Holidazzle will return to Loring Park for the second straight year beginning Friday, November 25 in Downtown Minneapolis.
The longtime Minneapolis holiday tradition will run Thursdays through Sundays starting Friday, November 25 through Friday, December 23. That includes 17 dates that feature local people, places and products that highlight incredible food, beverages and merchandise, activities, entertainment and more. Holidazzle, is free and open to the public, will run 5-9 pm on Thursdays, 5-10 pm on Fridays, 11 am-10 pm on Saturdays and 11 am-7 pm on Sundays.
Opening night will also include a Ceremonial Opening celebration at 6:30 pm at the Holidazzle stage including holiday lighting, a musical performance, and a fireworks display to kick off this year’s holiday season.
“We invite you and yours to join us at this year’s Holidazzle back at beautiful Loring Park this winter,” said Leah Wong, Vice President of Events & Marketing, Minneapolis Downtown Council. “People who join us this year can again take part in a number of free activities for all ages and abilities that help celebrate the holiday season. We’ve continue adding programming elements to Holidazzle that build off of last year, and we look forward to a magical season again this winter.”
Holidazzle will include a collection of programming throughout the run that will provide excitement and entertainment for all ages. Some of this year’s programming includes:
- Fireworks Displays: Holidazzle will have fireworks displays each weekend at 6:30 pm on Nov. 25, Dec. 3, Dec. 10, Dec. 17 and Dec. 23.
- Santa Visits: Holidazzle is your opportunity to meet and take photos with Santa Claus
- Movie Nights: Two outdoor movies will be played each week, including; Miracle (Nov. 25), Miracle on 34th Street (Nov. 27), Home Alone (Dec. 1), A Christmas Story (Dec. 4), Elf (Dec. 8), Happy Feet (Dec. 11),Serendipity (Dec. 15), Frozen (Dec. 18), Ice Age (Dec. 22) & A Charlie Brown Christmas (Dec. 23)
- Free Skating: Come to Holidazzle and enjoy free outdoor skating in Loring Park! The Wells Fargo Minneapolis WinterSkate will be open seven days a week plus during all Holidazzle hours and includes the Warming House courtesy of CenterPoint Energy. Bring your own skates or use a complimentary pair available in the warming house (sizes vary and are available on a first-come, first-served basis)
- Kids Zone: This year’s Holidazzle includes a kids zone with activities that offer creative opportunities that let kids build, navigate a haybale maze, participate in yard games and more.
- Local Musical Performances: Musical performances from local groups and community bands/choirs will provide entertainment throughout this year’s Holidazzle. Look for the full performance list onHolidazzle’s schedule page.
- Bonfires & Warming Houses: Stay warm at Holidazzle by enjoying outdoor bonfires scattered throughout the area as well as multiple warming houses.
- Surprise & Delights: Look for special events, appearances and activities to be announced throughout Holidazzle this year.
Holidazzle has an incredible assortment of on-site prepared food and beverages that gives a flavor of Minnesota’s strong dining scene. Enjoy limited time items like the new Holidazzle sausage from Kramarczuk’s as well as Fulton Beer’s new Holidazzle Baltic Porter, which will be on sale throughout the Holidazzle, and the Sociable Cider WerksFat Bike Mulled Apple hot cider released first at Holidazzle as part of this year’s food and beverage providers:
- Breadsmith Pretzels
- Royal Asian Foods
- Local Cheese Curds
- Cinnamon Roasted Almonds
- Fire & Flour
- Fulton Beer
- Kramarczuk’s
- Wallace’s Kettle Corn
- K-Town Street Foods
- Pierogi’s Wonderland
- Sociable Cider Werks
- Spyhouse Coffee Roasters
- Poffertjes and More
- Specialty Mini Donuts
- Walt’z BBQ
- And More!
Complementing the activities are a wide variety of local merchandise vendors that offer a chance to shop for unique items from right here in our community. Plan to do your holiday shopping at Holidazzle! Checkwww.holidazzle.com/vendors for weekly schedule.
- The Abbey Alpacas
- Amelia & Holly’s
- Apothicare
- Blue Turtle Handmade Crafts
- Bring It!
- Cherry Rock Design
- Comfortbug by Heidi
- Crankosaurus Press
- DK Wood Toys
- Fair Anita
- Faribault Woolen Mill Co.
- Gray Duck Soap
- Hagen & Oats
- Heather’s Dirty Good Seasoning
- Hippy Feet
- Käthe Wohlfahrt
- KCM Woodworks
- Kevin Matthews Pottery
- LB Originals
- Love Your Melon
- Lucid Wood
- Mademoiselle Miel
- Makwa Studios
- Merchant Leather
- Minnesota Awesome
- Moxie Malas
- My Sister
- Nordic Cinnamon Sprinkle
- PartlyCloudy Collective
- Pure Goodness Bath & Body Shoppe
- Shoppe By Lola
- Stein House
- Strey Designs
- StylArena
- Superior Switchel
- The Beer Dabbler
- The Cookie Cups
- The Thirsty Whale
- Three Rivers Farm Syrup
- Tilly Air Plants
- Vikse Designs
- Wintercraft
- And More!
Holidazzle also added lighting and ambiance this year, adding to the visitors’ overall experience. More dazzle will be seen within the Holidazzle footprint, including commercial-style lighting within the park through twinkle lights and uplighting. The Wolf and Moose exhibit, as first seen as part of the Creative City Challenge this summer, will be installed at Loring Park during Holidazzle. The exhibit will include a restructured lighting element. The Wolf and Moose bring a message of caring for the earth and one another in the midst of the holiday season—what happens to one happens to the other. It is a reminder of interconnectedness with one another during the holiday season. In addition, Knitteapolis will add to the daytime ambiance by showing up within the Holidazzle footprint with creative yarnbomb features that add to the experience. The Wolf and Moose, along with added twinkle lights, uplighting and Knitteapolis, collectively align with Holidazzle’s Request for Creativity lighting submissions over the summer.
“Holidazzle is always an exciting time of year for people within our community to gather and enjoy the holiday season together, and we’re thrilled it’s back in Loring Park,” said Jayne Miller, Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board Superintendent. “Loring Park is a wonderful gathering space downtown within our park system, and bringing people from across the region together for holiday enjoyment is a great way to celebrate the incredible outdoor settings we have in our city.”
When planning a trip to Holidazzle, visitors can enjoy Free Ride Nights courtesy of Metro Transit each Saturday throughout the run. Get there by bus or light rail with a free-ride pass, which can be downloaded at Holidazzle.com. The pass must be printed and shown during the free ride, and the free-ride pass is good from 10 am-11 pm each Saturday. Also look for parking options near Holidazzle with ramps offering low-cost parking opportunities. A drop-off and pick-up location will be available on the corner of Yale Place and Willow Street, and ADA-accessible parking spots are available along Willow Street.
For more information on Holidazzle scheduling, vendors and entertainment, visit www.holidazzle.com and follow along on social media through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #Holidazzle. Holidazzle imagery can be found at www.holidazzle.com/media.