CUSTER, S.D. – Over 19,440 visitors attended the 54th Annual Buffalo Roundup at Custer State Park on Friday morning, watching as 60 horseback riders wrangled the herd of 1,400 bison into the corrals for their annual health check.
Custer State Park also hosted its three-day arts festival in conjunction with the Buffalo Roundup. Crowds assembled throughout the celebration to enjoy a variety of entertainment under the big top, educational programs and vendors from all over the country.
“It was a cool fall day in the park, which turned out to be almost perfect conditions for the bison and the horseback riders,” said park superintendent Matt Snyder. “The crowd on Friday that came from all over the globe to witness this one-of-a-kind event was exceptional, with about 4,000 more visitors than last year. We battled some weather during the Arts Festival, but the music was great, our BBQ cook-off raised over $1,000 for the Fallen Firefighters Foundation, and the variety of vendors that were in attendance was outstanding. We are completely happy with how the whole weekend turned out.”
The annual Roundup serves as a tool to help manage the park’s buffalo herd. Approximately 445 bison will be sold at the park’s annual auction on Saturday, Nov. 2. For more information on the auction, contact the park at 605.255.4515 or email
Upcoming Buffalo Roundups will be held on Friday, Sept. 25, 2020, and Friday, Sept. 24, 2021.
