SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – The Festival of Books will continue this year as planned thanks to support from the community, private donors and a local bookstore.

In April, the South Dakota Humanities Council lost 74% of their funding after federal funding cuts to the National Endowment for the Humanities. SDHC had to reduce their staff and cut grant programs, but due to an increase in donors, it is able to keep the Festival of Books alive.

“We also know that our community needs the Festival of Books,” SDHC Director Christina Oey told KELOLAND News. “We've had so many folks just step in to help to make this happen, because they knew how detrimental these cuts are to South Dakotans.”

The 23rd anniversary of the festival will be held in Spearfish this year for the first time ever. On Friday

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