Chinook Days kicks off for second year

SPEARFISH, S.D. — The annual Chinook Days Festival is underway in Spearfish. Brothers Patrick and John Williams started the festival last year.

Meant to be a celebration of the diverse weather in the Black Hills, it recognizes the world record for fastest and greatest temperature change ever recorded, which was back on January 22, 1943.

Temperatures climbed by 49 degrees in just two minutes.

But the event is about more than just the weather.

“It’s a celebration of what spearfish has to offer as far as outdoor recreation, craft breweries, community arts, music, everything in between. So, we’re pretty happy to be up here, and the conditions have played well enough considering the year that we’ve had,” said Patrick Williams, event coordinator.

The festival began Saturday morning with an active day at Big Hill, where winter sport enthusiasts gathered for rides and walks in the great outdoors.

And in true Black Hills fashion – what started as a few snowflakes – became full-on snow by the end of the day.

Looking ahead, the Matthews Opera House will host a snow sculpture event on Thursday, a Chinook Fest Bonfire on Friday, and three beer releases throughout the week.

The festival wraps up on Saturday.