2022 Dakota Days Celebration Scheduled for Oct. 16-22
“Dakota Days is one of the most cherished traditions celebrated at USD and is a special time for alumni, students, faculty and staff, and community members to come together and honor the Coyote legacy,” said USD President Sheila K. Gestring. “I’m looking forward to another year of exciting events that showcase what it means to be a USD Coyote.”
USD’s homecoming week begins with the Dakota Days Kick-Off event in the Sanford Coyote Sports Center on Monday, Oct. 17 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. The family-friendly event will feature games, giveaways, royalty candidate introductions, speeches from university leaders, performances by the SOUND of USD and USD Spirit Squad, and men’s and women’s basketball team introductions and skills competitions. The event is free and open to the public.
The kick-off event will conclude with a fireworks show at 7:30 p.m. on the north side of Highway 50. Attendees are encouraged to watch the show from the DakotaDome parking lot.
Saturday’s festivities will kick off with the 108th Dakota Days Parade starting at 9 a.m. The parade route begins near the Vermillion High School on Main Street, and the floats, SOUND of USD Marching Band and community figures will travel west to downtown, ending at the intersection of Main and High Streets. A hospitality tent will be available at the Inman House at 415 E. Main St.
After the parade, fans are invited to enjoy the gameday experience at Coyote Tailgate Nation outside the DakotaDome. This year’s tailgating experience also includes Coyote Alley, the newest hub for pregame festivities featuring food trucks, inflatables, games and live music. More information about tailgating on gameday can be found online.
The South Dakota Coyotes football team will take on the Southern Illinois Salukis in the DakotaDome at 2 p.m. Tickets are available for purchase now. Homecoming royalty will be announced at halftime.
There will be a free community shuttle transportation service running throughout Vermillion from 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. The shuttle will run a route from the DakotaDome to downtown Vermillion and will have pick-ups approximately every 15-25 minutes.
More information about Dakota Days, as well as a full schedule of events, can be found at link.usd.edu/ddays.
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