What we’re loving today: popular western video game comes to life in Deadwood, South Dakota

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) — Black Hills Redemption, an event inspired by Rockstar Games’ “Red Dead” series, took place over the weekend in Deadwood, South Dakota. This rootin’ tootin’ time transformed Outlaw Square into a campsite for the Van Der Linde gang where thousands of fans attended. This immersive experience follows last year’s wildly successful Tombstone Redemption, which was held in none other than Tombstone, Arizona.

Twenty of the actors for the franchise made an appearance for a panel this year in Lead’s historic opera house and an autograph session above Saloon No. 10 – including Roger Clark, who played Arthur Morgan; Rob Wiethoff, who played John Marston; and even Robert Bogue, who played Red Harlow in the original “Red Dead Revolver” game released in 2004.

The Redemption convention also included acts from hoop dance extraordinaire Starr Chief Eagle, gun spinning from three-time Trick Western Gun handling champion Joey Dillon, historic lectures from UT: Knoxville’s Dr. Tore Olsson and trick-rope and whip cracking from Loop Rawlins, who also appeared as Pedro Pascal’s stunt double in the film “Kingsman: The Golden Circle.”

WesternSlopeNow’s Dalen Brazelton had an opportunity to sit down with Kenney Palkow, promoter and organizer of the event. In an exclusive interview, Palkow told WesternSlopeNow the goal with Black Hills Redemption was to get the younger generation interested in history again.

“The best way to do that is with the best video game on the planet that just so happens to be a western. Using this game (Red Dead Redemption 2) as a medium, we turn an entire city into a place on the map. It gives these kids a playground where they can feel at home, feel comfortable around their own kind,” Palkow explains.

“It was a wonderful experience to be a part of building something and I’m looking forward to doing it every year.”

Where are they planning to go next year? Nothing is confirmed yet, but one possible location is recreating the fictional town of Saint Denis in New Orleans.

For more information on next year’s event, follow the event on Instagram.