Festival of Lights set next Thursday

Annual event features parade, trolley rides, trees, letters to Santa, cookies and free play

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BROOKINGS – The Brookings Area Chamber of Commerce kicks off the holidays with its 22nd annual Festival of Lights on Thursday, Nov. 30. 

Come cozy up with family and friends in downtown Brookings and create treasured memories of a favorite holiday tradition. This year’s theme is “Camp Candy Cane.” 

 “This theme provides an opportunity for parade participants to think outside the box and really use their imagination,” said David Merhib, president of the Brookings Area Chamber of Commerce. “We’re excited to see the ideas businesses come up with this year with the fun theme of Camp Candy Cane.”

The annual parade begins at 7 p.m. and travels south on Main Avenue between Eighth Street and Third Street. Entries are open to the public with a registration fee of $25. Local businesses, clubs and organizations are encouraged to participate in the holiday celebration.

To register a business, club or organization, stop by the Chamber office at 415 Eighth St. S. or visit brookingschamber.org. Papa John’s Pizza provides hungry float participants a coupon to enjoy pizza while decorating, and Hy-Vee provides hot chocolate for parade-goers to enjoy while twinkling floats make their way down Main Avenue.

In collaboration with the Brookings Arts Council, Children’s Museum of South Dakota, Brookings Historic Preservation Committee and Hitch Studio, there is a full evening of fun and festive events Nov. 30. 

“It is exciting to see downtown Brookings come to life and all these events come together,” Merhib said. “With all the events happening just a block from Main Avenue, families will be able to play at the Children’s Museum, take a trolley ride, visit the festival of trees exhibit, write letters to Santa and drink hot chocolate before the parade.” 

The Brookings Arts Council’s Festival of Trees is open for visitors to tour until 7 p.m. Nov. 30 at 524 Fourth St.

And from 4-8 p.m. Nov. 30, be sure to bring your kids to Hitch Studio to write and mail letters to Santa at the North Pole.

Don’t forget to sugarcoat your evening as the Children’s Museum of South Dakota is offering free play and campfire cookies and milk from 5-7 p.m.

Climb aboard a horse-drawn trolley from 5-7 p.m. Nov. 30 in front of the Children’s Museum of South Dakota and tour the Central Residential Historic District. As the trolley guides riders through the historic district, intriguing facts about specific homes and their origin will be revealed by tour guides. Each ride lasts approximately 20 minutes, and the last ride will leave at 6:30 p.m.

The historic trolley rides are sponsored by the Historic Preservation Commission. For more information, contact Shari Thornes at sthornes@cityofbrookings.org or 692-6281.

For more information on the Festival of Lights, visit brookingschamber.org, call 692-6125 or stop by the Chamber office at 415 Eighth St. S.