The annual Street Vibrations Fall Rally scheduled for September 24 – 27, 2020 has been postponed until September 23 – 26 of 2021.
Today on their website, the Reno-based Roadshows Inc. announced that the City of Reno has denied their special event application for failure to meet state criteria for large gatherings under Nevada’s Roadmap to Recovery.
“The City of Reno has denied our special event application to produce Street Vibrations Fall Rally 2020,” the company wrote in a press release. “We have met all of the governor’s criteria for special events except for one, no outdoor gathering for more than 50 people, which makes it impossible to produce a motorcycle rally.”
Street Vibrations Motorcycle Festival features live music, a trade show, custom motorcycles on display, and other events. According to Roadshows Inc., 50,000 motorcycle enthusiasts attend the annual gathering with events in downtown Reno, Virginia City, and Carson City.
Along with Burning Man, Hot August Nights, and the Reno Air Races, Street Vibrations is one of the region’s largest events to postpone their 2020 gathering. According to Randy Burke, president of Roadshows, Inc., the 2015 Fall Rally spelled $114 million for the regional economy, though he said they lack the data to make a more recent estimate.
Roadshows Inc. also organizes a Street Vibrations Spring Rally and offers other services to include corporate parties and rentals. Burke said in a phone interview that his business has been shuttered since March and he’s uncertain when that will change.
“We endured the virus as long as we could and we were the last man standing (in waiting for the special event permit from the City of Reno). I was hoping we could pull off a home run for local businesses, but it’s not going to happen,” Burke said.
Can Roadshows endure the shutdown?
“I’ve got a piggy bank,” Burke said. “And we’ve applied for some government assistance, but we have not heard back. We’ve been producing for 27 years and we’ll produce it for at least 1 more. We’re looking forward to number 28. We’re not going anywhere.”
