Special Discounts At The South Dakota State Fair

It's been 140 years since the first-ever South Dakota State Fair was held in Huron back in late September and early October of 1885 - a full four years before statehood in November of 1889.

Save Money

Fast forward to the current day, and the start of the 2025 event is almost here, and with it, several ways to save money on gate admission:

• Save time and money at the admission gates by purchasing daily gate admission in advance.
• All daily gate admissions purchased on or before Wednesday (August 27) are 20 percent off. These tickets can be taken directly to the scan-and-go lines at admission gates.

Here are other ways to save on gate admission:

• Thursday (August 28) is Salute to Veterans Day with keynote speaker State Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Jeremiah Schneider. All Veterans and active military members receive free gate admission. 4-H youth also receive free gate admission by showing their 4-H card, which can be obtained from county 4-H offices.
• Coupons for $2 off gate admission on Friday (August 29)  are available at Olympic Motors on East Highway 14 in Huron. Those coupons are only valid that day.
• Monday (September 1) is Stock the Shelves Day with $2 off gate admission from 7:00 AM to 11:00 AM with the donation of a non-perishable food item.
• Monday is also Pay It Forward Day. Businesses and organizations band together to sponsor gate admission passes for those in need and to randomly hand them out at the gate admission entrances. Fairgoers attending the fair on Monday could be the lucky recipients of a ‘Pay It Forward’ pass.

Carnival Discounts

There are plenty of ways to save money on carnival ride tckets throughout the week:

• All rides on Wednesday (August 27) are only two dollars.
• The Weekly Passport to Fun pass offers a carnival ride pass for all six days of the fair. Advanced passes can be purchased at Olympic Motors for $52.
• Taco Johns is offering a $3 off coupon for daily ride bands on Thursday (8/28), Friday (8/29), and Monday (9/1).

The 2025 South Dakota State Fair kicks off Wednesday, August 27, and runs through Monday, September 1.

READ MORE: Sioux Falls Restaurants Step Up With Free Parking For Diners

Entertainment Schedule

Here is the schedule for this year's grandstand entertainment:

• Wednesday (8/27) & Thursday (8/28): Bull Bash
• Friday (8/29): Larry the Cable Guy
• Saturday (8/30): Lee Brice with Dustin Evans and Good Times
• Sunday (8/31): The All-American Rejects with Kat Perkins
• Monday (9/1): Truck and Tractor Pull