Funnel Cakes, Clicks & Conversions: 5 Marketing Moves for Central States Fair Week

The smell of sizzling funnel cakes 🍩, the cheers from the rodeo arena, and the bright glow of carnival lights — Central States Fair week has arrived in Rapid City.

From August 15–24, thousands of people will flood into the city from across the Black Hills and surrounding areas. They’ll come for the concerts, rides, and exhibits, but they’ll also be looking for places to eat, shop, and explore.

For local businesses, this isn’t just another event. It’s one of the best chances of the year to connect with new customers — and keep them coming back long after the fairgrounds go quiet.

Here are 5 marketing moves to make the most of this week’s surge in traffic.

1. Optimize for “Near Me” and Event Searches

Fair-goers are constantly on their phones looking for food, drinks, and shopping between events. Many will search terms like “restaurants near Central States Fair,” “best coffee in Rapid City,” or “Black Hills shopping.”

How to make sure they find you:

• Update your Google Business Profile with special fair-week hours, menus, and offers.
• Add keywords like “minutes from the Central States Fair in Rapid City” or “close to the Black Hills midway” to your descriptions.
• Post event-specific Google Updates with photos of your specials or promotions.
• Make sure your business category and service areas are accurate — this helps Google match you with more searches from out-of-town visitors.

Local SEO gem: If your business is within walking distance or a short drive from the fairgrounds, make that crystal clear in your posts and website. “Five minutes from the Central States Fair” can be a powerful draw.

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2. Create Fair-Themed, Limited-Time Specials

Themed promotions give visitors a fun reason to choose your business over others. Even better, they tie your brand to the excitement of the fair.

Examples for Rapid City businesses:

• Show your Central States Fair ticket for 10% off your purchase.
• Free lemonade with any entrée during fair week
• Buy one, get one dessert — inspired by the famous fair funnel cake.
• Family Fun Deal: Kids eat free with adult entrée before 6 PM during fair week.

Why it works: Short-term offers create urgency. Pair that with a fair theme, and your promotion feels exclusive to this once-a-year event.

3. Use Social Media to Show the Action — in Real Time

During the fair, people are posting, tagging, and searching for what’s happening right now in Rapid City. If your business is part of that live conversation, you can capture both fair visitors and locals.

Social strategies for Central States Fair week:

• Share short videos or Instagram Reels of your fair-week specials in action.
• Post “behind the scenes” prep clips — people love a peek into the process.
• Tag #CentralStatesFair, #RapidCitySD, and #BlackHillsEvents to show up in trending feeds.
• Use Stories on Instagram and Facebook to share daily deals, since visitors check these often while on the go.

Pro tip: If you can hear or see the fair from your location, show it. The sensory connection makes people feel close to the action — and more likely to stop in.

4. Partner with Other Local Businesses for Cross-Promotion

The fair brings in a mix of locals and out-of-towners who are eager to explore — and partnering with other businesses can help you tap into their audiences.

Collaboration ideas for Black Hills businesses:

• Pair up with a boutique to offer “Shop & Dine” deals.
• A brewery could partner with a nearby live music venue for discounted cover charges with a drink purchase.
• Coffee shops could team up with dessert spots for a “Fair Week Sweet & Caffeine Combo.”

Why it works: Cross-promotion exposes you to new customers who already trust the partner business. Plus, it gives visitors more than one reason to stop by your area.

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5. Capture Contact Info to Keep Customers Coming Back

The Central States Fair lasts just over a week, but the customers you meet can become year-round supporters if you stay in touch.

Lead-capture ideas for fair week:

1. Offer a giveaway (gift card, free meal, or product) where entry requires an email or phone number.
2. Use QR codes that link to a special discount for their next visit — redeemable after fair week.
3. Hand out small, branded cards with a link to join your VIP email or text list.

Once you have their info, you can follow up with future promotions for other Black Hills events, seasonal sales, or “welcome back” offers when they return to Rapid City.

Final Words of Advice

The Central States Fair isn’t just a celebration of rides, music, and (of course) funnel cakes — it’s a powerful opportunity for local businesses to connect with a larger audience. By optimizing your online presence, creating themed offers, posting in real time, collaborating with fellow businesses, and capturing contacts, you can turn a week of high traffic into long-term customer relationships.

In marketing — just like in making a great funnel cake — the right funnel makes all the difference. 😉

Contact us today to schedule a free consultation!

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