Feel the holiday buzz in Minneapolis! Discover all the exciting events and activities with our guide. For lifelong locals and first-time visitors, our guide reveals the holiday magic of Minneapolis.
Popular events include the GLOW Holiday Festival, where impressive light displays create a whimsical atmosphere for all ages. The European Christmas Market brings a taste of tradition, featuring artisan crafts and seasonal treats within a charming setting. And you definitely don't want to miss the Holiday Flower Show, showcasing beautiful seasonal blooms and festive arrangements. See more details on these and other fun events and activities below!
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Top Holiday Events In and Around Minneapolis
- GLOW Holiday Festival (St. Paul)
- European Christmas Market (St. Paul)
- Christmas in Germany (St. Paul)
- Holiday Flower Show (St. Paul)
- Nutcracker (St. Paul)
- A Hygge Holiday (St. Paul)
- Holiday Maker's Market (St. Paul)
- GLOW Holiday Festival
- Santa Claus Lane
- The Santa Experience (Bloomington)
See these and even more events listed below!
Minneapolis Holiday Light Displays
GLOW Holiday Festival
What to Expect:
Interactive light displays and unique shopping experience.
Description:
GLOW Holiday Festival at CHS Field in St. Paul, MN, features over a million lights, new exhibits, and interactive activities like the Vixen’s Zip Line and Giant Snowy Slide. The event also includes a boutique shopping experience and supports local charities.
Where: St. Paul | More Info: GLOW Holiday Festival
GLOW Holiday Festival
What to Expect:
Over a million twinkling lights and interactive exhibits.
Description:
GLOW Holiday Festival at CHS Field in St. Paul, MN, features over a million lights, new exhibits, a zip line, and unique shopping experiences.
Where: Minneapolis | More Info: GLOW Holiday Festival
Winter Lights 2023
What to Expect:
Color-changing tunnel and giant apple tribute.
Description:
Stroll through the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum's gardens, featuring a one-mile self-guided walking route with outdoor light displays highlighting flowers, trees, and nature. The event includes a color-changing tunnel, Winter Village, Scarecrow Hill, and sunflowers, as well as a giant apple tribute to the Arboretum's Horticultural Research Center. Visitors can also purchase s'mores kits and roast marshmallows over an open fire in the Smores Village. The Oswald Visitor Center and Snyder Building are decorated with a 25-foot Poinsettia Tree, and local performers offer holiday tunes during the live Winter Music Series.
Where: Chaska | More Info: Winter Lights 2023
Magic of Lights
What to Expect:
Spectacular drive-through holiday light displays with iconic characters.
Description:
Magic of Lights is a dazzling drive-through holiday lights experience featuring over two million sparkling lights, including larger-than-life displays of Holiday Barbie, Bigfoot Monster Truck, and life-sized dinosaurs in Prehistoric Christmas.
Where: Eagan | More Info: Magic of Lights
Bentleyville Tour of Lights
What to Expect:
Largest free walk-through light display in the US.
Description:
Bentleyville Tour of Lights is a free walk-through Christmas lighting display featuring over 5 million lights, Santa, Mrs. Claus, and various holiday activities.
Where: Duluth | More Info: Bentleyville Tour of Lights
Sever's Holiday Lights
What to Expect:
Over 2.5 million synchronized lights.
Description:
A massive 2.5 million light display synchronized to holiday music, featuring festive food and drink vendors, perfect for a family outing.
Where: Shakopee | More Info: Sever's Holiday Lights
Miracle at Big Rock
What to Expect:
Heated indoor holiday vendors and Santa photos.
Description:
Miracle at Big Rock is a festive holiday event featuring Christmas lights, food trucks, artisans, sledding, and s'mores. Enjoy fireworks, cocktails, and more in a family-friendly atmosphere.
Where: Big Rock | More Info: Miracle at Big Rock
Minneapolis Holiday Markets and Shopping
European Christmas Market
What to Expect:
Authentic European-style holiday market with handmade crafts and local delicacies.
Description:
The European Christmas Market in St. Paul features over 70 vendors, live entertainment, a Holiday Train, and Carousel. Visitors enjoy gift shopping, European-style food, kids' craft activities, and festive performances.
Where: St. Paul | More Info: European Christmas Market
Christmas in Germany
What to Expect:
Traditional German food and drinks in a festive setting.
Description:
Celebrate German Christmas traditions with traditional beer, Glühwein, bratwurst, pretzels, homemade soup, and German cake. The GAI Haus will be decorated, and seasonal goods will be sold. Enjoy music and festive atmosphere.
Where: St. Paul | More Info: Christmas in Germany
Holiday Maker's Market
What to Expect:
Charitable donations from vendor sales support local non-profits.
Description:
The MN Christmas Market is an annual holiday event showcasing homegrown brands, artisans, and creators with a charitable twist. Each vendor donates $7 from every sale to a local charity, primarily supporting the Santa's College Fund for refugee neighbors in Minnesota.
Where: St. Paul | More Info: Holiday Maker's Market
Minneapolis Holiday Shows and Entertainment
Holiday Flower Show
What to Expect:
Annual display of hundreds of poinsettias and other holiday florals.
Description:
The Como Park Conservatory Holiday Flower Show annually showcases hundreds of poinsettias and other holiday florals. This year's show features yellow poinsettias accented with other plants, a tradition that began in 1925 and is the Conservatory's most well-attended event of the year.
Where: St. Paul | More Info: Holiday Flower Show
A Hygge Holiday
What to Expect:
High-flying circus acts and cozy cabin setting.
Description:
A Hygge Holiday by Circus Juventas is a festive celebration featuring advanced performers in a cozy cabin setting, filled with candle-lit feasts, snow-dappled pines, and high-flying Christmas morning festivities.
Where: St. Paul | More Info: A Hygge Holiday
Nutcracker
What to Expect:
Multi-cultural ballet performance with diverse choreography.
Description:
St. Paul Ballet's 2024 Nutcracker Reimagined features a diverse cast of dancers from the Youth Company and CAAM Chinese Dance Theatre, performing a mix of classic and brand-new choreography. This production showcases the creative, social, personal, and technical skills of today's ballet professionals, inspiring audiences with its multicultural and multi-genre take on the Nutcracker.
Where: St. Paul | More Info: Nutcracker
The Santa Experience
What to Expect:
Private, appointment-based Santa visits with photo and merchandise options.
Description:
The Santa Experience in Bloomington, MN, offers unique in-person and virtual Santa visits with appointment-based scheduling. Enjoy private family visits or virtual interactions from home, and shop for Santa photos and merchandise.
Where: Bloomington | More Info: The Santa Experience
Trans-Siberian Orchestra: The Ghosts of Christmas Eve
What to Expect:
Interactive rock opera with laser-lit second set.
Description:
Trans-Siberian Orchestra presents The Ghosts of Christmas Eve, a rock opera featuring a runaway girl who breaks into an abandoned vaudeville theater. The performance includes a journey through the building's past, using ghosts and spirits to turn her life around. The show also boasts a rocking, blazing, laser-lit second set with TSO's greatest hits and fan-favorites.
Where: St. Paul | More Info: Trans-Siberian Orchestra: The Ghosts of Christmas Eve
A Very Merry CHRISTmas With Tonia featuring FMBC Choir
What to Expect:
A free, all-ages Christmas concert celebrating the true meaning of the season.
Description:
Join Tonia Hughes Kendrick and the FMBC Choir for a Christmas concert celebrating the true meaning of the season, honoring the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. This free event features a 2.5-hour celebration of music and spirituality at Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church in Minneapolis.
Where: Minneapolis | More Info: A Very Merry CHRISTmas With Tonia featuring FMBC Choir
A Holly "Dolly" Christmas Drag Brunch
What to Expect:
Dolly Parton tribute with drag performances and brunch delights.
Description:
Celebrate the holiday season with a Dolly Parton-themed drag brunch featuring glamorous performances, craft cocktails, and a delicious brunch menu.
Where: Minneapolis | More Info: A Holly "Dolly" Christmas Drag Brunch
A Very Vintage Christmas Starring Debbie Briggs Vintage Jazz & Friends
What to Expect:
Timeless jazz standards performed by Debbie Briggs and her band.
Description:
Debbie Briggs Vintage Jazz brings a classic crooner holiday special to the Hook and Ladder Theater with timeless jazz standards and cameo surprises.
Where: Minneapolis | More Info: A Very Vintage Christmas Starring Debbie Briggs Vintage Jazz & Friends
The Big Christmas Singalong with Jay Fuchs and Doug Anderson
What to Expect:
Interactive group singing with renowned performers.
Description:
Join Jay Fuchs and Doug Anderson for an interactive group singing event featuring classic Christmas songs like "White Christmas," "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," and "O Holy Night." Enjoy dinner and cocktail seating while belting out your favorite holiday tunes.
Where: Minneapolis | More Info: The Big Christmas Singalong with Jay Fuchs and Doug Anderson
A Christmas Carol
What to Expect:
Classic adaptation with a ghost story framing.
Description:
A Christmas Carol, directed by Lavina Jadhwani, is a classic adaptation of Charles Dickens' novella where Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, forcing him to confront his past, present, and future. This production celebrates its 50th year at the Guthrie Theater, delighting audiences with its timeless tale of redemption.
Where: Minneapolis | More Info: A Christmas Carol
Minneapolis Other Holiday Activities
Santa Claus Lane
What to Expect:
Interactive holiday activities with Santa and local artisans.
Description:
Santa Claus Lane is a holiday event at Camp Fire MN in Excelsior, offering interactive experiences, heartwarming activities, and festive shopping. Visitors can meet Santa, walk a llama, watch a magician, and enjoy a fire show or learn a new skill in Santa's Workshop. The event focuses on community unity and kindness, with proceeds benefiting Children's MN.
Where: Minneapolis | More Info: Santa Claus Lane
Lighting Festival
What to Expect:
Community-driven holiday celebration with diverse activities.
Description:
The Lighting Festival is a community-driven event featuring various activities such as s'mores, hot cocoa, and Christmas exhibits. It includes a Santa parade, face painting, and a medallion hunt. The event also includes live music, craft fairs, and a winter concert.
Where: Taylors Falls | More Info: Lighting Festival
Festive Fun in Nearby Cities!
Discover Holiday events in hundreds of cities worldwide. Check out these nearby locations for more festive fun!
- Golden Valley (5 miles)
- Saint Louis Park (5 miles)
- Roseville (6 miles)
- Crystal (6 miles)
- New Brighton (7 miles)
- Richfield (7 miles)
- New Hope (7 miles)
- Fridley (7 miles)
- Brooklyn Center (7 miles)
- Edina (8 miles)
- Saint Paul (9 miles)
- Shoreview (9 miles)
- Minnetonka Mills (9 miles)
- Plymouth (10 miles)
- Coon Rapids (10 miles)
- Bloomington (10 miles)
- Maple Grove (11 miles)
- Blaine (13 miles)
- Minnetonka (13 miles)
- South Saint Paul (13 miles)
- Eagan (13 miles)
- West Coon Rapids (13 miles)
- Maplewood (13 miles)
- Eden Prairie (13 miles)
- Inver Grove Heights (14 miles)
- Savage (14 miles)
- White Bear Lake (14 miles)
- Oakdale (15 miles)
- Burnsville (15 miles)
- Lino Lakes (15 miles)
- Woodbury (15 miles)
- Chanhassen (15 miles)
- Champlin (16 miles)
- Apple Valley (17 miles)
- Andover (18 miles)
- Rosemount (18 miles)
- Shakopee (18 miles)
- Cottage Grove (19 miles)
- Prior Lake (20 miles)
- Chaska (21 miles)
- Ramsey (21 miles)
- Lakeville (23 miles)
- Farmington (24 miles)
- Hastings (26 miles)
- Elk River (27 miles)
- Northfield (36 miles)