FFA Breakfast, giveaways, shopping specials, samples, games and live podcast highlight Main Street celebration
A new Opening Day tradition will take shape on Main Street in Wessington Springs Saturday, Oct. 17, as the community rolls out the orange carpet to welcome hunters and invite local residents to join the celebration.
Main Street will be blocked off from 7-9 a.m., with downtown businesses opening their doors early and offering food, samples, shopping specials and huntingday essentials.
The event coincides with Pheasants Forever’s visit to Wessington Springs to film its national “Opening Day” series. Bob St. Pierre, Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever chief marketing and communications officer and host of the “On the Wing” podcast, will also record a podcast and roundtable discussion downtown.
There’s good reason to get there early and walk the orange carpet. The first 100 people to cross the carpet will receive a souvenir koozie courtesy of Wessington Springs Area Chamber and Development. Each koozie will contain a number for two prize drawings to be held after the podcast.
Wenzel’s Pheasant Hills Lodge is sponsoring $250 in Springs Bonus Bucks for one drawing, while WSACD and area businesses are putting together a Hometown Basket filled with items showcasing local businesses for the second.
But organizers hope the morning becomes more than a one-time event tied to the national spotlight. The goal is to create a community Opening Day tradition, welcoming the hunters who come to the Wessington Springs area each fall, while giving local residents a reason to gather downtown and share in one of South Dakota’s biggest weekends.
The Wessington Springs FFA will serve an Opening Day breakfast, and Main Street businesses are planning their own specials.
Springs Food Market will offer samples and specials from its Terrapin Ridge line of savory jams, aiolis, mustards, dips, dressings and sauces, along with Dot’s Pretzels and samples from Huron-based Corner Post Wines.
Modest Moxie will open from 7 a.m.-3 p.m. and feature sidewalk clearance sales, while Baker’s Design will offer 35% off giftware along with samples of South Dakota wines.
Sweet Grass will serve espresso drinks and pastries and have bags of its signature Dark Canyon Coffee available to go. Hunters can also pick up sack lunches, treats and snacks to take to the field.
Humm-Dinger will feature special deals on hunting vests and plenty of last-minute hunting essentials, including caps, an assortment of shotgun shells and grab-and-go food, drinks and snacks.
Springs Inn Café will also be ready for Opening Day, serving its breakfast buffet and offering plenty of carry-out options for hunters headed to the field, including fresh-baked buns, caramel rolls, cookies and broasted chicken.
The True Dakotan will have its buffalo-branded T-shirts available in soft, fall-colored styles, including blaze orange.
Pin Twisters Bowling Alley owners will also join the Main Street festivities, handing out t-shirts and koozies Saturday morning. The celebration will continue Sunday, Oct. 18, when Pin Twisters opens at 2 p.m. with $2.50 orange beers.
After the Main Street event, head to the Wessington Springs Elementary School for the 37th annual Springs Area Council of the Arts (SACOTA) Craft Fair from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. The longtime pheasant opener tradition features crafters, distributors, artists and hobbyists, with gear, goodies and gifts to browse. The Wessington Springs Methodist Church will serve food, with lunch and treats available for purchase throughout the day. Admission is free.
Additional Main Street businesses are expected to announce specials and activities as Opening Day approaches.
And while blaze orange may be the unofficial dress code, attendees don’t need a shotgun or hunting license to join the fun. Locals are encouraged to make their way downtown, shop local and help launch a new Opening Day tradition.