Christmas is in full swing here in Siouxland, and the Pioneer Village is the place to be! Christmas lights, a visit from Santa, and a horse drawn carriage ride are among the many things you’ll
Christmas is in full swing here in Siouxland, and the Pioneer Village is the place to be! Christmas lights, a visit from Santa, and a horse drawn carriage ride are among the many things you’ll see at this festive destination.
Where is the Pioneer Village?
I first heard about this Christmas wonderland at work. A coworker was telling me all about this place that decorates an entire village in colorful lights, toys, and ornaments. That night I went home and looked it up. Pioneer Village you say?
I found out it’s located in Le Mars, on the Plymouth County Fairgrounds. Volunteers spend the last week of November, and the first week of December decorating and getting events organized.
Free and Family-fun
Free to the public, visitors are encouraged to donate, and there are many opportunities. From the cookie and hot cocoa stand, to the hotdog store, your funds go back to the community of Le Mars.
Held during the first and second weekends of December, I made sure to have one of these weekends off. Matching up our busy schedules, my sister-in-law and her husband drove the half hour to Le Mars.
Festival of Trees
Once we found our spot in the fairgrounds parking lot, we met up with two friends from Akron. Our first stop was the Festival of Trees. Similar to Sioux City’s Festival of Trees in the HoChunk Center, these Christmas trees are decorated by local businesses, agencies and organizations.
Held inside the 4-H building, it was nice to get out of the cold, and view all the different creations. Trees of various sizes and colors were on display. Weaving visitors through a trail of garland, blinking lights, and ornaments, we were surrounded by a forest of holiday spirit.
Horse-drawn carriage ride
After getting our hot chocolate fill, we realized what perfect timing it was that the horse drawn carriage stopped right outside, passengers unloaded, and we jumped on.
Cuddling up next to strangers on the benches, we all shared blankets, and enjoyed a 5-minute ride around the fairgrounds.
Our walk through the village
Christmas music playing on every loud speaker, bells jingling, and Santa hats set the mood as we made our way into the village. Every store front decorated with candy canes, bright lights and wreaths; we eventually made our way to the hotdog stand.
The round barn
A little snack is all we needed, and we were ready for the Round Barn. This 100-year-old building had collections of Santas from all over the world, porcelain dolls, and teddy bears.
There was even a miniature village inside the Pioneer Village! The kid in me was transported to a Swiss town where Christmas decorating is everyone’s expertise.
Final thoughts
In total we spent about an hour admiring the effort it took to transform the fairgrounds into the North Pole. Lights hung from the buildings, filling the void above Center’s Square, kids skipping away with their stuffed animals from the toy shop, and bonfires warming cold fingers.
Being an annual event, I waited all of 2019 to make my visit after hear about the Pioneer Village last year. Therefore, if this is your first time hearing about the Pioneer Village, no worries, we’ll see you in 2020!
Merry Christmas!