The holidays are just weeks away, and if you’re looking for a night of holiday fun, here’s our list of holiday light displays in Minneapolis-St Paul and surrounding areas! Some events are free and others are ticketed, so check out the details below. Scroll to the end to find a list of south metro houses with big displays!
Twin Cities Holiday Light Shows
Winter Lights at the Arboretum, Chaska
Open select nights November 17 through January 1.
Admission: $25/adult and children 15 and under free.
Tickets required. 16 outdoor light displays, ice sculptures, and s’mores available for purchase. New in 2022 is a 16-foot weeping willow tree and walk through the giant apple! In the visitor center you will find a 25-foot Poinsettia Tree, gift shop and music from local performers.
Glow Holiday Festival, St Paul
Open November 23 through January 1.
Admission: $20.75/adult and $12.75/child (ages 4-12).
Now at the CHS field (previously on the State Fairgrounds), this walk through experience features a million lights, sElfie plaza, power up a Christmas tree by pedaling a “Bright Bike”, view the 60 foot Christmas Tree that has lights & music choreographed, walk through the magical interactive Northern Lights display, play on the Penguin Playground, get lost in the Reindeer Run maze, visit Santa, walk through the Enchanted Forest, and more. S’mores kits available for purchase. Snowy slide ride (150 foot long) also available for purchase.
Christmas In Color at Valley Fair, Shakopee
Open November 24 through January 1
Admission: $35/vehicle
A drive through experience featuring over a million lights synched to music!
Sever’s Holiday Lights, Shakopee
Open November 24 through January 1
Admission: $40-$55/vehicle
This drive through experience features 2.5 million lights synched to music, festive food and drink vendors. Tickets required.
Dakota City “Christmas in the Village”, Farmington
Open December 3-4 and 10-11 from 3-8pm
Admission: $5/person at the gate (ages 5 and under are free)
A historic Christmas experience, Dakota Village is decorated in holiday lights, and features Christmas music, wood burning stoves, horses pulling trolleys through the village, early 1900s demonstrations in the Millinery and Harris House. Visit Santa and send a letter to him at the Post Office. New this year is a model railroad display with holiday themed trains in the village library.
Spirit of Winter, Waconia
Open November 18 through December 30
$10/person (ages 5+)
Enjoy this walking experience through the Winery at Sovereign Estate, strung with 20+ miles of musical, synchronized lights throughout their 20 acre lakeside vineyard. Visit Candy Cane Lane, a life size nativity scene, photo ops on Santa’s sleigh, real llamas, children’s snow maze, boot hockey arena, Nana’s Gingerbread House and the inflatable Snowman Social. Holly Trolley rides available for $5/person. Santa visits every night during the Christmas season. Hot cocoa, cookies and s’mores available; for the adults, mulled wine, boozy hot cocoa, local brews and more.
Greater Minnesota Holiday Light Shows
Bentleyville, Duluth
Open November 19-December 26
Free admission, donations accepted. $10 parking per vehicle.
Enjoy this walk-through holiday extravaganza at Bayfront Festiva Park in Duluth, where you will walk through and under over 5 million lights! Stop in for free hot cocoa or coffee, cookies, popcorn, and marshmallows for roasting! You can also visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus (children 10 and under will receive a knit winter hat and cookies from Santa). You will want to layer up the kiddos, as weather on the lakefront can be very cold! You can bring a stroller or wagon and blankets for the little ones!
Kiwani’s Holiday Lights, Mankato
Open November 25 through December 31
Free admission, donations accepted.
Walk through or drive through this display of 1.8 million lights! Visit with Santa on weekends through December 23 or drop off a letter to Santa in the red mailbox by Santa’s house! Visit the live reindeer nightly through December 29. Pick up from hot cider, cocoa or mini donuts from the concession stand. While you’re in Mankato, visit the Children’s Museum, snow tube at Mt. Kato, and say hello to the bison at Minneopa park!
Sam’s Christmas Village, Somerset, WI
Open November 24 through January 1
Admission: $15-$20/adult and $10/child (ages 3-10); tickets available at the gate.
Now featuring over ten million lights and a European Christmas market, this Christmas experience is drive-through or walk-through, depending on the night. After viewing the lights you’ll want to stop and visit with Santa and his reindeer, sled down the all new sledding hill, warm up with hot cocoa around the fire pit, and stop at the bar & grill to pick up dinner. Bring a stroller or wagon on a walk-through night, or a sled if there has been a fresh dusting of snow.
Rotary Lights, La Crosse, WI
Open November 24 through December 31
Admission: Free but donations accepted
Drive, walk or take a carriage ride through Riverside Park and more than 3,000,000 lights! Visit with Santa and his reindeer every night through December 23. You’ll also want to view the live nativity, available on select nights. Ice rink and free skate rental. Carriage rides on select nights.
Miracle at Big Rock, St. Croix Falls, WI
November 25 – January 1
$12/person on drive through nights and $20/adult and $15/kid (ages 4-12) on walk through nights
A 1,000 acre winter wonderland with 15 million lights, just across the border in Wisconsin. 1 mile long Christmas lighting tour, Santa photos, sleigh rides, food trucks, artisans, sledding, S’mores, fireworks (Fridays), cocktails and more!
Best South Metro Neighborhood Holiday Light Displays
Load up the kids, bring along some hot chocolate and candy canes and visit some of these neighborhoods for holiday light fun!
Here we go, alphabetized by city:
Apple Valley
Ray’s Holiday Light Show, 12845 Eveleth Ave
Synched at 97.9
Porter’s Holiday Lights Show, 13596 Hollins Ct CLOSED FOR 2022
Synched at 87.9
Lights on Gardenview, 927 Garden View Dr CLOSED FOR 2022
Lights on Flagstaff, 13452 Flagstaff Ave CLOSED FOR 2022
Martinson’s Holiday Lights, 15381 Drexel Way
Penguin Choir, 114036 Flagstone Trail
Tune in to 99.1
Burnsville
Danielson’s on 2300 block of River Hills Drive
22,000 lights
Odell’s on 1400 block of Summit Oaks Dr
30,000 lights
Big Oak Drive at 2012 Big Oak Drive
Tune in to 91.9
Chaska
Snook Family Lights, 1188 Wildwood Way
Christmas on Savanna, 4441 Savanna Trail
Synched at 91.9 FM
Eagan
Burdick’s House, 3863 Mersey Way
Eden Prairie
Christmas Lights at Sunrise, 15482 W Sunrise Cir
Tune in to 87.9 FM.
Christ Lutheran Church, 16900 Main St
Tune in to 87.9
Inver Grove Heights
Strandlof’s Christmas Lights, 7050 Blaine Ave
Tune in to 87.9 FM.
6341 Beckman Court (also check out all of Beckman Court!)
65,000 lights and inflatables, yard displays and Candy Cane Lane.
Jordan
Lights on Forest Edge Dr, 816 Forest Edge Dr
Lakeville
Christmas at Dodd Crossing, 5624 162nd St W
19739 Iteri Place
Synched at 98.9
Prior Lake
Lights at the Cove, 3490 Cove Point Cir NW
Tune in to 91.9!
Miller’s Circle, 5913 Millers Circle SE
Lights on Mushtown, 17881 Mushtown Rd
32,000 lights in 2022!
Savage
Lights on Preserve, 9332 Preserve Circle
Shakopee
Shakopee Winter Wonderland, 921 Shakopee Ave E, Shakopee
Wander through this winter wonderland or drive by!
Greater Metro Area Notable Neighborhood Light Displays
If you are up for wandering a little further from home, check out these scintillating shows:
Minneapolis
Hayden’s Holiday Lights, 5205 Washburn Ave S
Opens Thanksgiving and runs 4:30pm-10pm Monday-Saturday
Tune in to 104.9 for music synced with lights!
House on Howard, 2418 Howard St NE
10,000 LED Christmas lights
Lights on Washburn, 5205 Ave S
Tune in to 104.9
St. Paul
Holiday Lights on York, 1526 York Ave
Runs daily from 5pm to 10pm. 11 homes decorated with about 90,000 lights, choreographed to music on 91.5 FM
Plymouth
Christmas at Fischer’s Place, 16700 33rd Ave N
40,000 lights. No display on 12/24. Tune in to 103.3
Woodbury
Holiday Lights of Woodbury, 8846 Glacier Rd
Lake Elmo
Valley Lights at Rockpoint Church
Tune in 97.9 and see 100,000 LED lights. Free wagon rides 6-8pm on December 2-3, 9-10 and 16-17
