Resources : Sturgis Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau

Sturgis Tourism Corner – April 2026

Author: Veronica Grosek, Executive Director
Sturgis Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau
April 13th, 2026

Tourism is already picking up across Sturgis and the Northern Black Hills with the early onset of warm temperatures. Here are just a few quick updates on our local tourism industry from the Sturgis Visitors Bureau:

Seasonal Openings

Old Fort Meade Museum – Opening day is already announced for May 16th. This year’s season will run 5/16 to 9/30, from 10am to 5pm Mondays through Saturdays.
Sturgis Motorcycle Museum – Hours will be extended to 9AM – 5PM daily starting Memorial Day through Labor Day. Current off-season hours are 10AM-4PM Tuesday through Saturday from Labor Day to Memorial Day.
Sturgis Car Museum / Saab Heritage Museum – Opening is tentatively scheduled for late April, TBA. They are actively seeking summer 2026 seasonal work-campers.
Bear Butte State Park – Open year-round, with trails and access improving through late spring.
Bear Butte State Park Education Center - Opening for the season on May 4th until October 1st. Open 8AM-6PM every day.
Sturgis Trail System & 7th Cavalry Trail System – Open year-round for non-motorized recreation. Please be mindful of responsible trail recreation this time of year, and avoid tearing up damp trails.

Do you have a seasonal tourism opening date for the Sturgis area to share? Send it over to us, give us a call at the Sturgis Welcome Center, or stop by our office at 2040 Junction Avenue.

Key Sturgis Tourism-Focused Event Dates

A few big event dates are already announced for the 2026 tourism season. Be sure to contact our team and submit your events to the community calendar at AllSturgisEvents.com:

6/5: BATTLEFRONT Battle of the Bands Pre-Party - 9 venues will feature 9 bands across Sturgis from 5pm to 10pm! Free shuttle, no cover!
6/6: Sturgis Art Festival & Battle of the Bands – This event kicks of tourism season with over 80 art, craft, and food vendors downtown and a full day of bands from across the nation. Competitors have traveled from as far as Texas, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Wisconsin in recent years.
6/10 - 9/2: Music on Main Series – Our signature summer series kicks off on June 10th, bringing live music, MTB races, and vendors back to downtown early in the season.
7/4: Sturgis Independence Day Fireworks - Our local fireworks show is scheduled for dusk on Saturday, July 4th at the Sturgis Fairgrounds. Be sure to check with City Hall regarding residential fireworks ordinances.
6/26 – 6/27: Black Hills 100 Ultra Marathon – 500+ trail runners from the U.S. and beyond are challenged to complete 100-mile, 50-mile, 50-kilometer, or 30-kilometer races starting at the Sturgis City Park.
6/29 – 7/5: Jeep Freedom Rally – Buffalo Chip is partnering with Jeep to host the first ever Jeep Freedom Rally June 29th through July 5th. This event will draw Jeep enthusiasts from across the nation and visitors to Sturgis. Learn more at JeepFreedomBuffaloChip.com.
8/7 – 8/16: Sturgis Motorcycle Rally (86th Annual) – August 7–16, 2026, as always, will be our biggest draw of the year. This event always officially kicks off on the first Friday in August, so the dates may feel a little later than usual based on this calendar year.
9/1 – 9/6: Sturgis Mustang Rally – The Mustang Rally celebrates its 20th anniversary at this year’s event! Includes a Main Street Show ‘n’ Shine, competitions, rides, an awards banquet, and more.
9/23 – 9/27: Sturgis Bronco Rally – This event is entering its 4th year gathering Bronco owners from near and far to Sturgis Buffalo Chip in early fall 2026.
10/10: Sturgis Fall Festival – Celebrate our “Vegetable of the Year,” the potato! Fall vendors, family activities, and music 2PM to 6PM October 10th.

Publication & Regional Promotion

The Sturgis Chamber’s latest edition of “57785” Magazine is on its way to shelves across Sturgis and the Black Hills. This magazine focuses on year-round promotion of Sturgis businesses, community, and tourism. Visit the Sturgis Welcome Center anytime to grab a copy.

The Sturgis Motorcycle Museum has wrapped up production of their 2026 Official Sturgis Rally Magazine. Expect to see copies early this summer, with articles highlighting the museum, the motorcycle industry, and the Sturgis Rally experience.

The Sturgis Chamber will be expanding our "Rally Essentials" printed guides, as well as the comprehensive digital vendor map and event lists for the 86th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally! If you are a rally venue or business hosting a rally-focused event/vendors, please send that information to our office for free inclusion. You can see last year's information here.

America 250 Tourism Campaign

With the America 250 campaign kicking off across the nation, we’ll be seeing more and more patriotic celebrations in our area. If your business is celebrating the Semiquincentennial, please share those activities with the Sturgis Chamber & Visitors Bureau. We will compile all of our community initiatives into a patriotic America 250 event poster. Don’t forget to also submit them to AllSturgisEvents.com!

As summer approaches, the City of Sturgis, Downtown Sturgis Foundation, Chamber of Commerce, and Sturgis Motorcycle Rally will unveil a special community America 250 campaign of our own!

View information about the South Dakota America 250 campaign here. View information about the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission’s national America 250 campaign here.

Community Tourism Readiness

Remember, now is the time for our local tourism industry businesses to prepare for seasonal visitors. Here are a few areas to check:

Make sure your property is clean, fresh, and looking its best.
Make sure your staff are trained and prepared for increased visitor traffic.
Educate your staff on where to eat, play, and stay in Sturgis. Help keep our visitors in our community to drive tourism revenue that benefits all. If you need help with this, send your staff over to the Sturgis Welcome Center and we are happy to give some pointers!
Consider partnering with other local businesses to offer piggy-back promotions, such as “5% off when you show a local dining receipt,” or “show this coupon at XYZ business for a free gift item,” etc. Some of our downtown businesses already do a great job with this!
Send visitors to the Sturgis Welcome Center for additional information. We have a wide range of maps, brochures, magazines, and other materials to benefit tourists.

Let’s team up for a great 2026 peak season!

Sincerely,