Chamber pauses annual Tesla rally

There will be no Sound of Silence Tesla Rally this May in Custer, but accusations that the event was cancelled due to the current political climate are false, Custer Area Chamber of Commerce officials say.
The decision to put the rally on a hiatus was actually made nearly a year ago—long before the presidential election or the creation of the Department of Government Efficieny (DOGE)—at the chamber board’s July 17 meeting. The reasons, Custer Area Chamber of Commerce director Dawn Murray said, are several.
One of the major reasons is the loss of one of the key organizers of the rally, Mac McCauley, a Tesla owner and member of a Tesla driver’s club in Colorado. McCauley let chamber staff know last year during the rally he was not going to be able to assist with rally organization anymore. Murray said McCauley was instrumental in organization and how to tailor the rally to Tesla owners.
On Nov. 7 of last year the updated 2025 chamber events calendar was distributed to all members through Buffalo Bytes and the Tesla Rally was not included in that list. An email was sent to all past Tesla participants to inform them the chamber board had decided to cease holding the rally.
The rally was started in 2014, spearheaded by former Custer Area Chamber of Commerce director Dave Ressler, along with his brother-in-law, who was a Tesla owner.
Since that time, Murray said, attendance at the rally has dwindled, something Murray said is likely because the drivers do the same thing each time they come to the rally, along with Teslas becoming more affordable and less exclusive. At its peak in 2021, there were over 200 attendees. Last year there were only 57 cars signed up and sponsorships had dwindled. There was also an unspecified incident that happened at Crazy Horse Memorial that led to the memorial deciding to discontinue its hosting of the rally’s annual dinner and photo.
In recent weeks, protests have flared at Tesla showrooms, and in some cases Tesla vehicles, charging stations and buildings have been set on fire or vandalized. A group called Tesla Takedown has been urging Tesla owners to sell their cars and investors to sell Tesla stock. The actions stem from anger over Elon Musk’s involvement with the U.S. government’s DOGE.
Murray stressed politics had nothing to do with the decision to cancel the rally.
“I want to clarify that this decision was made without any political considerations,” she said. “The Custer chamber aims to maintain a nonpartisan stance and keeps all political perspective out of its decision-making processes.”
And while the rally is on hiatus, that does not mean it is dead. The chamber board is still considering having the rally but having it less frequently, such as every five years to build anticipation for the event.
“The chamber hosts events to bring people into town to help businesses make money,” Murray said. “And if an event doesn’t do that, then it’s time to reevaluate.”