Free Beer Friday

PIERRE, S.D. - The South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) will host the 54th annual Buffalo Roundup and 26th annual Arts Festival in Custer State Park later this month. The Buffalo Roundup begins at 9:30 a.m. MDT on Friday, Sept. 27. The Arts Festival will run from Thursday, Sept. 26, through Saturday, Sept. 28.

“Each year, the Buffalo Roundup brings up to 20,000 spectators from around the world to Custer State Park to view the park’s 1,300 buffalo and watch the Old West come alive,” said Scott Simpson, director of the Division of Parks and Recreation. "The arts festival hosts more than 125 arts and craft exhibitors. There will be no shortage of entertainment for the entire family.”

The parking areas for the Roundup, located near the corrals along the Wildlife Loop Road, open at 6:15 a.m. MDT and close at 9 a.m. MDT on Sept. 27. For safety reasons, spectators need to remain in the viewing areas until all the buffalo are corralled which typically occurs around noon.

The annual Arts Festival runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. MDT on Thursday and Friday and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 28. The Arts Festival takes place near the State Game Lodge.

“While the Buffalo Roundup’s primary purpose is herd management, it also provides our visitors a unique experience,” said Jim Hagen, Secretary of the Department of Tourism. “This event sets South Dakota apart from other states. We hear from visitors around the world about how incredible it is to watch the bison thunder over the rolling prairie. It’s something they never forget.”

A state park entrance license is required on Thursday and Saturday, but there is no cost to attend the Buffalo Roundup or Arts Festival on Friday. Share the experience by using #SDintheField and #BuffaloRoundup when posting images to Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Next year’s Buffalo Roundup will be held Friday, Sept. 25, 2020.

To learn more about the event, visit custerstatepark.com, call 605.255.4515 or email CusterStatePark@state.sd.us.