If a business would like to be considered for the George S. Mickelson Award given at the South Dakota Governor’s Conference on Tourism, it must have first applied for and received the South Dakota Great Place designation.

To be considered for a 2023 George S. Mickelson Award to be presented during the 2024 conference, South Dakota Great Place applications must meet the October 15, 2023, deadline.

Entities only seeking the South Dakota Great Place designation for 2023 also have until October 15, 2023, to submit their application.

The South Dakota Missouri River Tourism October Board Meeting will be held Wednesday, October 17, at Arrowwood Cedar Shore Resort at Chamberlain/Oacoma beginning at 10 a.m. and ending at 2 p.m. Lunch will be provided.

Please RSVP to Karen Kern at [email protected] or 888-386-4617

The South Dakota Specialty Producers Association (SDSPA) has coordinated a farm tour featuring Cherry Rock Farms, near Brandon, which will showcase how to build an agritourism business. The tour is scheduled for 6-7:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 6.

This free event is open to the public and families are welcome. The tour will be of interest to producers, processors, chefs, consumers and anyone wanting more information about local foods and specialty crops. No registration is required.

The event will include a hayride, greenhouse walking tour, and tour of the pumpkin patch and corn maze. Members of the SD Agritourism Work Group will participate in the tour and can visit with attendees about opportunities across the state.

For more information, contact SDSPA at 605-681-6793 or [email protected].

The 2022 South Dakota Local Foods Conference is scheduled for November 17-19 at the Sturgis Community Center. The conference will feature a variety of topics on specialty crop production, market gardening, pasture based systems, regenerative ag, food sovereignty, cooking with local foods, and agritourism. It also includes farm tours, local food meals, and vendors. (Immediately preceding the conference is an Agritourism Workshop on November 17. Requires separate registration.)

Register Now