Things to do: Wiener fights, candlelights and 'Tootsie' up in lights

SIOUX FALLS — We know complaining about the weather is an Olympic sport in South Dakota, but this winter has been awful. We’re tired of shoveling, snow blowing and raking the roof. This author has lived in South Dakota for almost 40 years and has never had to do that before.

Luckily, there are a lot of things to do and to know about in the Sioux Falls area this week to get our minds off of it.

"Tootsie: The Musical" has three performances at the Washington Pavilion on Friday, Feb. 3, and Saturday, Feb. 4, while high school kids will be participating in the State One-Act Play Festival Thursday-Saturday.

Rolling Stone described “Tootsie: The Musical” as “musical comedy heaven.” For those not familiar with the 1982 movie “Tootsie” starring Dustin Hoffman, the show tells the story of Michael Dorsey, a talented but difficult actor who struggles to find work, and reinvents himself as Dorothy Michaels and wins the part. Tickets cost between $32 and $116, but most of the seats that are available are in the $90 range. Shows are 7:30 p.m. Friday and 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

Here’s a really cool opportunity for fans of the stage: Sioux Falls O’Gorman is hosting the State One-Act Play Festival Thursday through Saturday (Feb. 2-4). Aspiring actors, directors, stagehands and lighting designers will be showing off their talents as schools from across the state perform one-act plays in front of judges and an audience. More than 50 schools big and small will be on hand, including Roosevelt (1 p.m. Thursday), Lincoln (3 p.m. Friday), Jefferson (7 p.m. Friday) and O’Gorman (9:30 a.m. Saturday). Performances are scheduled every 45 minutes, so you can see multiple if you want. See a full schedule here.

Dance Gallery Youth Ballet is performing “Cinderella” during four shows Friday through Sunday (Feb. 3-5). The fairy tale show features youth ages 10-18 from DGYB in Sioux Falls. Tickets are $20-$25, and shows are 7 p.m. Friday, 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday. The youth ballet says the Fairy Godmother and Cinderella will be available for attendees to meet after the Saturday show.

Check out some of the Oscar-nominated movies starting this week at the State Theatre.

The WWI epic “All Quiet on the Western Front,” nominated for Best Picture, is playing at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 1. For families, check out “Turning Red,” a coming-of-age animated movie from Disney nominated for Best Animated Feature, this weekend. “The Whale” tells the story of a reclusive English teacher suffering from severe obesity who attempts to reconnect with his estranged daughter. The film, which received nominations in Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Makeup and Hairstyling, is playing Feb. 3-5 and Feb. 8. For showtimes and tickets, go to the State Theatre website.

The first three weeks of the South Dakota Legislative session have been busy. Lawmakers are debating eliminating the grocery sales tax, reducing the legal high school dropout age to 16 and changing the state’s abortion laws.

The Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce on Saturday, Feb. 4, is hosting its first of three Legislative Coffees, to give you a chance to question area lawmakers on those and other topics. This week’s guests will be representatives and senators from districts 6 (northern Lincoln County), 9 (northwestern Sioux Falls) and 14 (southeastern Sioux Falls). The event starts at 10 a.m. and lasts until 11:45 a.m. at the Southeast Technical College at 2001 N. Career Ave. It’s free to attend, and is livestreamed on the Chamber’s Facebook page.

Two more Legislative Coffees will be Feb. 11 and 25 with legislators from different Sioux Falls-area districts.

The Sioux Falls Stampede is opening up the upper-deck for its home game Saturday, Feb. 4, against the Des Moines Buccaneers. That means its Fighting Wiener Dog time.

The local hockey team is changing its name for the 16th iteration of the promotion to end all promotions. During intermission, dozens of wiener dogs will race from one side of the ice to the other, slipping and sliding all while a sellout crowd (or near sellout) cheers them on. It’s the weirdest — yet most fun — sports promotion in minor league sports, in our humble opinion. The Stampede will also change their name and jerseys to the Fighting Weiner Dogs. And T-shirts and other promotional items are for sale, of course.

Tickets are going fast. Seats start at $15.

The Sioux Falls Skyforce have been thrilling area basketball fans for more than 30 years, and on Sunday, they’ll be wearing jerseys like it’s 1989. The Skyforce host Birmingham at 3 p.m. Sunday and will be trading their current red for their old blue colors that they wore during their CBA days. Throwback T-shirts can be purchased at the game and the player-worn jerseys will be auctioned off online. Tickets start at $12.

Sioux Falls isn’t at the top of the list for its beautiful scenery. You got us there, Rapid City. But there are a lot of amazing state parks within a 30-45 minute drive, including in Minnesota, where you can watch the Buffalo roam at Blue Mounds State Park near Luverne.

On Saturday, Feb. 4, Friends of Blue Mounds State Park is hosting a candlelight hike from 6 to 8 p.m.

The self-paced hike will take you along a three-mile path lit by hundreds of luminaries starting at the picnic shelter. Hot cocoa next to a campfire will be availability at the picnic shelter for those who need to warm up. A Minnesota State Park pass is required for entry, which costs $7 per day or $35 annually.

Mayor Paul TenHaken and several business leaders will be on hand at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 31, at the Washington Pavilion to discuss a “significant” update on a downtown development.

According to a release from the Riverline District, “leaders will announce a community collaboration network that is spearheading the next major development in downtown Sioux Falls. … This announcement will be the catalyst for the public to dream big for the future vision of downtown Sioux Falls.”