PIERRE, S.D. - Marching infantry, galloping cavalry, American Indian dancers, storytellers, music, family entertainment and more attract thousands of visitors each year to the Fort Sisseton Historical Festival. Festivities begin Friday night, June 3 and run through Sunday, June 5. This year’s event features numerous all-time festival favorites as well as several new programs.

Throughout the weekend, festival visitors will enjoy a variety of historic, cultural and military-related events. Friday night events include a talent contest, a melodrama and a presentation on the Lewis and Clark expedition. Saturday and Sunday start out with reveille and flag raising at 9:30 a.m. In addition, infantry and cavalry drills will be held both days at noon on the fort's parade grounds. The drills are popular for the horseback cavalry and drill demonstrations.

A variety of activities are held throughout the day on both Saturday and Sunday. Visitors can attend Dakota Dan’s Medicine Show and a Melodrama entitle "We The People, The Musical." At 1:30 on Saturday, stop by the Horse Arena for the Draft Horse Pull and also be sure to catch the Driving Trials later that day at 5 p.m.

Entertainers for the weekend will include performances from the musical storyteller Black Hawk, various cowboy poets, the Old Time Fiddlers, American Brass Revue, a fur trade era storyteller named Babou and American Indian dancer Dallas Chief Eagle.

Friday night, area singers will perform in the First Annual Fort Sisseton Star Search for an opportunity to jump-start their musical careers. This program is sponsored by Pheasant Country Radio, Remily Parks Studio, Steen Photography, Ken’s Food Fair of Britton, Sisseton SuperValu, Mike’s Jack and Jill of Webster and Coca-Cola.

The Ranch Rodeo will return to the Festival this year starting at 1 p.m. on Sunday. The Ranch Rodeo is a competition that tests the skills of local cowboys and cowgirls used on a ranch working livestock. The four-person teams will compete in five events - Sorting, Branding, Poles and Barrels, Doctoring and Cow Milking. For competition information, please contact the district state park office at (605) 448-5701.

New to the Festival this year will be three new storytelling programs on the Bennett Stage. Join Darrel Draper for his portrayal George Drouillard of the Lewis and Clark Expedition Friday night and Saturday. Saturday and Sunday, Orval Van Deest will present the pioneer life through the eyes of "Prairie Dog Frank." At the conclusion of each day, "Three Voices: Speaking From the Past" will feature three women’s perspectives on life in Dakota Territory. These programs were made possible with a Resource Center grant from the South Dakota Humanities Council, an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

For a full schedule of events and times, visit the SD state parks website at www.sdgfp.info/Parks, or contact Fort Sisseton at (605) 448-5474.

Daily admission into the festival is $4 per person, age 12 and older. During the festival weekend, camping is on a first-come, first-served basis and is available for $15 per night. A park entrance license is not required during the festival weekend.

Fort Sisseton Historic State Park is located 10 miles SW of Lake City off SD Hwy 10.

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