The sign at the corner of Sixth and Cherry streets in Freeman hints at what's to come — the return of Schmeckfest. The Courier will have comprehensive coverage of the festival starting this week and continuing through the next two weeks. This week's focus is on the musical "State Fair."

This was the scene inside the Pioneer Hall auditorium Monday night as the cast and crew of "State Fair" continue to prepare the Rogers and Hammerstein musical for next week's performances. The show will open Thursday night, March 23 and will continue each of the two night's of Schmeckfest March 24 and 25. Tickets are still available for all performances at schmeckfest.com.

This photo shows one of the interior walls of the blacksmith shop located inside Heritage Hall Museum & Archives. While the shop has been part of the Freeman museum's vast collection for years, the public for the first time this year will have access inside the historic and critical late 19th century/early 20th century business. It's one of many changes HHM&A officials have made the past three years in their ongoing effort to make the museum more organized, informative and appealing to guests.

Freeman High School senior Kate Miller was named to the 2022-23 Cornbelt Conference First Team for her play on the hardwood this past season. Erin Uecker, also a senior, was named to the second team while junior Ashlin Jacobsen was named to the the third team. Viborg-Hurley, which won its second-straight Class B championship Saturday night in Huron, was the conference champion with a 7-0 record.

This photo of the Salem-Zion Mennonite Church, or North Church, was taken during the Christmas season last December. The church is located 4 miles east of Freeman and two miles north of its sister congregation, the Salem Mennonite — or South — Church.

This undated photo offers a great look at the Freeman Depot, which was built after the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway Company extended its line to run through towns like Marion, Freeman and Menno in 1879 — a move that spurred considerable growth in those towns. The railroad ran for 100 years before it was abandoned, and the Freeman Depot was torn down.  

Freeman's water tower was shrouded in a light fog Friday morning following a mild winter weather event on Thursday that wasn't anything more than a nuisance. 

Mother Nature is delivering another round of winter weather Thursday as the entire state of South Dakota is in a winter weather advisory or winter storm warning. The Freeman area was expected to receive between 3 and 5 inches of snow through the day, with the possibility of several more inches through Saturday.

If you don’t know Kenny Wintersteen, you assuredly know people like him. Kind. Generous. Hard-working.

Freeman Elementary School will present its spring concert on Tuesday, March 14 at 7 p.m. in the high school gym. Each grade will present songs from Broadway musicals with grades 4-6 presenting the musical review, “Broadway Beat.” The concert is directed by Sonja Waltner. The public is invited to attend.