Experience community: Here’s your guide to 2026 small-town festivals

This 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.

Harrisburg Days, June 12-14

The biggest change this year for Harrisburg’s annual festival is no carnival, but there will be a kids zone with inflatable obstacle courses and games for free Friday through Sunday. Central Park will be the headquarters for most of the activities. On Friday night, there will be food trucks, a beer garden, car show, Little Miss Harrisburg Pageant and a concert with Brandon Jones. Saturday morning’s highlights include the Tiger Trot 5K, followed by the community parade at 10 a.m. Compete to see how many hot dogs you can eat and enter the kids in a tractor pedal pull. End the night at a concert with Dustin Evans and The Good Time Band. The event wraps up Sunday with a pancake feed, bingo and 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 17-20

Festivities kick off Wednesday night in Tea with a free picnic, bloodmobile drive and the crowning of. Ma & Pa Teapot, all at Trinity Lutheran Church. The Mighty Thomas Carnival opens Thursday night. Friday night’s activities include a kids pedal pull, the TeaFest Show & Shine and a beer garden with food vendors and music by Chris Graves. Events on Saturday run from 8 a.m. to 1 a.m., including a Tea Historical Society pancake breakfast, the parade at 10 a.m., vendor fair and live music in the city park, fireworks and a street dance with Sugar Daddy hosted by Sky Lounge. Find the full schedule at teasd.com.

Hartford Jamboree Days, June 18-21       

Hartford’s annual celebration kicks off Thursday with the Little Miss Hartford Pageant and an outdoor family movie night. Friday night’s highlights include vendors, food, beer and live music featuring King Izzy in the city park, along with a car show and the annual John Zimmer Memorial Burnout Contest. Saturday’s events start with a 5K run/walk, followed by a parade at 10:30 a.m. There will be family entertainment and music all afternoon in the park, including carnival games, a baby crawl, kids pedal pull and the Golf Cart Showdown. At night, Hicktown Mafia will perform in the park. Everything wraps up with a community worship service Sunday morning. Get updates on the event’s Facebook page and see the full schedule at hartfordjamboreedays.com.

Garretson’s Jesse James Days, June 19-21

Garretson packs a lot into three days for Jesse James Days. Highlights on Friday include a car-antique tractor-motorcycle show, cornhole tournament. There’s no Glow Kayak this year, but there will be kayak rentals every day at Split Rock Park. On Saturday, there’s a road race, pancake feed and blood drive in the morning. The parade begins at 11 a.m. and includes a staged Jesse James robbery in front of the Garretson Heritage Museum. Family entertainment in the afternoon includes inflatables, firetruck rides, a petting zoo and the Silver Creek Mavericks Wild West Show from 1 to 4 p.m. at the softball field. New this year is a Rib Fest competition from 2 to 6 p.m. at The Combine. The food will be served starting at 3 p.m. after the judging, and there will be live music. The evening’s entertainment includes a street dance for those 18 and older with the Undercover Band from 7:30 to 11 p.m. Sunday’s activities feature Father’s Day fishing at Palisades State Park, a fishing derby below the Split Rock Park dam and crafts at Split Rock Park. Find the full schedule at visitgarretsonsd.com.

Photo courtesy of the Garretson Gazette.

Worthing Cruise Night, June 26

“Blow the dust off your classic car, bring it to Worthing, park on Main Street, then let the BS begin.” That’s the description for the annual event that draws at least 70 cars. There’s no fee to park on Main Street. The event is from 6 p.m. to “whenever,” which is usually about 10 p.m. DJ Darin Fowlds will provide the music. This year, Worthing Days are Aug. 14-16.

Canton Depot Days, June 26-27

Canton Depot Days are moving back to June this year. The two-day celebration at the Canton Depot Museum includes kids train rides, a model train display, vendor booths, inflatables, a coloring contest, music and a food truck. Hours are 5 to 8 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

Dell Rapids’ Quarry Days, June 26-28

Dell Rapids will celebrate Quarry Days with activities for all ages. Events kick off Friday night with a golf tournament and baseball game. New events this year include Pinz breakfast in the park Saturday and Sunday and a car show and talent show on Sunday. The fishing derby is moving to Saturday, and the duck race is switching to Sunday. On Saturday, highlights include a 5K run/walk, the parade at 10 a.m., a pie and ice cream social at the Methodist Church, a kids carnival in the park and a street dance with Danica Michaels at night. Other fun on Sunday includes L.G. Everist train rides, bingo also a fundraising dinner in the park, followed by Dueling Duos. The festival wraps up that night with fireworks. Vendors and food trucks will be in the park from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. To see the full schedule and updates, visit the Quarry Days Facebook page.

Salem Barn Raisin’ BBQ, June 27

The Barn Raisin’ BBQ at the McCook County Fairgrounds in Salem is headed into its sixth year. Activities include a 5K and 10K races, baseball games, a cornhole tournament, kids pedal pull competition, activities for kids, rib cook-off, live music and fireworks. Find the schedule and contest entry info on the event’s Facebook page.

Centerville’s Tornado Days, July 1-5

Rather than celebrating the destructive weather phenomenon, Tornado Days takes its name from the high school mascot. Activities this year include volleyball, golf, softball and beanbag tournaments, a baseball game, car show, pub crawl, poker run, food and beer tent, fireworks and street dance. Fun for the kids includes a track meet, volleyball, a bike parade, and inflatables. The schedule will be posted at visitcentervillesd.com.

Lennox’s Old Fashioned Fourth of July, July 3-5

Lennox throws one of the biggest celebrations in the area, and with the Fourth of July falling on Saturday and America250 celebrations, it’s bound to be a don’t-miss event. Friday night kicks off with cruise night and family fun on Main Street, followed by a street dance from 7:30 p.m. to 1 p.m,. with 32 Below taking the stage at 9 p.m. Saturday’s fun starts with the Firecracker Fun Run, followed by the big parade down Main Street at 10:30 a.m. There will be a car show at Park Drive, and a kids pedal pull, live music, and craft and food vendors in the park. The evening tradition includes a Lennox Municipal Band concert, followed by fireworks. Sunday wraps up with a community worship service in the park.

Photo courtesy of Lennox Independent

Humboldt’s Main Street Days, July 3-5

When Dave Derschan bought the Main Street Humboldt Bar in 2012, he started a community festival. The fun kicks off Friday night with patriotic-themed trivia at the bar, followed by karaoke. Saturday, there’s a breakfast served by the fire department, car and motorcycle show, craft and vendor fair, kids treasure hunt dig and other activities, parade at 2:45 p.m. and bean bag tournament. Musicfest on Main Street offers live music from 3 p.m. to 1 a.m. with the street dance beginning at 9 p.m. with Serious Shirley. Before that, there will be fireworks at dusk in the park. Sunday features live music with Mike Marquardt and Todd Casilli, bingo and Chase the Ace – all at the bar. Get the details on the bar’s Facebook page under the events tab.

Alcester Light the Night Fireworks Festival, July 4

While the town doesn’t organize a summertime community gathering, Mayor Lisa Hodgson and her husband, Dave, the finance director, organize a big fireworks show every year at their house. This will be the fourth annual event. The Hodgsons provide the burgers and hot dogs, and ask everyone to bring a side dish or dessert to share and their own beverages and chairs. Ahead of the big fireworks show, which lasts up to two hours, there are yard games, daytime and kids fireworks, and lots of socializing. The don’t-miss moment is when people line up holding firework fountains while everyone sings the national anthem before the big show. Freewill donations support charitable causes such as the revitalization of Herb Anderson Memorial Park.

Valley Springs Booster Days, July 10-12

Booster Days activities kick off Friday with a community supper in the park that’s a fundraiser for the Community Club and a car show that’s new this year. The evening concludes with fireworks at dusk. Saturday’s activities kick off with a new 5K run, followed by the popular mud volleyball tournament; find registration details here.There also are games for kids, a cake walk and kids tractor pull in the morning, a firefighter water fight at 1 p.m. and a parade at 7 p.m. The community wraps up the celebration with a worship service at 10 a.m. Sunday, and the American Legion usually hosts a freewill pancake breakfast from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Find the schedule on the city’s website. 

Chancellor Days, July 10-11

Chancellor Days kicks off Friday with karaoke at the Chancellor Bar. Saturday’s events include a firefighter breakfast, car and motorcycle show, craft and vendor show, kids pedal pull, bingo, a beanbag tournament and a street dance with Exit 357. Find the schedule and updates on the event page on Facebook. 

Brandon Hometown Days, July 11

The Brandon Valley Optimist Club event for kids returns for its 17th year. Activities will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Brandon Valley High School. There will be inflatables, a game trailer, face painting, Touch-a-Truck, reptiles, a music and dance party, the Kippreneur Vendor Show, photos with the Little Mermaid and Ghost Spider, a bike giveaway and food trucks. Find updates on its website or Facebook page. 

Colton Country Days, July 17-19

The celebration kicks off Friday night with a baked potato supper and kids sidewalk chalk contest from 5 to 7 p.m. at Taopi Hall and a concert with DickyRay at TJz Bar & Restaurant from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday’s fun starts with a 5K run/1-mile walk. The parade starts at 10 a.m., followed by a tractor pull at the elevator bunker west of town. There are vendors in the park from 1 to 5 p.m. and there’s usually chicken bingo, a kids pedal pull, free inflatables and face painting. This year, there will be music in the park with Whiskey Rich from 5 to 9 p.m., followed by fireworks at dusk. TJz Bar is hosting a karaoke contest after that. On Sunday, there will be bingo and a bake sale from 3 to 6 p.m. at Taopi Hall. The Eric “Boone” Oyen Memorial Country Days Co-ed Softball Tournament will be Saturday and Sunday. The full Colton Country Days schedule will be posted on the event’s Facebook page.

Celebrate Canton, July 22-25

The Canton Chamber of Commerce is organizing several days of fun. Wednesday: The second annual pool party offers free swimming from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday: Town N Country Night and National Night Out from 5 to 8 p.m. in Jack Fox Park with vendors, community pork feed, music, petting zoo, new ag olympics, a pie-baking contest and new Kiss a Jackass fundraiser. Saturday: Saturday in the Park kicks off with a parade celebrating Canton’s 160th and America’s 250th at 10 a.m., followed by vendors, inflatables, face painting and a cookout near the senior center. Canton Cruise Night begins at 6 p.m., traveling along Fifth Street/Highway 18. Cars also will drive by the town’s nursing home and assisted living center. Find other summer events and updates at Celebrate Canton’s Facebook page.

Beresford’s Old-Fashioned Weekend, July 29-Aug. 2

Beresford’s annual celebration kicks off Wednesday night with the farmers market in Bulow Park. On Thursday, there is a community cookout in the park, followed by an outdoor movie. Friday’s fun includes the fire department’s barbecue meal fundraiser with a kids bike rodeo and water fights. Saturday is the big day for activities with the Old Fashioned Fair & Flea Market in downtown with a vendor show, kiddie train rides and carnival games. Dad’s Repair hosts a car show, followed by a burnout contest and then a cruise downtown. Sunday wraps up the fun with a pancake feed at the senior center. Find a full schedule and updates on the Beresford Area Chamber of Commerce’s Facebook page. 

Baltic Dog Days, Aug. 7-9

Organizers for Baltic Dog Days are finalizing the schedule, but here’s a general idea of the fun to be found. Friday night, there’s a beanbag tournament and a kids movie. Saturday includes a  parade at 11 a.m., followed by spike ball and disc golf tournaments, a free kids carnival, the ZooMobile and food trucks. Appropriate for the Dog Days celebration, Almost Home Canine Rescue will have a meet-and-greet with dogs that need homes. At night, there will be a street dance in front of the American Legion. Sunday kicks off with a community worship service followed by a car show, live music and a fishing derby at Murphy’s Pond. In the evening, there will be a family-friendly dance and fireworks. Find updates on the Facebook page for Baltic Dog Days or the city of Baltic’s Facebook page. 

Worthing Days, Aug. 14-16

This year’s celebration is moving to August and expanding to three days. On Friday, there will be a bean bag tournament and outdoor kids movie. On Saturday, there will be a parade, kids activities, fire department water wars, dunk tank, dart tournament, farmers market and glow party with live entertainment. On Sunday, there will be a community church service in the park. Check the event’s Facebook page for updates.

Renner Days, Aug. 14-16 

The unincorporated community north of Sioux Falls hasn’t released its schedule yet, but typically there’s a 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, lunch at the fire hall, firefighter water wars pitting Renner against local volunteer fire departments, games for kids, a craft show and a parade –usually at 3 p.m. Renner Days typically wraps up with a breakfast at the American Legion and golf tournament Sunday. Proceeds from all activities support the Renner Volunteer Fire Department. Details will be posted on the event’s Facebook page.

Canton Civil War Days, Aug. 15-16

Every other year, this two-day event in a field near North Bridge and Third streets gives festival-goers a chance to tour camps, see cannon demonstrations and learn more about the Civil War. Each afternoon, there will be battle reenactments. Tickets are $5 at the gate; those 12 and younger get in for free. Saturday night, there is a free dance on the green, followed by tours of the camps by the light of candles or lanterns. Get all the details at CantonSouthDakota.com. 

Hudson Street Dance, Aug. 22

Waddy’s Bar & Grill will host its annual street dance to support Hudson Fire & Rescue on Aug. 22. Ledfood takes the stage at 9 p.m. Check the bar’s Facebook event for updates.