FORT SISSETON, S.D. - Marching infantry, galloping cavalry, American Indian dancers, storytellers, music, family entertainment and much more attract thousands of visitors each year to the Fort Sisseton Historical Festival. Activities begin Friday, June 1, and run through Sunday, June 3.

Throughout the weekend, festival visitors will enjoy a variety of historic, cultural and military-related events. Friday’s festivities begin at 1 p.m. with black-powder shooting.

Saturday and Sunday start out with reveille and flag raising at 9:15 a.m. Additionally, the popular infantry and cavalry drills are held both days on the fort’s parade ground.

On Saturday, Fort Sisseton will host a chuck wagon cook-off. Cooks will compete for up to $3,000 in prize money. Then, on Sunday from 12 – 2 p.m. the chuck wagons will team up with local youth and compete in the ACWA Kids’ Cook-off.

Archivists from the South Dakota Historical Society will show the public how to best store or care for treasured items, such as quilts, photos, tools, toys and other mementoes of the past. The presenters will be available 30 minutes before and after the scheduled presentation times to take questions or work one-on-one with the public.

Mary Fitzgerald will be in the Library Schoolhouse Saturday and Sunday documenting quilts. She is doing a South Dakota Quilt Documentation Project. The public is asked to bring their quilts to have Mary record the quilt’s story, maker’s biographical information, age, design, style, and make. Each owner will have the opportunity to copy the documentation for their family records. The information gathered will be available to researchers who are interested in the role of women in the development of our state.

At the 2012 festival, kids and family-geared activities are at the forefront of the entertainment line-up. The first 500 kids through the gate on Saturday will receive a bandana. Kids can pick up a festival scavenger hunt at the visitor center, and from 12-2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, kids can make and take a craft at the South Barracks.

On both Saturday and Sunday, visitors can view Paintings of Northeast South Dakota or listen to Richard Blackhawk Kapusta play his mountain man folk music.

Take in the antique tractor pull on Saturday between 3 – 6 p.m. at the Horse Arena.

Entertainers for the weekend will include Civil War songs from the Pallansch family, various period storytellers and cowboy poetry. Cowboyography will be whip cracking, and the old-time photographer will be open for business in   the Living History area.

The Ranch Rodeo will return to the festival this year starting at 1 p.m. on Sunday. The Ranch Rodeo is a competition that tests the skills local cowboys and cowgirls use on a ranch working livestock.

Daily admission into the festival is $5 per person, age 12 and older. During the festival weekend, camping is on a first-come, first-served basis and is available for $20 per night. A park entrance license is not required for the festival weekend.

For a full schedule of events and times, visit the South Dakota state parks website or contact Fort Sisseton at 605-448-5474.

Fort Sisseton Historic State Park is located 10 miles southwest of Lake City off South Dakota Highway 10.