Capitol Christmas

One of the best holiday traditions in Little Rock is the annual fireworks show after the Christmas lights are turned on at the State Capitol. After the Little Rock Christmas parade ends at the capitol there is a small ceremony, with speeches from a few politicians and some choirs singing (although this year it seemed a little bit more political than the previous years). The capitol is adorned with 90,000 lights, in a tradition started over 70 years ago. Apparently the Secretary of State in 1938 added some lights to the capitol dome in order to brighten up the view for the kids stuck in the nearby Arkansas Children's Hospital. The lighting has changed and evolved over the years, but hopefully all the kids were able to enjoy the fireworks show.



After the fireworks show, everyone crowded into the capitol. The inside was decorated with a huge Christmas tree, and even had a place for Santa to sit. This is the view looking down onto the rotunda and Santa's workshop.



The State Capitol was completed in 1915, so it's now almost a century old. This is the view looking towards the House of Representatives, where our elected officials will probably be getting into mischief when the state legislature starts back up next year.