Website last updated September 15, 2022
2022 marked the 30th year of Big Sioux
Water Festivals! The goal of our festival is
to provide a multi-topic, multi-disciplinary,
one day water themed event where kids
apply their knowledge of the water
education they have learned in their
classrooms.
The first Big Sioux Water Festival was held on the campus of South Dakota State University in
1993. It was a collaboration between the manager of the Eastern Dakota Conservancy District
(aka East Dakota Water Development District) and a professor from the University. For many
years our event was attended by 4th grade classrooms across eastern South Dakota. With the
recent shift in science standards, we now have about 1,100 fifth grade students attending our
event annually.
Selected as a National Model Festival
Largest one day, all day festival in South Dakota
Presenters from South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, & Nebraska
30+ indoor & outdoor presentations
More than 200 volunteers
Festival Facts:
The 2023 Big Sioux Water
Festival will be held on
Tuesday, May 9, 2023 on
the campus of South Dakota
State University.
Check us out on
FACEBOOK
20 exhibits in the Exhibit Hall
