Downtown Sioux Falls, Inc. makes downtown a place to be proud of. It’s a hotbed of economic growth and the cultural core of the region. DTSF staff works every day to support this mission. We’re fortunate to have people from local government, business, and the nonprofit sectors working with us to make downtown welcoming and active. Here, we share 10 highlights from our organization in 2021, including staff-implemented projects and community partnerships:
1. International Downtown Association’s Award for Excellence for Burger Battle.
Seeing our beloved Sioux Falls event get international recognition is thrilling! We’ve always known that Burger Battle is special, and this recognition is amazing testament to DTSF’s work and all the restauranteurs, employees, and burger-eaters who join the party!
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2. ArtBox
This street-brightening project is a collaboration between DTSF, the City of Sioux Falls, and the Sioux Falls Arts Council, wrapping 26 utility boxes with local art. The art submission process was thoughtful and inclusive, making it simple to submit for non-English speakers, those impacted by homelessness, youth and adults alike. The result is a beautiful picture of Sioux Falls’ diversity and talent.
3. MarketBeat Holiday Plaza created
This holly-jolly plaza welcomes families to downtown with larger-than-life candy canes and gifts, Santa’s mailbox, snowman photo op, and 5 deer painted by local artists. Spearheaded by former Events & Promotions Manager, Sarah Anderson, it’s made possible with support from MarketBeat, a local company leading the charge on creative community-enriching partnerships.
4. Downtown Pork Showdown established
The inaugural Downtown Pork Showdown brings friendly competition to restaurants in the month of September. This fun event creates economic growth and a whole array of delicious pork dishes! Smithfield Foods partnered with DTSF to celebrate the culinary scene.
5. Downtown Ambassador Program launched
In 2021, we welcomed, Martin Dill, our first Downtown Ambassador. Martin’s presence and care enhances hospitality and safety downtown.
6. $3.65M in economic impacted generated from DTSF events and promotions
The numbers speak for themselves! The Sioux Falls community supports its own, and they proved it in their involvement with DTSF events and promotions, from Art & Wine Walk to Riverfest.
7. Holiday Shopping Campaign helped drive record sales in the fourth quarter
We were lucky to have locals Ceca Cooper and Maddie Peschong share their downtown favorites in our holiday ad campaign. Their shopping journeys helped others plan their own delight-filled holiday shopping experience.
8. Eight miles of holiday lights hung—enough to stretch from Downtown to Rowena, SD!
The biggest kudos go to dynamic DTSF duo Dave Oswald and Martin Dill for stringing those 8 miles of winter cheer in the winter cold! The lights bring welcome magic to dark chilly nights.
9. Riverfest and Mash Madness rebranded, and new street pole banners designed.
The rebrands show off beloved DTSF events in a fresh new light. The street pole banners act as DTSF’s welcome message to all new visitors. All pieces are thoughtfully designed by Tenley Schwartz, DTSF’s Marketing Manager.
10. 1,360 miles of sidewalks swept and over 12,000 pounds of litter cleared.
The sidewalks swept add up to the distance from Sioux Falls to NYC! Dave and Martin once again took on an huge task. Their sweeping and litter pickup make downtown cleaner every day.