Rapid City’s first weekend of May brings a wide variety of events across the community, including live comedy, music performances, creative showcases, themed celebrations, and a global conservation fundraiser. From relaxed evening gatherings to high-energy nightlife, there are plenty of opportunities to explore what the local scene has to offer Friday and Saturday.
Friday highlights creativity, comfort food, and stand-up comedy
The weekend begins Friday at 6 p.m. with EPA Open Mic Night at the Dahl Arts Center. The free event welcomes performers of all experience levels to share music, poetry, storytelling, and original work in a supportive community setting.
At 6:30 p.m., Flight Night at Coffee and the Cats offers a playful tasting experience featuring a curated soup flight paired with dessert selections and specialty mocktails. Vegetarian options are available, and reservations are encouraged due to limited seating.
Stand-up comedy follows at 7:30 p.m. as Curt Fletcher performs at West River Comedy Club. Fletcher brings more than 20 years of experience to the stage and has performed alongside nationally recognized comedians including Theo Von, Jim Norton, and Brian Posehn. The performance is open to guests 21 and older.
Later in the evening, Friday Night Karaoke with DJ Pauly G begins at 8:30 p.m. at 707 Sports Bar & Nightlife. Hosted weekly by The Business Entertainment, the event invites attendees to take the microphone and sing into the late night hours.
Saturday features a grand opening celebration and conservation fundraiser
Saturday begins at 11 a.m. with The Liquor Cabinet Grand Opening Party, hosted by Homeslice. The event includes free food and drinks, liquor samples, music, games, giveaways, merchandise, and a live radio remote as the locally owned business celebrates its official opening.
At 3 p.m., Paddy O’Neill’s Irish Pub inside Hotel Alex Johnson hosts a Kentucky Derby watch party complete with mint juleps, a best hat competition, and live race coverage on big screens.
Later in the afternoon, The Wild Ones, a special anniversary celebration benefiting IDEA WILD, takes place from 5 to 8:30 p.m. at the Journey Museum. The event marks 35 years of supporting conservationists worldwide and includes silent auction experiences along with fundraising opportunities supporting 33 biodiversity conservation projects. Proceeds help provide equipment to field researchers working to protect species across the globe.
Saturday evening continues at 8 p.m. with the Buffalo Chip Poster Model Search Finals at Robbinsdale Entertainment, where 27 finalists compete across themed categories including Bar Theme, Americana, and Bikinis, with music provided by Colt 45.
Live music and a galaxy-themed party close out the weekend
Music fans can head to Murphy’s Pub and Grill at 9 p.m. as Black Hills Soul celebrates the release of its second album, What Is Peace? The blues-rock group plans to perform new material alongside selections from its debut release and classic covers. Special merchandise discounts and giveaways will be available during the show.
The weekend wraps up at 10 p.m. with a Dark Side Star Wars Party at Press Start featuring themed drink specials and music from DJ CRZY Glitch. The event also builds anticipation for the free May 4 premiere of the locally produced fan film Heart of the Rebellion at the Elks Theatre after more than two decades in development.
With community arts events, live performances, nightlife experiences, and opportunities to support conservation efforts, the weekend offers something for nearly every interest across Rapid City.
Find more events and updates at rapidcitypost.com… and as always, we’ll see ya in the moonlight.
