Wow, Mardi Gras is here! And the weather looks good, the floats are starting to come together, and beads are starting to come out of the wood work…

Allright! It’s Mardi Gras time!

We sure hope you can attend – if not be sure to watch it on the Web cams and show your support from afar!

Well, back to preparations – happy Mardi Gras week all!

Lee

Many of us here in South Dakota just returned from the South Dakota Office of Tourism’s annual conference, and we’re ready for 2010 even more!

Here in Deadwood, the return was greeted with a little snow, but for winter recreationists, the snow was needed – trails were getting a little bare. But now we should be set!

And MARDI GRAS is fast approaching too. We are gearing up for this wildly entertaining event – and we’re still looking for parade entries, so let us know!

Have a great week all,
Lee

It’s almost Mardi Gras time in Deadwood!!! This year’s event is Feb. 5-6, 2010, and registration is now open for the parades, Cajun cook-off and the Mardi Gras Cake Decorating Contest. Info on each event is below. Events are free to enter and open to everyone. Thinking about entering? Go for it!!!
A schedule of Mardi Gras 2010 events can be found at http://www.deadwood.org/DeadwoodEvents/MardiGras/ .

Parade Entries:
Mardi Gras parades will be held Friday, Feb. 5 and Saturday, Feb. 6. Participation is open to everyone, it’s free and anything goes, so long as your float, vehicle, wagon, bike, or whatever you decide to decorate, is lit. The Saturday, Feb. 6 evening parade draws nearly 15,000 spectators annually, and it’s a great opportunity to showcase your business, or your individuality. The People’s Parade, which is held on Friday night, Feb. 5, is also open to anything, where floats for Saturday night are welcome, as are people simply walking down Deadwood’s Main Street.
Line-up for each night’s parade begin at 6:15 p.m. in the lower Main Street parking lot in Deadwood, with the procession beginning at 7 p.m. The parades will finish by 8 p.m. each evening.
All entrants in the parade are eligible to win over $1,500 in prize money.
Enter today by calling the Chamber at 578-1876 or email event coordinator Sarah Anderson at sarah@deadwood.org.
Cajun Cook-off:
Think you got the touch for Cajun cuisine? Register your property for the 2010 Mardi Gras Cajun Cook-Off! Open to all businesses and restaurants/executive chefs Deadwood-wide, this year’s cook-off will be held Saturday, Feb. 6 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The Deadwood Chamber will provide each participating business with a box for small donations. All donations will go to a local charity.
Winners will be determined by anonymous judges. These judges will taste all of the dishes and will judge the creations on a variety of factors, including authenticity, presentation and overall taste. The judge’s votes will determine the winners.
Businesses should plan to prepare a minimum of 400, one-ounce samples of each dish.
Call the Chamber at 578-1876 to register or email Megan Sarratt at the Deadwood Chamber at megan@deadwood.org.

2nd Annual Mardi Gras Cake Contest:
Dazzle Deadwood with your cake decorating talent! The 2nd Annual Mardi Gras Cake Contest will be held on Saturday, Feb. 6 at the Lucky Nugget Gambling Hall.
Cakes need to be decorated to tie in to a Mardi Gras theme; they must be homemade and must be edible and they must be in a disposable container. They are also asking that no ice cream cakes be entered.
All cakes need to be brought to the Lucky Nugget on Main Street in Deadwood between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. Judging will begin at 2 p.m. and winners will be announced at 4 p.m. The contest is open to everyone and participants will be divided into two categories – amateur and professional. There will be 3 winners in each category – Best presentation, best representation and most original. Winners will receive cash and ribbons.
To enter, contact Karen Everett at the Lead/Deadwood Arts Council at 584-1461.

We are shoveled out! Christmas was definitely a snowy one here in Deadwood – i’ve heard reports of anywhere from 35 inches to 52 inches in the area. But once it gets over a couple feet, it’s hard to tell just how much more is coming down. Unless, of course, you are out shoveling in the deep stuff!
For winter sports fans, the snow was needed. Now we have snow on the snowmobile trails and skiiers are grinning from ear to ear. And, more importantly, the roads to Deadwood are clear and we are ready to celebrate New Year’s Eve and the start of 2010! There are some rooms still available, so call us if you are coming and need help! 1-800-344-8826.
Happy New Year all, and you should see Deadwood now!
Lee

Online registration for the 13th Annual Mickelson Trail Trek opens TODAY, Friday, Dec. 18 at 8 a.m. Mountain Time. Bikers can sign up at www.MickelsonTrail.com. Game, Fish and Parks officials encourage bicyclists to sign up early to ensure a spot in the Trek, which will be held Sept. 17 – 19, 2010. This is the same weekend as the 20th annual DEADWOOD JAM! A GREAT WEEKEND TO BE IN DEADWOOD!!!

The annual supported ride highlights the George S. Mickelson Trail as it winds through the heart of the Black Hills from Edgemont to Lead/Deadwood. The ride began in 1998 as a celebration of the completion of the rails-to-trails project. The Trek continues today to introduce new bicyclists to the trail and to thank supporters for their long-standing enthusiasm for the trail. Riders on the Trail Trek will cover the entire 109 miles of the trail over three days, from Friday, Sept. 17 through Sunday, Sept. 19.

Registration before July 12 with merchandise is $170, without merchandise is $140. Registration after July 12 is $170, and merchandise is not available. The registration fee for the 3-day ride includes the trail pass, shuttle service, refreshments and some meals during each day’s ride. Riders are responsible for accommodations and mechanical support. The ride is open to all bicyclists 14 years of age or older.

Pre-registration is required and may be completed online by visiting www.MickelsonTrail.com and following the “Trail Trek” link. Registration cutoff is September 1, 2010. For more information on the Mickelson Trail or the 3-day Mickelson Trail Trek, visit www.MickelsonTrail.com or contact the Black Hills Trails office at (605) 584-3896.

Get your registration in today – and a hotel room! Go to http://www.deadwood.org/Lodging/ to book a room.

Have a great weekend!
Lee

A sure sign of winter, the snowmobile trails in the Black Hills officially open tomorrow, Tuesday, Dec. 15. Snow over the weekend has helped cover trails, but there are some spots that may be a bare – so riders in this early season need to be cautious.

Snowmobile trail maps for the entire state can be obtained from most Game, Fish and Parks offices or by calling 605-773-3391. The maps outline the nationally-recognized Black Hill trails (350 miles) and 13 trails in eastern South Dakota (1,260 miles). The maps also include locations for food and fuel, as well as additional information about snowmobiling in South Dakota.

The Black Hills trails will be open Dec. 15 through March 31.

New this year: Snowmobilers can check trail conditions daily via Twitter. And trail conditions can be found by clicking here: http://www.sdgfp.info/Parks/Recreation/Snowmobiling/trailconHills.asp
And all trails lead to Deadwood! Ride all day, warm up downtown at night – sounds like a good day to me!

Have a great week,
Lee

Deadwood’s Days of ‘76 Rodeo has been named PRCA’s best for the 10th time!

And in this, the sixth consecutive year, the Rodeo has taken home the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association’s award for the Medium Outdoor Rodeo of the Year. Days of ‘76 committee members were on hand for the awards ceremony, held last week at the PRCA National Convention in Las Vegas.

Awards are nothing new for this event, now in its 88th year. The Days of ‘76 rodeo won Small Outdoor Rodeo of the Year four consecutive years before being moved into the medium category.

The Days has won top honors in the medium category each year since 2004. In 2009, the Deadwood rodeo competed against rodeos from Abilene and Amarillo, Texas, Phillipsburg, Kan., and Ogden, Utah.

“We were thrilled to be nominated alongside rodeos of this caliber, and we are even more thrilled to once again be able to call our rodeo the nation’s best,” said 2009 Days of ‘76 Chairman Mac Meyer. “Its truly an honor to win, and it’s a tribute to how hard this committee and all the volunteers work. I am proud to be part of such a great organization.”

Te Days of ‘76 is a favorite venue among the bull riders, calf ropers, saddle bronc riders, barrel racers and others who compete in this Black Hills community for tens of thousands of dollars in prize money. Meyer attributes the success of the rodeo to a combination of community support, hard work of committee members and volunteers, commitments from the City of Deadwood and its Historic Preservation Commission, and the experience that can only be acquired from 87 years of putting on one of the best rodeos in the world.

Equipped with a renovated rodeo arena, complete with rough-hewn timbers and a Ponderosa pine forest backdrop, the Days of ‘76 Rodeo offers contestants a chance to enjoy an atmosphere that only Deadwood can offer.

The 2010 Days of ‘76 Rodeo and Parade will be July 27-31, 2010. For ticket information, call 888-838-BULL or visit www.daysof76.com.

Congrats Days of ‘76! And for those of you who have yet to see the Days in person, make plans to attend now!

Have a great week all!
Lee

Tomorrow is December already! Winter is almost upon us, although you wouldn’t know by looking around Deadwood. There’s very little snow in town — but there’s enough at the higher elevations that the ski resorts are OPEN for business.

Both Terry Peak and Mystic Miner at Deer Mountain opened after Thanksgiving. Conditions are still in the early season phase, but both locations are making snow to make up for Mother Nature. There’s probably 20-25 inches of real snow on the base, which is sure to get bigger, possibly even this week.

Check ‘em out at www.terrypeak.com and www.skimystic.com.

The holidays are sure sneaking up on us! And there’s no snow on the ground in Deadwood yet, and visitors and residents alike are enjoying the extended fall.

Thanksgiving is next week already … it seems like yesterday we were out on Main Street listening to Ron Dante and Davy Jones during Kool Deadwood Nites. Time sure does fly when you’re having fun!

Speaking of having fun (and there’s plenty to be had in Deadwood), but if you are looking to start, or continue, a tradition, think about cutting down your own Christmas tree this year. With a couple million acres of public land, the Black Hills has plenty of Christmas trees to choose from. And all you need is a permit from the National Forest Service. The permits are $10 and are sold throughout the Black Hills, including at the History and Information Center here in Deadwood. Call us at (605) 578-1876 for more details.

There’s just something about cutting down your own tree! Give it a shot – it’s a great family activity!

Have a great week everyone,
Lee

Howdy everyone:
The October white stuff sure didn’t last very long! And this November weather feels a lot like September here in Deadwood – it’s actually pretty dang nice!

There’s still snow in higher elevations, but here on Main Street snow piles are few and far between – quite a difference from one year ago when the blizzards shut us down! Everything is wide open in 2009, and spirits are high that winter hasn’t locked us up quite yet.

We are just a couple weeks away from Thanksgiving, and I surely hope everyone has enjoyed the fall so far. Things are a little quiet here in Deadwood (compared to the summer!), and it’s a nice time to come and visit.

Have a great week all!
Lee