Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant, Wild West Songwriters Festival and More in South Dakota
Chislic Festival
July 25, 2020
Freeman, South Dakota
Website: https://www.sdchislicfestival.com
Chislic is a South Dakota tradition – especially in southeastern South Dakota. Legend says it was brought to that corner of our state in the 1800s by German/Russian immigrants. Today, chislic (beef or lamb on a stick) has grown from humble origins to a dish that was declared the official “nosh” of South Dakota in 2018. One year later, the first-ever Chislic Festival in Freeman attracted more than 8,000 people! Come enjoy this flavorful festival and celebrate with cooking competitions, live entertainment and more.

Chislic Festival. Credit: South Dakota Tourism
80th Anniversary of Sturgis Motorcycle Rally
August 7-16, 2020
Sturgis, South Dakota
Website: https://sturgismotorcyclerally.com
The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is one of the world’s oldest and largest motorcycle gatherings, offering incredible riding, exhibitors, motorcycle shows, demo rides, racing, concerts and much more. Find out why this international phenomenon draws motorcycle legends, superstars and hundreds of thousands of enthusiasts to the Black Hills each year. It’s also listed as one of the “1,000 Places to See Before You Die.”

Main Street at the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. Credit: South Dakota Tourism
Black Hills Powwow
October 9-11, 2020
Rapid City, South Dakota
Website: https://www.blackhillspowwow.com
The Black Hills Powwow (or He Sapa Wacipi Na Oskate) is a preeminent Black Hills event featuring three days filled with Native American singing, dancing, drum groups, art displays, hand games, athletic competitions, and a variety of other events. Over the decades, the Black Hills Powwow has become one of the premier American Indian cultural events in the United States, attracting hundreds of dancers, singers, artisans as well as thousands of spectators from across North America.

Black Hills Powwow. Credit: South Dakota Tourism
TOP EVENTS TIMELINE 2020
- JAN. 31 – FEB. 9, 2020 Annual Black Hills Stock Show & Rodeo // Rapid City https://www.blackhillsstockshow.com
- JUNE 6 & 7, 2020 Crazy Horse Volksmarch https://crazyhorsememorial.org/visit/special-events/volksmarch
- JUNE 20, 2020 605 Summer Classic // Sioux Falls https://605magazine.com/605-summer-classic
- JUNE 30 – JULY 4, 2020 Black Hills Roundup // Belle Fourche https://www.blackhillsroundup.com
- JULY 10-12, 17-19 & 24-26, 2020 Laura Ingalls Wilder Pageant (The Long Winter) // De Smet http://www.desmetpageant.org
- JULY 16-19, 2020 Corn Palace Stampede Rodeo // Mitchell https://www.cornpalacestampede.com
- JULY 21-25, 2020 Days of ’76 Rodeo & Parades // Deadwood https://daysof76.com
- JULY 25, 2020 Chislic Festival // Freeman https://www.sdchislicfestival.com
- AUGUST 2020 Downtown RiverFest // Sioux Falls https://dtsf.com/event/7th-annual-riverfest
- AUGUST 7-16, 2020 80th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally // Sturgis https://sturgismotorcyclerally.com
- AUGUST 21-23, 2020 Riverboat Days // Yankton https://riverboatdays.com
- SEPTEMBER 3-7, 2020 South Dakota State Fair // Huron https://www.sdstatefair.com/camping/state-fair
- SEPTEMBER 15-20, 2020 World Field Championships // Yankton http://www.yanktonarcherycomplex.org
- SEPTEMBER 24-26, 2020 Custer State Park Buffalo Roundup & Arts Festival // Custer https://gfp.sd.gov/buffalo-roundup
- OCTOBER 8-10, 2020 Wild West Songwriters Festival // Deadwood https://www.deadwood.com/event/wild-west-songwriters-festival
- OCTOBER 9-11, 2020 Annual Black Hills Powwow and Art Market // Rapid City https://www.blackhillspowwow.com
- NOVEMBER 27, 2020 – JANUARY 3, 2021 Christmas at the Capitol // Pierre https://christmasatthecapitol.sd.gov
- DECEMBER 12, 2020 Frontier Christmas // Fort Sisseton Historic State Park https://gfp.sd.gov/news/detail/1030
- NOVEMBER – DECEMBER 2020 1880 Train Holiday Express // Hill City https://www.1880train.com/holiday-express.html
For more information on the Great American West state of South Dakota, visit TravelSouthDakota.com.