The Buffalo Chip Campground is an event venue in Meade County, South Dakota, United States. The campground is a place for motorcycle enthusiasts and music festival visitors each year, and has been since its founding in 1981. Host to a 10-day Concert Series and thousands of motorcyclists each August during the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, the Buffalo Chip provides a music festival, various other forms of entertainment, and full service tent, RV and cabin camping on 600 acres. The motorcycle and music festival also features entertainment including multiple disciplines of racing,[1] exhibits,[2] beauty pageants, dance performances, bike shows, world-record-breaking stunts,[3] and military tributes.
The Sturgis Buffalo Chip, located outside of Sturgis, SD, began in 1981[5][6] in response to the City of Sturgis closing city park to bikers attending the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally[7].
The Sturgis Buffalo Chip featured Susan Nelson as the first artist to perform at its inaugural event, followed by Johnny Paycheck.[8]
In the early years, motorcyclists roughed it in tents in little more than a pasture, however over the years the Buffalo Chip Campground improved infrastructure by installing electricity, drilling wells, laying asphalt, and erecting flush toilet facilities, shower houses, and RV sites.[9] Additional attractions and amenities sprung up around the property including cabins,[10] a swimming hole called the "Bikini Beach", an award-winning PowerSports Complex,[11] racetracks, multiple stages, numerous bars, a variety of food services, a convenience store, a gas station,[12] and a motorcycle product retail and installation facility.[13] Throughout the years, several landmarks have also been erected on the property, including the iron "Welcome Home Biker" entrance gates, the World's Largest V-Twin Engine sculpture,[14] Freedom Field,[15] and an 8-ton buffalo sculpture with the letters "CHIP" cut out of its center 30' above Hwy 34 at the northwest corner of the Sturgis Buffalo Chip's property.
The Buffalo Chip made notable national television news coverage in 2008 when John McCain visited the Buffalo Chip Campground on his 2008 campaign trail.[16] McCain joked that he wanted his wife to enter the Miss Buffalo Chip beauty contest [17] held on the venue's main stage. In 2009 the Buffalo Chip made additional notable national news coverage when Aerosmith lead singer, Steven Tyler, fell off the stage.[18][19]
The Sturgis Buffalo Chip built a 7,000 sq. ft. exhibition hall in 2009 to house its annual Motorcycles as Art Exhibit.[20] This annual revolving exhibit has been curated by Michael Lichter.[21] Exhibits have featured the works of multiple builders of custom motorcycles, the works of photographer Michael Lichter, himself, and sculptor Jeff Decker.[22]
In 2012, the Sturgis Buffalo Chip built CrossRoads, an outdoor free-access venue at the western edge of the property, featuring the Big Engine Bar and stage, Field of Flags military tribute, and open space for vendors, bike washes, motorcycle shows, and numerous other motorcycle rally-related activities. The area has continued to grow and now incorporates The Buffalo Chip Garage, the Wall of Death, and more.
South Dakota Governor, Dennis Daugaard proclaimed Thursday, Aug. 11, 2011, as the official Buffalo Chip Campground Day in South Dakota.[23] The proclamation was read from the Wolfman Jack Stage by ABC TV news anchorman, Bob Woodruff, present to participate in the Buffalo Chip's Military Tribute Day and raise awareness for the Bob Woodruff Foundation's mission to put action into the saying "Support Our Troops."[24]
In 2013, The Buffalo Chip introduced Daredevil Wednesday,[26] which was broadcast on CMT, where Guinness Book of World Records officiates were on site to substantiate Toby Baker and Clint Ewing’s rival head-to-head goal of bringing back the title of Longest Motorcycle Ride Through the Tunnel of Fire. Clint Ewing exited the tunnel wall, on fire[27], thus the attempt was not successful.
Other entertainment and activities that have occurred at the Buffalo Chip includes racing,[34] fire dancers, ziplines,[35] roller derby, machine gun shooting,[36] midget bowling,[37] comedians, and more.
In 2023, the Buffalo Chip introduced the Deathwire Daredevil Spectacular[38], where highwire walker Blake Wallenda sky walked across the Buffalo Chip Amphitheater while motorcycle stuntman Kyle Ives jumped over him on his motorcycle.
In 2024, as a part of Daredevil Wednesday, Blake Wallenda returned with a highwire walk, Shawn Ives broke through a wall of fire while riding atop of a limo, and a Monster Wall was smashed.
In 2025, as a part of the expanded Daredevil Wednesday and Thursday, Chuck Biddles[39] broke the world record of the breaking through the most walls that are on fire, making it 22.
The Sturgis Buffalo Chip has been featured in multiple television specials on the Discovery, Travel Channel,[40] Fox Sports Network,[41] CMT,[42] HISTORY,[43] and NBC Sports.[44] The venue has also been featured in Rolling Stone,[45] The New York Times,[46] Forbes,[47] Billboard,[48] Pollstar, who referred to the Buffalo Chip as "a Beacon of Freedom",[49] CNN,[50], Time, USA Today, and Fox TV who credited Rod Woodruff and the Buffalo Chip for saving the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally[51].
Ownership and operation
The Buffalo Chip Campground was founded by Rod Woodruff. He remains the CEO. His son, Daymon Woodruff, serves as President. His daughter, Toni Woodruff, serves as the VP of Communication and Compliance. Carol, Rod's wife, manages the box office. Toni and Daymon's mother, Meri Remick, manages personnel and the bar.
Rod and his family run and prepare for each August music festival [52] with the help of a small staff employed full-time year round. A few hundred seasonal employees help staff the grounds for the event.[53]
Charity support
The Buffalo Chip has and continues to support many charities.[54] To date it has raised over $2.8 million for charity through its various endeavors.[55][56]
Its most notable charitable efforts are The Legends Ride,[57][58] The Biker Belles Ride, and the Rusty Wallace Ride.[59] All three charity rides were founded and are promoted by the Buffalo Chip.
The annual Legends Ride features some of the celebrities [60] that attend the Sturgis Buffalo Chip's events. Hundreds of thousands of dollars have been passed to local charities. Current beneficiaries are the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum and Hall of Fame and the Special Olympics South Dakota - Rapid City Flame. [61]
The annual Biker Belles ride features and emphasizes women in motorcycling, though men are included in the ride. One hundred percent of riders' contributions are passed to three charities, the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum and Hall of Fame, the Jessi Combs Foundation, and Helping With Horsepower.[62]
The Rusty Wallace Ride allows attendees to meet and ride alongside NASCAR racers including ride namesake Rusty Wallace.[59] Funds raised by the event have benefitted charities including the NASCAR Foundation, All Kids Bike, and Special Olympics South Dakota – Rapid City Flame.
Attempt at incorporation
In 2015, the geographic area on which the Buffalo Chip Campground resides attempted to incorporate as the Town of Buffalo Chip. The legality of the incorporation was challenged in court, an appeal was made to the South Dakota Supreme Court[63] which, on January 25, 2018, ruled that only the state—and not another municipality—can challenge incorporation. The State of South Dakota brought that challenge to Meade County Court in summer 2018[64] and on Nov. 12, 2020, the South Dakota Supreme Court ruled that Buffalo Chip's incorporation was unlawful and void, because the area does not contain the required 100 legal residents.[65]
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
