Flocks of Canadian geese have been seen and heard frequently in recent days as the spring season marches on (although it certainly doesn't feel like it) and the birds head back to their northern home.

This is what The Link connecting Sterling Hall and Pioneer Hall on the campus of Freeman Academy looked like around 4:30 p.m. Saturday, March 25, as the line to get a number for the meal extended from the Pioneer Hall lobby, through The Link and into the Sterling Hall auditorium.

Kate Schraufnagel, who lives in Wisconsin, and Anna Pullman, a Bridgewater native, enjoy green bean and noodle soup during the Schmeckfest musical Friday evening, March 24. By all accounts, the return of Freeman's big "tasting festival" was wildly popular, with sold-out crowds for both the evening meal and musical, "State Fair," and large and steady crowds across campus — particularly in Heritage Hall Museum & Archives. The 62nd Schmeckfest concludes today, which is expected to be even busier than Friday.

Brothers Jon and Dan Graber work together to stuff Schmeckfest sausage Friday morning, March 24 in preparation for sausage sales at this, the 62nd annual festival that is returning for the first time since 2019. Action gets underway this afternoon and will continue through Saturday. During that time, several thousand will converge on the Freeman Academy campus to take in all the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of one of South Dakota's marquee festivals.

The cast of "State Fair" poses for a photo following its final dress rehearsal Wednesday night, March 22. The Rogers and Hammerstein production that takes place at the 1946 Iowa State Fair opens tonight in conjunction with the 62nd Schmeckfest. A limited number of tickets are available for tonight's performance through schmeckfest.com, but reserved seating for Friday and Saturday night are both sold out. General admission tickets will be available for all three performances at the ticket counter.

Sam Waltner, a junior at Freeman Academy, helps set up curtaining inside the Sterling Hall auditorium Monday afternoon, March 20. Activity is picking up across the school campus as students, staff and a host of other volunteers prepare for the return of Schmeckfest. The traditional festival will take place this Friday and Saturday evening, March 24 and 25 for the first time since 2019. Watch this week's Courier for a detailed look at what's in store, as well as a look back on the "disaster" that was the very first Schmeckfest back in 1959.

It's the week of Schmeckfest and the Schmeckfest Ticket Exchange board is beginning to populate. The board is used for those who have tickets to sell, and those who are looking for tickets, and is located in The Link connecting Sterling Hall and Pioneer Hall, where the two marquee Schmeckfest events — the meal and the musical — will take place. The 62nd Schmeckfest will be held this Friday and Saturday, March 24 and 25 for the first time since 2019. Watch for a full preview in this week's Courier.

These small icicles hanging off the stop sign at the corner of Highway 81 and the North County Road illustrate how cold it was on Saturday — single digits with sustained winds making it feel much colder. But it's better today and should be closer to average in the coming week.

This Schmeckfest throwback photo shows the sausage-making demonstration decades ago, when it and other demonstrations were located in the Tieszen Industrial Arts Building — which in 2007 was removed to make way for Sterling Hall. Sausage has been one of the staple of Schmeckfest from the beginning and is among the most sought-after foods. Pre-festival walk-in sales begin today in the Freeman Academy maintenance building from 1 to 6 p.m.

David Graber, left, and Dean Schrag trim chunks of pork for grinding inside the Freeman Academy maintenance building Friday morning. The two rural Freeman men were among a volunteer workforce gathered together to make Schmeckfest sausage — a two-day effort that began on Thursday. This year, 9,000 lbs. will be made of which between 500 and 600 lbs. will be served at the meal. The rest will be sold in bulk over the course of three days.