Sturgis Motorcycle Rally season doesn't officially start until riders hit the Black Hills, but for anyone rolling through South Dakota early, Mitchell's Main Street is the real kickoff. If you're staging your trip out this way, it's worth timing your ride around it and worth checking your Sturgis-ready gear and apparel before you roll into town, since the Klock Werks Krew will be set up right on Main Street selling it in person.
Klock Werks Opens Its Doors Before the Party Starts
Ahead of the evening event, Klock Werks is opening its Mitchell shop to the public throughout the day. Visitors can take a tour and see the same shop floor where the patented Flare® Windshield and Klock Werks' 14-gauge steel fenders get built, race-tested, and shipped out to riders worldwide. At 8 a.m., the public is invited into the company's daily morning meeting the same one the team runs every day, where employees pray together and share weekly wins and compliments before the shop day starts. Then at 4:45 p.m., Klock Werks leads a motorcycle ride from the shop down to Main Street to officially open the party. All riders are welcome to join the ride, not just Klock Werks customers.
A Party That Started in a Parking Lot
This event didn't start as a five-block downtown festival. In 2007, it was a handful of bikers gathering in the parking lot at Klock Werks before heading west for Sturgis. Brian Klock and the team kept hosting it every year, and in 2018 the party moved downtown to Main Street, where it's lived for the last eight years running. That kind of staying power tracks with how Klock Werks does everything — the same shop that built the World's Fastest Bagger and chased land speed records at Bonneville has spent almost two decades quietly building one of Mitchell's biggest single-day events from the ground up.
"This event started right here at our shop back in 2007, and it's grown into one of the best nights of the year in Mitchell," said Brian Klock, Klock Werks. "We're glad to open our doors, give tours, and lead the ride downtown before the whole town kicks off Sturgis together."
Live Music, Stunts, and Vendors Fill Downtown Mitchell
The Corn Palace Plaza Outdoor Stage carries the night's music, with Turtle Peak Band playing 5 to 7 p.m. and headliner Redferrin, known for "Jack and Diet Coke" and "Just Like Johnny," closing out the stage from 8 to 9:30 p.m. New this year, Gary Michaels brings biker magic, hypnosis, and comedy to the crowd throughout the evening, and a Corn Palace CornHole tournament runs between 3rd and 4th avenues.
On the vehicle side, a 301 Rodz car show and a Shifter Crew bike show run 5 to 7 p.m., with awards handed out at 7 p.m. and 7:15 p.m. The One Wheel Revolution V-Twin Stunt Team performs three shows at 5:45, 7:30, and 9:30 p.m., and the Powderhorn Ranch Regulators run three Cowboy Fast Draw exhibitions at 5:45, 6:45, and 8:30 p.m. Food, beverage, and retail vendors line 3rd through 5th avenues for the full run of the event.
Kids Zone Fundraiser Supports Local Schools
A full Kids Zone runs the entire event, 5 to 10 p.m., with Strider Bikes, inflatables, face painting, a mechanical bull, and motorcycle rodeo games. Klock Werks is running a fundraiser through the Kids Zone for the Strider Education Foundation's All Kids Bike program, aimed at outfitting Volga Schools with a fleet of balance bikes so younger students can learn to ride during PE class. It's the same program Klock Werks has already helped bring to every elementary school in Mitchell because motorcycles, family, and community aren't separate priorities here, they run together.
Sponsors Behind the 2026 Party
The 2026 Palace City Pre-Sturgis Party is presented by the City of Mitchell, with support from Klock Werks, Jack Daniel's, All Kids Bike, Miedema Sanitation, 301 Rodz, J&L Harley-Davidson®, Law Tigers, Budweiser, and other local sponsors. Jack Daniel's showing up on that list isn't a coincidence either. Klock Werks has been the build partner behind the Jack Daniel's × Indian Motorcycle limited-edition motorcycle series for years, and that same partnership carries over into supporting the hometown event.
Getting Your Bike Ready for the Ride
If you're planning to join the 4:45 p.m. ride down to Main Street, or you're staging out of Mitchell before continuing on to Sturgis, it's worth doing a quick once-over on your bike before you go. After nearly two decades of watching riders pass through Mitchell on their way to the rally, the Krew's advice hasn't changed much: check your tires, tighten your hardware, and don't wait until you're on I-90 to fix a rattle you noticed in your driveway. The Pre-Sturgis Checklist covers five bolt-on upgrades, including the Flare® Windshield, that can still ship and install in time if you're getting your bike rally-ready this month.
Event Details at a Glance
Date: Thursday, August 6, 2026 Location: Main Street, Mitchell, SD (Corn Palace Plaza and 3rd through 5th avenues) Time: 5 to 10 p.m. (Klock Werks shop tours run earlier in the day; ride departs the shop at 4:45 p.m.) Cost: Free and open to the public Follow: @presturgis_party on Instagram, #PalaceCityPreSturgisParty
About Klock Werks
Established in 1997 and located in Mitchell, South Dakota, Klock Werks has grown from humble beginnings to a globally recognized brand over the last 29 years. Known as the "Air Management Experts," the shop credits that reputation to the success of the original, patented Flare® Windshield, alongside fenders, handlebars, and other powersports parts built with the same attention to design and fitment. Team Klock Werks has spent years designing parts, building custom motorcycles, and setting records on the Bonneville Salt Flats and motorcycles, family, and faith stay at the center of it all.
People Also Ask
Q: Is the Palace City Pre-Sturgis Party free to attend?
A: Yes. The event is free and open to the public, running 5 to 10 p.m. on Main Street in Mitchell, SD, on Thursday, August 6, 2026.
Q: Can the public actually tour the Klock Werks shop that day?
A: Yes. Klock Werks opens its Mitchell shop to visitors throughout the day of the event, offering tours ahead of the evening party on Main Street.
Q: What time does the motorcycle ride to Main Street leave, and who can join?
A: The ride leaves Klock Werks at 4:45 p.m. and is open to all riders, not just Klock Werks customers or Sturgis-bound bikers.
Q: Who is playing at the Palace City Pre-Sturgis Party this year?
A: Turtle Peak Band opens the Corn Palace Plaza Outdoor Stage from 5 to 7 p.m., followed by headliner Redferrin from 8 to 9:30 p.m. Gary Michaels adds biker magic, hypnosis, and comedy throughout the night.
Q: What charity does the Kids Zone fundraiser support?
A: Proceeds from the Kids Zone fundraiser go to the Strider Education Foundation's All Kids Bike program, which is working to outfit Volga Schools with balance bikes for kindergarten PE classes.
