Animals rule the things-to-do list this week

SIOUX FALLS — We’ve got a fun one this week. As we look ahead to the last full week in January, there are a lot of interesting events in Sioux Falls and things to know.

Animals are a big part of it. There will be livestock galore on display for judging at the Sioux Empire Livestock Show, and for those with pets, an opportunity for Valentine’s Day photos.

In the wide world of sports, try your hand at a cornhole tournament or watch a wild game of roller derby. For those who fancy themselves as a bit of a detective, there are two events where you can help solve a crime.

Then there’s the Lunar New Year celebration and a musical about marijuana.

Meanwhile, the City Council is talking about additional funding for the Sixth Street bridge. OK, that one isn’t as fun, but it’s still something you should know.

Without further ado, here’s what you need to know for the week of Jan. 23-29.

Happy Lunar new year!

Celebrate the year of the rabbit or cat (depending on the cultural traditions) during the Lunar Fest Celebration from 5 to 11 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 28, at the Active Generations and put on by the Vietnamese Community of Sioux Falls.

The festival will be filled with ethnic foods, a live band, dancers, a lion dance performance, raffle drawings, balloon twisting and a pho eating contest. The event is free to attend, but organizers are asking that people bring a dish to share or consider donating to future events. For more information, visit their Facebook page.

Agriculture, farm shows take center stage

Agriculture will be front and center at two multi-day events.

The Sioux Empire Livestock Show is Tuesday-Sunday (Jan. 24-29) at the Sioux Empire Fairgrounds, and the Sioux Falls Farm Show is Wednesday-Friday (Jan. 25-27) at the Denny Sanford Premier Center.

Both events aren’t just for those in the agriculture industry, either.

The Livestock Show gives producers and others a chance to show off their prized livestock, including cattle, calf, pigs, lamb, goat and more. Plus, there will be plenty of commercial exhibits and other activities. Have kids? They’ll love seeing all the animals.

The events start around 8 a.m. most days, but for a full schedule go to the Livestock Show website .

At the Farm Show, 300 exhibitors and more than 1,000 produce lines will be on display at the three-day event. Ag producers from the four-state region will be on hand to showcase farm technology and other products to help farmers. South Dakota State Extensive Services will be providing educational seminars, plus there will be daily giveaways. For a full schedule of events and to learn more, visit the Farm Show website.

Pet photos for Valentine’s Day

There are events this week where you can take your pup this weekend for photos or to just chill.

Southern Hills United Methodist Church is hosting a Valentine’s Day Pet Portrait session from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28. Two photographers will be taking photos of pets (with or without their owners in them). For a $35 donation to the Rescue Network, you’ll get two to four edited photos.

Each session will take 10-minutes, and payment can be submitted via PayPal or Venmo. Participants need to sign up for a time slot. Hurry, as they are filling up fast.

Remedy Brewing Company will also be hosting a Valentine’s Photo Event for all pets, not just dogs. You’ll get four poses for $25, and the funds will support 605 Boxer Rescue.

Cornhole competition and roller derby

We’re constantly on the look for unique activities to put in this weekly feature, and we found a couple of good ones.

There’s nothing much more “American” than having a beer (or soda) in the backyard during your friend Bob’s barbecue and slinging bags in a friendly (or not so friendly) game of cornhole.

It’s easy, right? Anybody can be good at that. Well, now’s your chance to show your skills.

The Lyon County Fairgrounds in Rock Rapids, Iowa, is hosting the Aced Cornhole regional event on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 27-28.

Participants can compete in coed, singles, doubles and blind draw in open, competitive and intermediate divisions. Costs vary by division, and there are payouts to the top finishers. For more information and to register, visit the event’s Facebook page.

Yes, it’s 45 minutes away from Sioux Falls, but it’s a cornhole competition. Let’s gooooooo!

The Sioux Falls Roller Dollz have started their 2023 season, and they play Chippewa Valley at 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, at the Multi-Cultural center of Sioux Falls.

If you haven’t been to a roller derby, you are missing out on an action-packed rough-and-tumble experience where teams compete on roller skates around an oval track.

Doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets are $10 at the door, and kids 13 and under are free.

Put on your detective hat and help solve crimes

There’s been a murder at the Pettigrew, and only you can solve it during the “It’s a Nice Day for a Dead Wedding” murder mystery Friday, Jan. 27, at the Pettigrew Home and Museum. Tickets are $12 and can be purchased by phone at 605-367-4210 or at the Old Courthouse Museum.

Available times are 6 p.m., 6:30, 7, 7:30 and 8. “Those in attendance will tour the crime scene and form their theories before the murderer is revealed,” according to the event’s description.

If you prefer to solve a mystery on a full stomach, sign up for the Dinner Detective at the Sheraton Hotel at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 28. Tickets start at $60 and includes dinner and gratuity to the waitstaff. Be on the lookout, however, because the killer could be anyone. For more information and tickets , visit their website.

City to discuss bridge funding; School Bus Inc. gives report

The Sioux Falls city councilors will hold a special city council meeting at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 24, to vote on additional funding for the Sixth Street Bridge, also known as the Unity Bridge.

Councilors learned last week that the bridge would cost $21.8 million after budgeting for $8.8 million. The council eventually voted 6-2 to go forward with the project after an hour of heated discussion. At Tuesday’s meeting, the City Council will vote on using $3 million supplemental appropriations from the Sales/Use Tax Fund.

At today's School Board meeting, School Bus Inc. will provide a report. Though the details of the report aren’t indicated on the agenda, School Bus Inc. has faced criticism from parents on social media about their bus service.

Earlier this month, we reported how a Sioux Falls mother is calling on better communication after her 9-year-old daughter was dropped off at the wrong location. And with the lack of bus drivers causing the district to alter the start and stop times of some schools, it will be interesting to listen to today's report. The School Board will also get an update on 2023 capital improvement projects and an update on legislative matters that affect education.

Shows at Orpheum Theater and Washington Pavilion

There are a pair of shows downtown this weekend that we aren’t going to try and connect in any way.

Taylor Calmus has 570,000 subscribers on YouTube and 4.1 million followers on Facebook. Your kids might know him as “Dude Dad.”

Calmus will perform at 5 and 8 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 28, at the Orpheum Theater. The show, "Super Dad," is a “super-sized version of Dude Dad.” Tickets are $30-$40.

Don’t take your kids to “Reefer Madness,” which is Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Jan. 26-28, at the Washington Pavilion.

The show is a “musical send-up of the cult classic propaganda film” that “descends into the comical depths of the terrifying reefer, told through the lens of a 1930s PSA littered with all manner of melodramatic results.”

The musical contains strong language and adult content. Tickets are $30.