The week ahead: Sept. 5-11

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.

Sept. 5: Songwriter Showcase

It’s a night of music and stories for “The Scene” podcase at The Den, 909 N. West Ave., when songwriter Alexis Lorene performs her songs and tells the stories behind them. The Sioux Falls native offers a warm acoustic sound and plays many genres of music. It will run from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday. Can’t make it this week? Next week’s songwriter is Brad Morgan.

Sept. 6: First Friday

It’s Free First Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. this Friday — of course — at the Washington Pavilion’s Kirby Science Discovery Center and Visual Arts Center. You’ll be able to experience more than 100 exhibits. Admission is first come, first served. Check in at the box office when you arrive. Children 12 and younger must be accompanied by an adult.

Sept. 6: Madhatter volleyball

It’s the last Madhatter of the year, and Digz Volleyball, 5120 E. Grant St., hopes to make it the biggest. A Madhatter uses a computer to generate random teams four times throughout the event. Entry is $20 a person. Volleyball players will receive free pizza and chances to win Vikings tickets, new volleyballs and gift cards. Register here. It will run from 6:45 to 10:15 p.m. Friday.

Sept. 7: Sidewalk Arts Festival

It’s time to see what the artists and crafters among us have been working on throughout the summer. You’ll find out at the 61st annual Sidewalk Arts Festival from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday in downtown Sioux Falls. The free outdoor event will offer more than 230 vendors featuring fine art, folk art and craft artisans, as well as nonprofit organizations and food vendors. There will be children’s activities, a beer garden and live entertainment on the streets surrounding the Washington Pavilion. This is a fundraiser for the Pavilion and is the region’s largest one-day arts festival.

Sept. 8: Sunday Funday

Suicide is a serious subject, but you can have a good time while helping raise funds to aid an organization that counsels teens and adults dealing with thoughts of suicide, depression, PTSD and mental health issues. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention also offers counseling for those who have felt the loss of life to suicide. A parking lot party will run from 3 to 9 p.m. Sunday at Tinner’s Public House. The free event will include music by Denham and Jetley Park, a beer garden, local food trucks and games.

Sept. 8: Goofball alert

Comedian Dan Alten, who describes himself as “an intelligent goofball from Kentucky,” will appear from 8 to 11 p.m. Sunday at Club David. The show features Hannah Marie, an up-and-coming comic from South Dakota, and is hosted by Joey Stibral, originally from Yankton. Hannah Marie pulls her humor from unexpected events, growing up Native American and being a single mother of two. Stibral said he was voted “funniest groomsmen speech” twice. Tickets cost $10 and can be purchased here.

Coming up: Sept. 12-14

Join Sioux Falls’ newest theater troupe, Theatre Lab, on Sept. 12-14 for the drama “Other Desert Cities” at the Washington Pavilion’s Belbas Theater. The family members in this Pulitzer Prize finalist drama are selfish, loving, cruel, compassionate, irritating, charming and just possibly heroic. And you have three chances to get to know them. Click here for tickets. Show times are 7 p.m.