Can't wait for the holidays in Cottage Grove? Check out our guide to all the festive happenings! Whether you're a Cottage Grove expert or a novice, this guide helps you navigate the holiday season.
One highlight of the festivities is the enchanting Night Trains, where miniature trains zip through a glittering winter wonderland, delighting visitors of all ages. Another must-see is Christmas in the Grove, showcasing festive lights and local crafts that capture the spirit of the season. And the Cottage Grove Hometown Holiday Celebration is something you definitely don't want to miss, featuring a charming parade and community activities. See more details on these and other fun events and activities below!
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Top Holiday Events In and Around Cottage Grove
- Night Trains (Saint Paul)
- Cottage Grove Hometown Holiday Celebration
- Christmas in the Grove
- Santa’s Workshop (Saint Paul)
- Holiday Tree Lighting & Movie Night (Saint Paul)
- Christmas Festival Concert (Saint Paul)
- Luminare Christmas (Saint Paul)
- Taylor Falls Lighting Festival (Taylor Falls)
- Scandia VinterLights (Scandia)
- Oak Grove City Tree Lighting (Oak Grove)
See these and even more events listed below!
Cottage Grove Holiday Light Displays
Coon Rapids Tree Lighting Festival
What to Expect:
Community tree lighting with festive lights and fireworks.
Description:
The Coon Rapids Tree Lighting Festival is a community celebration featuring hot cocoa, cookies, live music, and fire pits. Take pictures with Santa and enjoy fun activities for kids. The event culminates in a tree lighting countdown and fireworks display.
Where: Coon Rapids | More Info: Coon Rapids Tree Lighting Festival
Oak Grove City Tree Lighting
What to Expect:
Community tree lighting with local choirs and Santa appearances.
Description:
The Oak Grove City Tree Lighting features a festive holiday celebration with a 40-foot tree, live music, and appearances by Santa and local choirs. Enjoy warm beverages and food from local vendors while taking in the holiday lights.
Where: Oak Grove | More Info: Oak Grove City Tree Lighting
Scandia VinterLights
What to Expect:
Holiday lighting ceremony with fire pits and snowflake decorations.
Description:
Join us at Scandia VinterLights for a festive lighting ceremony featuring two fire pits, cookies, hot chocolate, and snowflakes on light posts along the streets. The event takes place at the Scandia Community Center and Gammelgården Museum.
Where: Scandia | More Info: Scandia VinterLights
Taylor Falls Lighting Festival
What to Expect:
Grand lighting of the village with festive activities and historic site visits.
Description:
The Taylor Falls Lighting Festival is a festive event featuring holiday activities, including a grand lighting of the village, Santa parade, and various local business visits. Enjoy hot cocoa, cookies, and festive treats while exploring historic sites and participating in activities like face painting and a medallion hunt.
Where: Taylor Falls | More Info: Taylor Falls Lighting Festival
Rosemount Community Tree Lighting
What to Expect:
Traditional tree lighting ceremony with live music and family activities.
Description:
The Rosemount Community Tree Lighting is a family-friendly event featuring a spectacular display of holiday lights, live music, and festive activities.
Where: Rosemount | More Info: Rosemount Community Tree Lighting
Savage Tree Lighting Ceremony
What to Expect:
Community holiday tradition with hot cocoa and live music.
Description:
Join the community at City Hall in Savage, Minnesota, for the annual Tree Lighting Ceremony. Enjoy hot cocoa, a bonfire, and live holiday music as you celebrate the lighting of the holiday tree. This is a FREE community event.
Where: Savage | More Info: Savage Tree Lighting Ceremony
Cottage Grove Holiday Markets and Shopping
Cottage Grove Holiday Maker’s Market
What to Expect:
Handmade-only makers market with over 35 artisans.
Description:
The 7th Annual Cottage Grove Holiday Maker’s Market features over 35 handmade crafters and artisans selling unique gifts and seasonal items. The event is held at River Oaks Golf Course and Event Center, with Eagles Bar and Grill open for lunch. This free market is a great place to shop small for your holiday gifting.
Where: Cottage Grove | More Info: Cottage Grove Holiday Maker’s Market
Bethesda Holiday Craft Boutique
What to Expect:
Unique holiday shopping experience with local crafters and baked goods.
Description:
The 2024 Bethesda Holiday Craft Boutique at Bethesda Lutheran Church in Inver Grove Heights, MN, features a craft sale, quilt raffle, and bake sale. Enjoy a wide variety of holiday gift items, freshly baked caramel rolls, turkey wild rice soup, and many home-baked goods.
Where: Inver Grove Heights | More Info: Bethesda Holiday Craft Boutique
Anoka Christmas Market
What to Expect:
Unique shopping experience with local artisans.
Description:
The Anoka Christmas Market at Green Haven Golf Course in Anoka, Minnesota, features a variety of local vendors selling handmade crafts, jewelry, and gourmet foods. The event offers 8x10 spaces with 85 tables and chair rental available.
Where: Anoka | More Info: Anoka Christmas Market
Big Lake Winter Farmers Market
What to Expect:
Unique shopping experience with local vendors.
Description:
The Big Lake Winter Farmers Market offers free parking, live music, and a variety of homemade and homegrown products including seasonal produce, microgreens, meat, eggs, baked goods, and more. It features a frequent shopper program and senior coupons every other market.
Where: Big Lake | More Info: Big Lake Winter Farmers Market
Elk River Winter Farmers Market
What to Expect:
Monthly opportunity for young entrepreneurs to gain business experience.
Description:
The Elk River Indoor Farmers Market offers a variety of local produce, meats, baked goods, and artisanal products. Each month, a young entrepreneur is invited to gain hands-on experience running a business. The market is a great place to connect with local vendors and support the community.
Where: Elk River | More Info: Elk River Winter Farmers Market
Maple Grove Holiday Farmers Market
What to Expect:
Seasonal produce and local vendors.
Description:
The Maple Grove Farmers Market offers a vibrant community gathering with fresh, local produce, artisanal goods, and family-friendly activities. Thursdays from May 9 to October 17, the market is held outdoors at the Church of the Open Door parking lot, while indoor markets take place in November and December at the MG Community Center.
Where: Maple Grove | More Info: Maple Grove Holiday Farmers Market
Cottage Grove Holiday Shows and Entertainment
Holiday Tree Lighting & Movie Night
What to Expect:
Free community event with live entertainment, tree lighting, and a classic holiday movie.
Description:
Join Union Depot for the annual Holiday Tree Lighting Celebration & Movie Night. The event features the St. Paul Winter Carnival 2023 Button Reveal, a holiday performance by The Mistletones, free cider, photo ops, craft stations, and a light-up wand giveaway for kids. The tree lighting ceremony includes a short fireworks display and a holiday sing-along. The evening concludes with a showing of the holiday favorite, Elf, with concessions available for purchase. Visit the European Christmas Market on the East Plaza for unique, handmade holiday gifts and European-inspired food and delicacies.
Where: Saint Paul | More Info: Holiday Tree Lighting & Movie Night
Luminare Christmas
What to Expect:
Exclusive holiday show with accessible seating and special packages.
Description:
Luminare Christmas is a festive holiday event featuring a spectacular show at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, Minnesota, with exclusive packages and accessible seating options available.
Where: Saint Paul | More Info: Luminare Christmas
Christmas Festival Concert
What to Expect:
European-style outdoor Christmas festival with live music and local vendors.
Description:
The Cathedral Christmas Festival 2024 is a European-style outdoor Christmas festival in the back courtyard of the majestic Cathedral of Saint Paul. It features arts and crafts vendors, Glühwein, cocoa, beer, food trucks, costumed carolers, a frame-worthy backdrop for family or friends' group photos, games, fire pits, a warming tent with music, and a chance to win fabulous prizes in the raffle. The event culminates with a concert inside the gorgeously lit Cathedral.
Where: Saint Paul | More Info: Christmas Festival Concert
Sister Celeste's Sing-a-Long Event
What to Expect:
Interactive caroling and Christmas Bingo with a holiday beverage.
Description:
Join Sister Celeste for a sing-a-long event where you'll learn about the history of your favorite carols, sing, and play a festive round of Christmas Bingo. Enjoy a holiday beverage and the chance to win at Bingo, including a glow-in-the-dark rosary from Sr. Celeste.
Where: Saint Paul | More Info: Sister Celeste's Sing-a-Long Event
Cottage Grove Holiday Giving Opportunities
Santa’s Workshop
What to Expect:
Community-driven gift-giving initiative.
Description:
Santa’s Workshop at Saint Maria Goretti provides stockings and gifts to those less fortunate through various outreach activities, including an order filling workshop. Participation can be as simple as donating money or filling stockings. Over 5,000 people are served annually.
Where: Saint Paul | More Info: Santa’s Workshop
Cottage Grove Other Holiday Activities
Night Trains
What to Expect:
Specially lighted model trains in a snowy, holiday-themed setting.
Description:
The Twin City Model Railroad Museum presents Night Trains, a seasonal event featuring model trains of all scales and toy trains from yesteryear. The museum's collection comes alive with specially lighted models of operating vintage passenger trains, set against a backdrop of snow-covered towns and holiday decorations.
Where: Saint Paul | More Info: Night Trains
Christmas in the Grove
What to Expect:
Community-driven holiday activities with local participation.
Description:
Christmas in the Grove features a wreath porch auction, breakfast with Santa, a Grinch movie screening, and a children's book drive, all happening in downtown Cottage Grove.
Where: Cottage Grove | More Info: Christmas in the Grove
Cottage Grove Hometown Holiday Celebration
What to Expect:
Festive holiday tree lighting with Santa and live reindeer.
Description:
Join the City of Cottage Grove for a night of holiday cheer with Santa, Mrs. Claus, live reindeer helpers, food trucks, kids' activities, bonfires, hayrides, and holiday music.
Where: Cottage Grove | More Info: Cottage Grove Hometown Holiday Celebration
Oakdale Winter Wonderland
What to Expect:
Free community event with diverse winter activities.
Description:
Oakdale Winter Wonderland is a community event featuring horse-drawn hayrides, a petting zoo, dogs of winter, a bonfire with s'mores, holiday crafts, visits with Santa, candy cane hunts, and holiday face painting.
Where: Oakdale | More Info: Oakdale Winter Wonderland
Festive Fun in Nearby Cities!
Discover Holiday events in hundreds of cities worldwide. Check out these nearby locations for more festive fun!
- Inver Grove Heights (5 miles)
- South Saint Paul (6 miles)
- Woodbury (7 miles)
- Hastings (7 miles)
- Maplewood (9 miles)
- Oakdale (9 miles)
- Rosemount (11 miles)
- Saint Paul (11 miles)
- Eagan (11 miles)
- Apple Valley (15 miles)
- Roseville (16 miles)
- Farmington (16 miles)
- Burnsville (17 miles)
- Richfield (17 miles)
- Bloomington (17 miles)
- White Bear Lake (18 miles)
- Minneapolis (19 miles)
- Lakeville (19 miles)
- Savage (20 miles)
- Shoreview (20 miles)
- Edina (20 miles)
- New Brighton (21 miles)
- Saint Louis Park (21 miles)
- Golden Valley (23 miles)
- Fridley (24 miles)
- Lino Lakes (24 miles)
- Prior Lake (25 miles)
- Crystal (25 miles)
- Minnetonka Mills (26 miles)
- Brooklyn Center (26 miles)
- Eden Prairie (26 miles)
- New Hope (26 miles)
- Coon Rapids (26 miles)
- Blaine (27 miles)
- Northfield (28 miles)
- Minnetonka (28 miles)
- Plymouth (28 miles)
- Shakopee (29 miles)
- Chanhassen (29 miles)
- Maple Grove (30 miles)
- West Coon Rapids (30 miles)
- Chaska (32 miles)
- Andover (33 miles)
- Champlin (33 miles)
- Ramsey (39 miles)
- Faribault (40 miles)
- Elk River (45 miles)