“Little Sturgis” brings thousands of bikers to Oktibbeha County
STURGIS, Mississippi (WCBI) – If you’re traveling in Oktibbeha County this week, don’t be surprised if more of the traffic is on two wheels.
The Little Sturgis Motorcycle Rally kicks off on Thursday, August 14.
“This is our biggest fundraiser for the year, right here,” said Sturgis Mayor Jerry Bean.
This may be his first year in office, but this isn’t Mayor Jerry Bean’s first Little Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.
He said he’s been a participant over the past decade and knows what the event means for the town.
“We’ve had huge, huge crowds over the years. We had a kind of a slowdown during COVID, (but) now, we’re rebuilding and hoping to try to get bigger and better each year with bigger venues, more vendors, and better entertainment,” said Bean.
It may be a three-day event, but the preparations take months.
“We got a great group of people on the rally board that’s been working hard all year long to put this on, along with participation from our county supervisors and our county garage and lots of community volunteers,” said Bean.
The rally usually brings crowds of thousands to the town of 205.
Those big crowds mean big sales for local businesses and that adds up to a needed sales tax boost for the town’s budget.
“We hope to bring in several thousands of dollars worth of revenue for the town and that money goes to keep up the park and to further other activities during the year, other entertainment venues,” said Bean.
Bean expects close to 7,000 bikers to roll into the town this weekend.
He said he is thankful for the surrounding towns and counties that have stepped in to help prepare for the event.
Festivities start at 2 p.m. on Thursday, August 14th and ends Saturday, August 16.
For more information about Little Sturgis, you can visit its Facebook page or the town’s website.
