Mitchell
Around Mitchell
Town and around · South Dakota · 25k people
Mitchell
“Corn Palace City”
Home of the Corn Palace and endless horizons.
Corn Palace goldPrairie green
Welcome to Mitchell, home of the Corn Palace! Enjoy the small-town charm and the wide-open prairie skies. Whether you're here for the festival or just passing through, you'll find friendly faces and a true sense of community.
Clubs for Mitchell
No clubs for Mitchell yet.
The room
One room for everyone around Mitchell. 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 Mitchell. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- Corn Palace World's only corn palace, famous for its murals made of corn.
- Lake Mitchell Reservoir on the James River, popular for fishing and boating.
- Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village Archaeological site with an active dig and museum.
- Outdoors Fishing on Lake Mitchell
- Outdoors Hunting pheasants in the fall
- With kids Visit the Corn Palace
- With kids Explore the Prehistoric Indian Village
- Evenings Local bars
- Evenings Live music at the Corn Palace
- Locals love Small-town main streets
- Locals love Prairie lakes
Through the year
- Corn Palace Festival September Annual celebration with concerts, carnival rides, and food vendors, held in September.
- Corn Palace Stampede Rodeo July Professional rodeo event at the Corn Palace grounds, typically in July.
- Dakotafest August Large farm and ranch show featuring equipment demos and agribusiness exhibits, held in August.
Continental climate with cold, snowy winters and hot, humid summers. Best time to be out is late spring to early fall. Best: Late spring to early fall
Talk like a local
- “The Palace”
- The Corn Palace
- “East River”
- Eastern South Dakota
- “Chislic”
- Cubed meat snack, often beef or lamb
- “Kuchen”
- German-style coffee cake
Getaways
- Huron Home of the South Dakota State Fair and the World's Largest Pheasant.
- Yankton Missouri River recreation, Lewis and Clark Lake, and historic downtown.
- Sioux Falls Falls Park, shopping, dining, and entertainment.
- Brookings South Dakota State University campus and outdoor activities.
Local flavour
Rooting for Minnesota Vikings, South Dakota State Jackrabbits, University of South Dakota Coyotes
Eat and drink
- Chislic Cubed meat, often beef or lamb, deep-fried and served with saltine crackers.
- Kuchen German-style fruit or custard cake, a South Dakota staple.
- Frybread
Where people go
- Corn Palace The iconic building decorated with corn murals, a unique landmark.
- Small-town main streets Quaint downtowns with local shops and diners.
- Prairie lakes Lakes like Lake Mitchell offer fishing and recreation.
Heritage and traditions
This region is proud of its agricultural roots, the iconic Corn Palace, and the blend of Czech, German, and Yankton Sioux heritage that shapes its small towns.
This time of year in Mitchell
- Pheasant hunting October Prime time for pheasant hunting, a major regional tradition.
Say it like a local: “Uff da” — An exclamation of surprise or weariness (borrowed from Norwegian)
Festivals
- Wagner Wacipi (Powwow) July Annual gathering of Native American dancers and drummers celebrating Yankton Sioux heritage.
- Platte Czech Days June Celebrates Czech culture with polka music, kolaches, and traditional dances.
Landmarks with a story
- Yankton Sioux Reservation Home of the Yankton Sioux Tribe, with a strong cultural presence and annual powwow.
- Dakota Wesleyan University Founded in 1885, tied to the Methodist church, and a center of learning in Mitchell.
Food traditions
- Kolaches Czech fruit-filled pastries, a staple at Czech Days and local bakeries.
- Indian Tacos Frybread topped with seasoned meat and beans, served at powwows and local gatherings.
Music and arts
- Polka music from Czech heritage Traditional polka bands play at Czech Days and local gatherings.
- Native American drumming and dancing Powwow drum groups and dancers are central to the Wagner Wacipi.
A little history
- 1879 Mitchell founded as a railroad town
- 1892 Corn Palace first built to showcase the region's agriculture
- 1885 Dakota Wesleyan University established
- 1900s Czech and German immigrants settled the area, bringing their traditions
- Prehistoric Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village dates back 1,000 years
Rivalries
- SDSU Jackrabbits vs USD Coyotes Big in-state college football rivalry.
- Minnesota Vikings vs Green Bay Packers NFL fans split between these two teams.
- Game day High school football
- Game day Corn Palace Stampede Rodeo
- Outdoors Fishing on Lake Francis Case
- Outdoors Hunting pheasants
- With kids Attending the Wagner Wacipi
- With kids Visiting the Corn Palace
Locals speak with a friendly Midwestern accent, often using 'pop' for soda and 'you bet' as an affirmation. You might hear a few Czech or German words like 'kolache' or 'ja'.
Only here
- The Wagner Wacipi, one of the largest powwows in South Dakota.
- The Czech Days in Platte, a celebration of Czech heritage with kolaches and polka.
- The Mitchell Prehistoric Indian Village, a National Historic Landmark.
New here? A few tips
- Be prepared for cold winters and hot summers.
- Try chislic and kuchen – they're local favorites.
- Learn about the Corn Palace – it's a unique landmark.
- Respect hunting season – many locals hunt pheasants in the fall.
- Say 'pop' instead of 'soda'.
Make this page better
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Nearby
Every areaHuronSouth DakotaWhere the prairie meets the skyMadisonSouth DakotaWhere the prairie meets the skyWagnerSouth DakotaWhere the prairie meets the river and community runs deep.ChamberlainSouth DakotaWhere the prairie meets the river, and the sky goes on forever.YanktonSouth DakotaWhere the Missouri meets the prairie and history lives onSioux FallsSouth DakotaWhere the prairie meets the fallsBrookingsSouth DakotaPrairie spirit, Jackrabbit heart.VermillionSouth DakotaPrairie roots, river spirit
Mitchell, 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.