Brookings
Around Brookings
Photo: Tony Webster · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Town and around · South Dakota · 36k people
Brookings
Prairie spirit, Jackrabbit heart.
Jackrabbit YellowJackrabbit Blue
Welcome to Brookings, home of the Jackrabbits! Whether you're here for the lakes, the campus, or the game-day energy, you'll find a friendly small-town vibe with big-time spirit.
Clubs for Brookings
No clubs for Brookings yet.
The room
One room for everyone around Brookings. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.
Ask the neighbours
AllA good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.
Coming up
No events in the next month. Events made in the room show up here.
Marketplace
Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Brookings. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- Coughlin Campanile Iconic 175-foot bell tower on the SDSU campus.
- McCrory Gardens Public botanical garden with themed plantings and paths.
- Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium Home of Jackrabbit football, known for game-day energy.
- Children's Museum of South Dakota Interactive museum for kids, a family favorite.
- South Dakota Art Museum Showcases regional art, including Harvey Dunn paintings.
- Frost Arena Indoor arena for SDSU basketball and volleyball.
- Outdoors Fishing on Lake Campbell
- Outdoors Walking McCrory Gardens
- With kids Children's Museum of South Dakota
- With kids SDSU sporting events
- Evenings College-town bars near campus
- Evenings Concerts at the Oscar Larson Performing Arts Center
- Locals love Jackrabbit game-day tailgates
- Locals love Coffee shops on Main Avenue
Through the year
- Brookings Summer Arts Festival July Juried art fair with live music and food vendors in July.
- Brookings Farmers Market June–September Weekly market featuring local produce, baked goods, and crafts.
- Brookings Marathon May Full and half marathon through town and countryside in May.
- Jackrabbit Football Home Games Fall Fall Saturdays with tailgating and big crowds at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium.
- Volga Buffalo Days July Small-town festival with parade, games, and community gathering in Volga.
Continental climate with cold, snowy winters and warm, humid summers. Best: Late spring and early fall offer the most comfortable temperatures.
Talk like a local
- “Jacks”
- Nickname for South Dakota State University teams and fans.
- “the lakes”
- The glacial lakes in the area, especially for recreation.
- “the campanile”
- The Coughlin Campanile, a campus landmark.
- “the Dairy Bar”
- The SDSU Dairy Bar, known for ice cream.
Getaways
- Watertown Visit the Bramble Park Zoo and Lake Kampeska.
- Sioux Falls Explore Falls Park and the downtown riverfront.
- Mitchell See the Corn Palace, a quirky prairie landmark.
- Huron Catch the South Dakota State Fair and the Huron Arena.
Local flavour
Teams
- South Dakota State Jackrabbits NCAA Division I
Eat and drink
- Chislic Cubed, seasoned meat (often lamb or beef) deep‑fried or grilled, a South Dakota specialty with deep German‑Russian roots.
- Kuchen A German‑style fruit or cream filled pastry, widely found in bakeries across the Dakotas.
Where people go
- College campus South Dakota State University’s campus, with its iconic Coughlin Campanile, is the heart of the community.
- Prairie landscape Rolling grasslands, farm fields, and wide‑open skies define the surrounding countryside.
- Glacial lakes The area is dotted with glacial lakes, like Lake Poinsett, popular for fishing and recreation.
- Small‑town main streets The smaller communities in the area retain classic Midwestern main streets with local shops and diners.
Heritage and traditions
Brookings is proud of its South Dakota State University heritage, its agricultural roots, and the blend of Scandinavian and Native American cultures that shape the region's identity.
This time of year in Brookings
- Pheasant hunting Fall Fall tradition for hunters.
- Hobo Day October SDSU's homecoming celebration with a parade and football game, a century-old tradition.
Say it like a local: “Hot dish” — A casserole, often with meat and cream soup.
Festivals
- Flandreau Wacipi Summer Traditional Santee Sioux powwow with dancing, drumming, and food.
- Hobo Day October SDSU's homecoming celebration with a parade and football game, a century-old tradition.
Landmarks with a story
- Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribal Center Hub of the tribe's cultural activities and government.
- Historic Downtown Brookings 19th-century buildings housing shops and restaurants.
- Flandreau Indian School A former federal boarding school now run by the tribe.
Food traditions
- Chislic Cubed meat, often lamb or beef, deep-fried and served with saltine crackers and hot sauce – a German-Russian heritage.
- Kuchen A German-Russian dessert pastry, often fruit-filled, served at local bakeries.
- Lefse Norwegian flatbread made at Christmas, often served with butter and sugar.
- Lutefisk suppers Church-hosted winter meals featuring the traditional Scandinavian fish dish.
A little history
- 1860s Santee Sioux were relocated to reservations, including the Flandreau area.
- 1870s Railroads reached the area, leading to the founding of Brookings and other towns.
- 1881 South Dakota State University was established as a land-grant college.
- Late 1800s Scandinavian and German immigrants settled the region, shaping its cultural heritage.
Rivalries
- SDSU vs. USD In-state rivalry with the University of South Dakota Coyotes.
- SDSU vs. NDSU Fierce football rivalry with North Dakota State Bison.
- Brookings vs. Watertown high school Local prep sports showdowns.
- Game day SDSU tailgating
- Game day Hobo Day parade
- Outdoors Pheasant hunting
- Outdoors Ice fishing
- With kids Attending the Flandreau Wacipi
- With kids Watching the Hobo Day parade
Locals speak with a mild Midwestern accent, using 'pop' for soda, 'you bet' for 'you're welcome', and 'ope' as a polite interjection. Norwegian expressions like 'uff da' are also heard, reflecting the region's Scandinavian heritage.
Only here
- The Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe is the only federally recognized tribe in the area.
- SDSU's Hobo Day is one of the oldest homecoming traditions in the country.
- The region is known for its high pheasant population, attracting hunters from across the nation.
New here? A few tips
- Prepare for cold, windy winters; invest in a good coat and boots.
- Try chislic and kuchen at local eateries.
- Learn to pronounce 'Brookings' as 'BRU-kings' (short u).
- Get involved with SDSU events; it's the social hub.
- Drive carefully during harvest season; farm equipment shares the roads.
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Nearby
Every areaMadisonSouth DakotaWhere the prairie meets the skyPipestoneMinnesotaWhere the prairie meets the pipestone.WatertownSouth DakotaWhere the prairie meets the lakesMarshallMinnesotaWhere the prairie meets the skySioux FallsSouth DakotaWhere the prairie meets the fallsGlacial LakesSouth DakotaWhere the prairie meets a thousand lakesHuronSouth DakotaWhere the prairie meets the skyMitchellSouth DakotaHome of the Corn Palace and endless horizons.
Brookings, SD. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.