The Brookings Summer Arts Festival (BSAF) is a testimony to what a good idea and a lot of hard work can do, says Shari Avery.
As a board member and the committee publicity chair of the event, Avery is one of many volunteers who come together to put on the largest two-day arts festival in South Dakota every year at Pioneer Park.
“We collectively want to bring an experience, and I think the festival has done exactly that for over 54 years,” said Avery. “There’s art, food, entertainment, and everything in between.”
During the 2025 event, one of the founders, Dave Huebner, could be found in booth 170 with his pottery art business, Dakota Stoneware Pottery.
Huebner had just celebrated his 80th birthday and was still very much part of the nonprofit event as a vendor, board member, and committee chair with parking—a daunting task with nearly 75,000 visitors pouring in throughout the weekend.
“I don’t know of another festival anywhere where the founder is still actively participating this long,” said Avery. “He’s been doing this since the early ‘70s.”
SAVE THE DATE
Don’t miss the 55th annual event at Pioneer Park.
July 11 // 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
July 12 // 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
The BSAF started in 1972 when a small group of people gathered over a cup of coffee and planned an all-city event.
A parade kicked off the inaugural festival, which had around 15 card tables of art and crafts in Pioneer Park and coinciding happenings all over town, including a 4-H horse show, antique and coin shows, and bands performing with an evening dance.
Now the premier juried art festival hosts over 175 artists from across the nation, representing 15 disciplines of art including painting, sculpture, leather, mixed media, jewelry, glass, clothing, and more.
The free event has six main areas—Art, Antiques, Food Booths, Artisan Food & Naturals Area, Children’s Area, and Living History Area.
“THE COMMITTEE IS FULL OF PEOPLE OF ALL WALKS OF LIFE, AND IT’S A NEW WAY TO MEET FRIENDS AND BE EXPOSED TO SOME FOLKS YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE EVER MET.”
Shari Avery
Along with working behind the scenes and as an art vendor, Huebner also has performed reenactments during the weekend in the Living History Area. He specializes in characters Meriwether Lewis and Private John Potts of Lewis and Clark.
“When you do reenacting, you have to understand the character, who the family was, and where they’re from,” he described.
Huebner mentions from 1976 to 1984, the event used to host a muzzleloader target shoot that started as part of the National Bicentennial Celebration.
“We abandoned that because the city utilities building had a lot of musket balls rolling around on the floor,” he laughed.
Artist Categories
Check out the different categories of artists at the BSAF. Unable to make it? Find the participants’ website, Etsy Shop, or Facebook page on bsaf.com starting in mid June.
CLOTHING
CREATIVE
REPURPOSING
DRAWING
GLASS
GRAPHICS
JEWELRY
LEATHER
METAL
MISCELLANEOUS
MIXED MEDIA
PAINTING
PHOTOGRAPHY
POTTERY/CERAMICS
SCULPTURE
TEXTILES/FIBERS
TOYS
WOOD
Almost just as important as the arts scene is the food scene. There are around 38 gourmet and ethnic food booths, and 30 artisan food and natural booths.
Foodies can find a little bit of everything with a smorgasbord of festival goodies like kettle corn, fry bread, funnel cake, gelato, beef and lamb chislic, cheese curds, smoked turkey legs, cotton candy, and more.
“There’s so much food to take home or nibble on here,” said Avery as she pointed to the food area. “I just saw somebody I know carry out two or three bags of kettle corn.”
Free entertainment takes place on three stages: the Bandshell, Prairie Stage, and Variety Stage.
The Variety Stage can be found in the Children’s Area, which includes music (i.e. Phil Baker), activities, and crafts ranging $1 to $20 per activity.
“It’s a great introduction to get kids into exploring and enjoying art,” said Avery.
A few quick tips for attendees are to leave your furry friend at home (unless it’s a service animal) and to avoid finding a parking spot by hopping on the shuttle.
Shuttle buses are available to get to and from Pioneer Park at the South Dakota Agricultural Museum, which runs continuously during the weekend.
MAKE A PLAN
Detailed programs are available before and during the event to map out your BSAF weekend. Each year the logo adorned on the program, shirts, and marketing materials is inspired by the previous year’s juried Media Award winner (created by BSAF designer Cynthia Strande-Butler). This year’s logo is an homage to 2025 winner Eileen Binkley of Eileen Binkley Art.
Awards are announced Saturday afternoon of the festival. Ribbons and accolades are given out as the Media Award and Awards of Excellence.
Award of Excellence winner Diane Kappes of Kappes Fiber Art was “honored and shocked” to win in 2025. Kappes’s particular type of art is so tedious to make, not many artists have the patience to try it.
“It takes me about a year of eight hours every day to get enough stock to do this show,” she said. “I just do this because I love to create.”
Sentiments like this are what Huebner says make this event so special.
“It’s like selling your children, you know. You want to know your art is going to a good home,” he said. “Here you get to meet the people who are buying your stuff, and you make a connection you don’t get in other places.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT BSAF.COM+
