STURGIS — It will be a noisy weekend on Golden Triangle highways.
The Rally is roaring back into Sturgis this weekend. Events begin this afternoon, when motorcycle riders will roll through Starkville from Highway 12 West to Highway 182 East beginning at approximately 4:20 p.m.
Donny Hanson, chairman of The Rally Board, told The Dispatch there were 115 riders preregistered for the event. But Hanson added The Rally gets most of its riders from at the door registration. Last year, The Rally had around the same number of riders pre-registered and more than 1,800 people registered on site, Hanson said.
He said the event typically brings 15,000 to 20,000 people to Sturgis’ streets.
There are about 30 vendors signed up to participate in The Rally this year. Hanson said this is an increase from around 20 vendors in 2014.
“We’re still expecting a few more vendors to come in,” Hanson said.
Hanson, 61, lives in Starkville and has worked with The Rally since 1998. This year, he is leading The Rally Board, a non-profit organization that organizes the event. He said the town of Sturgis and The Rally have a good relationship. The Rally is not required to get any special permits to operate.
“It’s basically an understood relationship between the town and The Rally Board,” Hanson said. “We kind of split the expenses between the town and the Rally Board.”
Each rider who comes to Sturgis pays $20 to participate in rally events. Hanson said 30 percent of their profits are given to the town of Sturgis; 30 percent go to a charity, this year the Palmer Home for Children; and 40 percent go toward putting on the event next year.
The Rally will feature live music today and Saturday nights.
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