BROOKINGS, S.D. - After a one-year break due to the pandemic, AgriCulture on the Square will be back in Rapid City, South Dakota on Saturday, Sept. 11. Held at the Rapid City Main Street Square, this year's event will kick off at 11 a.m. MT and will feature the world-famous Peterson Farm Brothers as the entertainment headliner.
The three brothers from central Kansas are known for their entertaining and educational videos on YouTube, as well as their farming and video updates on social media. Their online videos have received over 130 million combined views, and they have over 600,000 followers on social media. Due to their online success, the brothers, who still work on their family farm near Assaria, Kansas, have had many opportunities to promote agriculture globally.
According to Peggy Schlechter, South Dakota State University (SDSU) Extension Community Vitality Field Specialist and co-organizer of the event, AgriCulture on the Square was started in an effort to bridge the gap between producers and consumers and provide a venue for rural neighbors to teach urban neighbors about the important role agriculture plays in their lives.
"The idea for AgriCulture on the Square came from the event held in the Washington Pavilion in Sioux Falls each year. We wanted a way to share the story and the culture of agriculture to our urban friends that live in Rapid City, and we wanted to bring agriculture to them," Schlechter says. "We held this event only one time previously, in September of 2019, and we didn't have any idea of what to expect. We had over 550 people attend, and the comments that they shared with us were so positive."
Free and open to the public, the event is made possible due to a collaborative effort amongst SDSU, SDSU Extension, the Elevate Rapid City Agriculture and Natural Resource Committee, TNT Events and Marketing, and a long list of event sponsors and educational booths.
Guests are invited to collect an event passport at check-in. By getting a stamp on all the required booth locations, attendees will receive a free scoop of SDSU ice cream and will be entered into a prize drawing.
The event also includes animals and equipment, hands-on education, and prizes and drawings.
"AgriCulture on the Square is family-friendly, and while we would recommend this event to any individual in the Black Hills region who wants to know more about agriculture, it is truly open to anyone, and we hope it grows even larger this year," Schlechter says.
For more information, visit the AgriCulture on the Square Facebook event page.
