The Pierre area has 2 Christmas events for kids we could confirm for the 2026 season, from Christmas at the Capitol Grand Lighting Ceremony in Pierre on November 24 to Christmas Storytime at Christmas at the Capitol in Pierre, which runs through December 22. Every listing links straight to the host. It is one stop on our guide to Christmas events for kids in South Dakota, part of our guide for every state.
The short version
- 2 kids’ Christmas events confirmed in Pierre for 2026, in Pierre
- First: Christmas at the Capitol Grand Lighting Ceremony, Pierre, November 24. Runs latest: Christmas Storytime at Christmas at the Capitol, Pierre, through December 22
- Every event here charges admission or a ticket; check each host
- Checked on each host’s own page; each listing links straight to it
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Christmas events for kids in Pierre
2 confirmed events for kids in Pierre, soonest first.
Tree lighting
Christmas at the Capitol Grand Lighting Ceremony
- When: Tuesday, November 24, 2026, 7 pm
- Where: South Dakota State Capitol, Pierre
- Cost: No fee listed
- Ages: All ages
Details, tips and host
Christmas at the Capitol begins with the Grand Lighting Ceremony on Tuesday, November 24, 2026 at 7 pm inside the South Dakota State Capitol in Pierre. Governor and First Lady Rhoden and honored guests host the evening and officially light the season's displays of decorated Christmas trees.
After the lighting, the display stays open daily from 8 am to 10 pm through December 26. Kids are invited to write a letter to Santa, draw him a picture or share a wish list, seal it in an envelope and drop it in the mailbox on the first floor. This year's display follows a Christmas Across America theme, and a scavenger hunt checklist and clues are posted on the event website for children to use as they explore the trees.
Parent tip: Kids can bring a sealed letter for Santa to mail at the Capitol. The scavenger hunt checklist and clues are on the event website.
- Host
- Christmas at the Capitol, State of South Dakota (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- South Dakota State Capitol, 500 E Capitol Ave, Pierre, SD 57501
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
Holiday story time
Christmas Storytime at Christmas at the Capitol
- When: Tue December 1, Tue December 8, Mon December 14 and Tue December 22, 2026, 6 to 6:30 pm
- Where: South Dakota State Capitol, Pierre
- Cost: No fee listed
Details, tips and host
Every holiday season the South Dakota State Capitol in Pierre fills with decorated Christmas trees for Christmas at the Capitol, open daily from November 25 to December 26, 2026, from 8 am to 10 pm, including Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The 2026 performance schedule includes four half-hour Christmas Storytime sessions in the evening, between the school choirs, bands and music students who perform throughout the season.
Storytime is scheduled from 6 to 6:30 pm on Tuesday, December 1, Tuesday, December 8, Monday, December 14 and Tuesday, December 22. While visiting, kids can also follow the Christmas Across America scavenger hunt through the displays and drop a letter or drawing for Santa in the mailbox on the first floor.
Parent tip: Bring a sealed letter or drawing for Santa to drop in the first floor mailbox, and print the scavenger hunt checklist from the event site.
- Host
- Christmas at the Capitol, State of South Dakota (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- South Dakota State Capitol, 500 E Capitol Ave, Pierre, SD 57501
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
Look inside the book
Story time with Santa in Pierre? Bring Rally home.
Rally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi’s first train ride, hand-painted in real watercolor. It makes a cozy bedtime story after a big day with Santa. Turn a few pages here.
Rally Takes the Train
Eight pages from the book
Turn the page
That's 8 of 25 pages
See who’s waiting at the station
Grandmommy and Papa are at the last stop. Get the full hand-painted book, $16.99 on Amazon.
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Like it so far? See the full book
25 hand-painted pages, paperback, $16.99 with fast shipping from Amazon.
Every page is real watercolor on paper, painted by hand by Leslie Dunn. Nothing in this book was made with AI.
Every event above was confirmed on the host’s own page, with the date, time, cost and the small things parents ask about (sign-ups, ages, what is included). Looking for a Santa train instead? Those are on our South Dakota Christmas train rides page.
Pierre Christmas events for kids at a glance
- Kids’ Christmas events
- 2 confirmed for 2026
- Cities
- Pierre
- Season
- November 24 to December 22, 2026
- Free events
- 0
- Kinds of events
- tree lighting and holiday story time
- Last checked
See every event on a December calendar
Plan your December
When each Pierre Christmas event for kids happens
The first is Christmas at the Capitol Grand Lighting Ceremony in Pierre on November 24; the last runs to December 22. Each bar spans an event’s dates, not every hour in them, so check the host’s page for times.
- Christmas at the Capitol Grand Lighting CeremonyPierre · Nov 24
- Christmas Storytime at Christmas at the CapitolPierre · Dec 1 to Dec 22
Looking further afield? Our South Dakota Christmas events for kids guide lists every confirmed event in the state, and we have city guides for Sioux Falls and Rapid City. The national search sorts every event by distance from your town.
A story for the drive home
A morning with Santa or an evening of holiday stories tends to end the same way: tired kids, a long drive and one more book before bed. Our picture book follows Rally the corgi on his first train ride to see his grand-paw-rents, and every page is painted by hand. If your family is spending December missing someone, it was written for that too. For the car, print our free corgi and train coloring pages.
A bedtime story after seeing SantaRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi’s first ride on a California train, hand-painted in watercolor. $16.99 on Amazon, ages 0 to 8.
Buy on Amazon2026 Christmas events are coming in late November
More Christmas events arrive in late November: unlock the list and we'll email you as soon as we confirm them.
The story of Christmas in Pierre
In Pierre, the state Capitol turns into a forest. Christmas at the Capitol began in 1981 with 12 trees decorated with paper ornaments, and it has grown into a display of nearly 100 trees.
How Pierre celebrates
Christmas at the Capitol began in 1981, when Governor Bill Janklow asked his friend Dottie Howe to create a handmade holiday display. The rotunda held 12 trees, decorated only with paper ornaments made by Howe and paper garland made by kids and senior citizens. The display grew to 30 trees in 1988 and 50 in 1997. By the 40th celebration in 2021 it had 83 trees on three levels, decorated by groups, families and organizations from across the state.
Christmas last year in Pierre
The most recent season we could confirm in detail is 2024. Its lighting ceremony used the theme Through a Child's Eyes, with 92 trees, music from Rythm Prism and the Soul Singers, and a visit from Santa. The featured tree was a 28-foot Colorado Blue Spruce cut in Mobridge on November 5 and decorated by YMCA Youth Development of South Dakota. The display was open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. through December 26, and children could drop letters in Santa's North Pole Mailbox.
Fun facts about Christmas in Pierre
The 28-foot featured tree in 2024 grew from an Arbor Day sapling that a family planted at a school in Mobridge about 30 years earlier. Every year the China Painters of South Dakota decorate a tree with hand-painted ornaments, and some ornaments from the early years are still in use. The display draws about 20,000 to 25,000 visitors each year, including guests from 14 to 25 foreign countries. Admission is free.
Trains and Christmas near Pierre
We did not find a Pierre Christmas train story, but South Dakota has rail history worth a longer drive. The Dacotah Prairie Museum in Aberdeen is a free museum with a railroad gallery and a children's frontier exhibit. Prairie Village Railroad near Madison circles a historic village on two miles of track laid with the town's own 1887 rail. In the Black Hills, the Black Hills Central Railroad runs a narrated steam train ride between Hill City and Keystone.
- Dacotah Prairie Museum: A free museum with a railroad and pioneer gallery and a children's frontier exhibit.
- Prairie Village Railroad: A volunteer-run railroad around Historic Prairie Village on track laid with the town's own 1887 rail.
- Black Hills Central Railroad / 1880 Train: A narrated steam train ride of about 20 miles through the Black Hills.
Traditions today
- Christmas at the Capitol: Nearly 100 trees decorated by volunteers from schools, churches, nonprofits and state offices fill the Capitol each season.
- Grand lighting ceremony: A ceremony in the Capitol rotunda kicks off the display each November, with music and Santa.
- The featured tree: A tall tree donated each year from somewhere in South Dakota, like the 28-foot spruce from Mobridge in 2024.
- Letters to Santa: Children drop letters in Santa's North Pole Mailbox on the Capitol's first floor.
- Hand-painted ornaments: The China Painters of South Dakota decorate a tree with hand-painted ornaments every year.
- Pie Day: A pie day was part of the 2021 celebration on December 4.
A fact for kids
Pierre's Christmas at the Capitol display started with just 12 trees in 1981, decorated with paper ornaments and paper garland made by kids and grandparents. Now nearly 100 trees fill the Capitol!
Questions about Christmas in Pierre
When did Christmas at the Capitol start in Pierre?
Christmas at the Capitol started in 1981, when South Dakota Governor Bill Janklow asked his friend Dottie Howe to create a handmade holiday display at the Capitol. The first display had 12 trees in the rotunda, decorated only with handmade paper pieces. The 40th celebration took place in 2021.
Who started Christmas at the Capitol?
Dottie Howe started it at the request of Governor Bill Janklow, who was her friend. She made paper ornaments, and kids and senior citizens made paper garland for the first 12 trees. Today it is a statewide tradition, with volunteer decorators from across South Dakota.
How many trees are at Christmas at the Capitol?
Nearly 100 trees fill the Capitol in recent seasons, and 2024 had 92 trees. The display began with 12 trees in 1981, grew to 30 in 1988, 50 in 1997 and 83 in 2021. Volunteers from communities, schools, churches, nonprofits and state offices decorate them.
Who decorates the trees at the Capitol?
Volunteers decorate them, including communities, schools, churches, nonprofits, families and state government offices. In 2024 local young people helped decorate 92 trees, and YMCA Youth Development of South Dakota decorated the 28-foot featured tree. The China Painters of South Dakota add a tree with hand-painted ornaments every year.
What was the theme in 2024 at the Capitol?
The 2024 theme was Through a Child's Eyes. The grand lighting ceremony included music by Rythm Prism and the Soul Singers, directed by Andrea Royer, and a visit from Santa. There were 92 trees, most of them decorated with help from local young people.
Where did the big 2024 Capitol tree come from?
It was a 28-foot Colorado Blue Spruce donated by Deb Lutz of Mobridge. Her family's Arbor Day sapling was planted about 30 years earlier at a school. Crews cut it on November 5, 2024, volunteers lent equipment, and the state Department of Transportation hauled it to Pierre.
How many people visit Christmas at the Capitol?
About 20,000 to 25,000 visitors come each year, including guests from 14 to 25 foreign countries, according to a Pierre report on the 40th celebration. Admission is free, and the display is open for several weeks, so crowds spread out through the season.
Is Christmas at the Capitol free?
Yes, admission is free. The Capitol is open daily for viewing, including Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve Day and Christmas Day in recent schedules, from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Check our Pierre Christmas events guide on this page for this season's confirmed dates and lighting ceremony.
When is the grand lighting ceremony in Pierre?
The grand lighting ceremony takes place in the Capitol rotunda in late November, on a Tuesday evening in 2024 and 2026. For 2026 it is listed for Tuesday, November 24, at 7 p.m., with public viewing from November 25 through December 26. Our Pierre Christmas events guide on this page has the latest details.
How do kids send letters to Santa at the Capitol?
Children can drop their letters in Santa's North Pole Mailbox on the first floor of the Capitol, near the First Ladies and First Gentlemen Exhibit. It is a simple way for little ones to join in, and Santa also visited the 2024 lighting ceremony.
What is special about the China Painters tree?
The China Painters of South Dakota decorate a tree with hand-painted ornaments each year. Some ornaments from the early years of the display are still in use. For kids, it is a nice example of how families and groups add their own handmade touch to the Capitol every season.
What was Pie Day at the Capitol?
Pie Day was part of the 40th Christmas at the Capitol celebration in 2021 and took place on December 4. It was one of the special days that added extra fun to the display. Check our Pierre Christmas events guide on this page for what is planned this season.
How can I explain Christmas at the Capitol to my kids?
Tell them that every year, people from all over South Dakota decorate trees and bring them to the big state building in Pierre. It began in 1981 with 12 paper-decorated trees and now has nearly 100. Kids can spot trees made by schools and drop a letter in Santa's mailbox.
Where in the Capitol are the trees displayed?
The display fills the Capitol's rotunda and halls, and in 2021 the 83 trees were spread across three levels. The grand lighting ceremony is held in the rotunda, and Santa's North Pole Mailbox is on the first floor. Groups, families and organizations from across the state decorate the trees.
Where can kids see a giant Christmas tree in Pierre?
The rotunda of the State Capitol is the place. A tall featured tree, 28 feet in 2024, stands among the nearly 100 decorated trees. Our Pierre Christmas events guide on this page lists this season's confirmed dates, lighting ceremony and viewing hours.
Is there a Christmas parade in Pierre?
We did not find a Pierre Christmas parade in the sources we checked, and Christmas at the Capitol is the city's best known holiday tradition. For this season's confirmed events, see our Pierre Christmas events guide on this page, since it lists the dates and times that change each year.
When is the best time to see the trees at the Capitol?
The trees are on display daily from the opening in late November through December 26, from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. in recent seasons. Because they are up for about a month, families can choose a quieter hour. For this season's confirmed schedule, see our Pierre Christmas events guide on this page.
Where can kids see trains near Pierre?
Pierre has no museum on our list, but South Dakota has several. The Black Hills Central Railroad runs a narrated steam train of about 20 miles between Hill City and Keystone, and Prairie Village Railroad near Madison runs on track laid with the town's 1887 rail. Check each schedule before you go.
Is there a free train exhibit in South Dakota for kids?
Yes. The Dacotah Prairie Museum in Aberdeen is free and has galleries on the railroad and pioneer settlers plus a children's frontier exhibit. Its railroad exhibit is being remodeled as Aberdeen All Aboard, so call ahead to see what is open before you plan a trip.
What makes Christmas in Pierre different from other cities?
Pierre celebrates inside the state Capitol, where trees decorated by volunteers from across South Dakota fill the rotunda and halls. It began with 12 handmade trees in 1981 and has grown to nearly 100, and each year a featured tree arrives from somewhere in the state.
Sources
- Christmas at the Capitol: 40 Years Strong, Pierre Chamber of Commerce
- Lighting ceremony officially brings Christmas to the Capitol, Dakota News Now
- Featured tree in South Dakota's Christmas at the Capitol display once again has roots in the DRG Media Group listening area, DRG News
- Pierre kicks off holiday season with Christmas at the Capitol, The Dakota Scout
- Christmas at the Capitol, Travel South Dakota
- Dacotah Prairie Museum, Rally Takes the Train
- Prairie Village Railroad, Rally Takes the Train
- Black Hills Central Railroad / 1880 Train, Rally Takes the Train
Pierre Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask
What are the best Christmas events for kids in Pierre this year?
We confirmed 2 for the 2026 season. Good places to start: Christmas Storytime at Christmas at the Capitol (Dec 1 to Dec 22) and Christmas at the Capitol Grand Lighting Ceremony (Nov 24). Every event on this page has the times, the cost and a link to the host.
Are there Christmas story times for kids in Pierre?
Yes. Library story times are usually free and walk-in; ones with a meal or a show are ticketed.
Do we need tickets or reservations?
For 2 of the 2 events, yes: they sell tickets or ask you to sign up ahead. Meals with Santa and ticketed shows fill up first. Most library and park events are walk-in, and each listing says which is which.
Are there Christmas train rides for kids in Pierre?
Yes, but they have their own guide. Santa trains and holiday train rides are listed in our Pierre Christmas train rides guide, so this page sticks to story times, Santa visits and other events off the rails.
How do you confirm these events?
We list an event only after we find this season’s date on the host’s own website or an official city or tourism calendar. We last checked every listing on November 4, 2026. Hosts change details, so always confirm on the host’s page before you go.
Event names belong to their hosts. Rally Takes the Train is a family picture book and is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by any host listed here. Confirm dates, times and prices on each host’s own site before you go.