The?elected leader?of Sturgis ?says people attending the city’s annual motorcycle rally should take their own precautions against COVID-19.??
The city does not have any coordinating vaccination opportunities. Masks are not required for the rally either. However, the city is allowing people to carry alcoholic beverages around the downtown area instead of requiring them to stay inside licensed businesses
“We do have a new thing with open container this year during the Sturgis motorcycle rally. So, there’s the opportunity to not have to sit inside the structures and people can wander around and take in the crowd and the motorcycles and people watch while sitting outside to help create more social distancing,” says Mark Carstensen, the Mayor of Sturgis.
This is the 81st annual Sturgis rally. It begins this Friday and lasts until August 15th.
This story comes from a recent interview on SDPB's weekday radio program, "In the Moment." Listen to the full interview below.