Community Calendar

The Journey Museum is pleased to announce the opening of an exciting new exhibition, Where Eagles Soar, on October 11, 2024. The family friendly exhibition is free to the public in the Adelstein Gallery through May 25th, 2025. The exhibition includes twenty paintings from the collection of the Sioux Indian Museum. Lakota artist S.D. Nelson created these paintings to illustrate the book Wings of an Eagle. Written by Billy Mills and Janell Brown, the book tells the story of Billy Mills, a ground breaking Oglala Lakota athlete and the only American to win an Olympic Gold medal in the 10,000 meters.

Billy Mills, also known by his Lakota name Tamakhóčhe Theȟíla, is best known for winning a gold medal in the 10,000-meter run at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. His victory is considered one of the greatest upsets in Olympic history, as Mills was a relatively unknown runner at the time and the first (and only) American to win gold in the 10,000 meters. Born and raised on the Pine Ridge Reservation, Mills overcame significant personal challenges, including poverty and the loss of both parents at a young age. A U.S. Marine Corps officer at the time of his Olympic triumph, Mills has since become a prominent advocate for Native American rights and youth sports programs. His life story was dramatized in the 1983 film Running Brave, and he continues to inspire generations with his message of perseverance and hope.

S.D. Nelson is an award-winning Lakota artist and author who has illustrated over 15 books. His work often depicts the imagery of the open prairies where S.D. spent his childhood summers, with expansive skies, towering clouds, and endless seas of grasslands. Combining timeless Lakota stories with contemporary art, his books have captivated audiences both young and old for over twenty years. A member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, spent his childhood summers on the Standing Rock Reservation. During this time, his mother told him the traditional Lakota stories that would become the subjects of his books. S.D. spent 26 years as a teacher in the Flagstaff public schools before his first book Gift Horse, a Lakota Story, was published in 1999.

Join us for a free community Color Our Run event with fun prizes! 🏃‍♂️Walk or run around Prentis Park as you pass by volunteer powder stations to get sprayed in color! Be sure to wear a white t-shirt and eye protection! The first 100 people to register will receive a registration bag.
Register at 👉 bit.ly/VPLcolorrun

Check in starts at 9:30am by the Prentis Park playground 🛝

📅 Saturday, May 3rd 2025
⏰ 10:00am
📍Prentis Park

Thank you to our sponsors Les Schwab of Vermillion and Culligan Water!

Discovery Saturday: AANHPI Heritage Month

Learn the ukulele with Vermillion music educator Gretchen Burbach at two fun and informative ukulele discovery sessions at 11:30 and 1:30. Learn a chord, a couple strumming patterns—and maybe even a song—at 11:30 AM and 1:30 PM that day. We will have several ukuleles on hand for you to play, or bring your own!

Then, stay for a spotlight talks on the NMM's Javanese gamelan at 2:15 and 3:15, as well as a chance to play in this amazing ensemble with educator, Anna Van Kley, at 2:30. All activities are included with museum admission.

Additionally, families are invited to join the NMM’s Music Storytime at 10:30 a.m., where Van Kley will read a story and lead children to explore the museum. Music Storytime is free and sponsored by the M.A. Everist Foundation. Discovery Saturdays at the NMM occur on the first Saturday of each month, offering a variety of activities and educational tours throughout the museum.

The Act of Remembering:Who do you see? by Anissa Pietzyk, University of South Dakota Freshmen presents her IdeaFest project. Pietzyk creates photograms and poetry that reflection upon memory and place. This exibit displayed on the 2nd floor of the Muenster Student Center on the campus of the Univeristy of South Dakota and is free and open to the public. questions? contact [email protected]

Rare Jefferson Peace Medal Exhibit at Mead Museum

An original 220-year old Jefferson Peace Medal on loan to the Mead Museum is on display as part of the Journeying Forward: Connecting Cultures exhibit. The 4-inch Jefferson Peace Medal is extremely rare and a historically significant artifact from the early 19th century.
The peace medals were commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson as part of diplomatic efforts with Native American tribes, serving as symbols of goodwill and alliance between the U.S. government and Indigenous leaders. The Lewis & Clark Expedition handed out 89 of them to leaders of Native Nations on their journey between 1804-1806. This medal is one of less than 5 on display in the world!
In addition to the peace medal, the Journeying Forward exhibit also had an upgrade in its history of the Ihanktonwan and Oceti Sakowin Nations, an important narrative to Yankton regional history.
The Mead Museum is located at 82 Mickelson Dr in Yankton SD. The Museum is open weekdays 10AM to 5PM and on Saturdays/Sundays from 1PM to 5PM.

Discover the ultimate Cinco De Mayo party experience at The Box on May 3rd! 🎉
Premium tastings, live music, and more!
🌮 Fill your belly with sopapillas, street corn and tacos
🔥 Enjoy all the entertainment the event has to offer
🍹 Receive unlimited samples of 40+ tequila options!
⭐️ VIP tickets available for access to a higher end list of tequilasPLUS 1 hour early entry.
Get your tickets at https://mountainwestfiestafest.com/!

The Sturgis Public Library and the Sturgis & Meade County Historical Society will be hosting their monthly genealogy work group on Saturday, May 3rd at 1pm at the Sturgis Public Library. This month we will be looking at digitizing your photos. We'll discuss scanning, preserving, and documenting these family heirlooms. Public is welcome!

When: May 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17 at 7:00pm; May 4, 11, 18 at 2:00pm
Where: Studio Theater; The Performing Arts Center of Rapid City
Tickets: From $18-$28; Available at the Performing Arts Center Box Office, by phone at 605-394-1786 or by ordering online at www.bhct.org
RAPID CITY- Sponsored by Carroll and Dennyce Korb
Black Hills Community Theatre concludes its 57th Season with the surprising Everybody by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins. Follow Everybody as they journey through life’s greatest mystery—the meaning of living. Who will complete the journey with Everybody - all the way from life to after-life? This modern riff on the fifteenth-century morality play Everyman humorously and poignantly answers the question: What can we hold onto as we face our ultimate fear and what does it mean to live as a flawed and vulnerable human being? Everybody has a unique twist in that the cast of six "somebodies" don't know what role they will play each night until the performance has already started. The cast chooses their roles by lottery during every performance, making every night a completely new experience with different actors taking on different parts in various combinations.
This modern parable for adults contains adult situations and adult language.

The Journey Museum is pleased to announce the opening of an exciting new exhibition, Where Eagles Soar, on October 11, 2024. The family friendly exhibition is free to the public in the Adelstein Gallery through May 25th, 2025. The exhibition includes twenty paintings from the collection of the Sioux Indian Museum. Lakota artist S.D. Nelson created these paintings to illustrate the book Wings of an Eagle. Written by Billy Mills and Janell Brown, the book tells the story of Billy Mills, a ground breaking Oglala Lakota athlete and the only American to win an Olympic Gold medal in the 10,000 meters.

Billy Mills, also known by his Lakota name Tamakhóčhe Theȟíla, is best known for winning a gold medal in the 10,000-meter run at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. His victory is considered one of the greatest upsets in Olympic history, as Mills was a relatively unknown runner at the time and the first (and only) American to win gold in the 10,000 meters. Born and raised on the Pine Ridge Reservation, Mills overcame significant personal challenges, including poverty and the loss of both parents at a young age. A U.S. Marine Corps officer at the time of his Olympic triumph, Mills has since become a prominent advocate for Native American rights and youth sports programs. His life story was dramatized in the 1983 film Running Brave, and he continues to inspire generations with his message of perseverance and hope.

S.D. Nelson is an award-winning Lakota artist and author who has illustrated over 15 books. His work often depicts the imagery of the open prairies where S.D. spent his childhood summers, with expansive skies, towering clouds, and endless seas of grasslands. Combining timeless Lakota stories with contemporary art, his books have captivated audiences both young and old for over twenty years. A member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, spent his childhood summers on the Standing Rock Reservation. During this time, his mother told him the traditional Lakota stories that would become the subjects of his books. S.D. spent 26 years as a teacher in the Flagstaff public schools before his first book Gift Horse, a Lakota Story, was published in 1999.

Black Hills Parks and Forests Association invites you to this presentation that will ignite your curiosity and spark your sense of wonder! Through pictures, videos, and stories, you’ll have the chance to learn about naturalist skills, tracking, survival techniques, and gain a deeper insight into our local flora and fauna. Test your knowledge as we dive into questions about the natural world and uncover the hidden meanings behind animal signs and calls! Plus, we’ll share how you can support our public lands alongside the Black Hills Parks & Forests Association!