Arts festivals fill the parks in communities throughout SD

Communities welcome visitors back for 2021

One of the celebrations of the summer season is a day in the park—and a day in a park filled with arts, crafts, food booths and entertainment is the best summer day of all. From Sioux Falls to Spearfish and Aberdeen to Hot Springs, arts in the park festivities are back this year to beckon crowds eager to experience the fun. Be sure to check out festival websites for any changes in schedules which may occur.

The popular “Mannequin in Motion” returns this year to the Aberdeen Arts in the Park festival June 19-20 in Melgaard Park.

One of the first festivals is Aberdeen Arts in the Park, June 19-20 in Melgaard Park. For over 40 years, exhibitors have lined the pavement in the park with handcrafted wares on the third full weekend in June. Each year, this juried event attracts exhibitors from over 12 states. Over 20,000 people enjoy the park during the two-day event that features fine and folk art, entertainment and a wide variety of food items.

When the Aberdeen Arts Festival started in 1976, attendees were encouraged to “spend a happy day in the park.” Attendance at the first festival was estimated between 3,000 and 4,000. Advertising in those early years included young boys walking up and down Main Street wearing sandwich boards, and half-gallon milk cartons with the festival logo printed on its side-panels. By the second year, almost 80 exhibitors were registered to be a part of the Aberdeen festival, which has become an annual tradition. To learn more about times and activities scheduled at this year’s Arts in the Park, visit aberdeenareaartscouncil.com/events/arts-in-the-park.

For a half century, one of the largest juried summer arts festivals has drawn regional visitors to Brookings. The 50th Annual Brookings Summer Arts Festival will be held this year on Saturday and Sunday, July 10-11 in Pioneer Park. Over 200 artists from across the nation, representing 15 disciplines of art, will fill the park with original skilled and handcrafted works, along with 38 gourmet and ethnic food booths to satisfy every appetite.

Festival goers walk the rows of art vendor booths during a previous Spearfish Festival in the Park. This year’s festival is scheduled for July 16-18. Photo by The Black Hills Studios.

The Edibles and Naturals area showcases 28 artisans who produce gourmet packaged cottage foods and natural skin products, while historic and antique booths celebrate South Dakota’s heritage. A lively children’s area in the center of the park provides fun and educational activities. In addition to a wide selection of artworks, the festival has become known for the entertainers performing in the historic Pioneer Park Bandshell and on side stages throughout the park. For times and entertainment schedules for the Brookings festival, go to www.bsaf.com.

The Matthews Opera House & Arts Center is the sponsor of the Spearfish Festival in the Park, held this year July 16-18. The Festival in the Park is one of the largest outdoor summer arts and music festivals in the upper Midwest and serves as the largest fundraiser for the Matthews Opera House & Arts Center. Over 25,000 people attend the festival, which features over 180 fine art and craft vendors with an emphasis on handmade and original products.

Over 25 food vendors serve an eclectic variety of cuisines that will please any taste. Free live onstage entertainment from local and regional artists is available throughout the day. For those who want to sit with a cool beverage and listen to music, the “Watering Hole” never fails to please. For schedules and updates, visit www.matthewsopera.com/festival-in-the-park.

There’s something for everyone at the annual Sidewalk Arts Festival in downtown Sioux Falls, being held this year on September 11. Photo courtesy of the Washington Pavilion.

Downtown Sioux Falls is the strolling venue for the annual Sidewalk Arts Festival hosted by the Washington Pavilionand scheduled for September 11, 2021 from 9 am to 5 pm. The Sidewalk Arts Festival is a free outdoor event with over 240 vendor booths featuring the region’s best fine art, folk art and craft artisans. Enjoy activities for kids, live entertainment, food vendors and more on the streets surrounding the Washington Pavilion. This event is a fundraiser for the Visual Arts Center at the Washington Pavilion and is the region’s largest one-day arts festival. For more information on this year’s festival and performance schedules, visit www.washingtonpavilion.org/special-events/sidewalk-arts-festival.

These are just a sampling of the arts events and festivals held throughout South Dakota each summer. To find a special arts event near you, check out artssouthdakota.org/calendar/ or TravelSouthDakota.com.