MITCHELL, S.D. — The Public is invited to attend a special dedication ceremony for the 2019 Corn Palace murals.   The Corn Palace will dedicate the 2019 “Salute to Military” murals in a special ceremony at noon on Friday, October 26th.  The murals feature scenes honoring each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces.  Mitchell Mayor Bob Everson will be the Master of Ceremonies for the event which will feature South Dakota Adjutant General Timothy A. Reisch; the Dakota Wesleyan University Band; Captain Diane Diekman of the USS South Dakota Battleship Memorial; Captain Deb Bodenstedt of the USS South Dakota (SSN 790) Commissioning Committee representatives of South Dakota’s American Indian veteran’s community; American Legion Riders; Patriot Guard Riders; and the Commemorative USS South Dakota 2018 Harley-Davidson Street Glide.   
 
The dedication ceremony will take place in front of the Corn Palace and in the Corn Palace Plaza.  Food vendors will feature South Dakota made, Chislic and Kuchen.   In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will be held inside the Corn Palace. 
 
Motorcyclists are invited to join a “Salute to Military” Dedication ride from Sioux Falls to Mitchell on Friday, October 26th, 2018.  The riders will meet that Battleship South Dakota Memorial at 12th Street and Kiwanis Avenue at 8:30am.  Coffee and donuts will be available.  A short program about the history of battleship South Dakota will be presented by Captain Diane Diekman, President of the Battleship Memorial Board.  The ride will depart the memorial at 9:30am and plans to take a scenic, state highway route to Mitchell.  The group will arrive at the Corn Palace at 11am, where bike-only parking near the entrance to the Corn Palace. 
 
The motorcycles will escort the Commemorative USS SOUTH DAKOTA 2018 Harley-Davidson Street Glide to the Corn Palace.  The custom H-D Street Glide honors the history of Battleship South Dakota (BB 57) and also commemoratives the new submarine South Dakota (SSN 790). 
 
The ride is being organized by the American Legion Riders.  Please contact Dick Turnwall at 605-645-7442 for more information.