Winter Wonderland Expands to Nearly 30 Miles
Sioux Falls Parks & Recreation is extending its holiday light display along a route from Falls Park to Levitt at the Falls.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Landscaping
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Sioux Falls Parks & Recreation plans to expand Winter Wonderland with nearly 30 miles of lights when the seasonal attraction kicks off November 20, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Wet weather has delayed installation, as the soft ground prevents crews from using heavy machinery to hang the lights.
Why it matters
The expansion extends the holiday display across more of the city, from Falls Park to Jacobson Plaza and Levitt at the Falls. Delays from wet ground could affect how much of the planned display is ready when the lights are switched on.
The Winter Wonderland expansion will feature nearly 30 miles of lights, with a nearly 50-foot holiday tree under construction near Phase 2 of Jacobson Plaza. It is unclear whether installation will be finished before the opening, as crews are waiting on drier ground to use heavy machinery.
The players
Sioux Falls Parks & Recreation
The city department responsible for Sioux Falls' parks, recreation facilities, and seasonal attractions like Winter Wonderland.
The details
Crews are hanging lights without heavy machinery because rain has left the ground too soft to support it. Parks & Recreation says it is working to finish the project before the lights are switched on, and crews expect improving weather over the next few weeks to help.
Timeline
November 20, 2026: Winter Wonderland opens at 5:00 p.m. with a tree lighting and fireworks.
January 3, 2027: The nightly Winter Wonderland display runs through this date.
Seasonal Attraction Growth
The expansion extends the existing Winter Wonderland from its prior footprint to a route covering nearly 30 miles, reaching from Falls Park to Levitt at the Falls. This places the display among the larger seasonal light attractions in the city's recent program.
Residents planning to visit Winter Wonderland should expect the full light route to be in place only if crews finish before opening night. The nightly display runs through January 3, 2027, giving families several weeks to see it.
The takeaway
Check the Parks & Recreation schedule before planning a visit, since weather-related delays could change how much of the display is lit on opening night.
What happens next
Winter Wonderland opens November 20, 2026 at 5:00 p.m., with the nightly display running through January 3, 2027.
Further reading
For more on yard and outdoor planning, see Landscaping coverage in Sioux Falls.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KELO-LAND TV.
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