Social Events · Deadwood, SD
Deadwood's annual Deadweird Halloween celebration returns Oct. 30 and 31 with events for adults and families. Friday's Monster Ball at Deadwood Mountain Grand features live music by Flannel, a costume contest, dancing and prizes from 7 to 10 p.m., with a $10 cover charge for attendees 21 and older. Saturday includes the Deadweird Costume Contest at the Historic Franklin Hotel offering $5,000 in cash and prizes, the Deadwood Trunk-or-Treat at the Days of '76 Event Complex from 4 to 6 p.m., and the free KidWeird Halloween event at the Deadwood Gulch Convention Center from 5 to 8 p.m. Costume contest registration runs from 6 to 9 p.m. with a $5 entry fee, and winners are announced at 9:30 p.m.
Public Safety
South Dakota Wildland Fire officials caution Black Hills landowners that snow cover can melt quickly, making slash pile burning unsafe even with valid permits for the Nov. 1 through March 31 season. Small piles (6 feet wide by 6 feet tall or smaller) require at least 2 inches of continuous snow cover; larger piles require 6 inches, and burning is prohibited during wind advisories, fire weather watches, or red flag warnings. Seth Stevens, assistant fire management officer for the Hot Springs District, warned that escaped piles can reignite months later when embers settle into pine needle beds. Landowners must contact their local county dispatch center before igniting a pile and may face financial liability for suppression costs if a fire escapes.
Community News · Rapid City, SD
The Salvation Army has begun in-person signups for its Angel Tree gift program and Christmas food box assistance for families in Rapid City and Spearfish, South Dakota. Spearfish-area signups run Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the thrift store at 125 Industrial Drive, with Oct. 30 as the last day. Rapid City signups take place Nov. 3 through Nov. 13, weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with an extended evening option until 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11. The Angel Tree program provides Christmas gifts for children from infant to age 14; parents must bring photo ID and proof of children's ages. Community members can participate by picking up a tag, purchasing a gift, and dropping it off at any Angel Tree location or the main office at 405 N. Cherry Ave.
