Father’s Day weekend features popular events

Crazy Horse Memorial will herald the New West during the 22nd Crazy Horse Stampede Rodeo and Gift from Mother Earth Celebration over Father’s Day weekend, June 15-17.

The art show and sale at the Crazy Horse visitor center opens at 8 a.m. all three days. The celebration will showcase Western and American Indian works by more than 30 artists.

Crazy Horse museum registrar Janeen Melmer, the show’s coordinator, said this year’s displays will include sculpture, painting, drawings, jewelry and pottery. “We will have a really nice variety.”

The Stampede Rodeo starts at 2 p.m. each day at the Memorial’s arena grounds. The Stampede is one of a kind, combining events sponsored by the Great Plains Indian Rodeo Association and by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.

You can see the rodeo action before the world’s largest mountain carving in progress from the comfort of your lawn chair or blanket on the grassy hillside overlooking the arena.

Admission to Crazy Horse over the Father’s Day weekend is free with three cans of food per person or cash donations for the KOTA Care & Share Food Drive. The benefit helps regional families served by the Feeding South Dakota food bank in Rapid City.

Daily rodeo admission is $12 for adults (ages 12 and up), $5 for children (ages 7-11) and free for children age 6 and younger.

A Stampede rodeo ticket also provides admission to the Memorial’s visitor complex, including the art show, the Indian Museum of North America, the Native American Cultural Center and the antique rich original log home-studio of Crazy Horse sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski.

Art show and rodeo fans are welcome to stay or return for the “Legends in Light” laser-light program shown on the mountain after 9:15 p.m.