South Dakota
Even more budget-friendly, last-minute South Dakota Halloween costumes
Trevor’s Costumes
The weather’s finally starting to cool down, right? I think we’re safe to acknowledge that it’s almost Halloween?
Oh shoot, it’s almost Halloween.
As ever a thing that’s become an annual tradition for the Argus Leader, if you’re in need of a last-minute South Dakota-themed costume that will generate whispers at the party of “What are they wearing?” and “I didn’t invite them, did you invite them?” then by all means, read on.
Ghostwriter
What you’ll need: A white sheet, a notebook, a pencil, some Wite-Out
Notes: Put on the sheet and start reporting out the facts about stuff like Gov. Kristi Noem’s meeting with Kim Jong-Un. Oh, sorry, what? That didn’t actually happen? Whoops. Good thing you brought the Wite-Out. Can you imagine how embarrassing it would have been if that made it into print?
Disappointed swimmer
What you’ll need: Swim trunks, goggles, maybe a pool noodle.
Notes: Dress up for a day at the pool — but just walk around the party looking extremely sad. Your reason? Votes on pricey renovations for pools at Frank Olson Park and Kuehn Park have been delayed twice already this year, to the chagrin of several Sioux Falls councilors.
Someone trying to enjoy a summer day in southeastern South Dakota
What you’ll need: A big coat, some bug spray. Maybe a hazmat suit if you own one of those for some reason.
Notes: Remember how much of a nightmare it was to go outside when mosquitos were rampant in July across the parts of South Dakota? Wrap yourself up and bring along some bug spray to remind everyone of that two weeks where venturing out to get the mail could lose you about a pint of blood.
Lallycooler
What you’ll need: Nothing. Or anything?
Notes: OK, sure. The official word on the odd name of Sioux Falls’ upcoming music festival is that it means “a real success.” But I’m going to bet that you can pretty much wander into any Halloween party wearing like, some tissue paper and pipe cleaners and tell people you’re dressed up as a Lallycooler and someone will believe you.
Ostrich
What you’ll need: Some feathers, or maybe just a nice turtleneck.
Notes: Okay, this one is pretty niche, and you might need to remind people that an ostrich was running around Louise Avenue for a bit earlier this year. This will probably play better if you’re friends with any of the people in that video who are way, way too comfortable approaching a 7-foot-tall bird that has knives on its feet.
Someone parking their way-too-big truck on Phillips Avenue
What you’ll need: A big piece of cardboard or something, some sunglasses and a baseball cap.
Notes: Just wander around the party, making sure that as often as possible you’re using the cardboard to prevent people from getting through hallways or entering doors. Get to work on this one, because it could land you a ticket any day now.
Literally anything about the election
What you’ll need: Your imagination.
Notes: It’s already been an absurd election year, so just decide what you think the latest scandal or big news story will be between now and Nov. 5 and just dress up as that − as long as you promise to also go vote.
South Dakota
Rounds, Office of the Inspector General requesting first-hand accounts of poor mail service in South Dakota
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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – A squishy stress toy that’s been sitting on store shelves for years is suddenly becoming one of the hottest items in South Dakota, thanks to the power of social media.
NeeDoh, a line of sensory squeeze toys made by Schylling, has exploded in popularity on TikTok, where videos of people squeezing, stretching, and collecting the colorful toys have racked up millions of views. The viral attention is now translating into real-world demand, with retailers across the country struggling to keep them in stock.
At Child’s Play Toys in Sioux Falls, owner Nancy Savage recently announced a new shipment during a Facebook Live video.
Within hours, both Sioux Falls locations had sold out.
“So I’ve been in business, this November will be 17 years, and I have never seen anything like this,” Savage said. “It is the craziest thing.”
The frenzy isn’t limited to Sioux Falls.
At Black Hills Rally & Gold in Sturgis, manager Madison Bestgen said the store ordered what they believed would be enough inventory to last through the summer.
Instead, the shipment disappeared in less than two days.
“We made an order that we thought was going to get us all the way to the end of summer, and then when we got it in at the end of February, it lasted like a day and a half,” Bestgen said. “At that moment, we were like, ‘Oh yeah, this has blown up. This is something bigger than we thought.’”
The toys themselves aren’t new.
Both stores have carried NeeDoh products for nearly a decade and have built a steady customer base among children and adults alike.
But that changed once the product gained traction online.
“We had them out for people to play with, we’ve shown them to people, people with arthritis, we’ve sold them to so many adults, but all of a sudden, it went viral,” Savage said.
The surge in popularity has become a textbook example of what retailers call the “TikTok Effect,” where a single viral trend can transform an ordinary product into a sensation.
“It can change anything overnight into something absolutely wild,” Bestgen said.
The demand has been so intense that customers are traveling significant distances in search of the toys.
“We have people coming from everywhere,” Bestgen said. “We have people from Rapid City, Spearfish, Gillette, even, that are driving just because they want these NeeDohs.”
Savage has seen similar enthusiasm in Sioux Falls, especially when she goes live on Facebook to tell everyone.
“This is kind of a funny one, but at one of the salons downtown, somebody was getting their nails done, and the light popped up, and both the nail tech and the person getting their nails done ran down to pick up NeeDoh,” she said with a laugh.
NeeDoh’s popularity has also sparked a treasure-hunt mentality among collectors as stores wait for new shipments to arrive.
Savage believes that’s creating something positive beyond the sales numbers.
“It’s a fun, fairly inexpensive summer activity for people to go on a NeeDoh hunt and go around town looking for NeeDoh,” she said. “I think that is building community.”
Whether it’s the stress relief, the satisfying squish, or simply the influence of social media, retailers say the craze shows no signs of slowing down.
More information on Black Hills Rally & Gold Inc. can be found here.
More information on Child’s Play Toys can be found here, and the upcoming drop on Savage’s Facebook live can be found here.
Copyright 2026 Dakota News Now. All rights reserved.
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