The week ahead: May 16-22

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.

May 16: Celebrating songwriters

Celebrate local songwriters Alyssa Keiser and Bubba Startz as they swap songs and stories in an evening of mostly unreleased songs. The songwriters showcase will begin at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Monks Ale House, 420 E. Eighth St.

May 16: Juggling and jokes

The Live & Local performance series will wrap up at 7:30 p.m. Thursday with a juggling act by Joey Colombi and comedians Zach Dresch and Nathan Hults in the Washington Pavilion’s Belbas Theater. Colombi juggles balls, clubs and rings with LED props, while Dresch will share humorous stories, and Hults will talk about his experiences with weight loss, marriage, fatherhood and growing up. Tickets cost $20; you can purchase them here.

May 17: Artist reception

Teo Nguyen is a photo-realistic painter, photographer and short-film producer. He moved from Vietnam to the United States at age 16 and now lives and works in Minneapolis. His work, “Eclogues,” will be on display in the Washington Pavilion Visual Arts Center’s Bates Trimble Gallery through Nov. 22. A special artist reception will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday.

May 18: Fish-a-thon

What better way to kick off the summer fishing season than with a fish-a-thon! Prizes will be awarded to kids younger than 16 for the largest fish, smallest fish and the most fish caught. Poles and bait will be available on a first-come, first-served basis from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday at Family Park, 300 N. Ellis Road. It’s open to all ages, but if you’re older than 16 you must have a valid South Dakota fishing license.

May 19: Visit a garden

South Dakota State University Extension and McCrory Gardens will start their summer programming season with the Garden Discovery Festival from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday at McCrory Gardens. It is free and designed for all ages. It will include plant sales, educational booths with hands-on activities, local food vendors, a garden tour and expert presentations. A highlight is the unveiling and dedication of the newly remodeled cottage, originally part of a Lake Preston gas station, followed by free SDSU Ice Cream. A seed swap is new this year. It is an introduction to the new seed library at the McCrory Gardens entrance. For a complete schedule of events and vendors, visit extension.sdstate.edu/events.

May 20: Food truck festival

Don’t worry about meal prep for Monday night — the Harvey Dunn Elementary PTA is hosting a food truck festival at the school, 2400 S. Bahnson Ave. It will run from 5 to 7:30 p.m. The family event will include multiple food trucks plus entertainment.

Coming up: May 23

Swap your shorts and flip-flops for your finest frock or a dashing waistcoat at the Bridgerton TipsyTea, hosted by Oh My Cupcakes East, 3326 E. 10th St. The menu will include refreshments tailored to the “Bridgerton” television show theme, and each guest will receive a gift bag filled with essentials as the newest season begins. Cost is $45 for the May 23 event, which runs from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Make reservations here.