Eight more statehood celebration committees are promoting South Dakota's history with events and activities. Activities include fire department water fights, Finn bread baking, antique tractor pulls, a Wife Carrying Contest and a DVD on the baking of Kolaches.
New local committees have organized in Harrisburg, Ipswich, Tabor, Frederick, Lake Norden, Stickney, Geddes and Lawrence County.
"By remembering our past, we can build an even better future. The state's 125th birthday year is a good time to do both," said Gov. Dennis Daugaard.
The Harrisburg Days celebrations on June 13-14 will feature a parade, a picnic, several concerts, a fly-over ping pong ball drop, inflatables for the kids and a 5-kilometer race. The committee will also create a lasting legacy project later this year.
Ipswich will celebrate Trail Days June 13-15 with a parade featuring floats designed with 125th birthday themes. The town history mural is also being repainted this summer. Later in the year, a special heritage day will be celebrated in all the Ipswich schools with special lessons and tours of the Parmley Museum and Pioneer Village.
Czech Days in Tabor, June 19-21, will also feature a parade with history themes that honor local families, businesses, organizations and individuals that have contributed to the town's history. Old Tabor newspapers have also been digitized for easier use. A DVD on the baking of Kolaches has been produced. Sidewalk commemorative bricks are also on sale to raise funds for Czech Village. The 125th Statehood Wagon Train will stop in Tabor in September. Water lines and fire hydrants -- some over 100 years old -- are also being replaced.
The Frederick Celebration Committee will have a history float in the local FinnFest parade, June 20-22. Members will be churning butter, sewing on a treadle machine and doing other demonstrations. The committee's project is refurbishing a building on Main Street. FinnFest will also feature a 5-kilometer race, Finn bread baking, a boot toss, a softball tournament and Wife Carrying Contest.
In Lake Norden, after the annual Pork Bar-B-Q on July 3, area fire departments will have a water fight on Main Street. Then, South Dakota's first Governor, Arthur Mellette, will give a special presentation on South Dakota history in Lake Norden's new community center.
The Stickney Statehood Celebration Committee will host a community pot luck called "Beef Bash," games and a talent show on Aug. 2. There will also be tours of historic buildings. The Committee is raising funds to buy new playground equipment for the city park.
In Geddes, Aug. 8-10, Fur Traders Days will have a 125th Anniversary of Statehood theme with an antique parade, an antique tractor pull and open houses of historic village buildings, such as Peter Norbeck's childhood home. For youngsters, there will be inflatable houses, a pedal pull, barrel train rides and a petting zoo. Other activities will include a farmers market, a chili cook-off, mounted shooters contest, horse shoes, bean bag toss and lawn mower poker run. Funds raised will be used for more restoration of old buildings, playground equipment and town promotion. The committee is also investigating the start of a Peter Norbeck trail and a Norbeck library and museum.
The Lawrence County Historical Society's Statehood Celebration Committee is publishing a book entitled "Lawrence County Town Timelines" for distribution to local schools and sale to the public. Other activities include spring and fall tours of historic buildings and fundraisers.
All locally formed committees will receive help from the Governor's Office to publicize their events and projects, an official certificate and the opportunity to have special highway signs for their communities.
A total of 17 cities, towns and area groups have become official statehood celebration communities so far by creating a special event for this year or adding a state history theme to existing annual events.
Information about creating a local committee is available at http://125.sd.gov under the "Celebration Communities" tab.