Mitchell Things to Do Tips by JennJenn Top 5 Page for this destination

Enchanted World Doll Museum

If you're into dolls, this would be a great place to visit. (they have star wars too)

June through September: Daily: 8am - 8pm
March - May and October -November: Monday - Friday: 9am to 5pm
Winter months: By appointment only

More info later...

Address: 615 North Main

Directions: Across from the Corn Palace

Kay's Creation: a statue shop

Right next to the World's Only Corn Palace is a statue shop--about a quarter city block filled with random statues. Open quite often in the summer. No set hours, though. In the winter, should be accessible through the neighboring coffeeshop. Worth a ramble through.

Address: 5th and Main

Directions: Half block south of Corn Palace, next door to Cottonwood Canyon Coffeehouse.

Corn Palace Stampede Rodeo

Rodeo held toward the end of July each year. Four nights of ropin', ridin', and the ever popular mutton bustin'. Calling all cowboys and anyone who wants to watch the cowboys. Yee Haw!

Directions: Rodeo Grounds just north of town on Hwy 37.

Website: http://www.cornpalacestampede.com/

Corn Palace decor

Each year, in the summer, the Corn Palace murals are changed. The abstract decor is changed throughout the summer. The actual murals are changed when the corn is harvested in the fall.

The 2004 murals theme is Lewis and Clark (stapled on the building in fall 2003). The Palace was NOT redecorated in 2002 because the drought made corn scarce.

The designs are made with milo, rye, oat heads and sour dock. The murals are made by drawing the designs on black roofing paper. They then staple halves of different colors of corn onto the building. It's like paint by numbers. They use about 270,000 ears of corn.

Corn Palace 2

There are murals inside made out of corn too. The inside murals are replaced with new corn about every 5 years.

The palace hosts high school and university basketball games, concerts, graduations and other events. During the summer, the main floor of the auditorium is transformed into a large gift shop. Try the popcorn. Mmm.

Corn Palace

Big building with lots of corn murals.

Murals inside and out. There is also a history of the Corn Palace inside with photos from every Corn Palace through the years lining the halls.

Info from the brochure:
There's been a Corn Palace in Mitchell since 1892 along with a harvest festival to celebrate the fertility of the land and productivity of its people. The first palaces were wooden buildings without electricity and had dirt floors. The present building was built in 1921 out of steel and brick.

FREE

Address: Main Street

Directions: Follow the signs

Phone: 605-996-5031

Website: http://www.cornpalace.com

Corn Palace 3

They have concerts in here too, usually during Corn Palace Week in the fall. This is Tom Jones performing in August 2003.

Classic Drive In

Who doesn't love a night at the drive-in theater? Come summer-time, the Starlite Theatre opens north of town. As the sun sets, dancing hot dogs and singing pickles tempt you to visit the consession stand in the middle of the parking lot. Finally, when it is dark, the double feature begins with movies just out of the Luxury 5 Cinema in town. Complete with playground so you can sit on the equipment and sing "Stranded at the Drive-In" just like John Travolta in "Grease."

OPEN ONLY IN SUMMER!

Address: North Hwy 37

Directions: North of town on the highway, just past the lake on the left side of the road.

Phone: 605-996-4511

Website: http://www.loganmovie.com

Corn Palace Stampede Chili Cook-off

HOT HOT HOT.

Ok, eating chili outside in the middle of July--what could make you sweat more? Not much.

Contestants make their chili outside over a campfire Sunday morning and are judged for the best chili. After the judges get their share, the public can buy a cup for $2 and go around and get as much and as many different kinds of chili as they can eat.

In conjunction with the rodeo. Held end of July at the rodeo grounds north of town.

Corn Palace Stampede Rodeo 2