RAPID CITY, S.D. (KELO) — A winter storm is forcing the 2019 Festival of Lights Parade to cancel for Saturday evening.
Organizers say as a result of poor road conditions and expected high winds later, they’ve decided not to hold the parade as planned.
Festival of Lights committee members and staff from the Rapid City Police Department met to evaluate road conditions Saturday morning. The City of Rapid City’s Street Departments primary focus is on clearing emergency routes so much of the parade route has not been plowed yet. For the safety of participants and attendees, the decision was made to cancel the parade.
Organizers will hold a “static parade” on Sunday, December 8 at the Rushmore Mall. Floats will line up on the outside edge of the parking lot, next to the road that loops around the Rushmore Mall. When the mall closes at 6 p.m., overhead lights will be shut off so people can drive the loop around the Rushmore Mall until 8 p.m. to see all of the floats.
Winter Weather Resources
Learn about the approaching storm in-depth from the KELOLAND Live Doppler HD Storm Center in the latest forecast update from our meteorologists:
For a full list of weather alerts in KELOLAND, click here.
Travel Resources
🚗 Driving
You can view road conditions in South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota or Wyoming. You can also call 511.
✈ By Air
You can check airport delays at Sioux Falls Regional Airport or Rapid City Regional Airport. If you are flying to a major hub, be sure to check that airport’s status as well. Some common hubs out of KELOLAND are: Minneapolis/St. Paul, Denver or Chicago (O’Hare).
You can check the up-to-the-minute travel waivers from each airline’s website: Delta, American, United, Frontier or Allegiant.
Closeline
If a school is closed or a church or a major event is canceled, hear about it first from the KELOLAND Closeline. If you need to submit a closing, here are the instructions.
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