What a weekend. It felt like four little stories, one after the other.
Thursday, Dinner Club brought old friends and new ones together at Gateway Lounge. We had a great time, truly.
Friday, our murder mystery guests put on their masks and schemed, whispered, and accused each other (’twas a beautiful sight, and there’s a pic of it just above the Cozy Corner below). Saturday, the kiddos turned into superheroes and princesses for Halloween. And Sunday, the story slowed down. I rested and celebrated Em’s birthday, which is the best kind of happy ending.
November is here. So are the early dark nights, and so is the busy season. My one wish for you this month: don’t let the things you have to do crowd out the things you get to enjoy.
And there’s plenty to enjoy. Here’s what’s happening this week.
~ Godwin
From the desk of Alexandra Lunstra
You’ve seen Alex’s name pop up here the last few weeks on our bulletin board. Before her run wraps up, I wanted you to actually meet the person behind it. Here she is.
Hey, I’m Alex!
Art has always been how I work through things. When my dad died from cancer, I was drawing. I never stopped.
A while back I left my job at the bank because I knew I wanted to do art. I just didn’t know how to make a living at it yet. So I started saying yes to new things and jumping into projects with everything I had. That’s how my paint and sips started, and now they’re growing into something bigger and more meaningful than I ever planned.
These days I lead all kinds of art classes. Some are step by step acrylic paintings, the classic paint and sip night. Others are slower and more meditative, with mellow music and colors that just flow.
You don’t need any experience. I bring all the supplies, walk you through every step, and even handle the cleanup. Just show up in clothes you don’t mind getting paint on. I’ll show you how fun and recharging it is to make something, especially with friends.
I love the downtown arts community. It’s not perfect, but there are so many people here ready to connect and make this place brighter and more welcoming. It’s a great place to be an artist.
Sometimes you just gotta sit down and paint it out. I’m here to show you how. 💙
Thanks for supporting this community, Alex. If you’ve been meaning to try one of her classes, this is your sign.
THE SKY - 56° today with a little bit of rain. Enjoy the day! SUNSET - The sun sets at 5:14 PM tonight.
AT THE FALLS - The river's rolling right along, and it looked pretty full after the rain when I swung by yesterday.
AROUND TOWN - Downtown Gives Coupon Books go on sale November 14. This year's proceeds support the Downtown Sioux Falls Ambassador Program. Learn More here.
SPOTTED - & Juliet is coming to the Washington Pavilion November 11 to 15. Ever wonder what would happen if Juliet didn't end it all for Romeo? This is your answer!
November 8-14 is Pickle Week at 605 Running Company! What's Pickle Week, you ask? It's a fun way to challenge yourself to run or walk 2 miles every day for a week. Climb the leaderboard, win prizes, and get a head start on a healthy holiday season.
SPONSORED by the Outdoor Campus
Community Milestone Feature
Thank you Sioux Falls!
The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Outdoor Campus has been part of the Sioux Falls Community since 1997 and we have had the honor of offering FREE outdoor education programming to the public reaching over half a million participants. It has been our great honor to offer hunting, fishing, and outdoor skills programming that provide the skills and tools for you to enjoy South Dakota’s great outdoors. Now, thanks to the generosity of the greater Sioux Falls area, we are please to announce our expansion is complete allowing us to continue serving this great community! With our new 60-yard outdoor archery range that is free, and open to the public anytime Sertoma Park is open (5am-10pm) and our expanded facility including an indoor archery range, new classrooms, a cooking classroom, game processing space, and updated amenities, we are better equipped to offer more FREE programming throughout the year!
Thank you Sioux Falls for making us your connection to the outdoors!
The Oyolys: On the 14th of November, I head to my first Author's fair so I believe it's fair that I shill my second novella. If you love stories that make you go "what in the world?", you'll love The Oyolys.
The Doggy Den Suites:The Doggy Den is the ultimate getaway for your furry friend, and there is no better time to check them out with the holidays approaching! Don't fight to find a dog sitter, when you can check your pooch into a 5 star hotel for dogs! With a luxury breakfast, ultimate playtimes, and even a spa stay.
A big thank you to our sponsors for keeping this newsletter free for the community🙏 Want your business in front of 8,000+ Sioux Falls-area neighbors? Partner with us. atsf@allthingssiouxfalls.com
Best Chicken Wings In Sioux Falls
I traveled across the plains, fought off mountain lions (I kid), and braved the winds blowing in my face, all to find the best chicken wings around.
Here are the top three.
1) Taphouse 41 I got half Bourbon, half house BBQ, and my days, I was in heaven!! This one's at the top of my list. Go try it as soon as you can. 2) Shenanigans
I was unsure at first, but man. I got the 16-piece, and the wings were so good on their own I didn't need sauce. 3) Oppa Chicken I tried Oppa Chicken again during this journey and it was delicious.
Every single masked guest at Behind the Mask showed up, and they were all fantabulous. A big thank you to these wonderful friends for finding the killer Friday night before anyone else could die. Our next murder mystery is on the 21st of November, and it's packed with games and fun. It's a night where you'll scheme with strangers and leave with friends. You’ll arrive with a character, a secret, and dig for the truth over dinner. You'll also trade suspicions between courses, accuse the mask across the table, and laugh harder than you expected to.
Some of you are guarding secrets. Some of you are protecting lies. And one of you is done waiting.
"He may look like a cat but he thinks he’s part corgi, part Ninja Turtle. His hobbies are scaring his corgi siblings, playing fetch, and breaking out of the house to go run a muck in the storm drains and in the pond across the street 😂"
The paw-parazzi is here! Submit your pet's picture for a chance to be featured as "Pet Of The Week" and win FREE Day of Doggy Daycare with The Doggy Den!
🐾 Adopt a Pet - Canela is shy, sensitive, and talkative. She also has a lot of energy which means you'll get to enjoy a whole lot of zoomies. I still look back at videos of my pups doing their zoomies, and man, it's wild how fast they go. Give Canela a home and you'll have your own zoomies videos to look back on.
*Did you adopt an animal you saw through this newsletter? Let us know your story and we will send you a special thank you for helping local pets!
🏠 House Hunt: A beautiful cozy house for a family that needs some room to roam. If you have pups or kiddos that love being outside, you'll love this house. 2 bedroom - 2 bathroom.
💵 Deal of the Week: Learn about volunteer opportunities and get A FREE coffee at Panera Bread ALL WEEK! $5.00 house plant sale ALL WEEK at S Baneberry Ave!
❤️ Give Back - Pack food for pantries right here in Sioux Falls. You'll help support local kiddos and families in need by doing this.
🧠UnScramble - Reply to this email with your answer. If you're this week's winner, reply to this email to redeem before next issue.
This week's scramble : aauutansg iveustyrin
Last week's answer: Sherman Park Giveaway winner: Diane Willis
Join the Outdoor Campus (4500 S. Oxbow Avenue, Sioux Falls, SD 57106) on Saturday and help them celebrate their new addition! Join them for FREE, open house archery (no registration required, they provide all the gear). Check out all the new amenities the facility has to offer and learn more about upcoming programming!
Live Music:
Jacob Lemme | November 3rd Musician born and raised in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He has been an active musician for a little over a decade
Matthew Whitaker | November 5th Opening Concert of the South Dakota Music Teachers Association Conference with support from the Lee Piano Festival.
Whiskey Truth and Flannel | November 6th An evening of our acoustic music favorites and many smiles and a few whiskeys
Rebel Queens | November 7th A powerhouse band of women honoring the past while creating the future of rock ’n’ roll. Blending dynamic interpretations of classic tracks with explosive original music
Expos: Dakota Masterworks Art Show | November 5th This is an art show for those who are 60+ and talented in arts. You can browse artists, and vote on local talent at this Art Show.
Sioux Falls Home Expo | November 6th This is a free event for homeowners to browse local businesses for every part of the home owning process.
Flea Market and Holiday Show | November 7th Kick off the holiday shopping season browsing over 140 vendors in the Expo Center. You are sure to find unique decor and gifts.
Holiday Crafters Market | November 7th Shop a variety of handmade toys and gifts from 20+ vendors. There will be baked treats and customizable gifts.
Interactive Events:
Mix and Match Speed Dating Event | November 4th this is a speed dating event for ages 25-39 who are interested in entering the dating scene in Sioux Falls.
Blaze Days | November 5th Gear up for hunting season with Scheels. Blaze Days features free gifts, exclusive discounts on hunting gear, giveaways, and chances to meet with experts.
Parakeets of Paris Art Exhibit | November 6th This art exhibit is by Mary Payton and her inspiration from the parks of Paris.
Pars and Pubs | November 7th This event was rescheduled due to weather, and now they are ready to go! Grab your friends and stop at 9 different bars with challenging and fun mini golf holes.
With love, Godwin and Emma p.s. If you are putting on an event or come across an event someone would love, submit the event through the ATSF event form