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

Local happenings: Downtown ambassadors haul trash and calm street crises, a dog friendly taproom opens northeast, and Summit League basketball calls Sioux Falls home through 2029 — catch up here.

State-level stories: Youth counselors on speed dial, schools scrambling after a $25.8 million funding pause, and Rapid City airport riding its busiest quarter yet — see what else is brewing.

National headlines: 24/7 social security access, dogs detect Parkinson’s, and a new method or reclaiming 98 percent of battery metals — peruse the best of the rest.

Highlights this week

• Savor pancakes amid planes at Tea Airport
• Enjoy unlimited pancakes supporting veterans
• Join CHS’s 17th annual poker run
• Cultivate trust to boost team performance
• Descend into Siouxland’s historic quarry pit
• iTustCapital offers $0/mo crypto IRA accounts

🫶 We got your back

Wellness: Ready to roll out your mat and find your flow? These yoga studios offer everything from heated sweat-your-buns-off classes to soothing restorative sessions for every level.

Coffee: Your morning ritual deserves better than gas station swill and drive-thru disappointment. From baristas who remember your “usual” to pastry cases that whisper sweet temptations, these nearby caffeine sanctuaries know that great coffee is about way more than just the beans.

Brews: From barrel-aged beauties that make you slow down and savor to crisp IPAs that high-five your taste buds on the way down, Sioux Falls is full of breweries that pour personality by the pint. Check out our favorites here.

Family: Looking for creative ways to keep the littles entertained that don’t involve a screen? This guide covers some of the coolest summer outdoor toys and activities for on-the-go kiddos.

👀 Why just read it when you could be in it?

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📆 Around town this weekend

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

Today

🍹 Tiki Adult Night @ Great Plains Zoo | Friday (7/18) at 6:00pm – Who says the zoo’s just for kids? Slip into your best aloha shirt and join the first grown-up tiki night, where Pina Coladas flow, Huli-Huli chicken sliders await, and you can hula by the splash pad before you’re too drunk to fish.

🎹 Just Duet Dueling Piano Show @ Grand Falls Casino & Golf Resort | Friday (7/18) at 8:30pm – Turn your evening into a Vegas-style singalong smackdown with two piano pros duking it out over your song requests, from Johnny Cash to Lady Gaga. Zero cover charge, strictly 21 and up. Come for the jokes, stay for the impromptu duet disasters and applause.

This weekend

📦 The Great Cardboard Race @ Kuehn Pool | Saturday (7/19) at 10:00am – The Great Cardboard Race is floating back for its seventh summer, daring you to pilot a corrugated creation held together by duct tape and optimism. Team up, don your swimsuit, and see who crafts the sweetest ferry, or the fastest sinking boat. Guaranteed hilarity.

🐊 Crocodile Wranglin @ Laurel Oak Family Aquatic Center | Saturday (7/19) at 10:30am – Ready to play fearless croc wrangler in your own backyard pool? Inflatable reptiles have taken over Laurel Oaks Aquatics, so join the timed scavenger hunt to haul out every fake gator. Fastest wrangler scores local bragging rights and a snazzy prize.

🚶‍♂️ Downtown Walking Food Tour @ Downtown Sioux Falls | Saturday (7/19)at 1:00pm – If your kitchen pantry’s starting to look more exciting than downtown, join a guided stroll through our favorite taco truck, hole-in-the-wall cafés, and bakery stops. You’ll eat your way across town, trade snack regrets for victory, and pretend it’s exercise.

🏃 17th Annual Run for Children’s Home Society @ Cheap Shots Bar and Grill | Sunday (7/20) at 10:00am – If you need to rev your engine and do some good, join the 17th annual CHS poker run. $10 gets you lunch from Marlin’s, Cheap Shots, and SD Pork Council, plus a shot at $3,700 in gift cards if you stick around for the draw.

🎶 Good Earth Summer Concert Series – Alexis Lorene @ Good Earth State Park | Sunday (7/20) at 4:00pm – Dust off your lawn chair and head over to Good Earth Park for Alexis Lorene under the open sky, with Dakota Jax on taco duty. It’s free if you’ve got your state park pass, and yes, we’ll shuffle indoors if the clouds protest.

⚔️ Fullmetal Alchemist Release Event@ Turbulent Games | Sunday (7/20) at 6:00pm – Whether you’re a die-hard alchemist or just here for the shiny promos, swing by East for a chill Starter Deck Limited tournament flaunting the new Fullmetal Alchemist set. Entry costs your deck, prizes are exclusive, and your ego is definitely at stake.

Next week

🎭 Mardi Gras Week @ Sioux Falls Jellystone Park™ | Monday (7/21) – Nothing beats marching with Yogi Bear’s Mardi Gras crew through town, noise makers blazing, DIY floats cobbled from your neighbor’s old wagon, and beads flying like confetti. When the parade wraps, trade your street vibe for sparkle at the Saturday night Ball with Elite Entertainment.

🏠 Pettigrew Home & Museum Birthday Summer Open House @ Pettigrew Home & Museum | Tuesday (7/22) at 5:00pm – Think you’ve seen every corner of local history? Mosey over to the Pettigrew Home & Museum’s birthday open house, enjoy free refreshments while poking around restored parlors, then clippity-clop through the Cathedral District on a horse-drawn carriage, no charge.

🎤 Burton Cummings @ Washington Pavilion | Tuesday (7/22) at 7:30pm – Ready to dodge another Top 40 cover band? This weekend we’ve got the real deal, Burton Cummings, the guy who made “American Woman” sing so loud your high school stereo nearly exploded. Expect every classic dust-free and belted just like you remember.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

🎶 Live music & entertainment

• 7/18 Kid Rock @ W.H. Lyon Fairgrounds – 12 pm
• 7/18 East of Westreville @ Old Courthouse Museum – 12 pm
• 7/18 Rock the Country Music Festival @ W.H. Lyon Fairgrounds – 1 pm
• 7/18 Tiki Night @ Great Plains Zoo – 6 pm
• 7/18 Landon Weis @ Blue Rock Bar – 6 pm
• 7/18 Ken Valdez @ Levitt at the Falls – 7 pm
• 7/19 Saturday in the Park @ Tea City Park – 9 am
• 7/19 The Second Saturday Market @ 8th and Railroad – 6:30 pm
• 7/19 Goth Night @ Icon Lounge – 8 pm
• 7/22 American Legion Unit 15 Auxiliary Bingo @ The Alliance – 5 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).

*This 👇 could be your listing. Hit us up if you’ve got a home (or 12) to sell.

Listed by: Kate K Patrick (605 Real Estate LLC)

Vaulted ceilings and a stone fireplace set the tone in this Prairie Hills South ranch, where the kitchen is basically a chef’s playground. Quartz island, pot filler, Thermador appliances, and a walk-in pantry mean dinner parties just got a serious upgrade. The mudroom’s built-in lockers and laundry setup keep the chaos at bay, while the primary suite’s soaking tub and electric fireplace bring spa vibes home.

Downstairs, the walkout basement is ready for movie nights, game days, or gym sessions, complete with a wet bar and second laundry. Out back, a hot tub and patio overlook a tree-lined yard, and the oversized heated garage is ready for any hobby or season.

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