Autumn means harvest time in South Dakota. With the state’s rich agricultural history, it should come as no surprise that harvest celebrations have been a tradition here for more than 100 years. From German beer festivals in the Black Hills to family-friendly Halloween events in Sioux Falls, these festivities come in many forms and offer unique activities and delicious food for all. Check out what communities big and small are doing to celebrate the arrival of autumn in South Dakota. Come hungry and thirsty to get the full experience!
Western South Dakota
1880 Train Oktoberfest Express
Hill City
Toast to Oktoberfest on board the 1880 Train, the oldest continuously operating tour railroad in the nation. Before departing the station, guests can enjoy snacks, beer and yard games. During the trip, passengers are served seasonal beer and traditional German fare.
Deadwood’s Oktoberfest
Deadwood
Celebrate German heritage in Wild West fashion at Historic Deadwood’s Oktoberfest. Listen to live music at PolkaFest, taste authentic bratwurst and delicious cheese, and watch dachshunds compete for the title of “Fastest Weiner in the West.”
Edgemont Fall Festival Car & Quilt Show
Edgemont
Edgemont, named for being on the edge of the Black Hills, is an idyllic spot for a fall celebration. At the Edgemont Fall Festival Car & Quilt Show, a Kids’ Zone with a bounce house, face painting, games and cotton candy will keep the little ones smiling all day while adults enjoy the car show, vendors and live music.
Autumn Fest
Spearfish
Pumpkin carving, baked goods and craft vendors are among the highlights of Autumn Fest in Spearfish. You can also enjoy live local entertainment while sampling delicious food trucks and freshly harvested produce.
Great Downtown Pumpkin Festival
Rapid City
Pumpkins signal the arrival of fall in South Dakota, and what better way to celebrate than at the Great Downtown Pumpkin Festival in Rapid City! The festival is free and open to all, and it includes local food trucks and vendors offering autumnal creations.
Southeast South Dakota
Festifall/Candlelight Walk
Canton
Don’t be surprised to see a catapult when you show up to Newton Hills State Park. It’s used to launch pumpkins as part of the annual Festifall celebration. Visitors can participate in a seed-guessing contest and carve their own pumpkins, or bring a pre-decorated pumpkin for judging. The celebration includes make-and-take craft booths, kids' games and hayrides through the campgrounds. The Candlelight Walk offers a rare opportunity to see nature illuminated only by candles.
ZooBoo & Spooky Seas
Sioux Falls
Enjoy days of spooky — but not scary! — Halloween activities at the Great Plains Zoo in Sioux Falls. Kids and adults can explore the zoo and enjoy trick-or-treating during ZooBoo, or experience a hauntingly good time at the Butterfly House & Aquarium during Spooky Seas.
Harvest Halloween
Yankton
Yankton’s Meridian District transforms into a frighteningly fun Halloween festival complete with an art market, ghost walk, pig races, chili and waffle feed, hay-bale maze, spook house, corn pit and bounce house. The event wraps up with live music and a costume contest.
Hobo Marlin’s Pumpkin Train
Madison
The ghost of Hobo Marlin “appears” one day a year at historic Prairie Village, 2 miles west of Madison. Visitors can ride the pumpkin train to pick their own pumpkins while supplies last. Where will Hobo Marlin show up? Unknown. Will he appear? Most definitely.
Kuchen Festival & Twin Rivers Old Iron Harvest Festival
Delmont
If you haven’t had a slice of kuchen — custard filling held in place by a pillowy crust — it’s time to remedy that. Enjoy the official state dessert and a German lunch while exploring art, crafts and quilts before strolling through the Pump House Museum at the Kuchen Festival & Twin Rivers Old Iron Harvest Festival.
Autumn Festival, an Arts & Crafts Affair
Sioux Falls
Held at the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center, the Autumn Festival, an Arts & Crafts Affair, is the perfect place to find holiday gifts and decorations. Artists and crafters from around the country display and sell their finest wares, including artwork, unique home decoration and furniture, personalized gifts and more.
Homesteader Day Harvest Festival
Valley Springs
On the Sunday after Labor Day, experience the sights, sounds and smells of pioneer life at the Homesteader Day Harvest Festival at the beautiful Beaver Creek Nature Area. There will be pioneer agricultural demonstrations, Dutch oven cooking, rope-making, candle-dipping, music and more. The event attracts visitors of all ages looking for a taste of homestead life and living history.
Northeast South Dakota
Great Scarecrow Festival
Huron
At the Great Scarecrow Festival, local Huron organizations exercise their creative muscles to create scarecrows that are displayed in Campbell Park. Everyone is invited to view the final masterpieces and vote for their favorite.
Harvest Fest
Huron
Kids and adults alike are certain to have a good time at Huron’s Harvest Festival. Past activities have included a farmers market, pumpkin patch, pumpkin painting and carving, face painting, crafts, ghost bowling, bull riding, a costume contest, a pedal tractor maze and more! Whatever events you choose, you’re sure to get into the Halloween spirit.
Webster Area Pumpkin Fest
Webster
Follow your nose to the baking contest at this harvest festival. Stick around for the scarecrow contest, poker run and other activities that promise to be fun for the entire family. After a day of exploration, wind down by sipping on free hot chocolate while watching the amazing light parade.
Huron Ringneck Festival & Bird Dog Challenge
Huron
This annual pheasant-hunting competition in Huron draws participants from across the United States. During the hunt, six-member teams attempt to bring back 18 pheasants, with the winning team members and hosting landowner receiving a shotgun. The Bird Dog Challenge tests the skills of both hunters and their dogs, allowing only 15 minutes to harvest birds. Participants can also enjoy meals and live entertainment during the event.
Central South Dakota
Mobridge Fall Festival Weekend
Mobridge
The Mobridge Fall Festival features two days of community celebration and non-stop family-friendly fall fun. Beginning with the annual Wheels Unlimited Car and Motorcycle Show Saturday morning and ending with the Fireman’s Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser on Sunday, there’s no shortage of unique South Dakota culture to explore. Don’t miss the handcrafted local goods and delicious food at the Harvest Festival and Flea Market at the Klein Museum, also home to an impressive collection of pioneer and Indigenous artifacts.
Chamberlain/Oacoma Harvest Festival
Oacoma
Chamberlain and Oacoma unite over the mighty Missouri River the last weekend of September to celebrate autumn’s arrival at the Chamberlain/Oacoma Harvest Festival. Enjoy a food fair and beer garden, live music and art in the Oacoma City Park, and a pumpkin patch for the kids. Families can compete in zucchini boat races, and of course there’s always some beloved “punkin chunkin.”
