4,000 lottery winners for Mount Rushmore fireworks

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Around 4,000 people were selected to attend the fireworks show at Mount Rushmore July 3.

A lottery was created for the event at the national memorial and cost $1 per application. Each applicant could select up to four tickets.

According to the National Parks Service, South Dakota had the most lottery applicants and received the most reservations. The state had 316 applications which include tickets for 1,198 people. Colorado had 74 applications covering 275 people.

There were 102,991 requests for the tickets, Katlyn Svendsen with Travel South Dakota said in a news release. Travel South Dakota is the state government’s tourism agency.

Those who wanted tickets were able to put their names into the randomly selected lottery administered by Recreation.gov from April 8 to April 12. The winners were notified April 14.

Total attendance for the 2026 event was reduced from the 2020 event to enhance visitor experience and prioritize safety and security for guests. There were around 7,500 guests at the 2020 event.

“Tickets were assigned at random with either parking garage or shuttle options,” the National Park Service said in an email to KELOLAND News. “Seating at the event will be available on a first-come-first-served basis within the developed area of the memorial.”

According to the news release from Travel South Dakota, 30 pyrotechnicians and trained highline operators will install fireworks and lighting at designated locations at the memorial. The event begins at 4 p.m. and will conclude around 4 p.m.

The state contracted earlier this month with Pyro Spectaculars to produce the display at a maximum cost of $700,000 for the event, officially called South Dakota’s Freedom 250 Mount Rushmore Fireworks Celebration. Based in California, Pyro Spectaculars also did the 2020 event.