RAPID CITY, S.D. — COVID-19 precautions will be in place this year for the Santa experience, including Santa and Mall staff wearing masks.
Mall staff will be sanitizing after each visit and a deep cleaning of the area each night. Rather than sitting on Santa’s lap for a picture, children will sit in front of a plexiglass snow globe bench to share their Christmas list.
Participants will be asked to social distance while waiting in line.
The Nordic Santa Tracking Station will now be walk through rather than a touch point area. Reservations to visit Santa are strongly encouraged. Walk-up visits will be available as space allows throughout the day.
Sandy Brockhouse, General Manager of the Rushmore Mall, says, “The Mall has always been such a big player during the holidays and kids can always expect to see Santa at the Rushmore Mall and at other malls across the U.S., so it was important for us to be able to still allow these kids to still have have this experience, even though COVID has shut some things down and limited different things, but we didn’t want to limit Santa Claus.”
Folks can also schedule an virtual visit with Santa through the Rushmore Mall.
Brockhouse says, “We still want that atmosphere, the Christmas atmosphere, the hustle and bustle of the holiday so we are just really excited to this season even though it’s a little different than years past, it still isn’t gonna taint our spirit.”
The Rushmore Mall will be open for Black Friday from 8am -8pm. JCPenney and At Home will be opening earlier hours that day. There will also be a DJ playing music and a performance by Live It Up Dance Studio in the food court during Black Friday shopping.
SANTA HOURS
Please visit the location website for up-to-date hours and break times.
12/4/2020 – 12/23/2020 – 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
12/6/2020 – 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
12/7/2020 – Closed
12/8/2020 – Closed
12/13/2020 – 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
12/19/2020 – 11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
12/20/2020 – 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
12/24/2020 – 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
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