# Aftermath of the Sturgis SD Motorcycle Rally **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [September 2, 2020, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermath-of-the-sturgis-sd-motorcycle-rally/919616 "2020-09-02T17:06:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2020, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermath-of-the-sturgis-sd-motorcycle-rally/919616/141 "2020-09-09T21:08:29Z")
> [@Kron](#): > > There are miscellaneous events tied to the Sturgis Rally, but the Rally proper takes place on the streets of Sturgis. The vending, the bike shows, the Sturgis EXPERIENCE is downtown. The entire city becomes just a sea of chrome and black leather. Things trickle out from there to the other random locations, but everything centers around Sturgis. You take that whole central experience out of the picture, and again, there is NOTHING tying it all together. If the city revoked permits for outside vendors, where would the attendees eat? Is there enough restaurant space in Sturgis for everyone? Or would the attendees cram into the indoor seating areas making things worse? This is information useful in considering **Joey\_P** ’s position. I am definitely not saying you advocated closing them down. ---
**Author:** ![Kron](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kron/32/12444_2.png) [@Kron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kron)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2020, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermath-of-the-sturgis-sd-motorcycle-rally/919616/142 "2020-09-09T21:25:03Z")
Well, I WOULD advocate having cancelled the rally, myself. But to answer your question, not a chance on Sturgis having enough room to feed everybody! Rapid City (about 30 miles east) is the largest city in western South Dakota, and they could potentially take a lot of the overflow (they do normally, even during the rally there isn’t really enough room to feed everybody in Sturgis even with the pop-up vendor eateries). I mean, it’s not even a town of 8000 people- there are a few fast food places (McDonald’s, Burger King, Subway), a tiny Chinese place, a couple of small cafes, and then the biker-centric places that staff up for the Rally. I can somewhat sympathize with the monied interests in the region- cancelling the rally is a bitter pill to swallow, because they have invested in these properties and licenses and whatnot to recoup their investments during that couple of weeks, and they will get NOTHING for the rest of the year, because as I said earlier, Sturgis really is a soulless husk of a town the rest of the year… almost literally, any more. So many investors from out of the area have bought properties that just sit vacant to open only during the rally that it does feel emptier now than it did even when I was a kid. ---
**Author:** ![DMC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dmc/32/18049_2.png) [@DMC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMC)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2020, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermath-of-the-sturgis-sd-motorcycle-rally/919616/143 "2020-09-09T22:43:41Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > If the city revoked permits for outside vendors, where would the attendees eat? Is there enough restaurant space in Sturgis for everyone? Or would the attendees cram into the indoor seating areas making things worse? You could spend the entire 2 weeks at the [Buffalo Chip](https://www.buffalochip.com/) or any of the other campgrounds and not run out of [concerts to see](https://www.buffalochip.com/BANDS), [food to eat](https://www.buffalochip.com/VENDORS#Food-Vendors), [liquor](https://www.buffalochip.com/RESERVATIONS/Food-Beverage/Rats-Hole-Bar) [to](https://www.buffalochip.com/BANDS/Stages/Club-Chip) [drink](https://buffalochipsaloon.com/), or [motorcycle events](https://www.buffalochip.com/EVENTS) to participate in. All that, and you’d never once be within a mile of the Sturgis city limits. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2020, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermath-of-the-sturgis-sd-motorcycle-rally/919616/144 "2020-09-10T07:28:32Z")
I was going to make a comparison to Rennaissnce fairs. The Houston Renaissance Festival, which I assume is typical, is open all day, but the fairgrounds close at sunset. While many guests come for the day and then go home when the park closes, a large number of visitors choose to stay over on the park campgrounds, which is essentially a large open area for extra parking and space for trailers and tents. This is an area with no real amenities except for they bring in a bunch of port-a-potties. The _reason_ for the camping is the festival, and people aren’t camping there the rest of the year when the park is closed. However, you have a large assembly of people with at least one common interest hanging out from dusk until they feel like going to bed for the night, which for most people is not for a few hours. So, like any big group of people congregating for fun, they party. They wander around and socialize. They hang out and drink. They throw a big bonfire and gather around for a drumming circle to dance to. None of this is official entertainment, there is no admission fee, there is no schedule of activities. It’s just people having out together like people do. I would expect that any area catering to camping for the visitors would at a minimum be like that. From the links provided, it looks like some have upped the ante to provide a bigger draw to their campground and make money on the venture. “Why go all the way into Sturgis, there’s plenty to do right here.” Now none of this would be happening of not fit the Sturgis rally. However, if people have already made plans and arranged being off work and places to stay, and they are used to doing this big event and have their hearts set on it, then if they are suddenly told, “Sorry, we’re canceled,” I would expect a lot of them to say, “Screw it, I’m going anyway. I don’t have to go into Sturgis to have a good time.” Especially this crowd, who pride themselves on their independence and are already half protesting the pandemic. And then maybe they start talking, and decide that if Sturgis is going to be so mean to them, maybe next year’s rally should be held somewhere else. I mean, what’s in Sturgis that’s the big draw? How did the really get started? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermath-of-the-sturgis-sd-motorcycle-rally/919616/145 "2020-09-11T04:54:55Z")
Well, close the restaurants for a couple days. safer for them anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermath-of-the-sturgis-sd-motorcycle-rally/919616/146 "2020-09-11T05:08:28Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > I was going to make a comparison to Rennaissnce fairs. I’m not sure I understand the comparison. How is a bunch of people gathering outside and camping outside in, I assume, tents occupied with members of their household (or people they otherwise spend a lot of time with) the same as a bunch of people riding motorcycles around, and hanging out in bars and occupying the same hotels? Besides, any comparison to any other city that had a large gathering just sounds, to me, like a 'if they jumped off a bridge, would you" question. ---
**Author:** ![Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/do_not_taunt/32/2968_2.png) [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Do_Not_Taunt)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermath-of-the-sturgis-sd-motorcycle-rally/919616/147 "2020-09-11T15:53:47Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > Fair enough. I was planning on sitting down and reading the original study for myself tonight anyway, and now I have more motive to do that. Did you ever get around to this? [Slate](https://slate.com/technology/2020/09/sturgis-rally-covid19-explosion-paper.html) has a better critique of the study than what was quoted from Reason above. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermath-of-the-sturgis-sd-motorcycle-rally/919616/148 "2020-09-11T20:42:23Z")
The comparison was with regards to there being plenty of activities outside of Sturgis proper to keep people occupied and socially interacting. And while Ren Faire camping does involve people in tents or campers with their close ones, there is a lot of social activity beyond the people you drove in with. For starters, groups of friends make group camps. Then there are the folks wandering from camp to camp socializing, drinking, etc. Supposedly some people even hook up. I am **not** trying to day in any way ren fairs are the equivalent to the Sturgis rally. Only that even if Sturgis proper had decided to close to visitors, the people who choose to attend would have had plenty of opportunity to make it a superspreader event. Knowing now that there are formalized activities out at campgrounds just makes it stronger. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermath-of-the-sturgis-sd-motorcycle-rally/919616/149 "2020-09-11T23:42:52Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > Supposedly some people even hook up. Having worked at a Ren Faire for a number of years, and having spent many overnights staying on-site, I can assure you that there is no “supposedly” about it. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2020, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermath-of-the-sturgis-sd-motorcycle-rally/919616/150 "2020-09-11T23:53:38Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > I am **not** trying to day in any way ren fairs are the equivalent to the Sturgis rally. What Ren Faires are happening this year? The one I go to every year in New York was cancelled as were several others in New York. Also cancelled: Maryland, Georgia, Arizona, Massachusetts (King Richard’s), Ohio, Minnesota, Kansas City, Santa Fe, Michigan, Oregon, Conniticut, Fort Bragg, several in CA… ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2020, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermath-of-the-sturgis-sd-motorcycle-rally/919616/151 "2020-09-12T00:54:52Z")
I don’t know that any are - another way they are _not_ like Sturgis. All I was doing was pointing out that if you stick a bunch of humans together for a common interest, they tend to intermingle. There’s no requirement for there to be an official list of events - just some reason to inspire them to be all in the same place at the same time. Even a canceled reason if they want to protest the cancelation. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2020, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermath-of-the-sturgis-sd-motorcycle-rally/919616/152 "2020-09-12T04:58:31Z")
Something that I think should be pointed out is that having a Ren Fair isn’t a a justification for Strugis (or the other way around). It only serves to make things worse. It’s a two wrongs don’t make a right type situation. If you knew of gym or library that wasn’t requiring masks, them saying 'well, [other gym/library] doesn’t require them either. Exposing twice as many people doesn’t make it right. As I keep saying (online and IRL) the more people give the middle finger to those saying they should wear masks, the longer this is going to drag out. If we want this to be over sooner rather than later, everyone, even anti-maskers, are going to have to suck it up and deal with wearing a mask for a month or two until we can get over the hump ---
**Author:** ![MissTake](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misstake/32/3189_2.png) [@MissTake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissTake)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2020, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermath-of-the-sturgis-sd-motorcycle-rally/919616/153 "2020-09-12T13:22:39Z")
Iowa’s RenFest is currently happening with a relatively low amount of [safety policies](http://www.sleepyhollowrenfaire.com/policies/). ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2020, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermath-of-the-sturgis-sd-motorcycle-rally/919616/154 "2020-09-12T20:42:32Z")
> [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](#): > > Did you ever get around to this? [Slate](https://slate.com/technology/2020/09/sturgis-rally-covid19-explosion-paper.html) has a better critique of the study than what was quoted from Reason above. That Slate piece is interesting. No, I still haven’t gotten around to reading the report. It’s Week 2 of the semester, I’m teaching four college classes online, and it’s kicking my butt right now. Didn’t have time yet to sit down and read a 60+ page report to win an argument on the internet. 😃 My news feed, however, did contain this article, suggesting that folks at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health are also somewhat critical of the study. > **[Johns Hopkins researchers question controversial study linking Sturgis rally...](https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/sturgis-motorcycle-rally-superspreader-johns-hopkins-research-doubt/)** > > Public health experts cast doubt on whether August gathering of motorcycle enthusiasts led to 267,000 infections. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2020, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermath-of-the-sturgis-sd-motorcycle-rally/919616/155 "2020-09-14T02:56:40Z")
I notice no mask requirements. Still, that faire is spread out and will only host a few hundred or so, maybe 1000. Nearly 400K attended Sturgis. There is no comparison. ---
**Author:** ![MissTake](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misstake/32/3189_2.png) [@MissTake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissTake)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2020, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermath-of-the-sturgis-sd-motorcycle-rally/919616/156 "2020-09-14T03:04:36Z")
I grasp the difference, thank you. It has been questioned above that many RenFests has been canceled, and I replied with one that was open, in a state where the reported cases almost doubled in the past week, and very few safety precautions in place. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2020, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermath-of-the-sturgis-sd-motorcycle-rally/919616/157 "2020-09-14T13:25:39Z")
It’s now been about as long since the Laconia Bike Week events in New Hampshire as it was between the Sturgis rally and the start of an uptick in coronavirus cases. As I remarked in the OP, it will be interesting to se if there’s a rise i n cases because of this event. The Laconia Bike Week was postponed this year because of COVID, but it was still held, on Labor Day week this year (August 22 - August 30, 2020 ). The crowd was smaller than usual, and there apparently was mask-wearing. > **[Vroom Town: Scaled-down Laconia Motorcycle Week still drawing a crowd in N.H.](https://www.boston.com/news/events/2020/08/23/vroom-town-scaled-down-laconia-motorcycle-week-still-drawing-a-crowd-in-n-h/)** > > Postponed from its traditional June dates because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 97th annual Laconia Motorcycle Week rolled into town a little later than usual. But as it got underway \[…\] I can’t find attendance figures, but it was estimated at 20% to 30% of its normal size, which would put it in the ballpark of 90,000 attendees over the week. > **[Bike Week 'Going Off the Way We Want,' Sununu Says - InDepthNH.org](https://patch.com/new-hampshire/concord-nh/laconia-bike-week-going-way-we-want-governor-says)** > > Saying it is 20 to 30 percent of its normal size, Gov. Chris Sununu said Bike Week is what he had hoped for and noted that restaurants and bars have responded well to COVID-19 precautions to keep people safe. There does appear to be a slight rise in the New Hampshire New Coronavirus Cases, to about 53. > **[Have we flattened the curve in the US? - Johns Hopkins](https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/data/new-cases-50-states/new-hampshire)** > > Daily Confirmed Case Trends (7-Day Moving Average) in the US Maine seems to have a similar rise > **[Have we flattened the curve in the US? - Johns Hopkins](https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/data/new-cases-50-states/maine)** > > Daily Confirmed Case Trends (7-Day Moving Average) in the US Massachusetts is hard to tell, with that negative glitsch > **[Have we flattened the curve in the US? - Johns Hopkins](https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/data/new-cases-50-states/massachusetts)** > > Daily Confirmed Case Trends (7-Day Moving Average) in the US Vermont, Connecticut, and Rhode Island don’t seem to have any increases. They banned beer tents and outside vendors at Weirs beach (the epicenter of Bike Week), and this story shows booths sheathed in plastic (although the people aren’t wearing masks, I notice) > **[Motorcycle Week called OK ‘all things considered'](https://www.laconiadailysun.com/news/local/motorcycle-week-called-ok-all-things-considered/article_0fb99aee-ebc6-11ea-b20d-f326b7f24785.html)** > > LACONIA — When Laconia Motorcycle Week promoter Charlie St. Clair and City Manager Scott Myers were asked to give their assessment of the just-completed event, they began their remarks with Restaurants limited their capacity to less than half of normal Bike Week attendance. With not much to do, bikers toured the state (actually, they always do that. But this time they apparently spent less time congregating). ---
**Author:** ![Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/do_not_taunt/32/2968_2.png) [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Do_Not_Taunt)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2020, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermath-of-the-sturgis-sd-motorcycle-rally/919616/158 "2020-09-14T15:39:21Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > No, I still haven’t gotten around to reading the report. It’s Week 2 of the semester, I’m teaching four college classes online, and it’s kicking my butt right now. Didn’t have time yet to sit down and read a 60+ page report to win an argument on the internet. I’m certainly not giving a hard time one way or the other. I was curious about your thoughts having read the study, given that I haven’t read it either. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2020, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermath-of-the-sturgis-sd-motorcycle-rally/919616/159 "2020-09-21T18:52:50Z")
Dear Og, they’re at it again: > [@](#): > > **South Dakota To Hold Potential Superspreader Event Co-Sponsored By Health Care Firm** > > In the wake of an August superspreader event that may have led to [more than 250,000 cases](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/sturgis-south-dakota-covid-cases-noem_n_5f595e0ec5b6b48507fb7407) of [COVID-19](https://www.huffpost.com/feature/coronavirus), South Dakota is holding yet another potential superspreader event next month ― and this one is co-sponsored by a nonprofit health care company. > > Sanford Health, based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, is presenting the inaugural Governor Noem’s Sportsmen’s Showcase and Concert, which a [state government press release](https://news.sd.gov/newsitem.aspx?id=27111) describes as an indoor “family-friendly trade show specializing in all things outdoors, including hunting, fishing, recreation and more.” > > The trade show, to be held at the Sioux Falls Convention Center & Arena at the end of October, could bring together nearly 100 exhibitors. There will also be a concert by country singer Chris Young, which is specifically [sponsored by Sanford Health.](https://southdakotashowcase.com/concert/concert-2/) > > “This event is all about showcasing everything our great state has to offer to help drive continued economic growth,” said Paul Hanson, president and CEO of Sanford Health, Sioux Falls region, in the press release. “We’re honored to play a role in supporting this longstanding South Dakota tradition.” > Nowhere on [the site for the Sportsmen’s Showcase and concert](https://southdakotashowcase.com/) does it indicate that there is a pandemic going on or that provisions have been put in place for attendees to protect themselves. The concert is expected to draw about 5,000 people, per [The Daily Beast.](https://www.thedailybeast.com/chris-young-show-south-dakotas-next-potential-coronavirus-superspreader-event-sponsored-by-sanford-health?ref=home&via=twitter_page) > > The move is particularly odd for Young, who previously [canceled a string of tour dates](https://tasteofcountry.com/chris-young-2020-tour-dates-canceled-coronavirus/) this summer because of the pandemic. It’s unclear why he chose to go forward with this particular concert. > > … > > … > > … > > Noem’s communications director, Ian Fury, told HuffPost that the aforementioned working paper was “fake news” and “built on faulty assumptions and has been called into question by numerous data scientists.” > > … > > When pressed on what coronavirus prevention measures would be implemented at the trade show and concert, Fury did not respond. > **[South Dakota To Hold Potential Superspreader Event Co-Sponsored By Health...](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/south-dakota-sanford-health-superspreader-event_n_5f68bbe6c5b6480e89729b7e)** > > Gov. Kristi Noem's Sportsmen's Showcase is on despite the massive motorcycle rally last month that may be linked to thousands of COVID-19 cases. South Dakota followed up the Sturgis rally with a State Fair. Attendance was apparently down (it usually gets 200,000 or so), but I don’t know by how much. > **[South Dakota State Fair wrapping up Monday](https://www.keloland.com/news/local-news/south-dakota-state-fair-wrapping-up-monday/)** > > HURON, S.D. (KELO) — The South Dakota State Fair is wrapping up on a chilly Labor Day. > **[The show goes on at the South Dakota State Fair | Farm Progress](https://www.farmprogress.com/farm-life/the-show-goes-on-at-the-south-dakota-state-fair)** > > Slideshow: South Dakota was one of the few states to move forward with an in-person state fair this year. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2020, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermath-of-the-sturgis-sd-motorcycle-rally/919616/160 "2020-09-21T18:59:10Z")
The more things change… > **[Philadelphia didn't cancel a parade during a 1918 pandemic. The results were...](https://www.cnn.com/2020/03/15/us/philadelphia-1918-spanish-flu-trnd/index.html)** > > The spread of the novel coronavirus has resulted in events being postponed or canceled across the country -- everything from the NBA and concerts to universities and schools has been affected. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermath-of-the-sturgis-sd-motorcycle-rally/919616.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aftermath-of-the-sturgis-sd-motorcycle-rally/919616.md?page=9)