Rumors have been around for quite some time in the Wagner area about some special event, but the rumors are no longer needed as we now know that the 605 Unity J.A.M. is ready to be announced to the public. You may wonder, what “605 Unity J.A.M.” is.

The details behind this event come from a group of 13 people who have been meeting and working together to create a special event for this area of the state. There have been several meetings and lots of discussion about successfully meeting our goals and what will be involved to make it a great success for our community. The group did not want to conflict with other established community events in our area. The group also wanted this event to stand alone and not be close to the annual Labor Day celebration, while still being considered safe to hold given the pandemic.

The purpose of this event is to help increase culture awareness, understanding, acceptance and appreciation for all cultures in our area, to help build positive relationships locally and between communities, as well as promote Wagner Lake as a positive community asset for the area in general. To help accomplish these goals the planning committee is working to build partnerships that will require active involvement by inviting our community to work together in accomplishing our shared goals. We want to create an activity for everyone where everyone will feel welcome to attend and enjoy the day together. The event is designed to help build a sense of community through active involvement and partnerships with local businesses, Yankton Sioux Tribe, community organizations, local agencies and volunteers, all working together to partner with Horizons to support and operate a successful community event.

This event will be a “Multi-Cultural Celebration” that will be held on Sunday, June 13 at the Wagner Lake starting at 11:30 a.m. The planning committee believes this event will bring a large number of people to our area and will provide an opportunity to see what our community has to offer. Those in attendance will be able to experience cultural presentations, demonstrations, a variety of music styles and entertainment, obtain health and veteran information from information booths, shop with hand made arts & craft venders, a chance to rent a kayak to explore Wagner Lake and also enjoy some great food. Children will have fun with a fishing contest, inflatables and carnival games. A bean bag tournament will also be held for teens and adults. Just prior to the event, an out door church service will be held for those who want to attend and will be presented by “The Lighthouse and All Tribes Fellowship”. The planning committee is presently looking for people in the area who have things to share about their culture as they believe this will be a great way to carry on the important information for generations still to come. If you happen to be a person who values the sharing of culture please contact us as soon as possible. Stay tuned for more information. If you have questions or want to be involved in the sharing of culture or want to volunteer to help please contact Dana Sanderson at 605-491-0804.