Andrew Lafrance

Downtown Brookings has been mired in construction for quite some time. The revitalization of Main Street and the surrounding area is now completed, and the business owners of downtown are rejoicing with a three-day festival.

Thursday evening kicks off the festival at 5:30 p.m. with the grand reopening of Main Street. A dedication and a grand march are just two of the main events of the night. Deputy Mayor Mike Barley will cut the ribbon in the dedication ceremony, and other Brookings dignitaries will make speeches.

The Ram will host a ball dropping. They will throw goodies, coupons for downtown businesses and 500 balls from the top of the restaurant. Festival attendees can use some of the coupons they receive during the event that evening, when businesses will offer special deals and offers.

The Brookings High School Band will be performing several songs. The SDSU drum line is on the calendar to entertain as well.

Downtown shops and restaurants will be open later all weekend to accommodate the increased flow of people. Students are advised to take advantage of the great deals, new stores and improved ambiance of the downtown area.

Some restaurants, such as Cottonwood Coffee, will have booths set up in a general area, allowing party-goers to have a fine selection of food all in one place. The original restaurants will still be open, however, if patrons desire to sit down and eat.

Thursday night will culminate in a flyover by vintage WWII planes.

Friday boasts the SDSU Welcome Back, which begins at 3:30 p.m. and includes a Battle of the Bands competition, featuring local bands locked in a war of musical notes. Also on the schedule for that night is Nick’s Hamburger Eating Contest and a Foot Rally.

The hamburger contest, sponsored by Brookings’ own Nick’s Hamburgers, will consist of two rounds of 12 contestants eating as many burgers as possible in a 10 minute period. The winner will receive a 5-foot trophy and a sweatshirt with their name and the number of hamburgers they ate on it. The contest runs from 6-7:30 p.m., and is being held in the Third Avenue parking lot.

Friday evening will feature a new phenomenon called chess Boxing. Competitors will alternate between a serious game of chess and an intense match of boxing. Students are encouraged to sign up and try out this new sport. The contest will be held from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Friday night is a good night for SDSU students to get out downtown and have fun with old friends or take along their new acquaintances.

The final day of the weekend is the Harvest Festival, which runs Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. It is appropriate for families with children of all ages. There will be entertaining music, horse carriage rides, and a hay bale maze. Games and prizes will also abound.

For more information about this weekend’s events, contact John Seward, Director of Downtown Brookings, Inc. at 605-690-4856.

If You Go