THE MOUNT RUSHMORE STATE / FESTIVAL FIELD GUIDE
South Dakota beer
festivals.
Make a weekend.
Ten South Dakota beer festival destinations, from Rapid City’s indoor Mountain West tasting and beer stock exchange to Deadwood’s food-and-drink weekend and bacon pairings. Add Sioux Falls’ convention-center pours, Remedy’s Bierfest and Monk’s Beervana, Mitchell’s Switchyard Social, and a Hill City Oktoberfest aboard the 1880 Train.
SOUTH DAKOTABEER FESTIVALS
Black Hills pours. Eastern prairie tastings.
A South Dakota festival weekend.FOLLOW A FESTIVAL. EXPLORE A LITTLE.
CURRENT & UPCOMING EDITIONS
Mountain West Beer Fest announces November 14, 2026 in Rapid City. Forks, Corks & Kegs announces April 9–10, 2027 in Deadwood. Eight profiles show completed 2026 editions with next dates unverified. Sioux Falls and Mitchell use Central Time; these Black Hills destinations use Mountain Time.
Pick a place. Find your next favorite.
01 / PICK YOUR PART OF THE STATE
Start close.
Keep exploring.
Choose a regional starting point, then compare the format. A brewery tasting, a beer garden, and a food-first celebration make different kinds of weekends.
2 FESTIVAL PICKS
Rapid City / Eastern Black Hills
Mountain West Beer Fest’s upcoming November 2026 indoor tasting and Bierbörse’s completed October 2026 downtown gathering. Mountain Time.
Explore this region ↗3 FESTIVAL PICKS
Deadwood / Northern Black Hills
April 2027 Forks, Corks & Kegs, plus completed May 2026 Hops and Hogs and October 2026 Oktoberfest. Mountain Time.
Explore this region ↗1 FESTIVAL PICK
Hill City / Central Black Hills
The 1880 Train’s completed September 26, 2026 Oktoberfest ride from Hill City to Keystone and back. Mountain Time.
Explore this region ↗3 FESTIVAL PICKS
Sioux Falls / Southeast
Sioux Empire On Tap, Remedy Oktoberfest, and Monk’s Beervana: three completed 2026 tastings to watch for their next dates. Central Time.
Explore this region ↗1 FESTIVAL PICK
Mitchell / James River Valley
Switchyard Social’s completed June 6, 2026 gathering at Palace City Brewing, with distinct GA and VIP entry times. Central Time.
Explore this region ↗This is a destination guide with the last verified edition shown when a new date is unannounced. Some picks are broader craft-beverage or heritage celebrations with beer at their center. Pair the shortlist with our South Dakota brewery guide and South Dakota beer roundup.
02 / DATES WITH THE YEAR ATTACHED
What is on
the calendar?
Announced future editions and completed editions to watch. Every date belongs to the stated year; old ticket links do not become new festival dates.
Organizer and official destination announcements checked October 13, 2026. Packages, venues, and dates can change. Confirm the current edition before buying or booking.
Forks, Corks & Kegs covers a weekend
The organizer verifies April 9–10, 2027. Ticketmaster’s title names both days while its displayed April 10, 4 p.m. time corresponds to the Grand Tasting. Use the full organizer schedule for registration and Friday activities.
Check the weekend program ↗Sioux Empire’s next day remains unverified
The organizer still describes February 21, 2026 at the convention center. That edition is completed; no exact new date is verified here. Wait for a year-specific announcement and ticket.
Watch the indoor tasting ↗Remedy separates free entry from tasting
The completed 2026 program had free festival entry, a ticketed professional Bierfest, and a separate limited homebrew tasting. Check each new activity’s admission and sample allowance when the next date is announced.
Compare the tasting formats ↗