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First held in 1991, the annual Burke Stampede Rodeo became a PRCA-sanctioned event in 2021. It features bareback riding, calf roping, steer wrestling, ladies breakaway roping, team roping, saddle bronc riding, barrel racing and bull riding. Other activities include dances Friday and Saturday nights and a cowboy breakfast. Rodeo performances take place nightly at 7:30 p.m. Advance tickets are available locally and online. See our website and Facebook for the latest information.

Burke Stampede Rodeo

<p>The Grassland Gravel race/ride showcases the 116,000 acres of rolling mixed-grass prairie of the Fort Pierre National Grassland. It starts and ends at the Expo Center in Fort Pierre. There are three route distances - 31, 53 and 71 miles - that feature wide sky spaces and sparse traffic of gravel roads and doubletrack across three counties. The surfaces on each route include packed and loose gravel, bare dirt road, and double track. We’re cool with whatever you’d like to ride - drop bar, flat bar, e-bike, etc. - as long as it’s set up appropriately for a gravel adventure. E-bikes are welcome but are not eligible for race prizes. More route and registration information can be found on the Oahe Wheelmen Cycling Club website. (This is the first event in the Grasslands Triple Crown point series competition, which also includes the Thunderhawk Wide Open and Wheelin' to Wall.)</p>

Grassland Gravel

The annual Milk's Camp Community Traditional Wacipi is held the fourth weekend in July at the Joe Stars, Sr. Memorial Arena located 5.5 miles southwest of St. Charles. Other events include the Mud Races, Miss Milk's Camp Contest, Giveaways, Naming Ceremonies and more. See Facebook for more information and the latest updates.

Milk's Camp Community Wacipi

The annual Lower Brule powwow, fair and rodeo is held the second weekend in August at the Iron Elk, Rencountre, Ziegler Memorial Arena. The weekend includes rodeo, powwow, bull bash and softball. There are men’s memorial and women’s softball tournaments, rodeo performances at 6 p.m. on Friday and 1 p.m. on Saturday, ranch rodeo on Sunday at 1 p.m., and Wacipi Grand Entries at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, 1:30 and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, and 1:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Kul Wicasa Wacipi, Fair & Rodeo

Join us at Fur Traders Days in Geddes. Experience a unique blend of nostalgia for roots and the excitement of our bright future. Celebrate tradition while embracing innovation in a vibrant atmosphere filled with activities, stories, and community spirit. Enjoy three days of activities, including a parade, flea market, kids' pedal pull, softball tournament, 5K run/walk, horseshoe pitching, bean bags, a car show, bull riding, a tractor pull, and more. Don't miss out on this unforgettable event in south central South Dakota!

Geddes Fur Trader Days

Horse Nations Indian Relay Council (HNIRC) brings together the Horse Nations of the Plains in a team event of speed and skill. Indian Relay is a sport that encapsulates the centuries-old horse culture of many Native American tribes of the Great Plains. The Lower Brule Races leg of the 2026 Tour of Champions will be held Saturday and Sunday, August 8-9, at the Lower Brule Pow Wow Grounds on the northwest side of Lower Brule. (Other South Dakota HNIRC races in 2026 include Pine Ridge, August 1-2, and Eagle Butte, September 4-5.)

Horse Nation Indian Relay Races Tour of Champions: Lower Brule Races

The Highmore Area Council of the Arts and the Highmore Civic and Commerce are hosting the annual Sunflower Festival in Highmore on Saturday, August 15, 2026. The festival provides an opportunity to see and learn about the production of the bright yellow sunflower blooms in central South Dakota when they're at their most beautiful. The festival features art and craft vendors, hayrides, local talent and live music, as well as the opportunity for guided and self guided visits to sunflower fields in the rural area around Highmore. Admission to the festival is free. See the full event schedule online.

Sunflower Festival

The city of Wagner, South Dakota has been known as the home of the "World's Best Labor Day Celebration" since 1900. The weekend is packed full of events and activities, including a road race, kiddie parade, poker run, midway/carnival, kids fishing tournament, motorcycle ride, two nights of rodeo (Saturday and Sunday), a Festival in the Park (Sunday and Monday), and a parade at 10 a.m. on Monday. One thing is clear, each Wagner Labor Day celebration is better than the last. Come see for yourself!

Wagner Labor Day Celebration

Horse Nations Indian Relay Council (HNIRC) brings together the Horse Nations of the Plains in a team event of speed and skill. Indian Relay is a sport that encapsulates the centuries-old horse culture of many Native American tribes of the Great Plains. The Labor Day Relay Races leg of the 2026 Tour of Champions will be held Saturday and Sunday of Labor Day weekend, September 4-5, at the Eagle Butte Rodeo Grounds on the east side of Eagle Butte. (Other South Dakota HNIRC races in 2026 include Pine Ridge, August 1-2, and Lower Brule, August 8-9.)

Horse Nation Indian Relay Races Tour of Champions: Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe Labor Day Races

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Don’t miss these unique stops at blooming sunflower fields in South Dakota from July to August. 

Explore the Sunflower Corridors of South Dakota

Discover a road where the spirit of the Great Plains meets the rich heritage of Native nations.

Journey Through Culture & Nature: Exploring the Native American Scenic Byway

Explore the Cheyenne River Reservation’s scenic and cultural attractions, including Timber Lake and the Native American Scenic Byway.

Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe

Covering 2.3 million acres, the Standing Rock Indian Reservation is the fifth-largest reservation in the United States.

Standing Rock Sioux Tribe

Find out how a chance discovery by three children revealed a hidden link to South Dakota’s earliest European explorers.

Discovering the Verendrye Plate

Perched on a bluff between exits 263 and 265 on Interstate 90 near Chamberlain, Dignity: Of Earth & Sky is a stunning combination of art and history.

Events in Central South Dakota