The week ahead: Dec. 14-20

The Week Ahead is our hand-picked event guide to the next seven days in Sioux Falls and slightly beyond. For guaranteed placement or to promote your event ahead of time, email [email protected] about a featured event listing.

Dec. 13 and beyond: Holiday lights

Start a new holiday tradition at the Country Apple Orchard, 27249 SD Highway 115, Harrisburg. The orchard offers three shows a night, Wednesdays through Sundays, until New Year’s Eve. It’s an epic 30-minute drive-in-and-park display set to the merriest of holiday music. Get your tickets by clicking here.

Dec. 14: Music on a Thursday

Start out the weekend a little early with fine food, wine and music. R Wine Bar & Kitchen, 322 E. Eighth St., will host the Steve Smith Trio featuring Brian Hanegan from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday.

Dec. 15-16: Charlie Brown Christmas

Studio B Jazz will perform two sets of the “A Charlie Brown Christmas” soundtrack live on Friday and Saturday at DaDa Gastropub, 400 N. Main Ave. Musicians Alex Olsen, Reuben Rodriguez and Bobby Gripp will perform. DaDa will be open for full-service dinner and beverages at 5 p.m. with the first set of music about 6 p.m. The second set will begin about 7:30 p.m. Make a reservation here.

Dec. 16: Holiday Bash

A Holiday Bash at the Butterfly House & Aquarium, part of the Great Plains Zoo, will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. It will include a hot chocolate bar, cookie decorating, festive face-painting, holiday crafts and special wintry enrichment for the animals. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be on hand for photographs. The event is  included with membership or regular admission. Guests who purchase or renew a Monarch membership during December will receive up to $25 in free Zoo Bucks — good at both campuses. Monarch members enjoy unlimited visits to both GPZ and BHA all year, including admission to events like ZooBoo and the members-only Spring Fling. Learn more at GreatZoo.org/Membership.

Dec. 16: Dog ‘pawty’

Celebrate the holiday season with your four-legged friends. Sioux Falls Parks & Recreation will host a Holiday Pawty from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday at Kirby Dog Park in downtown Sioux Falls. You can create and stuff a stock for your dog, dress them up for an ugly sweater contest, visit vendor booths from popular Sioux Falls dog organizations and more.

Dec. 16: Fire + Ice 2023

On Saturday, visit BronzeAge for an outdoor Fire + Ice Iron Pour, then swing by the historic Little Stone Church for the Fire + Ice Art Market in a warm and cozy space just 10 blocks away. At BronzeAge, molten iron will flow continuously from 6 to 8 p.m. at 1110 N. Weber Ave. Nordic Iron will host the outdoor iron pour with fiery performance sculptures by local iron artists throughout the evening. Warm up inside the sculpture foundry, discover unusual art and sculptures made from molten metal and learn about the metal “casting” process. Paw print kits and bronze items will be for sale. Fire + Ice will be held rain or snow as long as it’s safe to travel in town. Additional parking is north and south of BronzeAge and at the Falls Park Farmers Market pavilion. At the Little Stone Church, find street parking or in the lots at Whittier Middle School.

Dec. 17: Bourbon auction

Blanton’s Gold. Remus Repeal. Jack Daniels 10 year and 12 year. 1792 Sweet Wheat. Those are among the bourbons going up on the auction block. BoozeBoys will host a bourbon auction at Stogeez Cigar Lounge, 201 E. 11th St., at 1 p.m. Sunday. This year’s donation will be made to the Midwest Honor Flight.

Dec, 18: Stand-up comedy

Sioux Falls Comedy hosts a Tuesday night weekly Comedy Open Mic-on at the Icon Events Annex & Loft, 400 N. Main Ave. Sara Manson will serve as the host for those who want to share their best seven minutes of comedy. Sign-up should be completed by 7:30 p.m. with the show starting at 8 p.m. Admission is free.