Regional bands, local food, outdoor fun will converge at new Meadowlands event

By Jacqueline Palfy, for Pigeon605

Tony Helland wants you to leave Sioux Falls.

He wants you to get in your vehicle — try to carpool — drive less than an hour west to Alexandria and spend the day celebrating the beauty that is South Dakota. He wants you to enjoy regional bands with deep roots in the area. To try food from local vendors who care where the ingredients come from and how they’re packaged. To listen to experts who are passionate about taking care of our world and each other.

And he wants you to camp, play yard games and swim.

Meadowlands, billed as “A Homegrown Fest,” debuts at noon Saturday, June 11, at the Granite Springs Lodge, just outside of Alexandria. Hiking, fishing, swimming and yard games will be available, and the music begins at 3 p.m. There also is a sandy beach, and kayaks, etc., are welcome.

The site is dear to Helland, who married his wife there. Helland serves on the board of directors for Dakota Rural Action. Through that work and his work as a musician with We All Have Hooks for Hands, he connected with other like-minded friends, and an idea began to take shape.

“All of us have been interacting around those issues: local foods, water and resilient communities,” Helland said. “We committed ourselves to create ways to bring awareness for issues the organization works on and to raise funds in meaningful and interesting ways for the communities around us.”

One of the best ways to do that was to really showcase the land that makes up our state, he said.

“Once you’re on the property, you’re transported beyond the cornfields you see to get out there. There is a quarry that is immeasurably deep with fresh water. There is camping, swimming. There will be food trucks,” Helland said.

Everything about the event has been intentional, including which musical acts to book.

“We wanted to keep it regional,” Helland said. “But for the first time, we thought, let’s reach those who cross that urban/rural divide, who cross that native/non-native divide.”

Acts include Isanti from Sioux Falls, Redwing Blackbird from Minneapolis, Aage Birch from Yankton and The Wake Singers from Rapid City.

Everyone was on board with the mission, he said, including vendors such as Sweetgrass Soapery, Watecha Bowl and Chizlickers.

Ultimately, Helland hopes to spark conversation, which is part of the goal of Dakota Rural Action, which is nonpartisan.

“I see that as this event unfolds, the importance of bringing people together,” Helland said. “Water is an issue we all face here. With local foods, there is immeasurable room to share space with larger agricultural farms. It’s really about pushing the state to get on board with that. And resilient communities – we’ve gone through this pandemic, and there isn’t anyone who can say ‘I didn’t help someone else out during this time.’”

The event space opens at noon, and attendees are encouraged to bring a tent to stay. “Come out and spend the night under the stars,” Helland said.

Musical acts begin at 3 p.m., with expert speakers throughout the afternoon. Boulevard Brewing and Glacial Lakes Distillery will be selling beverages.  Tickets begin at $30, and you can buy them here. All profits will be given to charity.

“We really want this to be a family event,” he said.