Belle Biker Celebration is gaining popularity

Among all the events held at the Buffalo Chip Campground in Sturgis, the ladies day is gaining in popularity.

Toni Woodruff, Biker Belle Program Manager at Buffalo Chip Campground says, “There are so many more women coming to the rally, they’re coming on two up – so behind somebody or even in a sidecar. And more and more these days, we’re getting women on their own bikes: bikes they bought, bikes they built. And so they used to be kind of a separate segment, and they’re kind of having a take over. So here at the Chip, we welcome them for just joining us for the Sturgis Buffalo Chip Week. But on Tuesday, Biker Belle Tuesday, Women’s Day, August 9th, we’ll have a whole day of festivities for them. So we’ll have the morning ride that kicks off in Deadwood – Kickstands up at 9:00 and we’ll ride to the chip where we’ll have a featured brunch and reception with some special guests and speakers.”

The morning ride will include a number of special guests and food catered by Bonafide Food Love.  In the afternoon, there will be a silent auction to raise funds for local charities.

Woodruff continues, “We raise funds for the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum, specifically for pro women’s exhibits, kind of honoring our past so that we can empower our future.” 

Other activities include Helping With Horsepower and the All Kids Bike Program sponsored by the Strider Foundation. 

Woodruff says, “And then this year, we also have afternoon programing where we’ll have a wonderful bike show that is presented by Maiden Moto and Savanah Rose. And we’ll have some special guests out there as well. We’ll have the Real Deal Revolution with Teresa Contreras and Dana Wilke will be doing some hands on, like learn how to weld, learn how to pinstripe, leather working, [and] hand stamping. After you’ve been sitting and riding, you can kind of do some hands on activities. And that’s supported by the Jesse Combs Foundation and the WyoTech for education. So we’re still we’re supporting those charities as well.”

Retail pop up experiences and a general hangout zone are also part of the afternoon festivities. “We have Fazzi’s garage and Lloyds Garage [and] both have female ownership involvement. So that’s pretty cool.”

The garages will also offer the women a safe and comfortable opportunity to ask about bike parts, customizing your own work and how to work on your bike. Lloyd’s Garage is hosting Ladies at Lloyds, an after party celebration before the concert. Kellie Patterson will also be featuring her new book, “From Trafficked to Treasured.” 

“We’re going to welcome her to the Biker Belle Celebration…where she can share about her personal story and the book and and reduce trafficking in the area and kind of help educate all of us in the community more about, what that looks like and how to help support the community.”