RAPID CITY, S.D. — The Christmas tree at Main Street Square went up Thursday, bringing a warm spark of holiday spirit to downtown Rapid City as the community moves into the Christmas season.
Main Street Square Events Coordinator Pomai Lindenthal said this year’s tree was donated by the Aasgaard family in the Valley. The homeowners planted it more than 25 years ago after being required to have two trees in their yard. Lindenthal said the family could only afford a very small tree at the time and worried it would not survive the winter. Instead, it grew into a tall spruce that became part of their daily lives and memories.
Their daughter told Lindenthal she remembered jumping over the tiny tree when she was young. She also shared that her husband proposed to her last season in front of the Main Street Square tree, giving the tradition at the Square a personal meaning for her family.
A naming contest for this year’s tree is underway on the Downtown Rapid City social media page.
The lighting ceremony is scheduled for Nov. 29 at 5:57 p.m. The event will also mark the opening day of the ice rink and the start of the winter market, which will feature about 25 vendors along Sixth Street offering holiday crafts and food. Live music from the Potter family and figure skating performances are planned, followed by the Parade of Lights.
Lindenthal said the lights, music and gathering of families create a feeling that stays with people long after the evening ends, filling Main Street Square with the kind of joy that captures the heart of the season.
