Sioux Empire Fair Adds A New Curfew Rule For Teens This Year
It’s almost time to stand in line for a big stack of fair ride passes, grab a funnel cake, or three, and see if you can somehow manage not to lose all your pocket change while riding The Zipper!
Nine great days of fun are just around the corner at the W.H. Lyon Fairgrounds, as the 87th Annual Sioux Empire Fair makes its way back to Sioux Falls.
The Sioux Empire Fair begins this Friday, with rides, food, animals, entertainment, and all the other things that make a trip to the fair a requirement every Sioux Falls summer.
This year’s fair lineup is packed with plenty to keep the Sioux Empire entertained. The festivities get started Friday with fireworks, and throughout the nine-day run, fairgoers can check out performances from Carly Pearce, Frye Family Band, Hairball, Skillet, Rodney Atkins, and more.
There will also be AG Appreciation Day, the Monsters in the Midway Bulls and Broncs, and plenty more happening around the fairgrounds. Of course, no trip to the Sioux Empire Fair is complete without wandering through the midway, checking out the animals and exhibits, and attempting to convince yourself that the calories in fair food don't count because you're technically walking while eating it.
There is one significant change planned for the fair this year, and it involves younger fairgoers.
According to Dakota News Now, the Sioux Empire Fair is instituting a new curfew for anyone 17 years old and younger who is attending the fair without a parent or legal guardian.
Beginning at 9:00 PM each night, anyone in that age group must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian while on the W.H. Lyon Fairgrounds.
The new policy will be in effect throughout the 2026 Sioux Empire Fair, beginning Friday, July 31, and continuing through Saturday, August 8.
Fair officials say the curfew is being implemented to help maintain a safe environment and keep the Sioux Empire Fair a family-friendly event for everyone.
So, if you're a teenager planning on spending your entire Friday night roaming the midway with friends, you may want to check the time before deciding whether you have enough tickets left for one more ride.
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Find out everything you need to know about the 87th annual Sioux Empire Fair here.
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Gallery Credit: Karla Brown
