Weekend Events Guide: October 17-18, 2026
Six verified picks for Saturday, October 17 and Sunday, October 18: ZooBoo at the zoo, Swan Lake with a live orchestra, Paint the Plow, a fall festival in Centerville, an orchard outing, and a crafts show.
This is the Weekend Events Guide: a fresh, weekly roundup of what is happening in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, from me, Jennifer Krosch, a Realtor with eXp Realty. This edition covers Saturday, October 17 and Sunday, October 18, 2026, with six verified events: ZooBoo at the Great Plains Zoo, World Ballet Company's Swan Lake with a live orchestra at the Washington Pavilion, the 17th annual Paint the Plow at Levitt at the Falls, the Fall-O-Ween Festival in Centerville, the Fall Festival at Country Apple Orchard, and the KELOLAND Living Arts & Crafts Show.
About this article
Every pick below was verified against its official page: greatzoo.org, washingtonpavilion.org, siouxfalls.gov, pigeon605.com, experiencesiouxfalls.com, and travelsouthdakota.com. I have only included events confirmed in those sources for the October 17-18 weekend; if a show or date is not listed here, it has not been publicly announced yet. Always double-check showtimes, hours, and admission on the venue's website before heading out.
The 6 picks for this weekend
All six events below are happening Saturday, Sunday, or both. Each card links to the official event page, where you can confirm the latest details, times, hours, and ticket availability.
ZooBoo at the Great Plains Zoo
- 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Saturday; 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Sunday
- Great Plains Zoo, 805 S Kiwanis Ave, Sioux Falls, SD
- See official page for admission
Free-flowing trick-or-treat stations, festive Halloween decorations, and photo opportunities across the zoo campus. ZooBoo runs October 15-18.
Official event pageWorld Ballet Company: Swan Lake with LIVE Orchestra
- 6:00 p.m.
- Mary W. Sommervold Hall, Washington Pavilion, 301 S Main Ave, Sioux Falls, SD
- Tickets $59.69 to $149.21, all fees included
World Ballet Company performs Swan Lake with a live orchestra at the Washington Pavilion.
Official event pagePaint the Plow (17th annual)
- See official page for hours
- Levitt at the Falls, 100 E Sixth Street, Sioux Falls, SD
- Free to vote
The 17th annual Paint the Plow, where attendees vote on the painted plows on display.
Official event pageFall-O-Ween Festival
- Starting 9:00 a.m.
- Peder Larsen Park, Centerville, SD
- See official page for details
Billed as the largest one-day fall festival in southeast South Dakota.
Official event pageFall Festival at Country Apple Orchard
- Saturday all day; also Friday evening, October 16, 4:00 to 8:00 p.m.
- Country Apple Orchard, Sioux Falls, SD
- See official page for details
A fall festival at Country Apple Orchard, with a Friday evening session on October 16 from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Official event pageKELOLAND Living Arts & Crafts Show
- See official page for hours
- Sioux Falls, SD
- See official page for details
The KELOLAND Living Arts & Crafts Show returns to Sioux Falls for two days.
Official event pageHow to plan your weekend
Saturday is the busiest day. ZooBoo at the Great Plains Zoo runs from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., with free-flowing trick-or-treat stations, festive Halloween decorations, and photo opportunities across the zoo campus. The Fall-O-Ween Festival in Centerville starts at 9:00 a.m. and is billed as the largest one-day fall festival in southeast South Dakota, and the Fall Festival at Country Apple Orchard runs all day (with an additional Friday evening session on October 16 from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m.). The 17th annual Paint the Plow is also on Saturday at Levitt at the Falls, where attendees vote on the painted plows.
On Sunday, ZooBoo returns from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and the weekend closes with World Ballet Company's Swan Lake with a live orchestra at Mary W. Sommervold Hall in the Washington Pavilion at 6:00 p.m., with tickets from $59.69 to $149.21, all fees included. If you are out and about on Friday or Saturday, the KELOLAND Living Arts & Crafts Show runs October 16-17 in Sioux Falls.
The realtor's take on a busy weekend
Here is why a weekend like this matters beyond the fun. Events like ZooBoo, the fall festival in Centerville, and the orchard outing give relocating families a chance to see the Sioux Falls area at its liveliest, and they are the kind of thing that quietly answers the question every newcomer asks: is this a place I could call home? If you are in town this weekend to look at homes, plan to spend part of it out in the community. Take a walk through the zoo or downtown, and get a feel for the neighborhood energy that shows up in listing photos but never quite translates. Every community is open to everyone, and these events are a warm welcome regardless of where you are moving from.
FAQ: this weekend in Sioux Falls
What is happening in Sioux Falls this weekend?
The weekend of Saturday, October 17 and Sunday, October 18, 2026 includes ZooBoo at the Great Plains Zoo, World Ballet Company's Swan Lake with a live orchestra at the Washington Pavilion, the 17th annual Paint the Plow at Levitt at the Falls, the Fall-O-Ween Festival in Centerville, the Fall Festival at Country Apple Orchard, and the KELOLAND Living Arts & Crafts Show.
What is ZooBoo at the Great Plains Zoo?
ZooBoo is a Halloween event at the Great Plains Zoo in Sioux Falls that runs October 15-18, 2026. On the weekend, it runs Saturday, October 17 from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Sunday, October 18 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., with free-flowing trick-or-treat stations, festive Halloween decorations, and photo opportunities across the zoo campus.
What is Swan Lake at the Washington Pavilion?
World Ballet Company performs Swan Lake with a live orchestra at Mary W. Sommervold Hall in the Washington Pavilion on Sunday, October 18, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. Tickets range from $59.69 to $149.21, with all fees included.
What is the Fall-O-Ween Festival in Centerville?
The Fall-O-Ween Festival is held at Peder Larsen Park in Centerville, South Dakota on Saturday, October 17, 2026 starting at 9:00 a.m. It is billed as the largest one-day fall festival in southeast South Dakota.