Each August the small town of Sturgis swells into one of the world's largest motorcycle gatherings. Few states pack their seasons with as much ceremony and spectacle as South Dakota.

The rally regularly draws several hundred thousand riders over about ten days.

What sets it apart

It began in 1938 as a small race meet organized by a local motorcycle club. For those who know the region well, it is a quiet point of pride.

The event now fills the northern Black Hills with rides, concerts and races.

Why it matters

What ties it all together is a distinctly South Dakota balance between the wild and the worked-over. For the crowds who return year after year, it has become a fixture of the South Dakota calendar.