Sturgis Expecting 250 Thousand Attendees for Rally
Let's see. 250 thousand people coming into Sturgis, South Dakota from all over the country. What could possibly go wrong? Actually, some are predicting possibly as many as a half million might show up to the rally August 7-16th.
Buffalo Chip Bar owner Rod Woodruff says “It's the biggest single event that's going on in the United States that didn't get canceled. A lot of people think it's going to be bigger than ever.”
Although South Dakota has had it fairly easy, as far as the pandemic, there has been an uptick in coronavirus cases as the virus is creeping more and more into the Midwest. I just don't see how they can possibly social distance and keep large crowds from gathering. I don't think hand washing stations are going to be enough.
Sturgis,is a town of about 7000 people. Many residents are not onboard with hosting the 80th annual event but under heavy pressure from local businesses, the rally will happen.
I'm not sure how the organizers go about predicting how many bikers will show up. Many in the past have come down from Canada for the rally but with Canada's current travel restrictions that may not be happening this year.
I can totally see the viewpoint of the businesses in and around Sturgis. The Sturgis rally is their big "payday". Not a whole lot going on the other 356 days of the year, so local businesses depend on this event to stay afloat. In past years, attendees of the rally have spent hundreds of millions of dollars. That's a big chunk of money for this community.
I wish them the best but I'm pretty sure there is going to be a significant number of new coronavirus cases by late August in South Dakota. And remember, these attendees are all going back to where they came from after the rally, possibly bringing the virus with them. Let's hope not.