Our weather here in KELOLAND doesn’t always cooperate.
But it hasn’t stopped outdoor events from going on in Sioux Falls.

KELOLAND’s Whitney Fowkes talked to officials from Jazzfest, The Sioux Empire Fair, and the Levitt at the Falls to see just how attendance has been at some of the biggest entertainment acts in the city.

This year, Jazzfest struggled with both the heat and the rain. That brought attendance down to around 45,000 people.

“Well, for Jazzfest that’s a really light crowd. We usually, historically, our average has been somewhere between 70 and 90, so that’s pretty light crowd for us,” Trygve Fredrickson, Executive Director Sioux Falls Jazz and Blues Society, said.

Even with numbers lower than normal, both attendees and the entertainers were delighted to be there.

“They really enjoy coming to Sioux Falls and they really enjoy coming to Jazzfest, and so we really like that feedback,” Trygve Fredrickson said.

One event that’s still in the midst of entertaining is the Sioux Empire Fair. Country music star Keith Urban was the opening act for Friday.

“It was a great way to kick off the fair, great time, a ton of people were out here, so we just had a blast,” Courtney Drenth, Sioux Empire Fair Marketing Director, said.

Drenth says they’re not sure the exact numbers, but attendance overall for the fair, so far, has been strong.

The Levitt at the Falls has also seen strong attendance.

“We didn’t know what to expect for the numbers here at Levitt at the Falls our first season. We were hoping for 20,000; we will exceed 65,000 by the time we’re done. It has been unbelievable,” Nancy Halverson, Levitt at the Falls Executive Director, said.

The closing show for the Levitt is Kory and the Fireflies.

“Throughout the season, the way we’ve been kind of figuring out how to anticipate our crowds is really by following Facebook and the interest on there. And, so far, we can tell if 4,000 people tell us they’re going to come, about 8,000 show up which is what happened at Brulé. And, for Kory, we’re at about 5,000 likes right now, so we are expecting a big crowd,” Nancy Halverson said.

Whether it be the Sioux Empire Fair, the Levitt at the Falls, or Jazzfest, people visiting Sioux Falls or from the area, come together to support the outdoor community.

To see the lineup for The Sioux Empire Fair and the final acts for the Levitt at the Falls, click above.