PIERRE, S.D. (KELO.com) — The holiday season has begun at the State Capitol in Pierre.
Governor Kristie Noem, First Gentleman Bryon and dozens of residents filled the Capitol Rotunda Tuesday night for the Grand Lighting Ceremony for nearly 100 Christmas trees that will line the Capitol’s halls through Christmas.
The theme of this year’s tree display is Hometown Christmas with First Gentleman Bryon Noem’sHometown initiative “This is South Dakota.”
“I love small towns so it’s kind of fitting that my first ever Christmas tree lighting is entitled Hometown,” said the Byron Noem.
Traditionally the First Lady helps with the lighting of the tree and the First Gentleman was right in step with his predecessors as he introduced nine-year-old Jaxon Kaiser of Aberdeen and his sister Ava to do the honors.
Performing music to entertain the Capitol crowd was the Haakon County Crooners and James ValleyChristian High School Choir from Huron.
(Zach Nelson, KCCR, contributed to this report.)