race will be at high noon on Wednesday, August 8 at the Sturgis Fairgrounds.
Sturgis MotoShow – Free entertainment for the entire family. Jason Britton and Team No
Limit along with Cowboy Kenny Bartram’s Steel Rodeo Freestyle Show will perform each
day from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Sunday thru Thursday on the 900 block of Main Street
(east off Junction). Sponsored by Dirt Promotions, the City of Sturgis, Monster Energy
Drink and area businesses.
Summer In America With The History Channel – To celebrate summer in America,
HISTORY has planned a cross-country cookout with the ultimate smoker and grill on
wheels. To help celebrate their tour and to showcase their new original series and top shows,
HISTORY will spend some time grillin’ and chillin’ with Rally fans in Sturgis. Fun is in the
forecast and you never know who will stop by to help celebrate. Don’t miss this opportunity
to stop by and visit with our friends from the HISTORY Channel. Located on the Sturgis
Liquor Lot – First and Lazelle.
Questions and comments regarding these events can be directed to the Sturgis Rally
Department at (605) 720-0800. For more Rally information, visit the official Sturgis
Motorcycle Rally website at www.sturgismotorcyclerally.com.