🎅Friday-Saturday December 12-13 Main Christmas Weekend

🎄 Light Show Every Friday & Saturday, Nov 28 – Dec 20

🛍️ Month Long Contests and Shopping Promotions

🐪 Live Nativity Dec 21

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An Olde Fashioned Christmas

About Christmas in Arlington

Each December, Arlington comes together for Christmas in Arlington—An Olde Fashioned Christmas that strengthens our town and supports local businesses. Enjoy month-long festivities (contests, lights and décor, storefront specials, and the Chamber Passport program) and then join us for a signature weekend of events on Dec 12–13. Every visit, purchase, and volunteer hour keeps dollars local and builds the traditions that make Arlington shine. See the schedule below
Take the trip and support our community

Make memories while helping Arlington’s small businesses thrive.

A Weekend Celebration

Friday-Saturday December 12-13 Main Event Weekend

Business Open House

Drop in for holiday cheer! Many shops will have treats, and shop-local specials—come meet the owners and discover great gifts.
Friday

Interactive Light Show

Cardinal Tap Banquet Room

Experience a dazzling synchronized light display set to your favorite holiday tunes!
Saturday

Santa Meet & Greet + Photos

Cardinal Tap Banquet Room

Capture the magic — bring your wish list and get a keepsake photo with Santa!
Saturday

Barrel Train Rides

Outdoor Green Space next to Cardinal Tap

Take a cozy ride to the Lake Lights and back — perfect for kids and families.
Saturday

Hot Cocoa Station

Outdoor Green Space next to Cardinal Tap

Warm up with a cup of cocoa and enjoy the festive atmosphere.
Saturday

Chili Cook-Off

Cardinal Tap

Taste a variety of homemade chilis—vote for your favorite! Free-will donations benefit a local non-profit.
Saturday

Cookies & Crafts

Arlington Baptist Church

Kids can decorate cookies, make an ornament, and enjoy hot cocoa—free for kids! All supplies provided; parents welcome to help.
Saturday

Caroling

Throughout Downtown Arlington

Bundle up and join the holiday choir! Contact Becky (605-203-3087) to join the singers, or register your Arlington home to receive a caroling visit between 4–5 PM.
Saturday

Friday-Saturday December 12-13 Main Event Weekend

Business Open House

Drop in for holiday cheer! Many shops will have treats, and shop-local specials—come meet the owners and discover great gifts.
Friday

Santa Meet & Greet + Photos

Cardinal Tap Banquet Room

Capture the magic — bring your wish list and get a keepsake photo with Santa!
Saturday

Interactive Light Show

Cardinal Tap Banquet Room

Experience a dazzling synchronized light display set to your favorite holiday tunes!
Saturday

Barrel Train Rides

Outdoor Green Space next to Cardinal Tap

Take a cozy ride to the Lake Lights and back — perfect for kids and families.
Saturday

Hot Cocoa Station

Outdoor Green Space next to Cardinal Tap

Warm up with a cup of cocoa and enjoy the festive atmosphere.
Saturday

Chili Cook-Off

Cardinal Tap

Taste a variety of homemade chilis—vote for your favorite! Free-will donations benefit a local non-profit.
Saturday

Cookies Crafts & Cocoa

Arlington Baptist Church

Kids can decorate cookies, make an ornament, and enjoy hot cocoa—free for kids! All supplies provided; parents welcome to help.
Saturday

Caroling

Throughout Downtown Arlington

Bundle up and join the holiday choir! Contact Becky (605-203-3087) to join the singers, or register your Arlington home to receive a caroling visit between 4–5 PM.
Saturday

Holiday Fun All Month Long

01 Festive Light Show – Cardinal Tap Banquet Hall

Bring the family to a FREE magical indoor light show—twinkling displays, holiday music, cozy photo spots, and more. Warm up inside, snap a photo, and make it part of your Christmas in Arlington night.

⏰ 5-10 PM

02 Business Passport Program

Support your local businesses and win prizes while you shop small this holiday season!

01

How It Works

  1. Shop any Arlington Area Chamber business from Nov 28 – Dec 24.

  2. Pick up a passport at locations listed on ChristmasInArlington.com.

  3. Each visit: write the date & time in your passport and staple the receipt inside.

  4. Make 10 purchases of $10+ at 5 or more different businesses.

  5. Turn in your completed passport at CorTrust Bank by Dec 29 at 4pm.

02

Prizes:

  • First 5 completed passports submitted: $50 Chamber Bucks each

  • 5 additional winners selected from all entries: $50 Chamber Bucks each

  • Total prize pool: $500 Chamber Bucks

03 Contests & Awards

Deck the halls and get rewarded—home, business, planter, and coloring contests are open now. Enter yours and cheer on your favorites!

Best Decorated Home Contest

Show off your home’s holiday glow!

  • Public voting will take place online.
  • One winner — $100 in Chamber Bucks

Enter Your Home

Best Decorated Business Contest

Encourage holiday shopping by decorating your storefront!

  • Public voting will take place online.
  • One winner-$100 Chamber membership value

Enter Your Business

Adopt a Planter Decorating

One winner-prize-$50 Chamber bucks

Adopt a Planter

Color Page Contest

All children in the Arlington School system through 4th grade will be given the Lake Arlington bridge photo to color. These will be on display at the Cardinal Tap on Dec 13th during the ongoing festivities with winners receiving prizes.

Prizes will be able to be picked up on the 13th for each class.

*All Entries Must Be Fully Decorated By December 1st

04 Live Nativity

Experience the Christmas Story Come to Life

Join us Sunday, December 21, at the Kneip Building (45147 US-14, Arlington, SD 57212) for a heartwarming Live Nativity event featuring real animals and performances from children in local churches. Gather your family and celebrate the season with this beautiful community tradition.

Location: Kneip Building, 45147 US-14, Arlington SD 57212

Animals: Camel, sheep, and donkey

Performances: 2 PM, 3 PM, and 4 PM

Business Passport Program

Support your local businesses and win prizes while you shop small this holiday season!

01

How It Works

  1. Make 10 purchases of $10 or more at 5 different Arlington businesses.
  2. Keep your receipts or get your passport stamped.
  3. Submit by: by Monday, December 29 at 5 PM at CorTrust Bank.
02

Prizes:

$500 in Chamber Bucks total!

  • First 5 completed books = $50 each (guaranteed winners)
  •  5 additional drawn from all completed books = $50 each

*Pick up your passport at participating businesses and start shopping local today!

Opportunities

Volunteer Opportunities

Help make Christmas in Arlington shine brighter than ever! Volunteers play a huge part in bringing the magic to life.
Decorating the Island & Cardinal Tap area
Laundromat tree trunks and Welcome Sign
Student volunteers from FFA (led by Preston)
All decorating should be completed by Friday, November 28 (Black Friday).

If you’d like to lend a hand, contact the Chamber to sign up — we’d love to have your help spreading holiday cheer!

Chamber Platinum Members

A heartfelt thank you to the businesses and organizations whose support makes this event possible.

Your contributions light up Arlington and help bring joy to families and visitors each year.

Want to volunteer or have questions about Christmas in Arlington?

605 620-1970
chamber@
arlingtonchambersd.com

Chamber Sponsored Decoration Locations

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