The 2026 Hollister Independence Rally is coming up July 3-4 in downtown Hollister, weeks after the San Benito County Civil Grand Jury released a report criticizing aspects of the city’s planning for last year’s rally.
Mayor Roxanne Stephens said this year’s rally will follow roughly the same route and layout as last year’s event, which drew thousands of motorcyclists and enthusiasts to the city. Planners are expecting some new vendors to participate in the 2026 rally, which will also feature live entertainment, food and beverages and free motorcycle parking on San Benito Street.
Stephens added that event planners this year have focused on better communication with downtown businesses, particularly those who want to add outdoor seating or generator-powered amenities to their properties during the rally.
Planners are also aiming to improve the parking layout, adding signs and making sure access is available for first responders in the event of an emergency.
“We’re looking forward to another successful and fun event for our community and our visitors,” Stephens said.
The city has a contract with Roadshows Inc. to produce the Independence Rally, solicit sponsorships and offset expenses. The city’s payment to Roadshows depends on how much sponsorship is secured, with a minimum cost of $40,000.
Stephens declined to comment on a June 3 civil grand jury report that found the City of Hollister did not adequately plan for security services for the 2025 rally, and lacked transparency when asked about total costs and revenue generated.
By state law, the city is required to submit a formal response to the grand jury, and Stephens said city staff is working on such a response.
The grand jury said the city did not allow enough time for a thorough bidding process for the security provider for the 2025 rally. After the city accepted a bid from one company in February, that company adjusted its costs higher just a few months later.
Unable to afford the higher cost estimate, the city sought another firm, American Global Security, to work the event, at a cost of $264,497, according to the grand jury. However, the new contract brought concerns related to AGS’s experience and preparedness.
“Public concerns were raised concerning the qualifications of AGS staffing,” says the civil grand jury report. “Issues pertained to the lack of experience at events such as this and language barriers with AGS. In addition, city staff witnessed AGS personnel sleeping in their personal vehicles, without nearby sanitation stations.”
The Hollister Police Department told city officials after the event that private security staff for future events should be able to speak and understand English, and must be issued radios for emergency communications.
The grand jury recommended that for future events, the city should contract for security services at least six months in advance.
City staff did not respond to questions about who is providing security for the 2026 rally, and at what cost.
The civil grand jury also took aim at the city’s financial reporting on the 2025 Independence Rally. The grand jury notes the city leveraged one-time funds related to an Amazon project in Hollister to help close the cost gap for last year’s event.
“To date, the city has failed to provide the Civil Grand Jury with a true accounting of the costs associated with the rally,” says the grand jury report. “When pressed for detailed information on the budget vs. actual revenue, final revenue and expenditure figures were not made available, indicating a lack of transparency.”
The grand jury recommends that the city disclose “actual expenditures incurred” within three months after the 2026 rally. “Any future rally event must have a realistic budget, including revenue projections and sources adopted by the city council at least nine months prior to the event,” the report added.
