The first Sturgis Motorcycle Rally was held by Indian Motorcycle riders on August 14th, 1938, and organized by the Jackpine Gypsies motorcycle club. The event was originally held for stunts and races. Since then, Sturgis has become an ecosystem of events mounted by many different groups. Attendance has historically been around 500,000 people, reaching a high of over 700,000 in 2015.