The Peter Norbeck Excellence in Tourism Innovation Award, first presented at the 2013 conference as the Excellence in Tourism Innovation Award, is given by the Department of Tourism to honor an industry partner for its innovative thinking in marketing or special promotion that elevates the visitor's experience. In 2021, the award was renamed to honor Peter Norbeck, South Dakota's ninth Governor and the visionary who saw South Dakota as a world-class tourism destination before there were even paved roads across the state.
 

Presented to
South Dakota Chislic Festival

Deputy Secretary Wanda Goodman and Governor Kristi Noem present the 
2022 Peter Norbeck Excellence in Tourism Innovation Award to the South Dakota
Chislic Festival, Freeman, at the 2023 Governor's Conference on Tourism.

downloadable, hi-res version of this photo (300 dpi)

The South Dakota Chislic Festival committee has constantly been improving since its inaugural event in 2018, which was a huge success. But the massive influx of attendees from around the nation overwhelmed organizers. Lines were long and slow, and parking was overcrowded. As a result, event organizers spent the following ten months planning for the next festival. The second year, the event was a smashing success and ran much smoother. In the past few years, they continued to add entertainment and vendors to grow their attendance. They have even attracted state, regional and national media attention. The 2023 event marks the fifth annual festival celebrating South Dakota's official nosh.

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