June 1, 2023

This paid piece is sponsored by the Sioux Metro Growth Alliance.

Now is the perfect time to explore everything Sioux Falls-area communities have to offer, starting with their signature summer events.

Here’s your complete guide to this year’s festivals.

Crooks Community Days, June 1-4

Crooks Community Days kicks off tonight with a pickleball tournament at New Hope Park. Friday’s activities include a golf tournament, kids bicycle parade, bingo and an outdoor family movie. Saturday’s highlights include a 5k run and 1 mile walk at 8 a.m., parade at 10:30 a.m. and the third annual antique tractor pull at 11 a.m. that brings in competitors from nearby states. There’s a kids pedal pull at 1 p.m. The Crooks Volunteer Fire Department is having water wars from 2 to 4 p.m. The evening features  a free all-ages concert with John Scalia and The Dirty Word, followed by fireworks. Sunday, there’s a pancake breakfast, community worship service, bean bag tournament and games. Rummage sales run throughout town from Thursday through Saturday. Find the full schedule and updates on the Facebook page.

Harrisburg Days, June 8-11

Events are scaled back a bit this year, but there’s still plenty of fun. Mac’s Carnival offers a preview night Thursday, with the rides running Friday night and all day Saturday. On Friday night, there will be food trucks, a beer garden, the Little Miss Harrisburg pageant and a concert with Triple Rock. Saturday’s highlights include a walk/run race, cornhole and disc golf tournaments, kids tractor pedal pull and The Johnny Holm Band concert. The event wraps up Sunday with a fishing derby for kids at the town pond, Lake Ole.  Get all the details at the event’s Facebook page or harrisburgdays.com.

Teapot Days, June 14-17

Festivities kick off Wednesday night with a free picnic and blood mobile drive. Ma & Pa Teapot are crowned Thursday night, and that’s when the Mighty Thomas Carnival opens. Friday night’s activities include a kids pedal pull, the TeaFest Hot Rod & Motorcycle Show & Shine, a beer garden and music by Chris Huisenga. Events on Saturday run from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m., including a pancake breakfast, the Junior Achievement 5K Bacon Run, parade at 10 a.m., vendor fair and live music in the city park, the Tea Lions Pork Feed, a pie and ice cream social, fireworks and a street dance with Sugar Daddy hosted by Sky Lounge. Find the full schedule at teasd.com.

Photo courtesy of Tea Storm Chasers

Hartford Jamboree Days, June 15-18

The town’s annual celebration kicks off Thursday with the Little Miss Hartford Pageant and an outdoor family movie night. Friday night’s highlights include a car show with live music before and after the burnout contest. Saturday’s highlights include a 5K run/walk in the morning, a parade at 10:30 a.m., family entertainment all afternoon in the park and a community supper that night followed by a concert in the park with Ravco and Brandon Jones. Everything wraps up with a community worship service Sunday. Get updates on the event’s Facebook page and see the full schedule at hartfordjamboreedays.com.

Worthing Cruise Night, June 16

“Blow the dust off your classic car, bring it to Worthing, SD, park on Main Street, and let the BS begin.” That’s the description for the annual event that drew more than 70 cars last year. There’s no fee to park on Main Street. The event is from 6 p.m. to “whenever.” There will be a DJ and food, including pulled pork sandwiches and hot dogs. All proceeds go toward building a new community center.

Garretson’s Jesse James Days, June 16-18

Garretson packs a lot into three days for Jesse James Days. Highlights Friday include a scavenger hunt, car-antique tractor-motorcycle show, cornhole tournament and a new event: Glow Kayak at Split Rock Park. Bring your kayak and glow sticks at dusk for a ride down the creek. On Saturday, there’s a road race, pancake feed and blood drive in the morning. The parade is at 11 a.m., followed by family entertainment, with inflatables, horse-drawn wagon rides, toddler train rides, firetruck rides, a staged bank robbery and the Silver Creek Mavericks Wild West Show from 1 to 3 p.m. at the softball field. Catch a baseball game in the afternoon. The street dance is moving indoors this year at The Gulch. Undercover will play from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. The Sports Cabin will have a beer garden Friday and Saturday nights. Sunday features a fishing derby below the Split Rock Park dam. Find the full schedule at visitgarretson.com.

Photo courtesy of The Garretson Gazette, along with the featured item at the top of the article

Dell Rapids’ Quarry Days, June 22-25

Dell Rapids will celebrate Quarry Days with activities for all ages. Events kick off Thursday night with the Quarry Days Pageant. Friday features a golf tournament and ball game. On Saturday, highlights include a 5K run/walk; parade at 10 a.m.; ice cream social; 3-on-3 basketball, pickleball and volleyball tournaments; peddle-pull tractor pull; kids carnival and a street dance at night with Whiskey Rich. On Sunday, there will be an outdoor church service, Blast From the Past car show, L.G. Everist train ride and kids fishing derby. New on Sunday is the Dell Rapids Has Talent show at 5 p.m., followed by Dueling Duos and fireworks. Vendors and food trucks will be in the park from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. For updates, visit the Quarry Days Facebook page, and to see the full schedule, go to dellrapidschamber.com.

Worthing Day Celebration, June 24

This small town just a short drive south of Sioux Falls is having a community festival after several years without one. Organizers have put together a variety of activities focusing on kids, but with plenty of fun for adults too. The day kicks off with a 5K run at 7 a.m., followed by a parade at 10 a.m. A “kids zone” for all ages with activities, contests, games and bounce houses will be set up from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. near the school. At noon, there’s a kids tractor pull, at 2 p.m. firefighters will have a water wars competition and at 3 p.m. bingo will begin. Kim’s Korner Bar & Grill is having a bean bag tournament at 11 a.m. and live music with Tamela Jean Music from 7 to 11 p.m.

Centerville’s Tornado Days, June 28-July 2

Rather than celebrating the destructive weather phenomenon, Tornado Days take their name from the high school mascot. Teener Baseball games begin the festivities, but the kickoff party with music is in the park on Thursday night. On Friday, there’s a golf tournament, Dakota Kids tractor pedal pull, toilet bowl races and the Firemen’s Street Dance featuring the BS Band. Saturday features a range of fun from a kids track meet to softball, volleyball and bean bag tournaments. The car show is from 3 to 6 p.m. on Main Street. Sunday is filled with activities from a community worship service in the morning to a bike parade, bingo and a community supper, wrapping up with fireworks at dusk. On Monday, the unofficial Float the River invites people to grab a kayak or tube and meet at 1 p.m. at the Vermillion River along town. For the full schedule, go to visitcentervillesd.com.

Lennox’s Old Fashioned Fourth of July, July 3-4

Lennox throws one of the biggest celebrations in the area. The official schedule isn’t ready yet, but the traditional Main Street cruise night and street dance will be Monday. Tuesday’s activities the big parade down Main Street at 10:30 a.m. There’s arts in the park and a Lennox Municipal Band concert in the evening, followed by fireworks. Check for the schedule at lennoxnews.com.

Photo courtesy of The Lennox Independent

Humboldt’s Main Street Days, July 7-9

When Dave Derschan bought the Main Street Humboldt Bar over a decade ago, he started a community festival. Friday night features trivia and karaoke at the bar and a baseball game followed by fireworks. Saturday, there’s a car and bike show, kid tractor pull, parade at 2:15 p.m., bean bag tournament and a street dance. Sunday features live music with Todd Casilli, bingo and Chase the Jack, all at the bar. Get the details on the bar’s Facebook page.

Salem Barn Raisin’ BBQ, July 8-9

The county seat in McCook County is hosting the third annual Barn Raisin’ BBQ on Saturday at the fairgrounds. Activities include a bean bag tournament, kids pedal tractor pull, rib cook-off and a barn dance. At 10:30 a.m. Sunday, there’s a community church service in the Salem City Park, followed by a potluck. Find updates on the Facebook page. 

Valley Springs Booster Days, July 14-16

Booster Days activities kick off Friday with a picnic in the park and then fireworks at dusk. The popular mud volleyball tournament is Saturday; find registration details here. There also are games for kids and a parade in the evening. The community wraps up the celebration with a worship service Sunday morning, and the American Legion hosts a freewill pancake breakfast from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Photo courtesy of Travis Ackerman Photography

Brandon’s 50th Birthday Celebration, July 21-23

Brandon is throwing a three-day party to celebrate its 50th birthday – even though the town east of Sioux Falls was founded long ago. Highlights Friday include a Battle of the Badges Blood Drive, city picnic and an outdoor movie at dusk, followed by fireworks. On Saturday, get active with the Amazing Race of Brandon Businesses, 7-on-7 football games, disc golf with prizes, 5K walk/run, yoga and a kids bike ride. There’s also a kids fair, VFW poker run, egg drop contest at the McHardy Park tower and a street dance from 5 to 11 p.m. at the Double D. The celebration wraps up Sunday with an outdoor praise and worship service, a pet contest, more football and gagaball and pickleball competitions. Download the schedule of events here. 

Brandon Hometown Days, July 22

The Brandon Valley Optimist Club event returns this year, coinciding with Brandon’s 50th birthday celebration. Activities will be from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Brandon Valley High School. There will be inflatables, face painting, a game trailer, clowns with balloons, princesses, Touch-a-Truck, a bike giveaway and food trucks.

Colton Country Days, July 21-23

The schedule hasn’t been finalized, but here a few highlights to expect on Friday: A baked potato supper, kids sidewalk chalk contest and an indoor/outdoor street dance with Rewinder Band at TJz Bar & Restaurant. On Saturday, there’s a parade, Dakota Kids pedal pull, chicken bingo, free inflatables and face painting, pork loin feed, outhouse water races, Whiskey Rich concert and fireworks. On Sunday, there will be bingo and a bake sale and cake walk. The full Colton Country Days schedule will be posted on the event’s Facebook page.

Celebrate Canton, July

Saturday in the Park is July 22. Activities include a parade at noon, games and activities for kids, a dunk tank, vendor fair and rib cook-off. Also that day, there’s a poker run and the annual Cruise Night from 6 to 9 p.m. Town & Country Day will be July 27 from 5 to 8 p.m. Activities typically include a petting zoo, pork feed and live music. Other events this summer include Depot Days from 4 to 8 p.m. July 13 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 14 at the Canton Depot Museum and Movie Nights on June 2, July 7 and 21, and Aug. 4 at dusk at Jack Fox Park. The Canton Car Show returns July 27-28, and Civil War Days are Aug. 17-18. Find other summer events and updates at Celebrate Canton’s Facebook page.

Renner Days, Aug. 18-20

The unincorporated community north of Sioux Falls will have its kickoff party Friday night at the Monarch Lounge. Most of the fun is Saturday with a car show that’s so popular it has to turn down entries, smoked pork loin sandwich lunch with baked beans and homemade ice cream at the fire hall, firefighter water wars pitting Renner against local volunteer fire departments, games for kids, a petting zoo and local vendor fair and craft show. The parade starts at 3 p.m. Renner Days wraps up with a breakfast and golf tournament Sunday. Proceeds from all activities support the Renner Volunteer Fire Department. Details will be posted on the event’s Facebook page.

Hudson Street Dance, Aug. 26.

Waddy’s Bar & Grill is hosting its annual street dance Aug. 26.