Happy Friday, Sioux Falls. You know the drill – grab your coffee (or whatever you sip in the morning), kick back, and let Sioux Falls Brief serve up everything you need to know for the weekend ahead.

📰 In the news

Council tweaks tight budget: City Council unanimously approved Mayor TenHaken’s 2026 budget, restoring $270,000 for libraries, adding $75,000 to keep pools open through August 16, 2026, and boosting community grants to $900,000 — see what’s in the budget.

District touts promising progress: Sioux Falls School District reported gains from a K-2 literacy pilot using UFLI, with 82% of kindergartners meeting MAP benchmarks versus 74% of non-UFLI peers. Expansion continues this year — see the data and costs.

Big bet on growth: Forward Sioux Falls has launched its ninth five-year campaign, seeking $18 million and targeting 5,000 median-wage jobs and $3 billion in investment. The plan will start April 1, 2026 — review goals, focus, and timeline.

Highlights this week

• BIPOC founders learn, share, and scale
• Find renewal at women’s cancer survivor retreat
• Heartsaver CPR/AED training for child care providers
• Run, walk, and roll for Usher awareness
• Celebrate Riverfest with music and sustainability

🫶 We got your back

Year-round skating arrives: Jacobson Plaza just leveled up: they added roller skate rentals on the ice ribbon. Garry Jacobson donated about 300 pairs, and it’s only $3 to rent at The Lodge. Roller-skating runs through October, with ice skating slated to start Nov. 21. Expect themed skate parties and fall events, too. See skate hours and events.

End of an era: David’s Bridal is closing its Sioux Falls store on Oct. 26, which is bittersweet since it was South Dakota’s first and will now be its last. Reason’s unclear, but everything is 50% off until then. After it shuts, the nearest stores are in Omaha, Des Moines, and the Twin Cities. See date, discount and locations.

Market: Fresh veggies, homemade jams, slightly too confident street musicians, and the joy of overbuying produce you swear you’ll cook with this week, Falls Park Farmers Market is basically Saturday morning perfection.

Modern health: Willow is changing the weight management game with sustainable, flexible, and modern plans to help you feel your best. All their docs are board certified, and you get unlimited access to your physician (AKA… you’ll be in good hands). Take this 2-minute assessment to get started.

Learn something new: If you’ve always wanted to learn a new language, meet italki. They match you with native speakers for personalized lessons starting at just $5/hour. With 150+ languages to choose from and flexible scheduling, you won’t need to rearrange your life (or start a side hustle) to achieve fluency.

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📆 Around town this weekend

All events are subject to change without notice. This is entirely outside our control. Please check official event pages and social media for the most up to date information.

Have an event to share? Submit it here for free →

Today

🎭 Blame Not the Bard @ Bigs Bar | Friday (9/12) at 7:00pm – Nothing pairs better with a pint than a Celtic folk quartet that sneaks in a modern twist. BNTB’s fiery fiddles, storytelling banter, and fresh originals feel like your fun-loving cousin who finally grew up. Expect lively tunes, heartfelt songs, and a few clever surprises.

🎤 Sweet Dreams: Patsy Cline Tribute Show @ Myrtle’s Fur Vault & Bar | Friday (9/12) at 8:00pm – Tired of your same old living room playlists? Alex Newcomb Weiland is serving up Sweet Dreams, Crazy, and other Patsy Cline gems, while David Mercer tickles the ivories with more heart than your grandma’s pot roast. It’s a cozy, limited-seating, three-night gig.

This weekend

🌾 Indigenous Artists of the Prairie @ Good Earth State Park | Saturday (9/13) at 10:00am – Celebrate Native creativity on the prairie with a day of art, music, and community. Browse beadwork, textiles, and more while meeting the makers behind each piece. Pack a blanket, soak up the scenery, and support Indigenous artists with your dollars and your applause.

🃏 Pokémon Mega Evolutions Prerelease @ Turbulent Games | Saturday (9/13) at 1:00pm – Grab your deck and skip the brunch line for Turbulent Games’ Pokémon Mega Evolutions Prerelease, where only twenty trainers clash over fresh critters and nostalgic smack talk. It’s a Swiss-style, best-of-three rumble with a $30 buy-in. May the Mega force be with you.

🎸 Jennifer Lyn and The Groove Revival @ Belbas Theater | Saturday (9/13) at 7:30pm – Think your local bar has charm? Try back-to-back Led Zeppelin riffs, Joplin’s grit, and Stones swagger, all delivered by Jennifer Lyn & The Groove Revival. Soulful wails, electrifying guitar, and a modern twist make this rock celebration more authentic than your old college mixtape.

😴 Sweet Dreams @ Club David | Sunday (9/14) at 7:00pm – If you’ve ever tried to hit those Patsy Cline high notes in the shower without plunging your neighbors into madness, here’s your chance to redeem your karaoke credibility. Velvety trip through Sweet Dreams and her greatest hits, a few tears, hat tips, and zero judgment.

🏌️‍♂️ Sanford International @ Minnehaha Country Club | Sunday (9/14) – The veteran tour pros are rolling into town for a PGA Champions stop with perfectly manicured greens, more mulligans than your golf league allows, and the kind of polite applause only South Dakotans can muster. Ice-cold local brews optional but highly recommended.

Next week

🎸 Melvins @ Bigs Bar | Monday (9/15) at 7:00pm – Whether you’ve survived their ear-splitting humor at sweaty DIY basements or rediscovered them via your teen’s Spotify playlist, the Melvins are rolling into Bigs Bar, sticky-floored dive, to blast 40 years of punk sludge and surprise acoustic detours. Dust off that battle-scarred band tee, people.

🏌️ Men’s Golf Fall Brawl @ University of Sioux Falls | Monday (9/15) – Feel like trading your morning coffee for crisp fairway action? Head over to cheer on the University of Sioux Falls men’s golf squad as they square off in the Maverick/Golden Bear Fall Brawl. Expect gentle banter, brilliant fall colors, and hometown pride.

🖌️ Homeschool Hot Glue Art @ Mosaic Arts & Events | Tuesday (9/16) at 1:00pm – For five bucks, homeschoolers six and up can prove they’re braver than their parents with hot glue guns and paintbrushes. After a quick backdrop paint, they’ll scribble glue lines and flood them with color for that satisfyingly bumpy look. It’s messy, therapeutic, and child-approved chaos.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

🎶 Live music & entertainment

• 9/13 9th Annual Oktoberfest @ Remedy Brewing – 12 pm
• 9/13 Dinner Detective @ Sheraton Sioux Falls – 6 pm
• 9/13 Jennifer Lyn and The Groove Revival @ Belbas Theater – 7:30 pm
• 9/13 Drag the Fields @ Club David – 8 pm
• 9/13 Micro Maidens @ Bigs Bar – 9 pm
• 9/14 Geoff Gunderson Recital @ Fryxell Humanities Center – 3:30 pm
• 9/14 Timmy No Brakes @ Trio Jazz Club – 7 pm
• 9/14 Sweet Dreams @ Club David – 7 pm
• 9/15 Melvins @ Bigs Bar – 7 pm

🏠️ Price is right – Sioux Falls edition

How it works: We’re going to give you some facts about a home for sale, including a picture of the outside, the kitchen, and one additional room. Your job? Guess how much it’s listed for (preferably before you click to find out).

Listed by: Jeff L Merrill (eXp Realty)

Vaulted ceilings with chunky wood beams and a stone fireplace crank up the cozy factor in this 5-bed, 3.5-bath ranch. The kitchen means business with granite counters, a walk-in pantry, pot filler, and a wine fridge at the ready. A custom drop zone keeps the chaos at bay, and the main-floor laundry sports its own granite and a raised dryer pedestal for easy folding.

Downstairs, a storm shelter and a second wet bar set the stage for movie nights or impromptu gatherings. Heated floors in most bathrooms and Bluetooth tech add a dash of spa vibes, all tucked into Grand Prairie Addition where HOA is totally optional.

Make your guess, then (and only then)… see how much it costs →