SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – The first-ever Lallycooler Music Festival is taking over Great Bear Park in Sioux Falls. It’s the first of two nights filled with music.
The ski valley at Great Bear is a unique and beautiful backdrop for a concert. The idea came about only 18 months ago, and as the date approached and logistical challenges were overcome, it became a dream realized as artists took to the stage.
It will be back-to-back busy weekends in Sioux Falls with next week’s
Rock the Country
and the exciting kickoff to Lallycooler.
Experience Sioux Falls CEO Teri Schmidt said the excitement around the city has been felt by area businesses, already seeing an influx of visitors.
“It’s been since we’ve had a festival like this. Not only is this an economical boost for the community, but it’s really important for the quality of life. This is all about festivals, music, family, having a great time in our community,” Schmidt said.
The crowds slowly filed in, taking in the tunes from as close as the pit or chilling on the grass further up the hill.
Washington Pavilion COO Kerri DeGraff said a wide range of vendors and hundreds of volunteers made the preparation a smooth process.
“Seeing actual people walking up, it’s just been so exciting and I think it makes all the hard work just worth it,” described DeGraff. “We created the most beautiful atmosphere here out at Great Bear. It’s going to provide a natural amphitheatre. The music or the sound sounds amazing.”
With no parking, the logistics of getting the crowds in presented difficulties, but the bus shuttles ran efficiently.
“It’s exciting to see it come to fruition, but of course, getting all those details together took time. We’re excited for them to be able to hop on a shuttle and get to the location quickly and also just be able to exit quickly as well,” DeGraff said.
An outdoor festival will always be at the mercy of Mother Nature. You can hope for the best, but DeGraff said they prepared in case the weather looked gloomy.
Schmidt hopes that Sioux Falls goes all in to support the Lallycooler Festival and so far, she believes it’s paying off.
“All we can do is really support what’s been put together here for Lallycooler to build on that for the future to have an annual great event,” Schmidt explained. “It’s really important. Word gets around very quickly if you have a really good event. Then it’s like, ‘Oh, I’ve got to go to that next year.’ It’s a big package for Sioux Falls. I think there’s a lot of momentum. A lot of people want to see this happen and be successful.”
DeGraff agrees, and she said that the support means the world to organizers from the Washington Pavilion because, as a local nonprofit, they want it to be a benefit to the community.
“Instead of an outside group coming in, we’re getting to benefit and reinvest those entertainment dollars back into the community. The city has been an incredible partner with us. We have incredible business sponsors. The community has really stepped up to help support the event. We’ve been blessed,” DeGraff said.
They watched the forecast all week with concern about the rain on the radar, knowing the show would go on unless a potential storm was severe.
“Rain or shine, this festival’s happening. I’m telling you it’s not going to rain, it’s going to be a beautiful night, is kind of the vibe I’m going with. Obviously, if something more serious happens, we have meteorologists on site watching the weather and we have flags to help indicate individuals of where to go and what to do,” DeGraff explained.
Organizers will thankfully not need to worry about the weather tomorrow. It’s looking to be perfect weather, and thousands are expected to go through the gates to see Pitbull headline night two.
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