If you’ve ever been to the spectacle that is the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, you know that it’s not your ordinary drive-in biker convention.  Imagine a trade show on steroids.  Tour de France without the tights, and a lot more noise.

A glimpse of event photos may leave you thinking that the granddaddy of all motorcycle rallies is only for the wildest of partiers.  No so.  In all likelihood, there are as many periodontists as parolees in attendance.  But those dentists know how to dress the part.

This year’s rally was held August 3-9, when nearly half a million motorcycle enthusiasts rumbled into far west central South Dakota for the six-day affair.  But there’s more to this story than chrome and tattoos.  According to the August issue of Entrepreneur magazine ,  the event generates a stunning $16.4 million in sales.  Which means sales of tee shirts and motorcycle boots morph into substantial economic stimulus for South Dakota.

Truth is, opportunities abounded for those who had shiny, sharp or cool items to sell to the target market.  Souvenir salespeople, knife vendors and even tattoo artists were a busy group.

Try these numbers on for size:
•    6.7 million pounds of ice delivered to the Black Hills area (the average temperature during the rally is 85 degrees)
•    $1.5 million in food and beverage sales
•    543 tons of garbage hauled away (those soda cups have to go somewhere)
•    $6.4 million in clothing and footwear sales
•    66 marriage licenses issued
•    $412,481 in tattoo sales

So the next time you hear of an event that sounds like it’s well-organized and a lot of fun, look beyond the obvious, to the business opportunities.  Next year, this legendary event marks its 70th anniversary and will be held on August 9 – 15, 2010.  Will you be among the enterprising entrepreneurs there?  For more information click here.