Custer gears up for Beetle Burn

It’s that time of year again, where the phrase “Burn, Beetle, Burn!” can be heard in the air. This year’s Burning Beetle will be held Saturday, Jan. 17, and is packed full of fun, art, education and community spirit.
Fourteen years ago, the Burning Beetle was created to help the Custer community and the Black Hills come to grips with a beetle pandemic. While this is the 14th year of celebrating the event, this is the 13th year the beetle effigy has been annually torched.
“When the Mountain Pine Beetle epidemic hit our forest, the initial response from the community was one of disbelief, anger and depression,” said Hank Fridell, organizer of the event. “We were losing our sacred forest and people were upset. The Black Hills were changing.”
The community of Custer — residents, forestry experts, legislators and everyone in between — came together to do what they could to protect forests and properties.
“From there, we decided to celebrate who we are and where we live,” Fridell added.
This year’s Burning Beetle features a day filled with action, as well as events happening most of the week.
Prior to the big burning day, in coordination with the Burning Beetle event, a free educational forum on living in a natural environment will be held.
The forum, called “Living in Community in Our Natural Environment,” will be held Thursday, Jan. 15, at the Pine Room annex from 6:30-8 p.m. This forum is an educational piece created by the Bark Beetle Blues—which hosts the Burning Beetle event—and the Custer County Conservation District to continue to educate residents and guests alike on all things conservation and nature-related.
“Learning more about our forest and how we can be better stewards is one of the driving forces behind the Burning Beetle event,” said Hank Fridell, organizer for the Burning Beetle. “There’s always much to learn and enact, and we appreciate the Custer County Conservation District for all they do to bring this event to the public.”
The third annual forum will feature history and photography from Paul Horsted on the Pine Beetle epidemic from 1997-2017, in addition to talks from two private landowners on making your property fire wise. There will also be a wildlife primer for landowners and a time for questions and answers and community conversation.
For more information, contact Dave Thom at 605-673-1459 or send a message to Burning Beetle on Facebook. 
On Saturday, Jan. 17, festivities begin at 3:30 p.m. with the variety show, held at Custer Jr./Sr. High School. The show is a donation-based entry.
Prior to the show, there will be the chance to purchase 2026 Burning Beetle memorabilia, including sweatshirts, limited prints of the 2026 logo, and torch tickets. There is a limited number of tickets; the cost for a ticket is $25. There will also be a silent auction, as well as mask and crown making—perfect for wearing on the march to burn the beetle. Merchandise can also be purchased prior to the event at three locations: the Custer Wolf, South Dakota Outdoor Shop, and the Custer Chamber of Commerce.
After the variety show, revelers who have torch bearer tickets — and even those who just want to march with the group — will meet at the Custer Jr./Sr. High School parking lot at 5 p.m. Around 5:15 p.m., the group will march to Pageant Hill to burn the beetle.
The torch marchers will set fire to the beetle and a fireworks display will light up the sky. Times do vary, so it is best to plan to be at Pageant Hill around 5 p.m., should people plan to watch the march and burning. New this year, a fire juggler will be on hand entertaining the crowd as they wait for the torch marchers to make their way to the hill.
The night will end with the Bug Crawl, a pub crawl downtown Custer. This year’s official Bug Crawl venues include the Custer Beacon, the Custer Wolf, and the Gold Pan Saloon; while the South Dakota Outdoor Shop will host an event at their location prior to the burning of the beetle.
There are some other events in the works for the week of the event, such as a coloring contest for Custer Elementary School students.
This will also be the second year Lost Cabin Beer Co. is celebrating the event by brewing a special beer, Burn Beetle Burn. This beer features marshmallow, graham cracker, and cocoa nibs to create a balanced sweetness.
For more information, contact Carrie Moore at car
rieowns@gmail.com or by phone at (269) 861-1106.