The South Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs will host a Memorial Day program and ribbon cutting ceremony on Monday, May 31, 2021 at 2:00 pm (CT) at South Dakota’s first state veterans cemetery. The cemetery is located at 25965 477 th Avenue in Sioux Falls (just north of 1-229/1-90 Interchange off Slip Up Creek Road and 477 th Avenue).

Construction of the initial phase of the cemetery is completed, with interments scheduled to begin the first week of June 2021. The first-phase of the cemetery provides space for more than 2,300 interments including caskets, in-ground burial of cremains, columbaria space for cremains and a scattering garden. In the decades to come, it will provide burial options for more than 28,000 veterans and their eligible dependents.

“This new cemetery is an everlasting shrine to our veterans,” said Erin Brown, cemetery director. “It reminds us every day of the sacrifices that generations of men and women have made for all of us.”

The cemetery project was funded through a grant from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, National Cemetery Administration, as well as general funds from the State of South Dakota. The cemetery will be owned by the State of South Dakota and operated by the South Dakota Department of Veterans Affairs.

“We are excited and honored to share this day with our partners and with South Dakota,” said Brown. “This facility was made possible by cooperation at the federal, state, local, and community levels.”

With all the earthwork and landscaping that has been done, parking is very limited at the Cemetery for the celebration. The Department is encouraging attendees to utilize transportation to and from the cemetery that will be provided by River Cities Public Transit. Bus rides to the event will originate at the South Dakota Military Heritage Alliance (1600 W. Russell Street) starting at noon and will run until 1:45 pm.

Immediately following the ceremony, busses will begin transportation back to the Alliance Building. Upon arrival, guests are encouraged to continue the celebration with dinner and entertainment. The dinner will be provided from our partners  with Keystone Treatment Centers and entertainment will be courtesy of the El Riad Shrine Chanters.