From festivals to pumpkin patches and outdoor adventures, here’s how to make the most of fall

This piece is sponsored by Travel South Dakota.

Find fall fun in every corner of South Dakota with the new Autumn Adventures mobile passport.

Produced by Travel South Dakota, it’s overflowing with attractions – from where to find the best fall colors to memorable events. Whether you’re looking to conquer a corn maze or make the most of Oktoberfest, you’ll find it here. 

Check in at just three places and you’ll start to win prizes – starting with stickers and other small souvenirs and building up to top rewards, including a NorthFace South Dakota backpack or an ENO hammock.

Here’s a preview of the destinations you’ll discover.

Harvest Stroll, Dacotah Prairie Museum

Aberdeen

If you’re looking for a bit of family fun, then the sixth annual Harvest Stroll at the Dacotah Prairie Museum in Aberdeen is just the spot for you.

Think fiddlers, pumpkins and a small-town block party. This year, regional folk band Humbletown will perform at the festival.

There’s a little something for everyone, including lawn games, giant bubbles and living history.

“Wherever your interests lie, you can find something to do,” museum director Patricia Kendall said. “The music is my favorite part. It’s fun to listen to, and it’s so inviting. If you’re driving by and you see our tents and hear music, you want to stop and see what’s happening.”

The admission-free event is from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 27.

“It’s sort of that classic hometown get-together,” Kendall said.

The event includes booths with autumn crafts, turkey shoot games, photo-ops and a holiday raffle. Concessions for sale include hot dogs, chips and beverages.

Looking for festivals elsewhere? The Autumn Adventures passport also includes:

• Autumn Fest: Held Sept. 13 in Spearfish, it’s a family-friendly gathering with vendors, food, live music, games and inflatables.
• Great Downtown Pumpkin Festival: Rapid City’s largest fall fest is Sept. 20 with pumpkin-themed fun, food trucks and vendors.
• Great Scarecrow Festival: Head to Huron Oct. 9-12 for creative scarecrows displayed in Campbell Park with community voting.

Mazing Acres

Yankton

You can’t complete your fall-fun checklist if you don’t head to a maze.

Mazing Acres in Yankton is the perfect place for a little family fun – and a bit of a challenge. Molly Nedved of Mazing Acres said it’s easy to plan a full day of enjoyment out at the farm, which includes more than 30 attractions, including wagon rides, an interactive Lainey Wilson corn maze, pig races, giant slides and more.

“Guests love wandering through the pumpkin patch and flower fields, snapping photos at the many unique photo spots and making memories together,” Nedved said, calling the photo spots a must-see part of the experience.

“From massive pumpkin houses and oversized seats to unique backdrops like giant frames and flower fields, the photo-ops are what set Mazing Acres apart from other pumpkin patches in and around South Dakota,” Nedved said.

But more than that, Nedved said, the farm is a place to truly enjoy the fall season.

“Mazing Acres is more than just a pumpkin patch,” she said. “It’s an experience where families and friends can slow down, laugh together and create traditions. Whether it’s picking the perfect pumpkin, getting lost – or found – in the corn maze or cheering on the pig races, there’s something for all ages.”

Mazing Acres also puts on several festivals, including a fall festival, a mum festival and a pumpkin fest.

The attraction is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

Plus, the Autumn Adventures passport includes details on four other pumpkin patches and mazes from Pierpont to Spearfish.

Want to find fun with other South Dakota traditions? Get the scoop on everything from the Buffalo Roundup in Custer State Park to the Delmont Kuchen Festival.

Fifth Annual Oktoberfest

Mitchell

No fall is complete without some kind of Oktoberfest event – and there are a lot of them in South Dakota. All across the state, communities love celebrating the change of seasons.

On Sept. 20 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Mitchell celebrates with a German-themed festival. Main Street gets shut down for a car show, and a variety of activities bring families together, said Elizabeth Luczak, executive director of Mitchell Main Street Beyond.

“It’s good times and laughter – and watching everyone do those Oktoberfest games will create those lasting memories,” Luczak said, adding that the car show’s 200-plus vehicles are a definite favorite.

Don’t forget the feats of strength! The tire-flipping contest promises fun for all ages. The littlest flippers will get a regular tire – but adults get a chance to flip a 400-pound tractor tire. There also are musical chairs for adults, and Luczak’s favorite part of the event are the wiener dog races.

“Watching their little legs run up and down Main Street and watching everyone’s faces brings me so much joy,” she said.

“You will want to keep coming back to Mitchell over and over,” Luczak said.

That’s only one of the many places to celebrate Oktoberfest. The Autumn Adventures passport details:

• Jefferson Beer Supply Oktoberfest, Sept. 20 in Jefferson– Includes authentic German-style beer, food and stein-holding contests.
• Oktoberfest at Ben’s Brew Station, Sept. 20 in Yankton – Celebrate with German food, live polka and festive games.
• 1880 Train Oktoberfest Express, Sept. 27 in Hill City – Enjoy polka music and craft beer aboard a steam train.
• Deadwood Oktoberfest, Oct. 3-4 in Deadwood – Find wiener dog races, barrel games and Main Street beer garden fun.

Good Earth State Park

Sioux Falls

There may be no prettier season in South Dakota than fall. The prairie grasses turn golden. The leaves put on their spectacular show. It’s the perfect time to get outside before the weather turns.

Good Earth State Park southeast of Sioux Falls is ideal for hiking, picnicking and learning a little about the region’s history, said Jen Stahl, a naturalist at the park.

“When people come out, they get a place to connect to nature and the surrounding area and also the past, which is a powerful experience,” Stahl said. “It’s a quiet, peaceful place to get away.”

The park includes an interpretive center, picnic areas, a stage with regularly scheduled events and 12 miles of hiking trails.

“We have tallgrass prairie and the forest,” Stahl said. “Even in the winter, we get folks who come and walk in the snow, and I love watching it wake up in the spring.” Her favorite trail includes thick bur oak forest and a canopy of trees. “I love to just escape and go down and be part of the park,” Stahl said.

The vista loop, just outside the visitor center, is limestone-covered and ADA-accessible, Stahl said, making it the perfect trail for those new to hiking. Because the visitor center is the highest point in the park, any other trail includes a nice walk down to the Big Sioux River and a hike back to the top. But don’t worry – they’re all gorgeous and include different vistas and views.

“It’s worth it to see the tall grass and trees,” Stahl said. And if you need a little more incentive, the park offers self-guided scavenger hunts that change with the seasons. “It helps keep little ones excited and focused to keep going.”

From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 13, the park will host the fourth annual Indigenous Artists of the Prairie show, which includes arts, crafts, Indian tacos and a drum group.

“It becomes a gathering place for everyone to come out and socialize and explore,” Stahl said. “When the drums beat on the stage, you just feel the earth come alive again. It’s an amazing experience.”

Plus, the Autumn Adventures passport will connect you with scenic hikes and outdoor adventures at eight other state parks, including where to find a candlelight walk and fall volksmarch.

Click here to connect and start the fall fun!