When Does the Festive ‘Ice Skating Ribbon’ At Jacobson Plaza Open?

Sioux Falls is about to start walking in a Winter Wonderland, literally. This Friday at 5:00 PM, the city will flip the switch at Falls Park and kick off its annual holiday light display. Consider it Sioux Falls’ unofficial signal that it’s now socially acceptable to drink hot cocoa for breakfast.

Falls Park is going all out again this year, as it rolls out 29 miles of lights and holiday decor, including 260 decorated trees, 215 decorated light poles, and more than one mile of garland.

City crews have been working on this glowing masterpiece since early October.

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But wait, there’s a shiny new twist to this year’s Winter Wonderland celebration: a brand-new ice skating ribbon at Jacobson Plaza. Yes, Sioux Falls is about to have a  Hallmark-movie moment.

Once it’s fully ready, the ice ribbon is expected to be downright picturesque, with twinkling lights, music floating through the crisp winter air, and families wobbling around on skates with varying levels of grace.

Will it be open by Friday?

Well… Mother Nature is being a bit of a diva. According to Pigeon 605, park officials aren’t ready to commit to a full “Yes, absolutely!” for opening day. It's going to be one of those game-time decisions.

And even if the ribbon does open up on time, warm sunny spells in December (because South Dakota likes to keep us on our toes) could mean puddles forming on the ice. While some might call that “adding a splash zone,” the city calls it “unsafe,” so temporary closures may happen until the surface can refreeze and crews can work their magic.

Here are the planned hours for the Jacobson Plaza ice ribbon:
• Mon–Thu: 4–8 PM
• Fri: 4–10 PM
• Sat: 11 AM–10 PM
• Sun: 11 AM–8 PM

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Skaters can purchase a 45-minute session for $5, and yes, skate rentals are available. You can even book a skating party if you’re feeling festive or want an excuse to show off your triple axel in front of family and friends.

When you arrive, head into The Lodge Bar & Grill to purchase ice time and enjoy a variety of treats to help keep you warm on all those cold South Dakota days that are sure to come.

Find out everything there is to know about the new ice ribbon and Jacobson Plaza here.