South Dakota Hosts 250,000-Person Motorcycle Rally Amid Coronavirus Concerns

Sturgis, South Dakota, began hosting one of the biggest motorcycle rallies in the world on Saturday, the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. The organizers say 250,000 people from all over the country will participate in the 10-day event.

In a normal year, however, the number of attendees is usually double. The event typically results in a number of police charges each year.

The event is expected to bring a huge boost to this small city in South Dakota. Last year, the event single-handedly brought $1.3 million in revenue. However, residents are worried about the event due to coronavirus concerns. 

“We cannot stop people from coming,” Mayor Mark Carstensen told CNN, “We want to stress personal responsibility to our visitors and our residents.” 

Meanwhile, a survey from the Sturgis residents has it that more than 60 percent of them wanted the motorcycle event delayed.