2009 South Dakota Polka Fest 6-13-09

We spent part of the day on Saturday at the Polka Fest. Many people had left. Yes there are 9 bands. Very good bands with different types of music. Cleveland, Chicago, smooth and easy, touch of country and big tuba uppapa sounds. A delight for sure, except for the venue. The fairgrounds hall is huge, an accoustical nightmere to start with. The two stages were set up back to back with about twenty feet between them and two large floor to ceiling tarps. Not really what will work as a sound barrier.

Julie Lee would start with her great smooth saxophone and then the Cleveland bands would start at about 50 decimals more volume. It just didn't work. We listened to mostly the Cleveland style bands as they were louder and you could hear their music without much bleed over. I wore ear plugs the whole time to keep the decimals under control.

A disservice to the bands who were all good and had some music to play and to the people who love the dance and hear good music.

If this continued next year better planning to separate the bands in different buildings is required. I personally would not drive the Sioux Falls for this reason. We met Bob from Aberdeen at our hotel. He was discussed and planned to go to the local VFW for a good dance and some music.

Sioux Falls is a charming, clean city filled with friendly people. Before the bands started, we went to the Falls Park. What a delight. The rain had stopped. It was a beautiful setting. We took the free trolley for a half hour trip around town to learn about historic buildings. The community is dotted with interesting sculptures. There was not a scrap of trash, chewing gum wrapper, drink cup or cigerette butt to be found in the entire city. The cleanest I've seen.

Frustrated with the double bands playing at the same time, we ventured to the Native American PowPow at the nearby stands at the fairgrounds. What a contrast to Polka dancing. Drums were beating up a storm. I didn't realize the extent of the music and each group were playing a certain song. They really sounded similar to me. This must be what they think when they hear polkas and waltzes; that they all sound the same.

Last evening was a polka, waltz contest. Our friends Cynthia and Dave from Colorado won the waltz contest. The poka hop is sure a different dance, kind of a combination of skipping, hopping that end up looking so smooth that they could be on roller skates. These are the most light footed people I've seen dancing in tennis shoes, flip-flops or dance shoes. It didn't matter. These folks could dance.