Thousands Gather At Sturgis Motorcycle Rally Despite Pandemic

Despite the pandemic and coronavirus, thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts have descended on Sturgis, South Dakota for the 80th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

CNN reports that the city, which is home to fewer than 7,000 residents, sent a survey to all households asking if they wanted the rally to proceed on its scheduled date. A little more than 60% of people in the city voted against holding the event this week. But the city council approved it anyway.

Daniel Ainslie, the city manager, told CNN Sunday, "There are people throughout America who have been locked up for months and months. So we kept hearing from people saying it doesn't matter, they are coming to Sturgis. So with that, ultimately the council decided that it was really vital for the community to be prepared for the additional people that we're going to end up having."

The massive event usually brings in crowds of about 500,000 over 10 days of drag races, contests and concerts. On its 75th anniversary, nearly three-quarters of a million people showed.

Some experts fear the event -- and the after-hours gatherings in restaurants and bars that have no legally enforced capacity limits -- could lead to a spread of coronavirus not just in the South Dakota community but other parts of the country as tourists return home.