A growing number of events for families with young children and a growing number of family businesses — they are just two highlights of this weekend’s upcoming Park Days celebrations in Flandreau.
“We want to make it more family friendly for younger families,” said Melissa Booker, one of the volunteers helping to pull this year’s event together. “The fair and now Flandreau Fridays are really the only other things that are really kid-friendly here locally. Those of us on this committee, we are all families with young kids, so it’s easy for us to look for activities that are geared more toward our children’s ages… and everyone is looking for things to do over the summer that are fun to do with the kids where we don’t have to travel far.”
This year there will be a petting zoo, inflatables, a new bike parade where the kids just need to bring their bikes, a decorating kit will be provided, a rock painting activity, face painting and a kickball tournament for kids.
There will be a lot for the parents and other adults as well including ongoing live music performances, a car show, bean bag tournament, a bloody mary bar on Sunday, and more. Sunday morning there will be a community church service in the park as well.
“We’ve just been trying different things and we’ve got a lot of good entertainment coming back. Our group has tried to put something together that’s a community celebration before school starts and gets back to the grind. Our vendors, we’re full. We have 40ish vendors coming, we normally are full but this year we have quite a few that are different,” said Bokker. “We’ve got more craft vendors that are coming in.”
Among them, Leah Armstrong and her sisters, Cindy, Denise, Chris, and Sheila, who will be selling traditional Indian Tacos and Walking Tacos again this year. Added to that mix for 2022 will be Teton Trade Cloth Fabric,100% cotton fabric, blankets, and handmade bags.
“My sisters & I all have our own specialty - it may be food, sewing, or beadwork. We are looking forward to Park Days and seeing everyone. The Park Committee, volunteers, vendors, supporters, and attendees are what make this event such a huge success,” said Armstrong. “We especially love all the Flandreau events because of the great community support. Everyone makes it so much fun.”
Dina M Garcia is another new vendor. She recently started her own business, Bayong, One of a Kind Bags made in the Philippines from materials made in the Philippines. Garcia you most likely know and have seen as she helps with one of the other big family businesses everyone looks forward to seeing, Annie’s Eggrolls. The local family, originally from the Philippines, has made quite a name for itself with its food sales specifically over the years.
Bokker said that the organizers just hope everyone is able to get out and enjoy the weekend.
For a full schedule of events, head to Flandreau Park Days on social media or look for the schedule below.
