Kibble Equipment Keeps the South Dakota State Fair Moving with Free Trolley Rides
HURON, S.D. — For six days each year, the South Dakota State Fairgrounds become one of the busiest gathering places in the state, and in 2026, Kibble Equipment once again helped fairgoers see more of it.
During the 2026 South Dakota State Fair, held September 2–7 in Huron, Kibble Equipment sponsored free trolley rides throughout the fairgrounds, giving visitors a convenient way to travel between exhibits, livestock barns, entertainment, food vendors, and other attractions.
The Kibble Equipment trolleys operated from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., with multiple stops located throughout the grounds. Fair officials promoted the service as one of several transportation and accessibility options designed to make navigating the expansive fairgrounds easier for visitors. (South Dakota State News)
For some fairgoers, the trolley provided a welcome break from walking. For others, it offered a chance to sit back and take in the sights and sounds of the fair. And for families, older visitors and those with mobility challenges, the service helped make more of the State Fair accessible.
“The Kibble Equipment trolley rides” were specifically highlighted by State Fair Assistant Manager Candi Briley when discussing transportation options available to visitors in 2026. Fairgoers could use the trolleys to get from place to place or simply enjoy a tour of the grounds. (Plainsman)
A Tradition More Than 140 Years in the Making
The South Dakota State Fair traces its roots to 1885 — four years before South Dakota became a state.
On April 25, 1885, the Dakota Territorial Legislature created a Board of Agriculture charged with advancing agriculture, horticulture, manufacturing and domestic arts. One of the board’s primary responsibilities was organizing an annual exhibition showcasing the territory’s agricultural products, livestock and other accomplishments. (South Dakota State Fair)
Huron, Sioux Falls, and Pierre competed to host that first Territorial Fair, with Huron ultimately selected. The inaugural event was held September 29 through October 2, 1885, and was considered a success despite the territory’s relatively small population. (South Dakota State Fair)
For the next two decades, the fair moved among communities including Huron, Mitchell, Aberdeen, Sioux Falls, and Yankton. Huron became its permanent home in 1905, when the Chicago and Northwestern Railway Company deeded 85 acres to the State of South Dakota for use as an annual state fair site. (South Dakota State Fair)
Today, the South Dakota State Fairgrounds encompass approximately 190 acres and more than 90 buildings, serving not only as home to the annual State Fair but as a year-round destination for agricultural, equestrian, and community events. (Dakota At Home)
The fair’s reach gives companies such as Kibble Equipment an opportunity to support not only agriculture — an industry at the heart of the company’s business — but also the communities and families connected to it.
More Than a Ride Around the Fair
For Kibble Equipment, providing trolley transportation is a fitting way to participate in an event built around agriculture.
John Deere equipment and agriculture are familiar sights across the region Kibble Equipment serves, and the State Fair brings together many of the farmers, ranchers, families and rural communities that make up that agricultural network.
The trolley sponsorship also serves a practical purpose. With hundreds of acres to explore and activities spread throughout the grounds, simply getting from one destination to another can be part of the State Fair experience.
By keeping those rides free, Kibble Equipment helped make that experience a little easier.
Amid the livestock competitions, grandstand entertainment, carnival rides, fair food and generations-old traditions, the Kibble Equipment trolleys offered visitors something simple but valuable: a chance to climb aboard, rest their feet and enjoy the ride.
At a State Fair that has brought people together for more than 140 years, helping people get where they want to go is another way to keep a South Dakota tradition moving forward.
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