The South Dakota Department of Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) will host the 58th annual Buffalo Roundup and 30th annual Arts Festival in Custer State Park this week. The Buffalo Roundup begins at 9:30 a.m. MDT on Friday, Sept. 29. The Arts Festival will run from Thursday, Sept. 28, through Saturday, Sept. 30.
“It is going to be another awesome year for the Buffalo Roundup,” said Lydia Austin, Visitor Services Coordinator for Custer State Park. “In addition to the Roundup itself, the Arts Festival, and the fall season in the park make for a fantastic week as a whole.”
The parking areas for the Roundup, located near the corrals along the Wildlife Loop Road, open at 6:15 a.m. MDT and close at 9:30 a.m. MDT on Sept. 29. For safety reasons, spectators need to remain in the viewing areas until all the buffalo are corralled which typically occurs around noon.
The annual Arts Festival runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. MDT on Thursday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. The Arts Festival takes place near the State Game Lodge and features western and bluegrass entertainment along with numerous vendors.
A state park entrance license is required on Thursday and Saturday, but there is no cost to attend the Buffalo Roundup or Arts Festival on Friday. Share the experience by using #SDintheField, #HifromSD, and #BuffaloRoundup when posting images to Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
Next year’s Buffalo Roundup will be held Friday, Sept. 27, 2024.