This spectacular night blast on June 26, 2007, celebrated
Ruth Ziolkowski's 81st birthday and the
131st anniversary of the Battle of the Little Big Horn.
(©Crazy Horse photo/Paul Horsted)

Among the most popular events at Crazy Horse Memorial are the two night blasts traditionally held each year. The spectacular ceremonial blasts light up the mountain with a series of dozens of rapid-fire fireballs and specially designed pyrotechnical features.

The first night blast of the year is June 26. It celebrates the birthday of Mrs. Korczak (Ruth) Ziolkowski, wife of the late Crazy Horse sculptor. Since her husband’s death in 1982, she has directed all operations at the nonprofit Memorial.

The June 26 blast also commemorates the anniversary of the Battle of the Little Big Horn in 1876. The battle was June 25, 1876. Crazy Horse was a main strategist in the defeat of Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer and his troops.

The second traditional night blast of the year is on September 6th. The blast celebrates the dual anniversaries of the 1877 death of Crazy Horse and of the 1908 birth of sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski.

The public is welcome at the night blasts. After 7 p.m. on the days of the night blasts the Memorial gratefully accepts three cans of food per person for the KOTA Care and Share Food Drive in lieu of the regular admission fee. Because the night blasts are among the Memorial’s most popular events, the public is advised to arrive early. The restaurant at Crazy Horse closes on the evenings of the night blasts but the Snack Shop snack bar remains open. The Heritage Village restaurant a mile south of Crazy Horse also serves an all-you-can-eat buffet on the evenings of the night blasts.

Important note: Night blasts are conducted on a "weather permitting" basis.

The night blast on September 6, 2006,
commemorated the death of Crazy Horse in 1877
and the birth of Memorial sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski
on the same day in 1908
(©Crazy Horse photo/Paul Horsted)