Community Calendar

The Journey Museum is pleased to announce the opening of an exciting new exhibition, Where Eagles Soar, on October 11, 2024. The family friendly exhibition is free to the public in the Adelstein Gallery through May 25th, 2025. The exhibition includes twenty paintings from the collection of the Sioux Indian Museum. Lakota artist S.D. Nelson created these paintings to illustrate the book Wings of an Eagle. Written by Billy Mills and Janell Brown, the book tells the story of Billy Mills, a ground breaking Oglala Lakota athlete and the only American to win an Olympic Gold medal in the 10,000 meters.

Billy Mills, also known by his Lakota name Tamakhóčhe Theȟíla, is best known for winning a gold medal in the 10,000-meter run at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. His victory is considered one of the greatest upsets in Olympic history, as Mills was a relatively unknown runner at the time and the first (and only) American to win gold in the 10,000 meters. Born and raised on the Pine Ridge Reservation, Mills overcame significant personal challenges, including poverty and the loss of both parents at a young age. A U.S. Marine Corps officer at the time of his Olympic triumph, Mills has since become a prominent advocate for Native American rights and youth sports programs. His life story was dramatized in the 1983 film Running Brave, and he continues to inspire generations with his message of perseverance and hope.

S.D. Nelson is an award-winning Lakota artist and author who has illustrated over 15 books. His work often depicts the imagery of the open prairies where S.D. spent his childhood summers, with expansive skies, towering clouds, and endless seas of grasslands. Combining timeless Lakota stories with contemporary art, his books have captivated audiences both young and old for over twenty years. A member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, spent his childhood summers on the Standing Rock Reservation. During this time, his mother told him the traditional Lakota stories that would become the subjects of his books. S.D. spent 26 years as a teacher in the Flagstaff public schools before his first book Gift Horse, a Lakota Story, was published in 1999.

A dedicated ensemble of volunteers was formed shortly after the arrival of the Kyai Rengga Manis Everist Gamelan. Eventually being given the name of Tatag, the group exemplifies the characteristics of what the name means: strong will, strong determination, showing compassion. Members of the group have ranged in age from 6 to 80, and members commute from as far away as Orange City.

Membership is open to anyone who is interested - no prior music experience is necessary. They rehearse once a week for 60 minutes.

A live stream of this concert will be available to watch for free on our website at https://www.nmmusd.org/nmm-live-video

The Act of Remembering:Who do you see? by Anissa Pietzyk, University of South Dakota Freshmen presents her IdeaFest project. Pietzyk creates photograms and poetry that reflection upon memory and place. This exibit displayed on the 2nd floor of the Muenster Student Center on the campus of the Univeristy of South Dakota and is free and open to the public. questions? contact [email protected]

Friday, May 3rd noon to 1pm
End of the Vietnam War 50th Anniversary "History and Legacy of the Vietnam War" by Dr. Rich Lofthus
The United States is currently commemorating the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War, which is being observed through Veterans Day 2025. Mount Marty University Rich Lofthus will be the featured speaker with a program that discusses the history and legacy of the Vietnam War. Feed Your Minds are held on the first Friday of each month, and there is a free-will donation to attend. The one-hour event will be held on the second floor of the Mead Building, 82 Mickelson

Rare Jefferson Peace Medal Exhibit at Mead Museum

An original 220-year old Jefferson Peace Medal on loan to the Mead Museum is on display as part of the Journeying Forward: Connecting Cultures exhibit. The 4-inch Jefferson Peace Medal is extremely rare and a historically significant artifact from the early 19th century.
The peace medals were commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson as part of diplomatic efforts with Native American tribes, serving as symbols of goodwill and alliance between the U.S. government and Indigenous leaders. The Lewis & Clark Expedition handed out 89 of them to leaders of Native Nations on their journey between 1804-1806. This medal is one of less than 5 on display in the world!
In addition to the peace medal, the Journeying Forward exhibit also had an upgrade in its history of the Ihanktonwan and Oceti Sakowin Nations, an important narrative to Yankton regional history.
The Mead Museum is located at 82 Mickelson Dr in Yankton SD. The Museum is open weekdays 10AM to 5PM and on Saturdays/Sundays from 1PM to 5PM.

The cost is $15 per car.

Please bring household items that could be harmful if thrown into the landfill such as: cleaning supplies like oven cleaner, drain cleaners, nickel cadmium rechargeable batteries, or metal polishes. Bring your florescent light bulbs, mercury switches, bug sprays or flea collars. Bring items from your garage like latex paint, oil based paint, used oil, used anti freeze, paint thinners, stains, strippers and preservatives. Dry Hard Paint may be disposed with regular garbage.

Do NOT bring appliances, electronics, propane, fireworks, or car batteries.

Celebrate the work of the University of South Dakota Department of Art BFA Students' Graduation Exhibition Reception, It All Came Together, featuring the work of Lydia Jae, Aya Naoe, Nathan Valentine, and Kylie Woodruff.

Join us for our Big Band Dance Friday May 2. We will be dancing to live music from the El Riad Shrine Big Band on the spacious hardwood-floored ballroom of the El Riad Shrine in downtown Sioux Falls. The 17-piece Shrine Big Band will be playing music complementary to swing, ballroom, two step, and Latin dancing styles for a great dance experience. The evening begins at 6:45 with a beginner’s dance lesson, free with admission to the dance, taught by instructor Lisa Myhre. The dance begins at 7:30. There will be opportunities for instruction in other partnered dances throughout the evening. During band breaks, we will have popular line dances such as the Electric Slide, Shivers, and Fireball. We suggest dressing in comfortable business casual attire, a dressed up formal style, or your favorite spring-inspired clothing. There is ample free parking on the street and in the large lot on the east side of the El Riad. Admission is $15 per person; or for students with a school ID, $7. Facebook.com/ElRiadShrineDanceClub Facebook.com/BallroomDanceClubSiouxFalls

When: May 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17 at 7:00pm; May 4, 11, 18 at 2:00pm
Where: Studio Theater; The Performing Arts Center of Rapid City
Tickets: From $18-$28; Available at the Performing Arts Center Box Office, by phone at 605-394-1786 or by ordering online at www.bhct.org
RAPID CITY- Sponsored by Carroll and Dennyce Korb
Black Hills Community Theatre concludes its 57th Season with the surprising Everybody by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins. Follow Everybody as they journey through life’s greatest mystery—the meaning of living. Who will complete the journey with Everybody - all the way from life to after-life? This modern riff on the fifteenth-century morality play Everyman humorously and poignantly answers the question: What can we hold onto as we face our ultimate fear and what does it mean to live as a flawed and vulnerable human being? Everybody has a unique twist in that the cast of six "somebodies" don't know what role they will play each night until the performance has already started. The cast chooses their roles by lottery during every performance, making every night a completely new experience with different actors taking on different parts in various combinations.
This modern parable for adults contains adult situations and adult language.

The Journey Museum is pleased to announce the opening of an exciting new exhibition, Where Eagles Soar, on October 11, 2024. The family friendly exhibition is free to the public in the Adelstein Gallery through May 25th, 2025. The exhibition includes twenty paintings from the collection of the Sioux Indian Museum. Lakota artist S.D. Nelson created these paintings to illustrate the book Wings of an Eagle. Written by Billy Mills and Janell Brown, the book tells the story of Billy Mills, a ground breaking Oglala Lakota athlete and the only American to win an Olympic Gold medal in the 10,000 meters.

Billy Mills, also known by his Lakota name Tamakhóčhe Theȟíla, is best known for winning a gold medal in the 10,000-meter run at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. His victory is considered one of the greatest upsets in Olympic history, as Mills was a relatively unknown runner at the time and the first (and only) American to win gold in the 10,000 meters. Born and raised on the Pine Ridge Reservation, Mills overcame significant personal challenges, including poverty and the loss of both parents at a young age. A U.S. Marine Corps officer at the time of his Olympic triumph, Mills has since become a prominent advocate for Native American rights and youth sports programs. His life story was dramatized in the 1983 film Running Brave, and he continues to inspire generations with his message of perseverance and hope.

S.D. Nelson is an award-winning Lakota artist and author who has illustrated over 15 books. His work often depicts the imagery of the open prairies where S.D. spent his childhood summers, with expansive skies, towering clouds, and endless seas of grasslands. Combining timeless Lakota stories with contemporary art, his books have captivated audiences both young and old for over twenty years. A member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, spent his childhood summers on the Standing Rock Reservation. During this time, his mother told him the traditional Lakota stories that would become the subjects of his books. S.D. spent 26 years as a teacher in the Flagstaff public schools before his first book Gift Horse, a Lakota Story, was published in 1999.