“The people who come here are just the happiest people on the planet. Forty years is far from the end for us. We will keep the party going for all the people who call this place home every year. We’re just getting started.” —Rod Woodruff

To think that the ultimate biker party and concert venue in the Black Hills all began with a keg party in a pasture. That’s how Rod “Woody” Woodruff, President of the Sturgis Buffalo Chip describes the very first gathering back in August 1982. The legendary Buffalo Chip Campground was just a cow pasture back then.

“In high school, I used to like to throw keg parties out in the middle of nowhere,” Woody recalls. “So when bikers were being thrown out of Sturgis in the early 1980’s and not allowed to camp there, I found a field to lease outside of town and decided to give them a place to go where they felt welcome.” That first Buffalo Chip Picnic included live music, freedom and biker friendship with zero hassles. The rest, as they say, is history.

After the first few years, land was purchased, water, electricity and roads soon followed. Today, the Buffalo Chip is 600 acres with multiple entertainment stages, 25 bars, food and clothing vendors, a swimming hole, daily bike shows, charity rides, and nine nights of world class entertainment. Woody tells us that the Chip will never be finished, constantly growing to add new memorable experiences for bikers every August.

“It’s hard to believe this all started with a party in the pasture,” Woody smiles. “Things have changed a bit since then, but what hasn’t changed is the smiling faces, the powerful camaraderie, and the good times we’ve had with everyone who chooses to call this place home in August. We owe these 40 years to you.” Woody has big plans for the Chip and invites you to join in the fun next year. “As we continue to change and grow, we look forward to making many new friends and seeing your smiling faces at the Sturgis Buffalo Chip.”

For a lineup of events being put together for next year’s Sturgis Rally, visit http://buffalochip.com.