Sioux Falls, South Dakota On Friday and Saturday nights, approximately 24,000 music fans are expected to attend Rock the Country at the W.H. Lyon Fairgrounds. This is a much larger crowd than previous events have drawn.
Nickelback and Kid Rock are the headliners. Rock the Country travels with its own security, but because the fairgrounds are county property, the Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office will be present in case of an arrest. Captain Adam Zishka advises concertgoers to give themselves plenty of time.
“This is a large crowd for the fairgrounds, primarily because the grandstands cannot accommodate so many people. So the entire event will take place primarily in the north parking lot area, which has plenty of space to accommodate these people, and we’ve been planning it for months, according to Zishka.
A meteorologist from the National Weather Service will be on-site. The current forecast predicts temperatures in the 80s, which are not excessively hot by South Dakota standards, but overheating is a major concern. First responders will be ready to assist with medical emergencies.
“So we are going to have a couple of ambulances on site, we are going to have around-the-clock 27/7 EMS to provide for the campgrounds, and then we will have additional crews come in for the concert times,” Mathew Penning, the coordinator, said.
Concertgoers will have access to free water, as well as cooling and first-aid tents. There will be no weapons allowed, and metal detectors will be used at the entrances for security screening. Organizers advise attendees to be patient upon arrival.
A map of the concert location is available at the bottom of this page.
