July 1, 2024

This paid piece is sponsored by Sioux Metro Growth Alliance.

It’s a great time for a quick trip south to Lennox — where you’ll find the state’s longest-running municipal band and new places to grab something to eat.

Lennox Municipal Band 

Musicians have been making music in Lennox all the way back to 1882 as part of the community’s municipal band.

“Anything you can think of that a band is going to play, they’re going to hit it,” city administrator Nathan Vander Plaats said.

The band performs classic marches and other favorites from the Jacobs Memorial Bandshell, which itself dates back to 1963 and is going to see improvements following a structural assessment earlier this year.

“We already know it needs a new coat of paint on the interior,” Vander Plaats said. “Maybe a few electric issues, but overall we think it’s a good structure. We just need to make sure it’s good and going to last well into the future.”

Musicians from age 12 to over 80 come together every Thursday night, surrounded by activity in the city’s Westerman Park.

“It’s a gathering point,” Vander Plaats said. “Every night during the summer, this park is busy — kids are in the pool, we’ve got baseball and softball games going on, we’ve got pickleball league going on. All that’s happening at the same time, and they get this awesome music in the background.”

The Fourth of July holiday brings an especially good chance to hear the band and connect to this community.

“It’s the biggest day in Lennox this year,” Vander Plaats said.

“We have the street dance the night before, the car show, a cruise night July 3, and the parade is really where it all comes together. The Independence Day parade in Lennox usually draws between 10,000 and 14,000 people. So it’s a huge event in town. The band is in the parade but also plays a concert that day as well.”

El Mariachi Mexican Restaurant

Just adjacent to the park at 519 S. Main St., you’ll find a popular new place to dine in Lennox. El Mariachi brought Mexican flavors to the community starting earlier this year, after the owners expanded from Chamberlain and Winner.

“They decided to open one by this area because there’s nothing around here,” manager Christian Cervantes said. “We have chimichangas, enchiladas, fajitas, molcajetes — the black bowls that come hot and steamy, and we add meat and cheese.”

There’s also a full menu of margaritas and lots of other beverage options.

“It’s a pretty good location because the pool is just behind us, so people, when they finish the pool, come to get some drinks over here and bring the kids,” Cervantes said. “We have a kids menu with pizza, macaroni, taco salad, hamburgers, so a lot of different stuff.”

Plus, you’ll find daily special and happy-hour offers. The restaurant is open daily beginning at 11 a.m. Click here to learn more.

Chuck’s Drive-In

And before you leave Lennox, don’t miss a stop at Chuck’s Drive-In. Named for the owner’s father-in-law, it quickly has become a community gathering place in Lennox.

“When there’s any games or school activities or anything like that, they all come here afterwards,” manager Samantha Chambers said. “It’s a nice place to come and cool down for a simple ice cream cone or a full meal.”

You’ll find a menu of burgers, hot dogs, chicken strips and other favorites, plus plenty of ice cream.

“We have basically any flavor you would want on a sundae or a shake, a malt,” Chambers said. “And then the Cyclones, we have all the candy toppings that everybody loves. And then you can also get like a big can container of ice cream to take home to your family too.”

“There’s a handful of customers, when they walk through the doors, I know exactly what they want, what they want on the burgers, and it makes it really simple for them,” Chambers said. “They really love it.”

Chuck’s Drive-In is open daily at 11 a.m. usually until the end of September.