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# Things to do in the Black Hills this weekend: Nov. 13 to 15, Mountain West Beer Fest and Festival of Trees
- URL: https://www.bunchgrass.org/things-to-do-in-the-black-hills-this-weekend-nov-13-to-15-mountain-west-beer-fest-and-festival-of-trees/
- Published: 2026-11-15T00:34:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-11-15T00:34:00.000Z
- Description: The Mountain West Beer Fest and a 200-vendor holiday market fill The Monument on Saturday, Lead's Homestake Opera House holds A Dickens Christmas Festival of Trees, and Spearfish hosts a Dakota Challenge basketball doubleheader.
- Author: Bunchgrass Staff
- Tags: Black Hills, #weekend

*Friday, Nov. 13, to Sunday, Nov. 15, 2026*

The Monument in Rapid City packs Saturday with the ninth Mountain West Beer Fest, a free 200-vendor holiday market and a Jackrabbits basketball game, while Lead's Historic Homestake Opera House fills with decorated trees for A Dickens Christmas. Spearfish hosts the Dakota Challenge, a basketball doubleheader both nights with Black Hills State and South Dakota Mines, and Deadwood gives away its 150th anniversary motorcycle.

## Rapid City and Box Elder

### Friday

- [Turtle Soup: Bruce Roseland](https://www.journeymuseum.org/upcoming-events/turtle-soup-bruce-roseland-poet-laureate-of-south-dakota?ref=bunchgrass.org), Journey Museum and Learning Center, 222 New York St., Rapid City, 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. The state poet laureate talks about his anthology "Our South Dakota."
- [Food for Thought](https://www.coffee-and-the-cats.com/event-details/food-for-thought-an-evening-of-locally-written-short-plays-as-a-fundraiser-for-feeding-south-dakota?ref=bunchgrass.org), Vendor Emporium and Curiosities, 317 E. St. Patrick St., Rapid City, doors at 6:30 p.m., show at 7 p.m. Local performers stage original short plays by local playwrights. Admission is by donation and benefits Feeding South Dakota.
- ["The Four Horsemen"](https://www.bhct.org/the-four-horsemen.html?ref=bunchgrass.org), Black Hills Community Theatre, Studio Theater, Performing Arts Center of Rapid City, 601 Columbus St., 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday. The closing weekend of L.D. Potter's world premiere comedy about War, Famine, Pestilence and Death and the annoyances of the job. Ages 14 and up; bring a nonperishable food item for Feeding South Dakota.
- [Rapid City Rush vs. Tahoe Knight Monsters](https://www.themonument.live/events/detail/h111126?ref=bunchgrass.org), Ice Arena, The Monument, Rapid City, 7:05 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Tickets from $29.50\. Saturday is Veterans Appreciation night.

### Saturday

- [Winter Marketplace Pop Up](https://www.themonument.live/events/detail/winter-marketplace26?ref=bunchgrass.org), Barnett Fieldhouse, The Monument, Rapid City, starting at 10 a.m. Free. More than 200 vendors bring handmade goods, holiday decor, treats and local finds.
- [Black Hills Kid-Made Market](https://www.visitrapidcity.com/event/third-annual-black-hills-kid-made-market/5941/?ref=bunchgrass.org), Walter Taylor 4-H Building, 601 E. Centre St., Rapid City, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Free. Every vendor at the third annual market is 19 or younger, selling baked goods, crochet, fishing lures and more.
- [Custer State Park Presents: Bighorn Sheep](https://rapidcitylibrary.libnet.info/event/15322512?ref=bunchgrass.org), Rapid City Public Library Downtown, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Park naturalists tell the story of the Black Hills herd.
- [Mountain West Beer Fest](https://www.themonument.live/events/detail/mwbeerfest26?ref=bunchgrass.org), Rushmore Hall, The Monument, Rapid City, 1 to 5 p.m., VIP entry at noon. Tickets from $29.25\. The ninth annual festival pours more than 200 beers, seltzers and nonalcoholic drinks from 80-plus breweries, with food trucks and games. Ages 21 and up.
- [South Dakota State men's basketball vs. Northern Colorado](https://www.themonument.live/events/detail/gojacks26?ref=bunchgrass.org), Summit Arena, The Monument, Rapid City, 2 p.m., doors at 1 p.m. Tickets from $18\. The Jackrabbits play a nonconference game out west.

### Sunday

- [Paul Horsted: "South Dakota Yesterday and Today"](https://rapidcitylibrary.libnet.info/event/17579110?ref=bunchgrass.org), Rapid City Public Library Downtown, 1 to 2 p.m. The photographer shares then-and-now images of 350 historic South Dakota sites.
- [Black Hills Chili Bowl](https://rapidcitypost.com/black-hills-chili-bowl-brings-flavor-and-giving-to-downtown-rapid-city?ref=bunchgrass.org), Hotel Alex Johnson, 523 Sixth St., Rapid City, 1 to 3 p.m. $30, free for kids 12 and under, or $15 at the door with three cans of food for Feeding South Dakota. Fifteen local kitchens compete and tasters vote, the Rapid City Post reports.

## Spearfish, Deadwood, Lead and Sturgis

### Friday

- [A Dickens Christmas: Festival of Trees preview night](https://www.homestakeoperahouse.org/events/fot-night-1?ref=bunchgrass.org), Historic Homestake Opera House, 313 W. Main St., Lead, 4 p.m. Free. Stroll the trees and wreaths with Santa and Mrs. Claus, hot chocolate and a silent auction. Donations for the Boys and Girls Club or Twin City Animal Shelter are welcome.
- [Dakota Challenge](https://gorockers.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedule?ref=bunchgrass.org), Donald E. Young Center, Black Hills State University, Spearfish. South Dakota Mines plays UMary at 5 p.m. Friday, and No. 6 Black Hills State hosts Minot State at 7 p.m. On Saturday, Mines meets Minot State at 4 p.m. and the [Yellow Jackets](https://bhsuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedule?ref=bunchgrass.org) face UMary at 6 p.m.
- [Northern Hills Chamber Chorale](https://bhsu.edu/news/2026/09/fall-2026-music-events.html?ref=bunchgrass.org), Meier Hall, Black Hills State University, Spearfish, 7 p.m. Free. The Dakota Chamber Orchestra follows Saturday at 7 p.m., and Bella Bjordahl gives her senior recital Sunday at 2 p.m., all free in Meier Hall.
- ["Endgame"](https://www.bhsu.edu/student-life/theatre/index.html?ref=bunchgrass.org#endgame), Woodburn Theatre, Black Hills State University, Spearfish, 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday. BHSU Theatre closes its run of Samuel Beckett's tragicomedy about four people waiting out an unspecified end.

### Saturday

- [Deadwood's 150th Motorcycle Giveaway Party](https://www.deadwoodhistory.com/event/deadwoods-150th-motorcycle-giveaway-party-2/?ref=bunchgrass.org), Saloon No. 10, Deadwood, 1 to 5 p.m. Free. Deadwood History draws the winning ticket for its custom anniversary motorcycle, with music by The Flanstones, a silent auction and whiskey tastings.
- [Historical Poetry Writing Workshop](https://www.westernheritagecenter.com/upcoming-events?ref=bunchgrass.org), High Plains Western Heritage Center, 825 Heritage Drive, Spearfish, 2 to 4 p.m. Free. Poet laureate Bruce Roseland and Dakota State professor emeritus John Nelson teach the basics of historical free verse. RSVP to Roseland at bbroseland@venturecomm.net.
- [Hounding in the Hills](https://visitspearfish.com/events/hounding-in-the-hills?ref=bunchgrass.org), Jacket Legacy Room, Black Hills State University, Spearfish, 3 p.m. Free. Learn about foraging, panning and rockhounding in the hills, with book giveaways from Henry's Books.
- [Community Art Show opening reception and awards](https://www.matthewsopera.com/event/community-art-show-opening-reception-awards/?ref=bunchgrass.org), Matthews Opera House, 614 N. Main St., Spearfish, 5 to 7 p.m. Free. This year's show, "From Fridge Art to Fine Art," returns to the theater where it began. Start with a free [cyanotype workshop](https://www.matthewsopera.com/event/cyanotype-workshop-with-tia-erin/?ref=bunchgrass.org) with Tia Erin from 3 to 4 p.m. in the Fireplace Room.
- [A Dickens Christmas Festival of Trees](https://www.homestakeoperahouse.org/events/fot-night-2?ref=bunchgrass.org), Historic Homestake Opera House, Lead, doors at 5 p.m. $10 at the door. Hors d'oeuvres, holiday drinks and a performance by Sarah Carper lead up to the live auction of trees and wreaths.

## Hot Springs and Edgemont

### Saturday

- [Nature's Clues: Animal Tracking](https://blackhillsparks.org/bhpfa-event/natures-clues-at-wind-cave-np/?ref=bunchgrass.org), Wind Cave National Park Visitor Center, 26611 U.S. Highway 385, north of Hot Springs, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. $25 per person or $65 for up to four. Educator Tom Tonkin of the Black Hills Parks and Forests Association teaches how to read tracks, scat and other wildlife signs. Ages 8 and up.

## Coming up

Chef José Andrés comes to the Summit Arena for [An Evening with José Andrés](https://www.themonument.live/events/detail/jtv26?ref=bunchgrass.org) on Wednesday, Nov. 18, presented by the John T. Vucurevich Foundation. In Spearfish, the Zonta Club's [Festival of Trees](https://visitspearfish.com/events/festival-of-trees1?ref=bunchgrass.org) fills downtown Nov. 18 to 21.