Bikers rolling in to Sturgis for rally Walter Albright traveled from his home in Daytona Beach, Fla., to set up his booth for the annual bike rally in Sturgis. He and his son, Andrew Albright, will be selling their hand-painted motorcycle helmets, along with other vendors, at the event this weekend. / Holly Rutledge/Special to The Dispatch
STURGIS -- The town of Sturgis is bracing for an influx of bikers this weekend as the 13th edition of the Sturgis South Motorcycle Rally kicks off in southwestern Oktibbeha County.
Events begin Thursday night with a pre-rally party and concert in City Park. Patrons will have the chance to sing karaoke from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., then the band Suicide Shift will take the stage. Admission is free.
The rally officially begins Friday at 8 a.m., though the first major event will take place Friday afternoon, when riders will line up in formation and head toward Starkville on the annual dinner ride. The group is scheduled to leave Sturgis at 4 p.m. and arrive in Starkville around 4:30 p.m. Riders will head through town on Highway 12, then get on Highway 182 and travel to Village Cycle in Clayton Village, where they will stop and eat.
While several hundred bikers typically embark on the dinner ride, back in Sturgis organizers will be preparing for live music once again in City Park. Nash Street is scheduled to take the stage at 8:30 p.m., followed by A Band Called Pearl at 10:30 p.m.
The bulk of rally activities will take place Saturday. Riders will have a chance to participate in everything from burnout contests to bike shows and other activities.
Live music Saturday will kick off with Confederate Railroad at 6 p.m., Little Texas at 8:30 p.m. and Tracy Byrd at 10:30 p.m., all of whom will play in City Park.
Events will conclude Sunday with the "blessing of the bikes" at 9 a.m.
President of the rally board, Donnie Hanson, said 200 to 250 campers have been set up already, and probably 50 or so people have been camping in town all week.
The rally typically draws about 20,000 to 25,000 people over the three-day weekend and organizers are expecting similar numbers this year. More than 100 vendors are expected to line Main Street.
"Things are coming together," Hanson said. "Things are looking good."
Sturgis Mayor Walter Turner said he is looking forward to the weekend event.
"We always look forward to it," Turner said. "It's a big boost and benefit to the town of Sturgis."
A portion of rally proceeds will go to the town of Sturgis, Hanson said. Rally organizers also will donate a portion to the Red Cross of Oktibbeha County and the Catch a Dream Foundation.
"That's the biggest reason for the rally," Hanson said, "to help charities."
Hanson encourages anyone who's interested to come out and enjoy the festivities. The Sturgis rally isn't like a typical motorcycle rally, he said, where people might encounter fights, public drunkenness and nudity.
"We pride ourselves in putting on a family oriented event," Hanson said. "We encourage people to bring their families out here. Yes, we have bikers out here. Yes, we'll have a little bit of drinking going on, but you'll find that at football games too. We have security out here to protect people and keep everything family oriented."
