Brookings Summer Arts Festival: Who Needs Parking?

I've mentioned my Madison neighbors' obsession with parking. Whenever I suggest some interesting public event or project, like turning the Masonic temple into a community cultural center, one of the first things Madisonians say is, "Oh, but what about parking? There isn't enough parking!"

To which I say, nuts! Consider the wildly successful Brookings Summer Arts Festival. They expect over 75,000 people to come to Pioneer Park this weekend. There is most certainly not 75,000 visitors' worth of parking in Pioneer Park. Do the BSAF organizers scale back? Heck no! They figure if they offer a quality program, people will find a way to get there. And do visitors stay home?

Heck no!

They just park a half mile down both sides of both lanes of Highway 14 and hoof it. Or a block east of Main Street, which was the closest open spot I could find in town.

Or the free market (in the form of a guy with a cell phone and a four-foot stick) kicks in and offers a solution.

Or folks ride their bikes (a sight like this does my pedaling heart good!). Or they ride the shuttle bus.

As thousands of people will attest, the walk is worth it.

When there are bagpipes, you know you've got a good show.


My daughter liked the dancers.


I liked Sonic Screwdriver, as much for the quality of the music as the irony of a surf band from the prairie.

The Brookings Arts Council raised some money with its face-painting station.

This butterfly blue reflects the prairie sky, not this little one's spirits.

These big windchimes surely got a workout during last night's thunderstorm.

Art certainly doesn't have to be useful.


Ron Colbert does some interesting four-piecers (quadriptychs!).


"Simple Gifts" by Curtis and Loretta on mandocello and harp.


Ecuador Manta plays guitar and pipes. Drop some money in that jar!

The National Children's Study crew from SDSU hosted a craft booth where kids could make ladybug ornaments...

...or something generally resembling a ladybug. Far be it from us to stifle creativity. We also saw a glider towed and released overhead. Gliders fill us with disco fever.

Prairie, lake, elevator, buffalo....

No ugly mugs here!

Alexandra Burg's work may unlock some deep thoughts.


Morris Johnson, folk artist, just makes me laugh out loud... and that's a good thing! Go, crabs! (Note the political symbolism, escaping the red bucket for the cool blue waters of freedom and Democracy! Wahoo!)

Chicken or fish... admit it: there is some South Dakotan in your life who would absolutely love having one of these Morris Johnsons on his or her wall.

Art must always leave room for fun.

Be the happy mullet: dance for the sheer joy of being alive.


It's not a summer festival if someone doesn't start a hacky circle. And the ladies hack in! Set me!

You can always flush out some pheasants at a South Dakota arts festival...

...or more fish (a bit more naturalistic than the Morris Johnson works above)...

...or perhaps a goose in progress.

And then a mix of real and abstract from (I think!) Franklin Arts of Sioux Falls.

The Brookings Summer Arts Festival wraps up today (Sunday) at Pioneer Park in Brookings. Bring your walking shoes and sunblock, and enjoy a grand Sunday afternoon of ourdoor art and music.