The holiday season is here! And during the holiday season, we LOVE holiday light displays and family events! Here are events that I’ve found throughout Minnesota.
DISCOUNTS
I’m including discounts when I find them too! Here is what I have so far:
- Save 20% on tickets to Glow Holiday Lights in St. Paul!
Thank you to the Minnesota Children’s Museum in St. Paul for sponsoring this guide!
Looking for a great gift idea for a special family in your life? Or how about your own family? Give anyone including your own kids the gift of play with a membership to Minnesota Children’s Museum and SAVE with my EXCLUSIVE discount code TCFM! My discount is good for $30 off a gift membership OR $3 off each gift ticket! Normally it’s good for $20 off a membership so this is a special holiday deal! Memberships include free admission to the museum all year, exclusive access to member perks and more. We’ve been members for years and the perks are fabulous!
This is the BEST deal you’ll find!
Use my code: TCFM to get $30 off a gift membership or $3 off gift tickets! https://mcm.org/gift
We love the Minnesota Children’s Museum! My kids have grown up attending this awesome museum and we’ve loved every exhibit, from Curious George which they have now, to Disney’s Inside Out, Thomas the Train and so much more.
FREE PRINTABLES!
This list has been so popular every year that I created several FREE Christmas printables for you to enjoy while looking at lights! The first is a Christmas Lights Scavenger Hunt! Print this FREE Christmas Lights Scavenger Hunt and bring it with you and have the kids do it or do it as a family.
The second is a FREE printable 6-page Christmas Road Trip Activity Set that includes another scavenger hunt and other activities for kids to do while you’re driving around looking at Christmas lights!
PLUS my FREE Christmas Sanity Saver Pack! It’s a planner and organizer to help keep your holidays stress free.
(Note: Be sure to check each event before you go in case there are any changes or cancellations.)
FREE EVENTS
Bentleyville Tour of Lights – Duluth
November 21 – December 26, 2026
Sun – Thurs 5:00pm – 9:00pm
Fri to Sat 5:00pm – 10:00pm
America’s Largest Free Walk-Through Lighting Display! We’ve loved visiting Duluth and walking through Bentleyville throughout the years. They give out free cookies, hot cocoa and popcorn! Admission is FREE! However, if you pay with cash, parking is $10 per vehicle. If you don’t pay with cash, the cost of parking is $12.
Celebrate the Light of the World Willmar (FREE – donations requested)
Thanksgiving – December 31
5:00pm – 10:00pm each night
Willmar is about 1 hour west of the Twin Cities, on highway 12. Celebrate the Light of the World kicks off on Thanksgiving: Thursday, November 26th!! The show will run every night from 5:00pm – 10:00pm from Thanksgiving through December 31st.
Holiday Lights on York Avenue – St. Paul (FREE- donations requested for Merrick Food Shelf)
November 27 – December 31
5:00pm – 10:00pm each night
This is a big light display on a residential block that you can drive through in St. Paul. 11 yards will be decorated with plastic Santas, snowman and other Christmas characters, featuring about 90,000 lights, choreographed to computerized music you can play on your radio by tuning to 91.5 FM, “The Rockin’ Rudolph.” Their lights start on Friday, November 27th! Check their website for updates.
Winterapolis (formerly Holidazzle) – Downtown Minneapolis
Kickoff event is on Friday, November 27th
There are holiday markets and other events all winter long. Stay tuned for updates!
Kiwanis Holiday Lights – Mankato (Free, but cash and nonperishable donations requested for those in need)
Sibley Park
November 27th – December 31, 2026
Sunday–Thursday 5:00–9:00 PM
Friday & Saturday 5:00–10:00 PM
Free and open to the public! This is BOTH a walk-through and a drive-through event. You can just drive through it if you wish. Busses are welcome too! 
Light Up Princeton – Princeton (Free)
Mille Lacs County Fairgrounds
November 28th – December 24th
Plus December 24th
Thursdays- Sundays, plus Christmas Eve
6:00 – 9:00pm
Drive around looking at decorated businesses and houses! They have special nights this year:
November 28: All Day: Small Business Saturday
5:30 pm: Light Up Princeton Parade (From City Hall down 3rd Street N to the Mille Lacs County Fairgrounds)
Approximately 6 pm: Lights go on to Light Up Princeton!
6:00-7:00 pm: Photos with Santa in photo op area
December 3: Princeton Early Childhood Night
December 19: Horse-drawn Sleigh/Carriage rides through Light Up Princeton! Cost is $20/per couple and $30/per group. Parking outside Fairgrounds gate in east parking lot. Rides provided by Premier Machine Farm & Carriage, Princeton, MN. Proceeds benefit Light Up Princeton 2027.
Light Up the Night – Marshall (Free – donations requested)
Independence Park
1300 E Lyon St.
Marshall, MN 56258
November 27th – the weekend before Christmas
Fridays to Sundays
Light Up the Night is at Independence Park in Marshall. In previous years: Walking, hay rides, trolley rides or carriage rides through the winter wonderland of lights. The holiday carolers, concessions, Santa, Elves, skating, sledding. Drive thru Fridays through Sundays. Donations requested for Prairie Home Hospice.
Shakopee Winter Wonderland
921 Shakopee Ave East
Shakopee, MN 55379
Hours and dates TBA
A place where a family can visit with Santa and walk the path of amazing Christmas lights. Also we have crafts, cookies, hot coco and coffee in the garage. Owned by Roger Schmidt.
Valley Lights Drive-Thru Display – Lake Elmo (FREE)
Rockpoint Church
November 26 – January 1
5:00-10:00pm
The drive-thru takes about 4 minutes.
Come out and enjoy this spectacular Christmas display! Enjoy 100,000+ LED lights while you hear and experience the Christmas story. Valley Lights is open to all and is an awesome opportunity for you to invite your family, friends, and neighbors. Who doesn’t love a great light show during Christmas time?
AT-COST EVENTS
Christmas in the Village – Farmington
Dakota City Heritage Village
4008 220th Street W.
Farmington, MN
December 5, 6, 12, & 13, 2026
3-8 pm Saturdays
3-7pm Sundays
If you like an old-fashioned Christmas, this is the event not to miss! It’s the first 2 weekends in December.
Experience the spirit of this warm, holiday event through the village’s dazzling lights, Christmas music in the Church, the scent of wood burning stoves and the sound of horses and their jingle bells as they pull trolleys through the village. Warm up with a cup of soup or mug of hot cocoa in the Drug Store. Check out demonstrations of early 1900s wintertime chores in the Millinery and Harris House. There will also be old-fashioned candy and goods will be for sale at the Gift Shop and General Store. After you send your letter to St. Nicholas, by putting it in the post office box by the school, you can visit him at the Depot! Be sure to visit the model railroad display with holiday themed trains running around a festive winter scene in the village library. Check out the hot beverage and snack station located at the fire barn. Warm up inside with hot chocolate, cider, cookies or popcorn, Warm up outside near the new fire pits near the fire barn.
Cost is $5.00 per person (children under age 5 are Free). Tickets will be available at the gate. Online Admission Ticket adds a convenience fee.
GLOW Holiday Festival Light Experience – St. Paul
CHS Field
November 19, 2026 – January 3, 2027
Entry times are between 5:00pm and 9:00pm each night
GLOW Holiday Festival returns to CHS Field November 19, 2026 – January 3, 2027, with a brand-new Arctic Adventure theme! Explore millions of lights, an illuminated icicle tunnel, polar bears, Arctic wolves, a spectacular Ice Waterfall, interactive activities, the Tremendous Tree, Santa and more!
Tickets are:
Adults (ages 13+): $22.75
Children (ages 3-12): $12.75
Children age 2 and under: FREE!
Additional taxes and fees may apply.
The Giant Snowy Slide and Vixen’s Zip Line cost extra.
DISCOUNTED TICKETS!
Save 20% on tickets with code TCFRUGAL26! Plus, enter my giveaway for a chance to win one of THREE family 4-packs of tickets!
Lights in the Pines – Grand Rapids
Itasca County Fairgrounds
1336 Fairgrounds Rd,
Grand Rapids, MN 55744
November 27-28
December 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19, 20, 21
5:00 – 9:00pm
Northern Minnesota’s largest drive through light displays. Gate opens at 5:00 and closes at 9:00pm. Cost is $10 per passenger car or truck, or $25 for small transportation buses or vans.
Magic of Lights – Eagan
Viking Lakes
668 O’Neill Drive
Eagan, MN
Nov 20, 2026 – Jan 2, 2026
Magic of Lights is “dazzling, drive-through holiday lights experience featuring favorite holiday scenes and characters of the season using the latest LED technology and digital animations.” Tickets are valid for your car (everyone inside, up to 3 rows), not per person.
Magic of Lights is open 7 days a week:
Monday to Thursday: 5:30pm – 9:00pm, Friday – Sunday: 5:30pm – 10:00pm
Tickets and DISCOUNTS!
It’s cheapest to get tickets online! Plus you can get lower-priced tickets if you go in November!
Sertoma Winter Wonderland Drive-Thru – Baxter
Northland Arboretum
November: 26-28
December: 3-5, 10-12, 17-19, 24-31
Most nights, 5:30 – 8:00pm
The Brainerd Area Sertoma Club presents this annual winter wonderland drive-thru experience! General admission is $20 per vehicle. $15 per vehicle in advance, plus $1 fee. In previous years, discounted advance tickets were available online and at Cash Wise Liquor Baxter & Brainerd, and at the Northland Arboretum.
Trista Holiday Lights Drive-Thru – Shakopee
(formerly called Sever’s Holiday Lights)
November 26 – January 3, 2026
Nightly 5:00pm – 10:00pm
Looking for a holiday tradition the whole family will love? This massive 2,500,000+ holiday light display dances in time to the best songs of the season, and with festive food & drink vendors, it’s pretty much guaranteed to be merry. So go ahead, pile into the car—this is one show everyone will want to see. We went and here’s a review of our visit from a previous year with a video!
Pricing:
$25 – $35 per car at non-peak times
$35 – $50 per car at peak times
Sever’s Holiday Lights is offering $15 admission on Tuesday nights again this year (previously it was $10)
The Spirit of Winter – Waconia
The Winery at Sovereign Estate
November 21st – December 31st
Thursdays to Sundays
Plus December 21st – 23rd
Times start at 4:00pm each night
A light show at a WINERY? Yes, please!
Experience the magic of Spirit of Winter, a spectacular Minnesota Christmas light show at Sovereign Estate Winery in Waconia, Minnesota. This festive walking tour takes you through 20 acres of holiday lights, featuring more than 20 miles of Christmas lights strung together set to music broadcast throughout the winery grounds. The whole family can explore the winter beauty of Sovereign Estate while discovering Santa, Candy Cane Lane, llamas, holiday displays, winter activities, fire pits, festive food and drinks, and more. Located just west of the Twin Cities, The Spirit of Winter is a memorable Christmas event for families, date nights, and holiday gatherings. Parking is included, and most outdoor areas are accessible depending on weather conditions.
Pricing
Tickets are $10 for everyone age 3 and older, with children under 3 admitted free.
This is an outdoor, walking event.
Northern Lights 2026 – Chaska
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
November 20, 2026 – January 3, 2027
Otherwise times are 4:30 – 9:00pm
This event replaces Winter Lights! The event will feature 18 all-new, interactive installations that celebrate the beauty of the Arboretum’s nighttime landscape and transform the grounds and buildings into a light-filled wonderland with nature in the spotlight.
Tickets: $10 members, $25 non-members. Kids 15 and under are FREE, except for theme nights. On those nights, tickets are $5 for kids.
Winter SKOLstice – Eagan
Viking Lakes
November 20, 2026 – January 2, 2027
Seven weeks of holiday fun!
Free holiday fun in Eagan? Yes, please!
Make some holiday memories at Winter SKOLstice, a seven-week holiday celebration at Viking Lakes in Eagan! This festive destination offers something for the whole family, including free outdoor skating, live entertainment, seasonal activities, rotating family-friendly events, holiday markets, shopping, and more. Warm up inside the Warming Haus, where you can enjoy food, drinks, and seasonal entertainment. With programming throughout the season, including special events Thursday through Saturday, there’s always something new to experience. You can also add even more holiday magic to your visit with Magic of Lights, a separate ticketed drive-through holiday light display featuring more than a mile of spectacular lights and larger-than-life displays. It’s a fun way for Twin Cities families to celebrate the season together!
Pricing
Winter SKOLstice admission is FREE! Outdoor skating is free, too, or you can rent skates for $5. Food, drinks, shopping, and some special experiences are extra.
Magic of Lights is a separate ticketed drive-thru experience with per-vehicle pricing! Check their discount if you go in November!
This is an outdoor winter event with indoor warming space available.
Light Displays in Wisconsin
Miracle at Big Rock – St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin
November 27th, 2026 through January 1st, 2027
5:00 – 9:00pm
Walk through or drive through!
DRIVE-THRU (Mon–Tues)
Mon, Tues: 5 PM – 9 PM
$17/person online ($15 for seniors & vets with code SENIOR or VET)
$17/person at the door ($15 for seniors & vets with ID)
Kids 2 & under: Free
WALK-THROUGH (Wed–Sun)
Wed, Thu, Sun: 5 PM – 9 PM
Fri & Sat: 5 PM – 10 PM
Online: $22 adults | $17 kids (3–11) | $17 seniors & vets (code SENIOR or VET)
At the door: $24 adults | $17 kids | $17 seniors & vets (with ID)
Kids 2 & under: Free
Friday Night Fireworks!
Online: $27 adults | $20 kids (3–11) | $20 seniors & vets (code SENIOR or VET)
At the door: $29 adults | $20 kids | $20 seniors & vets (with ID)
Kids 2 & under: Free
Parking: Free general parking (VIP parking available)
Sam’s Christmas Village & Light Tour – Somerset, Wisconsin
November 27, 2026 – January 3, 2027
Wednesdays & Thursdays, 5:00pm – 8:00pm
Fri & Sat, 5:00pm – 9:00pm
Sundays, 5:00 – 8:00pm
This one alternates drive-through nights with walk-through nights. We’ve done it and love it!
Check their schedule for drive-through and walk-through times.
To walk through: Cost is $25 for adults, $20 for kids ages 4 – 10, free for kids 3 and under, and 1/2 off with military ID. Parking is $10 cash for walk through nights. To drive through: $15 for age 4 and up; FREE for age 3 and under
Read about our previous visit to Sam’s Christmas Village!
Citywide Maps
Many cities have their own maps!
Brooklyn Park – Info available now
Bloomington – The 2026 Winter Lights Tour map will be available in early December.
Chanhassen – An interactive map will be available beginning Saturday, December 5th.
Elk River – The 2026 Holiday Light Tour Map will launch to the public on Tuesday, December 1st at 10:00 a.m.
Fridley – Fridley residents can register for free. Judging will take place December 8 ‐ 9. Maps will be available December 12th.
Hastings – A self-guided tour map of Hastings holiday lights will be published in early December.
Inver Grove Heights – No update yet for 2026.
North Suburbs/Roseville – Cities include Roseville, New Brighton, Little Canada, Columbia Heights, Arden Hills, and Mounds View. The deadline to submit your disp
lay is Wednesday, December 2nd. The North Suburban Holiday Light map will go live on December 4th.
Ice Castles
Ice Castles are not coming back to Minnesota this year unfortunately.
Also, join my Facebook group, Minnesota Holiday Lights!
Are there other light displays you know of that should be added to this list?
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