ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE S.D. CHISLIC FESTIVAL
JEREMY WALTNER – PUBLISHER
For those who like chislic and beer, the grounds of the Freeman Prairie Arboretum will be a haven this Saturday, July 30 when the fourth South Dakota Chislic Festival returns to the community.
For those who don’t like chislic and/or beer, no worries. There will be plenty of other food, drink and fun to be had at the day-long, family-friendly party. Action officially begins at 10 a.m. Saturday with an opening ceremony, which will be followed by a host of things to do, from informal mingling to planned activities. Here’s everything you need to know about Freeman’s biggest annual event.
WHERE SHOULD I PARK?
Three main parking areas have been identified for festival guests: 1. The concrete lot north of Pioneer Hall/west of Sterling Hall; 2. The Freeman High School parking lot five blocks east of the arboretum; 3. The grassy area on the west edge of town north of the Freeman Recycling Center. Head coach Dustin Tschetter and players associated with the Freeman/Marion/Freeman Academy Phoenix football program will be working as parking attendants. A tram will be making nonstop loops between the three areas all day long. Street parking is also available but be advised parking will not be allowed along Seventh Street. The main parking area on arboretum/museum grounds is reserved for handicapped and permit guests only. Note also that HHM&A is offering premier paid parking on the east side of its complex and a stone’s throw from festival grounds. Space is limited; contact the museum at 605-925-7545 or info@heritagehallmuseum.com to reserve your spot.
Pro tip: If you’re from Freeman and physically able, walk or take your bike.
DOES IT COST?
There is no admission fee to get into the festival, but of course guests will have to buy their food and beverage. Fifteen food vendors will be set up along the north edge of the arboretum grounds with beer sales taking place under the big tent nearby. The Menno Volunteer Fire Department is slinging the brew and working for tips, so be generous!
OPENING CEREMONY
The State VFW will be on hand for the opening ceremony at 10 a.m., and an opening prayer will be offered by Rev. Kristi Holler of the Emmanuel Presbyterian Church of Marion.
CAN I BRING MY PET?
Unfortunately, no. Liability issues prevent guests from attending with their favorite four-legged creature, although it is permitted for those who need the animal for medical purposes.
CAN I BRING A COOLER?
Sorry; no. Guests are asked to support the vendors. Note that beer sales end at 8 p.m.
WHAT IF I HAVE TO GO TO THE BATHROOM?
We all do, and you probably will. But it’s no problem; portable bathrooms will be available throughout festival grounds.
IS THERE ANYWHERE TO COOL OFF?
It doesn’t look like it’s going to be sweltering on Saturday, but the high will be in the upper 80s, so it will be warm. For those looking for a little reprieve from the heat, families with young children will be able to use the interpretive center near the festival main’s entrance for some relief (and privacy). Heritage Hall Museum & Archives (HHM&A) is also open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.; special programming is planned there and admission will be charged for entry into the museum itself. See the news release on page 4A for more information.
WILL I SPOT ANY CELEBRTITIES?
As far as organizers know, there aren’t any Hollywood or TV stars who will be on hand, but South Dakota’s Dusty Johnson, the state’s lone member of the United States House of Representatives, will be one of the judges for the traditional and non-traditional chislic competition (the judges will be introduced, and the winners will be announced at 4 p.m.). Also, the Miss South Dakota organization will be on hand at the Kid Zone, with 12 title holders and two non-title holders there to greet the children. Photo ops available!
SECURITY/FIRST AID
Freeman Police Chief Scott Brewer and a team of additional security personnel will be on hand to make sure the grounds are safe and secure, and Freeman EMTs are making first aid available between the interpretive center and the beer tent, where there will also be an information station, photo booth and merch sales.
WHAT ARE THE ORGANIZED EVENTS?
There are several.
Two bean bag tournaments, hosted by the Menno Pink Ladies Dart League, are set to begin at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Same-day registration is available where the tournaments will take place — east of the beer tent and on the other side of the canopy of trees that lead to the arboretum fountain.
Bingo will also be available near the Kid Zone on the west side of the festival grounds. The Parker FFA is running the show there and will be on site calling out letters and numbers from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Those who want to learn more about chislic are in luck. Four identical programs are planned at 11 a.m., 1, 3 and 5 p.m. outdoors just west of the interpretive center. Ian Tuttle, a chislic festival board member and chislic expert, will be joined by Marnette Hofer, executive director of HHM&A, in sharing some of the history of the featured dish brought to America from Russia. There will even be samples (while they last). Like admission to the festival itself, the programs may be enjoyed free of charge.
For those who want to do a little shopping, 18 non-food vendors will be set up selling a variety of items across the pond from the food vendors.
There will also be a special story time for children in the Kid Zone at 11:30 a.m., 2 and 4 p.m. That will be led by Darrel Fickbohm, who is the lead singer for the music headliner, Maggie in the Meantime, who uses folklore as his interactive storytelling. While there is an all-day charge to use the Kid Zone, Fickbohm’s storytelling is free.
INFORMALLY SPEAKING
There are other activities to enjoy at the festival.
A brand-new 9-hole frisbee golf course will be available for play on the southern side of the arboretum with discs available for purchase or rent at HHM&A. Again, that’s free.
Helicopter rides may be purchased one block north of the festival grounds from 10 a.m. to dusk, and the Menno Pioneer Power Show will have a small display near the bingo tent.
There will also be seating on festival grounds for those who simply want to enjoy the summer day outdoors, but guests are also encouraged to bring their own chairs.
LIVE MUSIC
Another layer of ambiance will be added to the atmosphere of the day thanks to five musical acts playing from the amphitheater stage: Uncle Roy & The Boys at 10:30 a.m., Elliott Graber & The Family Vines at 12 p.m., Devon Sants at 2 p.m., The Wildcard Band at 4:30 p.m. and Maggie in the Meantime at 6:30 p.m. Elliott Graber & The Family Vines are a local group and Maggie in the Meantime will again feature guest singer Iwona Lewter, the theater and vocal instructor at Freeman High School.
HISTORY
The South Dakota Chislic Festival was launched in 2018 on an idea by Freeman community native Joshua Hofer, who saw a golden opportunity to put chislic in the spotlight after the South Dakota State Legislature voted to name it the official “state nosh,” or snack. That came from legislation introduced by then-state Senator Stace Nelson during the 2018 session, which gave Hofer and an team of volunteers less than six months to plan for the inaugural festival.
That event took place on the grounds of the softball field complex and adjacent Swimming Pool Park and overwhelmed organizers and vendors who simply couldn’t accommodate the thousands who clogged the festival’s main artery.
Organizers then opted for the Prairie Arboretum, where the board of directors and also the Freeman Academy Board of Directors agreed to partner with the festival, even issuing them an exception so beer could be sold on the grounds.
It proved to be the perfect spot for the 2019 festival and, after a year off because of Covid-19, it returned to the arboretum again in 2021 to rave reviews, drawing an estimated 8,000 to 10,000 guests.
Through it all a significant volunteer workforce was need, and will be needed again this week, as setup begins on Thursday.
“There’s a ton of work that needs to be done,” said Joann Smith, who since 2019 has been working behind the scenes to establish a working and permanent infrastructure that can be used for years to come. “People have no idea.”
And while nobody knows what to expect on Saturday, Smith said detailed work has been done to accommodate the large event and manage whatever situations may arise.
“Our contingency plans have contingency plans,” Smith said.
This year’s festival is being supported by Platinum Sponsor Merchants State Bank, Gold Sponsors CorTrust Bank, Hootz and the South Dakota Retailers, and more than two dozen silver, bronze and contributing sponsors. All are listed on the festival’s website, sdchislicfestival.com.
