Rapid City crews putting up holiday decorations in time for annual events

RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) - With the holiday season right around the corner, Rapid City crews have been busy recently giving people a dose of the holiday spirit by decorating the downtown area and various parks throughout town.

Crews have begun to put up gazebo lights and tree decorations at Wilson, Founders and Halley parks and putting together strings of Christmas wreaths in the downtown area.

A spokesperson for the city says it's important to take advantage of Tuesday's fair weather. The idea is to get a head start in decorating with the annual Wilson Park Tree Lighting event and the Festival of Lights Parade coming up.

"Hopefully the weather is generally a little better the first part of November. Been years where we've been putting decorations up in the snow too. So, not all that much fun, but the guys tough it out. This year's been really nice," Parks Division manager for the City of Rapid City Scott Anderson said.

Anderson asks people driving in the downtown area, where it tends to get congested, to proceed with caution due to crews present.

The annual Wilson Park Tree-Lighting Ceremony will take place Nov. 26 at 5:30 p.m., followed by the annual Festival of Lights Parade and other activities occurring in downtown Nov. 30.