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One might wonder if the Sturgis Buffalo Chip, which is a camp-site and the third-largest city in South Dakota, which for two weeks becomes a music venue, exhibit hall, lodge, and food venue, is part of a motorcycle rally or is an intense music festival. The Sturgis Buffalo Chip bills itself as the “Largest Music Festival in Motorcycling®,” an appellation which is has copyrighted. There’s ample evidence that that is a solid claim. The best way to describe the Buffalo Chip during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, is it’s Woodstock on two wheels and with more beer.
New this year is that through a controversial ruling by the South Dakota Supreme Court, the Buffalo Chip is now officially an incorporated town in South Dakota, not just a campground with a seasonal population of tens of thousands.
“From Kid Rock and Eric Church to Foreigner and Aaron Lewis, we stacked all nine nights of the Festival with the best performers available in between some of the most electrifying motorcycle racing on the planet. It’s going to be a stellar year,” said Rod Woodruff, Sturgis Buffalo Chip president.
The Sturgis Buffalo Chip will have nine days of bands, with an average of two bands performing each night. The nine-day lineup is still being added to but at this time includes bands playing from Friday, August 3 to Saturday, August 11. A current roster includes: Pop Evil, Foreigner, HUNKS The Show – #1 All Male Revue, Theory of a Deadman, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Aaron Lewis, The Marshall Tucker Band, Eric Church, Kid Rock, Lita Ford, John Kay & Steppenwolf, Yelawolf, Chevelle, Queensrÿche. But it is at its roots, the Buffalo Chip is an intense motorcycle experience, so concert goers need to be aware of that.
For those who have never been to the Sturgis Buffalo Chip, it has established itself as a one of a kind go-to entertainment destination during the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. It has officially named its nine-day festival The Best Party Anywhere®. Located three miles east of Sturgis, South Dakota on 600 acres, the Sturgis Buffalo Chip has six stages, flat track and drag racing, a swimming hole, bars, showers, cabins, RVs, and camping. The Sturgis Buffalo Chip’s concerts and races are free with camping. Each year it also plays host to the Michael Lichter curated Motorcycles as Art. This year’s exhibit is “Passion Built – Garage to Gallery.” Tickets, information, concert dates, and reservations are available from The Buffalo Chip.
