100 N. Lyon Blvd.
Sioux Falls
SD
EVENT/Salute to Veterans
August 1st thru 9th, 2025
W.H. Lyon Fairgrounds
Sioux Falls, SD
It’s that time of year again. The Patriot Guard Riders have been invited back, for the tenth year, to be present at the Sioux Empire Fair to raise our 30’X50′ flag “Old Glory” as a salute to our communities’ Veterans, Military and Emergency First Responders. We will be doing the initial set up on Friday, August 1st starting at 9:00 AM (before the heat hits). If any one is available then, your help is always appreciated.
Rosenbauer will be bringing a ladder truck for our 30×50′ flag, Friday morning and we will be placing the stakes for the Flags and banners in the area that we have had them in the past, in preparation for the remaining days of the fair. At 9:00 am, each day, we will be placing the KIA and military flags and preparing to raise the 30×50′ flag on the ladder truck at 10:00 am. At 7:00 pm each day, we will need help lowering and storing all of the flags. (The 7:00 pm may be subject to change.)
During the fair, we will be asking our members for volunteers to help any days you are available for two or three hours during the day and we will always try to have at least one member there at all times. We will only have brochures and information about the PGR available for handouts to anyone interested in what we do. Also, to be there to provide information about the Patriot Guard Riders. I really need a few of you to step up and volunteer to help with this so that no one person has a long stretch in our area. Please bring your own chair to use while you’re at the area and you can put it in or by the trailer when you’re not there. We do not want any empty chairs sitting around the truck or flags.
Any Veteran PGR members coming out to the fair will be admitted free at the gate, with veteran ID. If you will be riding in several times during the fair to help in our area, you will need a gate pass, which I will have. If you don’t have a gate pass, you will need to contact me to let me know when you will be coming so you can be met at the south gate (entry from 12th St.). I also will have passes for our non-veteran members. Let me know the days you plan to assist with set up or taking down flags and I will give you gate passes for those days. For all others,(non veterans) call me before you come or when you get there so we can bring you a pass when you arrive at the gate.
Hope to see you there,
Randy Ward
Asst. State Captain
SDPGR
Sioux Falls, SD
605-359-8719
reward1948@yahoo.com