Your week, simplified: Nov. 26, 2025

Happy Wednesday! Megan here.

First things first: This issue is brought to you by the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce.

The Chamber is encouraging you to Go Local this holiday season and support the small, local retailers who make our community unique. Shopping locally not only supports retailers, but it can also create a better shopping experience for you as a customer. Learn more here.

Weather check: Is it even Thanksgiving without snowstorms to mess with travel plans? (but for real, be safe and weather-aware!)

🦃 What I'm thankful for: You!

This week, you'll meet a new-to-town artist who's making space for all the "misfits." Plus, don't miss a few upcoming deadlines in the Super Simplified section.

Oh, and as a small business owner, I think I can say with at least some authority that every dollar you spend with a small, local business this holiday season is a BIG deal – so I'd encourage you to be thoughtful, be curious and be willing to make a little extra trip to a brick-and-mortar local shop rather than just clicking "add to cart" online.

And now, news:

COMMUNITY

Meet the 'misfit' maker bringing artists together

Simplified: Pez Felino wants a safe space for all the weirdos. That's why the visual artist, who moved to Sioux Falls from Montreal this spring, is bringing an alternative art market to town next month with the goal of supporting up-and-coming artists while also creating community.

Why it matters

Felino quickly realized Sioux Falls has a strong arts scene when she moved here. A muralist herself, she said she appreciated seeing the number of murals and other accessible public art around town.
But she also realized many existing art markets weren't accessible for brand new artists or didn't quite fit the vibe of some of the more alternative artists. She wanted a space where all of the self-proclaimed misfits could come together and share their talents.
Inspired by the Montreal Punk Rock Flea Market, Felino set out to create her own market with the help of new friends at Nordic Hall. The Misfit Empire market will have a diverse array of visual artists – including artists who are multilingual, in the LGBTQ+ community, immigrants and people of color.

"It’s so important to be empathetic to others, and it doesn't matter where you come from or what you look like," Felino said. "It needs to be a celebration of us being together."

Tell me more

SIMPLIFIED PRESENTS

Empower women, kids and families with one gift

This is a paid piece from EmBe.

Simplified: EmBe helps hundreds of women and thousands of children each year through programs promoting education, leadership and empowerment. This holiday season, your donation supports scholarships to make these programs accessible to even more people in the community.

Why it matters

EmBe's work spans across four main pillars: Education, Youth, Women's and Aquatics. Each of those pillars is impacted by scholarships funded by the generosity of EmBe's donors in the Sioux Falls community.
One in five children in EmBe Education is supported by financial scholarships, and the organization awards more than $435,000 annually across all programs.
This Giving Tuesday, EmBe is asking folks to support scholarships within the pillar they resonate with the most, to encourage others to give, and to see the impact of their donations through the stories EmBe shares throughout the year.
- Your gift has an impact, no matter the size. Every dollar counts and impacts a child, woman or family when you give to one of EmBe’s programs.
EmBe's youth programming has impacted nearly 3,400 kids this year, and an additional 450 women – ages 16 to 80 – have benefitted from the organization's Women's Programming.

"We see the ripple effects these programs can have," said Anna Wiederrich, donor engagement and events coordinator with EmBe. “No matter the age of the participant in our programs, they are then empowered to go make a difference in our community.”

Tell me more about EmBe's programs

TL;DR

Super Simplified Stories

Support a stronger Sioux Falls.* The Sioux Falls Family YMCA is in the midst of its annual Strong Kids Campaign, with a goal of raising $150,000 to support a diverse range of programs, all of which aim to build strong kids, strong families and a stronger Sioux Falls community. Your gift (of any size) can support kids' ability to participate in things like Camp Leif Ericson, youth sports and after-school programs. Learn more and donate here.
🍂Last chance for leaves. The city's free branch and leaf drop-off sites will close Nov. 30. The two drop sites are located at North Lyon Boulevard, near the Sioux Empire Fairgrounds, and Chambers Street, near the city’s Household Hazardous Waste Facility. Both sites are closed on Thanksgiving Day this week but are otherwise open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 12 noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
🎄Vote for SF Simplified's tree. Ok, ok, I won't tell you who to vote for. BUT you should go check out all of the decorated trees at the Washington Pavilion, including the one from Sioux Falls Simplified featuring a bunch of headlines from the last year. This year, it's a little friendly competition, and the community gets to vote for their favorite tree. So go show some love to your favorite local news outlet. 💕
Last chance to weigh in on arts & culture. The city is working on developing an arts and culture strategic plan (background here), and now's the time to share your feedback. An online survey closes Dec. 1, so this is your last week to have some input on the plan that will guide arts and culture programming for years to come. Take the survey and learn more here.
Match gift to keep kids fed. Hungry Hearts this week pledged to match donations to the Sioux Falls School District's Angel Fund up to $100,000. The Angel Fund covers student lunch debt to ensure all kids are able to get a hot meal. Every dollar counts, and even a $10 donation provides more than a week of meals for one kid. Here's more info:

EVENTS

Stuff to do: Nov. 26-Dec. 2

It's time to light the lights.* Get ready to kick off the season in dazzling style as downtown is transformed into a twinkling winter wonderland during the 33rd Annual Parade of Lights. Whether you’re a first-time viewer or a longtime attendee, this sparkling spectacle promises heartwarming memories and holiday cheer for all ages. The Parade begins at 7:30 p.m. Saturday and travels south along Phillips Avenue from 13th Street to 5th Street. Details here.
Get hands-on with ornaments.* Learn to craft your own keepsake leather ornament at an upcoming workshop at Terra Shepherd Boutique. All materials are included, and you'll learn step-by-step how to make three gingerbread house-style ornaments out of leather. Get your tickets here.
Check out some trees. There are a handful of events happening this week where you can see a bunch of pretty trees, including the inaugural Festival of Trees in Garretson, the Feztival (get it) of Trees at the El Riad Shrine and Tidings and Tinsel at the Washington Pavilion.
BINGO for a cause. Remedy Brewing Company is hosting a Thanksgiving Eve party Wednesday evening including games, prizes, and a six-foot singing turkey. The event is also a food drive, and everyone who brings a canned food item will get a little thank-you gift, as well. Details here.
Shop small. Tons of local retailers have special Black Friday and/or Small Business Saturday promos and in-store fun happening this weekend. I'm certain I missed a bunch, but there are for-sure fun things going down at Full Circle Book Co-Op, SuFu Creative, the Steel District, Gist, Shop Dog Boutique, Terra Shepherd, Seasoned Style, Total Drag, Midnight Spark, Love Marlow, Ambiance Salon, AMC Collective, 605 Running Co, Down Home and, like I said, many, many more.

*Denotes paid partnership

THIS AND THAT

What I'm falling for this week:

*Denotes a paid partnership

ICYMI

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Thank you

Thank you to Sioux Falls Simplified sponsors, including Downtown Sioux Falls, Inc., Live on Stage, SafeSplash Swim School, Dakota State University, Redmond Prime Cuts, 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

Your feedback is extremely helpful – hit the reply button and send any news tips, typos, complaints, compliments or cups of coffee my way. ❤️

Special thanks to the Greater Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce!

There are a number of ways to Go Local this holiday season and year-round. Hear from business owners directly here, and find more ideas for supporting local businesses.

Your week, simplified: Nov. 26, 2025