STURGIS, SD – The Budweiser Clydesdales are returning to the Black Hills for the 81st annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.
Beginning at 9a.m. on Thurs., Aug. 5, the ‘gentle giants’ will be on display across from the Sturgis Post Office where the famed horses will be stabled. Appearances include the rally’s opening ceremony and parade which begin at 12 noon in downtown Sturgis.
A partnership between Budweiser Clydesdales and Harley-Davidson will support the nonprofit organization “Folds of Honor.” Educational scholarships are provided to spouses and children of military members who have died or been disabled while serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.
Military Appreciation Day at the rally Tuesday, Aug. 10 includes an appearance of the Clydesdales at 2p.m. and a flyover of Main Street at 3p.m. The City of Sturgis is also introducing its South Dakota Gold Star Families Memorial, a tribute to the families of servicemen and women who lost their lives while serving in the military.
The eight-horse hitch that pulls a restored Budweiser beer wagon will also make an appearance at The Buffalo Chip at 3p.m. on Aug. 8 and at the Full Throttle Saloon at 3 p.m., Aug. 11.
Horses that make the cut to be a Budweiser Clydesdale must be at least three years of age, stand about 18 hands, or six feet at the shoulder and weigh an average of 2,000 pounds. They must be bay in color, have four white legs, a blaze of white on the face, and a black mane and tail.
The famous horses will end their tour in the Black Hills with a stop in downtown Rapid City on Aug. 12. A one-horse hitch will be Summer Nights, that gets underway at 6p.m.
