Happy Wednesday! Megan here.

Weather check: More rain on the way (but then it'll be nice for a few days, probably!)

This week, there's not a lot going on in local government, which means more time and space to look at cool people doing cool stuff. Today, you'll meet an organization that hosts fun, casual events for kids with disabilities (and their parents). You'll also find some Super Simplified Stories about downtown marching bands and more. Plus, catch tons of fun events – including the DTSF Art & Wine Walk.

  • P.S. Stop by the Art & Wine Walk Friday evening and say hi to Sioux Falls Simplified fellow extraordinaire Makayla! She'll be manning our table and handing out candy.

And now, news:

COMMUNITY

Fun for all: Meet the nonprofit bringing the disability community together

Simplified: Fun & Friends started with two moms who each had a child with Down Syndrome getting together for play dates. Now, in just over a year, the Sioux Falls nonprofit has brought together hundreds of families with children with disabilities, rare diseases and who are on the spectrum – all for the sake of having fun with casual, free, consistent events.

Why it matters

  • Sioux Falls has many resources to meet the medical and therapeutic needs of the disability community, but Fun & Friends has a goal to fill the need for fun, friendship and community building both for individuals with disabilities and their families.
  • For Alyssa Schmidt, a parent of twin boys who are on the spectrum, Fun & Friends has been not only a social outlet, but also a way to connect with other resources in the community she otherwise wouldn't have known existed. Her boys now do a weekly adaptive gymnastics class she heard about from another parent at a Fun & Friends meetup.
  • One of the primary goals of Fun & Friends is to help people feel less alone. That includes not only the children with disabilities but also their parents and siblings.
"The goal is that it never feels drab or sad," Co-Founder and President Jenni Winslow said. "We want things to feel high-end, nice and well thought-through."

Tell me more

TL;DR

Super Simplified Stories

  • Learn (and love) lacrosse.* The Sioux Falls Family YMCA's Lacrosse Summer Sixes kicks off next week, and there's still time to register your K-12 boys and girls to participate in this fast-paced 5v5 lacrosse league. The season runs Aug. 5 through Sept. 28, with practices during the week and games on weekends. Gear rental and starter sets are also available. Learn more and get signed up here.
  • It's a sign.* Stein Sign Display is a third-generation, family-owned sign company that has been serving the region since 1952 and recently expanded with a new location in Sioux Falls. Stein Sign Display is a full-service sign company that provides end-to-end solutions—including design, manufacturing, installation, and maintenance—for clients across eastern South Dakota and surrounding areas.
    • The company serves businesses of all sizes and industries. Whether you're launching a new business, refreshing your brand, or maintaining your existing signage, Stein Sign Display is a trusted partner dedicated to helping you stand out. Learn more here.
  • Bye bye branches. The city has opened up two branch and tree drop-off sites for residents to use after the storms that have been rolling through town. You can drop off trees and branches at either Chambers Street near the city's Household Hazardous Waste Facility (1015 E. Chambers St.) or just south of the fairgrounds on Lyon Boulevard (200 Lyon Blvd.) These two sites will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays through Aug. 17.
  • The bands are back downtown. The annual Festival of Bands will take place Saturday, Oct. 4 along Phillips Avenue. It's the first time the festival has been downtown since it moved to Covell Lake in 2019, and the hope is that if it goes well, it'll be back downtown for the long-term. The festival features marching bands from five Sioux Falls high schools – Washington, Lincoln, Roosevelt, Jefferson and O'Gorman. Those bands have the Sioux Falls Arts Commission to thank for the move back downtown. The group advocated for bringing the event back to the location where it originated 38 years ago.
    • "Not only will this be a wonderful performing arts event for our community to enjoy the sights and sounds, but we’re also working closely with Downtown Sioux Falls to maximize the economic impact as well," said Arts Commissioner Michael Hart, who also marched in the Festival of Bands on Phillips Avenue in his youth. "As I think about all the visiting bands coming to Sioux Falls, I’m so excited to share the vibrancy of our city with them."

*Denotes a paid partnership.

EVENTS

Stuff to do: July 30-Aug. 5

  • No cars, just vibes.* Downtown Sioux Falls is opening up a block of Phillips Avenue to pedestrian-only traffic Friday afternoon as part of the summer Art & Wine Walk. From 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., you can walk between 10th and 11th Streets, pop into local businesses, appreciate local art and sample fine wines all along the way. Get all the details here.  
  • Check out some Bazaart. Local art, local pizza and local beer – it's all going down at Sunny's Pizzeria's Fourth Annual Bazaart event Saturday. From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., you can swing by and check out 20+ vendors selling prints, jewelry, clothing and more. Details here.
  • Hang with the folk folks. It's the Sioux River Folk Festival down at Newton Hills State Park this weekend, with performances Friday night, all day Saturday and Sunday morning. Snag a weekend pass for $50 or a day pass starting at $15, and kids under 14 get in free. Details here.
  • Check out some more art. SuFu Creative is hosting an Art Market at the Levitt Friday night with a variety of artists, kids activities, live painting and a raffle with all proceeds benefitting the Levitt. Details here.
  • Meet your neighbors. It's National Night Out on Tuesday, which means if you're part of a neighborhood association, the odds are good there's something fun happening in your 'hood. There are also a handful of neighborhood associations with Facebook events, including (and forgive me, I'm certain I didn't find them all): All Saint's, Southern Hills, Whittier, Downtown and Kingswood.
  • Tell your teacher friends. Reach Literacy is giving local teachers a chance to get 25 free books for their classrooms this week. Starting at 10 a.m. Thursday, bring in your teacher badge and choose from thousands of available books. Details here.

*Denotes a paid partnership

THIS AND THAT

What I'm falling for this week:

ICYMI

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Thank you

Thank you to Sioux Falls Simplified sponsors, including Downtown Sioux Falls, Inc., Live on Stage, Great Bear Ski Valley, Encompass Mental Health, the Sioux Falls YMCA, EmBe, the Sioux Falls Development Foundation, Barre3 Sioux Falls, the Sioux Falls Zoo and Aquarium, the Washington Pavilion, and the Sioux Metro Growth Alliance. When you support them, you're also supporting Sioux Falls Simplified.

Oh, by the way

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