Downtown Sioux Falls opens the 2026 holiday season with two headline events: the 34th Annual First Bank & Trust Parade of Lights on Friday, November 27 at 6:00 p.m. along Phillips Avenue, and the brand-new Downtown Christmas Market on Saturday, December 5 from 3:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Cherapa Place Plaza. Both are free, outdoor, walk-in gatherings, according to Downtown Sioux Falls, the organization that promotes and runs events in the district — and together they give the city two weekends of lights, music, and shopping within a week of each other.
Kick Off the Holidays in Downtown Sioux Falls
The two events bookend the season differently. The Parade of Lights, now in its 34th year and powered by Xcel Energy, is described by Downtown Sioux Falls as a cherished tradition — an evening procession of floats that lights up Phillips Avenue after dark. The Christmas Market, by contrast, is a first-year experiment: an outdoor, heated, European-style market intended to turn Cherapa Place Plaza into a full afternoon and evening of carols, food, and local retail.
The spacing is convenient for planners. Thanksgiving weekend visitors get the parade on the 27th, and anyone who misses it — or wants a second downtown outing — has the market the following Saturday. Downtown Sioux Falls notes that nearby downtown ramps and surface lots offer both free and paid parking, so arriving early enough to find a spot is the main logistical variable for either date.
The 34th Annual Parade of Lights: A Dazzling Tradition
The Parade of Lights runs the evening of Friday, November 27, with a 6:00 p.m. start time, and Downtown Sioux Falls says the event proceeds “snow or shine” — late-November weather in South Dakota is a given, not a cancellation risk. Spectators gather with friends and family along Phillips Avenue to watch the floats, which the organization describes as featuring beautifully lit displays, festive music, and holiday magic.
Admission is free for all attendees, which keeps the barrier to entry low for families and groups of any size. The parade’s role in the city’s calendar is the point as much as the spectacle: Downtown Sioux Falls frames it as the dazzling kick-off to the holiday season, a long-standing community tradition rather than a one-off attraction. For first-time attendees, the practical plan is simple — pick a viewing spot on Phillips Avenue, arrive before 6:00 p.m., and dress for an evening outdoors.
Inaugural Downtown Christmas Market: European Charm Arrives
The Downtown Christmas Market is new territory for the city. Scheduled for Saturday, December 5 from 3:00 to 9:00 p.m. at Cherapa Place Plaza, it is modeled after traditional European Christmas markets and will be an outdoor, heated affair — a meaningful detail for anyone who has stood outside in a Sioux Falls December. Downtown Sioux Falls lists Christmas carolers and festive entertainment, seasonal food and beverages, Santa appearances and photo opportunities, downtown retailers showing off their holiday offerings, and family-friendly winter activities.
The market also slots into an already busy day. It follows the popular 605 Made Holiday Market, hosted earlier that day from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the underground parking garage at the Cherapa Apex, so downtown visitors can move from indoor local makers to the outdoor plaza market without leaving the block. The result, as Downtown Sioux Falls describes it, is a full day of shopping, entertainment, and holiday activities in the heart of downtown — one indoor market in the afternoon, one outdoor one into the evening.
Sioux Falls Holiday Event Planner: Parade of Lights & Christmas Market
Here is the two events’ key details side by side, drawn from Downtown Sioux Falls announcements. Use it to decide which fits your schedule — or to plan for both, since they fall on consecutive weekends rather than competing on a single night.
| Detail | Parade of Lights | Downtown Christmas Market |
|---|---|---|
| Event | 34th Annual First Bank & Trust Parade of Lights | Inaugural Downtown Christmas Market |
| Date & time | Friday, November 27, 6:00 p.m.; runs “snow or shine” | Saturday, December 5, 3:00–9:00 p.m. |
| Location | Along Phillips Avenue, Downtown Sioux Falls | Cherapa Place Plaza, Downtown Sioux Falls |
| What to expect | Beautifully lit floats, festive music, and holiday magic; free admission | Caroling, seasonal food and drinks, Santa photos, downtown retailers, family activities; heated outdoor setting |
| Theme | Long-standing tradition and dazzling kick-off to the holiday season | European-style market; follows the 605 Made Holiday Market for a full day downtown |
The comparison shows the real choice: the parade is a single evening’s spectacle, while the market is a six-hour, browse-at-your-own-pace event paired with an indoor makers market earlier the same day. Free and paid parking in downtown ramps and surface lots serves both.
Where These Fit in Sioux Falls’ Broader Event Calendar
These two dates sit inside a downtown that carries activity well beyond a single weekend. Local real-estate writer Amanda Buell’s planning guide notes that SculptureWalk’s 2026 outdoor exhibit remains installed on downtown streets through spring 2027, adding public art to the walk between the parade route and the market plaza. Because Falls Park and Cherapa Place are both on the river near downtown, Buell points out, pairing the Falls Park light display with the December 5 market or the parade is an easy route — though Experience Sioux Falls had not yet published nightly hours or new displays for the 2026 Winter Wonderland season at the time she wrote, so checking ahead is necessary.
In other words, the holiday events are not isolated novelties; they land in a district already layered with year-round attractions within walking distance. The parade’s 34 editions make that continuity explicit, and the new market is Downtown Sioux Falls explicitly extending the season into a curated, multi-hour format rather than a single procession.
Plan Your Downtown Sioux Falls Holiday Experience
Attend the 34th Annual Parade of Lights on November 27 and the inaugural Downtown Christmas Market on December 5 to kick off the holiday season. Dress for outdoor December weather — the parade runs regardless of snow — and on market day, consider arriving for the 605 Made Holiday Market in the Cherapa Apex garage from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. before crossing to the plaza. Check the Downtown Sioux Falls website for any last-minute updates or additional event details closer to the dates, since these announcements reflect plans as published in early November 2026 and more details on the new market were still being added.
Sources
- Downtown Sioux Falls
- Downtown Sioux Falls Christmas Market 2026: Plan Your Visit — Amanda Buell Homes
