Hollister Independence RallyNext edition TBA · California
The Hollister Independence Rally is held annually over the July 4th holiday weekend on San Benito Street in downtown Hollister, CA — the birthplace of the American biker rally (the original 1947 Gypsy Tour riot inspired The Wild One). The free, public event features motorcycle exhibitions across all brands, live music on multiple stages, vendor rows of motorcycle accessories and apparel, and festival food. Organized by Roadshows Inc. in partnership with the City of Hollister, the rally returns each year as the original American motorcycle rally celebration.
Hollister is where the American biker rally began — the 1947 Gypsy Tour that inspired The Wild One. The July 4th weekend event on San Benito Street is free, open to all brands, and draws tens of thousands of riders to the town that started it all.
The rally traces directly to the 1947 AMA Gypsy Tour that put Hollister on the map as the claimed birthplace of the American biker — an event that later inspired the 1953 film The Wild One starring Marlon Brando and Lee Marvin. The rally was on hiatus as a sanctioned event for several years before the Hollister City Council voted to bring it back, and it has been running again in partnership with promoter Roadshows Inc.
The action centers on San Benito Street in downtown Hollister, which closes to all traffic except motorcycles during rally hours. The street becomes a cruise-in loop for all makes and models, lined with vendor booths selling motorcycle gear and apparel, food vendors, and live music on multiple stages. The event also features a custom bike show and an antique motorcycle display. Everything on the main strip is free and open to the public.
Attendance at the 2025 rally was reported at roughly 12,000–14,000 people per day across the two-day event, with strong downtown business impact noted by city officials. The event is organized by the City of Hollister and Roadshows Inc., and the city has approved a 2026 edition for the July 4th holiday weekend.
Shot by the riders who've run it.
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