Photographs, souvenirs, and other memorabilia of local festivals are featured in the exhibit, “Sioux City Festivals and Celebrations 1887-2024” which is now on display at the Sioux City Public Museum.

1966 River-Cade celebration

Sioux City residents have been promoting their city and celebrating the quality of life here since the 1880s. The festival tradition began with the famous Sioux City Corn Palace celebrations of the late 1880s and early 1890s. They were succeeded by the Inter-State Live Stock Fair; an event that drew more than 100,000 visitors to Sioux City each year between 1903 and 1926. Financial difficulties relating to the Great Depression, World War II and several major floods hindered efforts to establish an annual festival throughout the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s. An important exception to this was a major celebration held in 1954 to commemorate Sioux City’s 100th birthday.

The success of the first River-Cade celebration in 1964 marked the return of annual festivals to Sioux City’s yearly calendar. Although it has undergone many changes over the years, River-Cade continues to be a much-beloved local institution. The same can be said for the annual Saturday in the Park music festival. Established in 1991, the event regularly draws more than 20,000 people to Sioux City’s Grandview Park. The exhibit will feature artifacts and images from these festivals, as well as several smaller events that have entertained Sioux City residents over the decades.