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MITCHELL – One of the biggest highlights of the summer is back in the Mitchell community and the Corn Palace Stampede Rodeo parade theme will suit all in attendance.
The parade theme, “The Good Ole Days” was deemed the perfect choice for an event that is beloved in the community and is marking its second year back after missing the 2020 event due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The parade will be held Saturday, July 16, starting at 10:30 a.m., running through the downtown district. The parade will begin on Ninth Avenue and Main Street, proceed south to First Avenue, then head east to Lawler Street and end at the Davison County Courthouse grounds on Fifth Avenue.
“We’ve been through so much over the years with COVID, mask restrictions and travel restrictions so we wanted to just do it how we used to do it, which was simpler times, hence “The Good Ole’ Days,” fifth-year rodeo parade chairman Mike Dittmer said.
The parade classes for awards include businesses, organizations, clubs, civic group, horses and antique tractors and vehicles. Lineup for the parade begins at 10 a.m.
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“It encompasses a lot of things because it allows people to use a rodeo theme for their entry or it could be farming, ranching, antique tractors or cars or anything of that sort,” Dittmer said of the theme.
Rodeo parades are popular in South Dakota, with Mitchell joined by Deadwood, Belle Fourche Timber Lake and Isabel as towns with Main Street celebrations around their western cowboy celebrations. They are joined by Mobridge and Fort Pierre, which have parades during their July 4 rodeo dates.
Until the morning off the parade, people are encouraged to register online at https://www.cornpalacestampede.com/events/parade-events/parade-registration-form, however on the morning of the rodeo, all entries will have to be made at the Parade headquarters, which located at the Performance Pet Products (the former site of Campbell Supply) parking lot at 12th Avenue and Main Street. Registration is available the morning of Saturday, July 16 from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. Parade officials will be available to answer any questions and help place parade numbers on both sides of the entry.
Judges will be located near the Corn Palace balcony at Sixth Avenue and Main Street and results will be announced shortly after the parade.
“The entertainment will be exciting as always and this is another year of us striving to put on the best show possible for the community,” Dittmer said. “It will be the usual entries, but people will be happy to get out and about and that will show every day of the rodeo.”
As of July 6, there are 100 entries for the parade and those who are still looking to register can do so online at cornpalacestampede.com.
