An annual community festival held in Riverside Park and around town celebrating Yankton, the Missouri River and the arts. The three-day event includes an arts and crafts show with many vendors set-up in the park, lots food booths, a large beer garden, live music at all times of the day, kids entertainment, fireworks, carnival, quilt show, concerts and more. Riverboat Days is held in conjunction with the Summer Arts Festival.
The Sioux Empire's favorite Sportsmen’s Show is held at the Sioux Falls Arena & Convention Center. You will find the very best in resorts, lodges and camps from the Midwest and Canada, as well as Boat Show pricing on the newest fishing boats and pontoons, tackle and electronics and more. Plus, RV Show pricing on the best campers and trailers by the area’s best dealers and great hunting and fishing seminars. There's fun for the whole family. See our website for show hours, events schedule, and admission rates.
1st Fridays on Main in Mitchell is held the first Friday of each month, 5-9 p.m., May through September (May 2, June 6, July 4, July 31, and September 5, 2025). Event goers will enjoy live music, food trucks, vendors, activities and games for both adults and children. This free event is held around the Corn Palace Plaza in downtown Mitchell, corner of 6th Avenue & Main Street. (July 4 hours are 11 a.m.-2 p.m. July 31 is a Thursday and is the Palace City Pre-Sturgis Party.)
Events at the annual Twin Brooks Threshing Show include quilting, lead pouring, blacksmithing, sanctioned Kids Pedal Pull, tractor pull, threshing and baling, as well as horse demonstrations, saw mill demonstrations, log cabin, school house, flea market, homemade food and music. There are parades both days, 1 p.m. on Saturday and 3 p.m. on Sunday. Cockshutt Farm Equipment is featured in 2025, our 39th annual show. Weekend admission is $10 for adults and free for children under 12. Souvenir buttons are available.
Archeology Awareness Day is a fun-filled event showcasing technologies used by the original inhabitants of the Village, including flint knapping, atlatl throwing and other on-site demonstrations. Attendees can meet with Native American cultural presenters as well as archaeologists who are engaged in the archaeological excavation, and discuss archaeological techniques, discoveries and artifacts at the Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village in Mitchell. See our website for information about admission and hours.
The annual Black Hills Film Festival will be held in Rapid City at The Journey Museum. In addition to screening great Independent Films, the Festival also features seminars and workshops with industry experts and great parties with celebrity guests. See the website for full schedule and admission information.
The Black Hills Plein Air Paint-Out gathers artists in western South Dakota to paint the beautiful Black Hills in late September. The area offers rolling green hills, thick green forests, prairie, lakes, creeks, and wildlife. Hill City and Custer State Park both have a myriad of awe inspiring painting options, and a quick drive will take you to two historic monuments: Mount Rushmore National Memorial and Crazy Horse Memorial. This event includes daily plein air painting, homework displayed for sale in a gallery, Artists meet and greet, wet sale, Sponsors and Artists reception, and a Quick Draw Competition and Auction. See the Hill City Arts Council website for complete details.
First held in 1971, Lemmon's Boss Cowman Rodeo & Celebration is an annual, community-wide event. Highlights include rodeo performances Friday and Saturday nights, a parade Saturday morning, and a car show Saturday afternoon, along with kids games, inflatables, a farmers market, water balloon fight, art show, cornhole tournament, softball tournament and more. The full schedule can be found online. Rodeo admission is $12 for adults and $10 for kids, or weekend passes are $20 for adults and $15 for kids.
Given the great success of Aberdeen's downtown Wine Walk (held in May), we added a version craft beer lovers won’t want to miss. Sample local and regional brews, handcrafted and unique. Beer drinkers, this is your opportunity to pair two of the best things in life – shopping and drinking. The Brew Walk consists exploring ten downtown business stops on Main Street and includes craft beer samples from both regional and South Dakota-local breweries. Hours are 5-8 p.m. The start of the walk is at Malchow Plaza, 506 S Main Street.
Located west of Madison, Historic Prairie Village hosts an Antique Tractor Pull in early June (the same weekend as the Northern Bull Riding Tour). This family-friendly event charges no admission for attendees. Tractor pull participants pay $20 per hook. Trophies will be awarded in all classes and there will be two special money classes. Food will be served by the Prairie Village Track Shack. The Northern Bull Riding Tour is held on Friday. More details about both events are available on our website.
