Arts & Entertainment

Coteau Entertainment, based in Sisseton, specializes in booking "Country Gold" artists for performances in the Sisseton Performing Arts Center, as well as booking musical entertainment for events sponsored by other businesses and organizations. Artists Coteau Entertainment has brought to the Sisseton stage in recent years have included Gene Watson, Moe Bandy, T.G. Sheppard, John Conlee, "Whispering" Bill Anderson, Jim Ed Brown and many others. Visit their website or Facebook page for more information on upcoming performances. For ticket information call (605) 467-9071 or (605) 742-4232.

The "House Band" for Coteau Entertainment performances is the highly-acclaimed "Just Between Friends" (JFB).

Dakota Connection Casino is a South Dakota "Service Star Award" winner. Located just off I-29 Exit 232 near Sisseton, SD, Dakota Connection offers a full–service convenience store and restaurant, nightly bingo, slot machines, and even a vehicle service bay. Truck and RV parking are also available.

The premiere casino in North Dakota, Dakota Magic is located on I-29 at the North & South Dakota border (ND Exit 1), just one hour South of Fargo, ND. Slots, blackjack, craps and poker can all be found at Dakota Magic, along with a fun lounge, buffet, restaurant, hotel and concert venue, as well as the Dakota Winds Golf Course.

Dakota Sioux Casino & Hotel is located just seven miles North of Watertown, SD near I-29. The full-service casino has slots, poker and blackjack, as well as a buffet offering lots of choices. There's also a gift shop full of cultural items, a luxurious hotel, lounge, and a Concert Hall that hosts nationally-recognized entertainment throughout the year.

The Dakota Studies and Tribal Arts Center was opened in October 2017 through the Sisseton Wahpeton College Dakota Studies Department. The center includes both the "Log Cabin" building on the SWC campus and the archives located in the SWC Library.

The Oyate Wowicohan Unspeiciciyapi Tipi (at the "Log Cabin") is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and provides space for Traditional Arts programming, Dakota Language programming, cultural and historical presentations, and exhibits of student and community artwork. Archival visits at the SWC Library are available by appointment. For more information call (605) 698-3966, Ext. 1293.

The Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate operates three casinos -- Dakota Sioux, Dakota Connection and Dakota Magic – and offers entertainment and hospitality services through the Dakota Nation Gaming Enterprise. The casinos were established under the provisions of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act and are governed by the act and the Sisseton Wahpeton Tribal Codes.

Northern Fort Playhouse is a collaborative summer theatre program that combines the expertise of Northern State University Theatre Department (in Aberdeen, SD) with the beautiful location of Fort Sisseton State Park near Lake City, SD. (Approximately 25 miles southwest of Sisseton.) Each July a cast and crew from NSU stages two theatrical productions in the historic South Barracks Theatre. Afternoon and evening performances delight crowds for three weekends in July. Meal options are available for Saturday night and Sunday afternoon performances. Friday night shows are preceded with a wine and cheese social hour. For ticket and reservation information call 605-467-3247. Tickets can also be purchased at the door. Visit their website or Facebook page for more information on the upcoming season.

The Sisseton Arts Council has actively provided a wide range of programs in music, theater, dance, visual art and literature in the schools and the community since 1980 and is considered one of the most active rural-community arts organizations in the state. Each year on the first Sunday in December they kick off the Christmas season with Holiday Harmonies, a concert featuring local talent which benefits the Sisseton Food Pantry. For more than 35 years they have hosted a week-long residency of Missoula Children's Theater, which annually involves a cast of more than 60 students from kindergarten through high school. Visit their website or Facebook page for more information on upcoming events and performances.

Contact: Jane Rasmussen

The 675-seat Sisseton Performing Arts Center is located adjacent to Sisseton High School at 516 8^th Ave. West. The 78' x 30' stage, comfortable seating and exceptional acoustic qualities has made the SPAC a favorite stop for regional and national performers. The SPAC is operated by the Sisseton School District and does NOT book performers for the facility. Local groups such as Coteau Entertainment and the Sisseton Arts Council often rent the facility for performances they bring to the community.

Home to more than 12,000 members of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate (SWO), Sisseton and the surrounding Coteau des Prairies provide visitors with the opportunity for a dynamic cross-cultural experience. Here tribal members draw on their rich history, continue their cultural traditions and contribute to a vibrant, growing economy in the area.

The most powerful evidence of tribal culture occurs over the 4th of July each year at the annual wacipi (pow wow) held at Old Agency seven miles south of Sisseton. Established in 1867, the Sisseton Wahpeton Wacipi is the longest-running annual event in South Dakota and one of the oldest established celebrations in the country.

SWO also hosts an annual Veterans Day Pow-wow. Additional pow-wows are also hosted by districts, schools and other organizations throughout the year. Contact the SWO Tribal Chairman's Office for additional information (605) 698-8284.