STURGIS, S.D. – Traffic entering Sturgis for the first four days of the 84th Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is up nearly 10% when compared with traffic entering Sturgis a year ago on the first three days.
According to the South Dakota Department of Transportation tallies, the total number of vehicles entering Sturgis from Friday, Aug. 2 to Monday, Aug. 5 was 214,459 as compared to 194,851 last year.
Traffic entering Sturgis on Friday, Aug. 2, totaled 51,179 – a 12.1% increase from 2023. The total for Saturday was also up with 55,127 entering the city. That compares to 38,126 in 2023 – a 44.6% increase.
And although traffic seemed brisk on Sunday, Aug. 4, the total traffic entering Sturgis was down 13.9% from  60,586 in 2023 to 52,182 in 2024.
Traffic Monday totaled 55,971 as compared to 50,487 in 2023 – a 10.8% increase.
The DOT compared this year’s traffic numbers at the nine locations entering Sturgis with five-year average numbers. When compared with the five-year average, numbers this year are down.
Here’s what they found:
- Friday Aug. 2: 51,179 entering – down 1.5% from the Friday 5-year average of 51,953 (2019-2023)
- Saturday Aug. 3: 55,127 entering – down 2.3% from the Saturday 5-year average of 56,440 (2019-2023)
- Sunday Aug. 4: 52,182 entering – down 12.7% from the Sunday 5-year average of 59,746 (2019-2023)
- Monday, Aug. 5: 55,971 entering – down 5.1% from the Monday 5-year average of 58,959 (2019-2023)
- 4 Day Total: 214,459 entering – down 5.6% from the 4 Day Total 5-year average (2019-2023) of 227,098
Vendor numbers through Tuesday morning are even with last year at 709.
Sturgis Police Chief Geody VanDewater said calls for service and other categories listed in his Rally report are running about even with last year.
