Watertown Community Update: Leadership, Agriculture, and St. Patrick’s Day Spirit
- Steve Jurrens
- Feb 10
- 2 min read
Northeast Radio SD News - Watertown, SD - The Watertown Area Chamber of Commerce is gearing up for a busy spring season, headlined by the return of its premier leadership program and the 81st annual Watertown Winter Farm Show. In a recent local interview, Ashley Johnson, Director of Community Engagement, detailed the community’s upcoming highlights, ranging from professional development to agricultural traditions.
Cultivating Future Leaders
The Leadership Watertown 2026 program is set to kick off on March 31. Designed to provide a “behind the scenes” look at the city, the course consists of eight sessions held every other Tuesday from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM.
Participants will engage in a curriculum focused on local impact, including:
· Skill Building: Lessons on character, communication, and relationship-based servant leadership based on John C. Maxwell’s The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader.
· Community Immersion: Tours and interactive sessions with the Watertown Police Department, Watertown Regional Airport, and Codington County Search and Rescue.
· Entrepreneurship: A panel featuring local business owners discussing their leadership journeys.
Tuition is $400 and includes all materials, food, and tours. Enrollment is open to both Chamber members and the general public.
A Tradition of Agriculture: The 81st Winter Farm Show
Running from February 11 to February 14, the Watertown Winter Farm Show remains a cornerstone of the region’s agricultural community.
· Livestock Shows & Sales: The event kicks off on Wednesday at 9:00 AM with the Angus show, followed by the Hereford cattle. Sales will take place daily, concluding with the Supreme Row selection on Friday at 3:30 PM to honor the top bull and heifer.
· Educational Classrooms: Beyond livestock, the show offers free sessions on health, finance, and safety—including a new fire extinguisher safety course inspired by recent harvest-season combine fires.
· Family Fun: Saturday features a petting zoo and the popular 4-H lunch counter, while over 150 vendors will be stationed across the Codington County Extension Complex and the Park and Rec Fieldhouse.
“Lucky Mix ’26” St. Patrick’s Day Kickoff
The Chamber is also launching its annual St. Patrick’s Day button sale during the Farm Show. This year’s theme, “Lucky Mix ’26,” features a nostalgic mixed-CD design.
Buttons are available for $5 each (or 5 for $20) and serve as raffle entries for a variety of prizes, including:
· $500 in Watertown Bucks
· An Apple Watch SE
· A Fifth Wheel V10 Max foldable electric scooter
· Blackstone griddles and Beats headphones
The grand prize drawing will take place during the Shamrocks game on March 17.
For more information on these events or to volunteer for button sales, visit watertownsd.com.
