Sunflower Festival is Idea Friendly

Beth didn’t like sunflowers. Until she moved to central South Dakota. They were everywhere! And her husband, the farmer, grew them. 

Beth attended the Energize Conference in 2018 and heard the Red Ants Pants Presentation. Sarah Calhoun has her store (they make workwear for women) in White Sulphur Springs, Montana, and that is a very small town. She’s also the creator of ideas like giant music festivals in the middle of Montana.

 And Beth got the idea she could do something around sunflowers. Some kind of festival. In Highmore, South Dakota, population 647. 

Beth didn’t know it, but she built the Sunflower Festival using the Idea Friendly Method. 

What was her Big Idea?

Highmore, SD, becomes the sunflower destination in the nation

Small steps

  • She thought about it from 2018 to 2023, 
    • Researched other small town festivals, 
    • looked for photographers to come and take pictures
    • Chose August 15 for the date because it coincides with the final week of the Sturgis motorcycle rally, and Highway 14 connects directly to Sturgis and goes through Highmore.
  • Started with a photography workshop in 2023 – Chad Coppess from South Core Magazine was the attraction
  • Surprised attending photographers with an aerial plane flyover
  • 2024: Attracted visitors from 14 different states

Built Connections

  • Reached out to her Travel South Dakota connections
  • Found photographers and travel writers
  • Worked with her town and the farmers in the area 
  • The Arts Council was on board to help with 501 c 3 needs 

Gather Your Crowd

  • Her husband was on board. 
  • She told her friends and tourism people in town about it. 
  • People came on board and worked together on many of these small steps. 

What’s happened since her first festival:

  • They grew from a photography workshop to a full community festival
  • In 2024, they attracted visitors from 14 different states
  • They were featured as the #4 sunflower destination nationally in a Pioneer Woman article
  • She also branded this festival. In her research, she noticed that themed festivals are more successful than generic community events. How did she do it? With murals, signage, and a consistent visual identity. The education component was important as well, because most visitors don’t understand commercial sunflower farming. 

Please note that Beth didn’t do all the work alone! She did share in a webinar recently how the event came to be, made a video for Dakota Resources Thriverr folks, and agreed to me using the photos. 

Festival Implementation Strategy

  • Planning essentials
    • Research competing festivals in the area
    • Create a comprehensive checklist and timeline
    • Define target audience (tourists vs. locals vs. alumni)
    • Secure sponsors and budget early
    • Register with the state for vendor sales tax requirements
  • Marketing approach
    • Secured TAP grants from Travel South Dakota (2024 & 2025)
    • Partnered with the Arts Council for 501 (c) (3) status
    • Advertising: South Dakota Magazine, Missouri River Tourism, 605 Magazine, Facebook
    • Timeline: Tourism ads need 6+ months of advance planning
  • Unique festival elements
    • Annual sunflower field map (updated weekly before festival)
    • Fields located 10+ miles from town, and driving directions were given
    •  Educate the visitors about farming 
    • Created the stage using a trailer/canopy in the first year
    • The community built a permanent bandstand after seeing the need
    • Little Miss Sunflower pageant (added a month before, run by FCCLA students)
  • Growth trajectory
    • Year 1: One food truck, basic setup
    • Year 2: Added drink truck, expanded entertainment
    • Year 3: Adding a second food truck

 Insights & Recommendations

  • Festival timing considerations
    • August 15th timing coincides with the final week of the Sturgis motorcycle rally
    • Highway 14 connects directly to Sturgis – opportunity for motorcycle traffic
  • Community engagement challenges
    • Local understanding of tourism benefits varies; you may have to do some storytelling
    • New festivals are easier to evolve than established events because of the “we’ve always done it this way” attitude.
    • Encourage community fundraising meals during festival (5:30-7 pm suggested)
  • Additions and new ideas? 
    • Considering additions: plein air painting, photography classes