Siouxland Families

  Every month I bring you the best things to do in Sioux City and Siouxland, from storytimes and crafts to music festivals, streaming concerts, and holidays from silly to serious. This February, you might also be interested in my posts on Valentine's Day fun in Siouxland ,  indoor play in Sioux City ,  indoor play in Sioux Falls , and  Snow Sports in Siouxland .  I hope this event list inspires you to go make some happy memories with your family this month! Tues 2/1  4:30pm: Let's Craft at the South Sioux City Public Library Weds 2/2 Groundhog Day 10:30am: Storytime at the Morningside Branch of the Sioux City Public Library 10:30am: Preschool Storytime  at the North Sioux City Community Library Thurs 2/3 10:30am:  Preschool Storytime  at the North Sioux City Community Library 5pm: Teen Time at the South Sioux City Public Library Fri 2/4 Bubble Gum Day Sat 2/5 10am : Snow Scamper 5k at Hillview Recreation Area in Hinton 10am: Bilingual Storytime at the South Sioux City Public L

There's nothing better in winter than some cozy comfort food. So, I'm excited to tell you all about Sioux City's signature dish, loose meat sandwiches, along with where to buy them and how to make your own! What is a loose meat sandwich? A loose meat sandwich is, at its core, a loose pile of flavorful ground beef, served on a hamburger bun. Many people refer to it as a tavern or tavern sandwich.  Exact seasoning blend varies by maker, but onion, horseradish, mustard powder, ketchup, pepper, and garlic are common, as is a pickle to top, and it should be loose, not in a patty, and fairly dry rather than saucy like a sloppy joe. History of the Loosemeat Sandwich The loose meat sandwich was created in Sioux City in about 1924, although there doesn't seem to be a clear historical record of who made it first. Miles Inn and Ye Olde Tavern were certainly selling it very early on accordingly to local legend, and it's likely the dish was invented at one or the other. Cho

Did you know it's already Mardi Gras season? While technically "Mardi Gras" refers to the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday, which for 2022 means Tuesday, March 1st, 2022, the Mardi Gras season is celebrated from the time after Epiphany (January 6th, 12 days after Christmas) until the day before Ash Wednesday! And even more fun for Siouxland Families: our sister city is Lake Charles, Louisiana, which is basically the capital of family-friendly Mardi Gras! I reached out to the Lake Charles tourism office in early 2020 to write this post, and they responded with tons of Southern hospitality and great ideas for celebrating Mardi Gras with kids. I added a few of my own, and I hope they inspire you to have a great day with your family:

Winter in Siouxland sometimes means frigid temps, arctic winds, and plenty of snow, ice, and slush, but that doesn't we have to stay cooped up! Here are some of my top suggestions for where Sioux City area kids can play indoors when the weather outside is frightful:

On January 1st, 2022, state parks across the nation will be hosting their annual "First Day Hikes" to encourage people to start their year off well! One special note for this year is that it is supposed to be extremely cold--dangerously so--in Siouxland on January 1st and it is essential if you plan to go out that you gear up appropriately.

Watch out Nashville...the Midwest knows how to do a country Christmas right too, with Sara Evans leading the way! The multi-platinum artist from Missouri is known for her five (non-festive) #1 hits on the country charts and for being one of the most played female artists on country radio stations throughout the 2000s and 2010s, but oooh can she sing Christmas too! And she's bringing her spectacular Blue Christmas  concert to Sioux City in December 2021. Here's what you should know about the concert, plus read to the end for info on how to win tickets courtesy of the Sioux City Orpheum Theatre! What to expect at the Sara Evans Christmas Concert Country powerhouse Sara Evans brings Christmas joy to the Orpheum, with Christmas carols, holiday pop favorites, and originals. (Set list varies but check out her full "At Christmas" playlist on YouTube for an idea of what to expect!) Her impressive energy, versatility, and vocal range lets her shine on rockin' hits lik