The 2018 Grand Lighting Ceremony for Christmas at the South Dakota Capitol will take place in the rotunda tomorrow (Nov. 20) at 7 p.m. CST.
The public is invited to join Gov. Dennis Daugaard, First Lady Linda Daugaard and Pierre Mayor Steve Harding as they welcome guests and light the Capitol trees.
The Capitol Christmas display includes over 90 trees decorated by volunteers from communities, schools, churches, nonprofit organizations and state government offices. This year’s theme for Christmas at the Capitol is “Enchanted Christmas.”
This year’s tree is 25.5-foot Colorado Blue Spruce is being decorated by Special Olympics South Dakota and was donated by Kelsey and Aaron Trimble of Rapid City. After being trimmed, the tree stands at 22 feet in the rotunda.
At the ceremony, music will be provided by the Georgia Morse School sixth grade choir and T.F. Riggs High School Chamber Choir.
Immediately after the ceremony, kids of all ages can pose for pictures with Santa Claus in front of the South Dakota Christmas tree. Parents are reminded to bring their cameras. Refreshments, donated by Lynn’s Dakotamart in Pierre, will be served on the first floor of the Capitol.
The holiday display will be open to the public from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. CST daily from Nov. 20 through Dec. 26.
You can follow the Christmas at the Capitol events on Facebook or visit the website at christmasatthecapitol.sd.gov/.
