Photo Credit: LanePelovsky | Courtesy of Meet Minneapolis
If you’re looking for Christmas events in Minneapolis, there are plenty of ways to make the season bright. From Christmas lights and holiday markets to live shows, concerts, and family attractions, the Twin Cities offer something for every kind of holiday outing. Here are some of the best Christmas activities in Minneapolis and the Twin Cities to add to your 2026 holiday plans!
Top Christmas Events in Minneapolis 2026
From Christmas markets and light displays to concerts and family outings, these Minneapolis holiday events make it easy to find something for everyone this season.
1. Bentleyville Tour of Lights — Duluth
Bentleyville holds the title of America's largest free walk-through holiday lighting display, transforming Bayfront Festival Park on the shores of Lake Superior into a sprawling winter wonderland each year. Over 5 million lights power the installation across the park's grounds, with walk-through tunnels, photo ops with Santa, live entertainment, and fireworks adding to the experience throughout the season. The Duluth lakefront setting is genuinely dramatic in winter, and quite cold, which makes the event feel earned in a way that warmer-climate light shows don't quite replicate.
- Dates: November 21st, 2026 - December 26th, 2026
- Admission: Free
- Street Address: 700 Railroad St, Duluth, MN 55802
- Kid Friendly: Yes
- Pet Friendly: No
- Parking: Paid parking available on-site
- Website: https://www.bentleyvilleusa.org/
Insider Tip: Because of the bitter winds blowing directly off Lake Superior, pack heavy winter gear, including thick gloves and wind resistant coats. The outdoor lakefront chill hits much harder than standard inland winter weather.
2. European Christmas Market — Saint Paul
Now in its 13th year, the European Christmas Market outside Union Depot in downtown Saint Paul has grown into one of the country's top-ranked holiday markets, and one of the largest annual winter events in the Twin Cities. The free outdoor market brings together local and regional vendors offering handmade goods, authentic European-inspired products, seasonal foods, and Glühwein, all beneath glowing lights with live entertainment running throughout. The market's annual collectible commemorative mugs have become a tradition of their own, with returning visitors making a point to add each year's design to their collection.
- Dates: November 20th, 2026 - December 20th, 2026
- Admission: Free (See website for updated schedule)
- Street Address: 240 East Kellogg Blvd, Saint Paul, MN 55101
- Kid Friendly: Yes
- Pet Friendly: No
- Parking: Nearby paid ramps and street parking available
- Website: https://stpaulchristmasmarket.org/
Insider Tip: Buy your collectible cocoa or Glühwein mug immediately upon entering the market grounds. The specific annual designs are highly collectible and frequently sell out completely before the final weekend of the market.
3. Minnesota Orchestra's Merry & Bright — Minneapolis
Minnesota Orchestra trumpeter Charles Lazarus leads an all-star band for Merry & Bright, one of the Twin Cities' most beloved holiday traditions, now celebrating its tenth year at Orchestra Hall. Backed by vocalists, a children's choir, and an all-brass big band, Lazarus brings toe tapping, jazzy arrangements of seasonal favorites that trade the usual orchestral formality for extra swing and sparkle. Note that the Minnesota Orchestra itself does not perform on this program, it's Lazarus and his ensemble taking the stage. It's a family favorite that reliably sells out, so it's worth locking in early.
- Dates: December 20th, 2026
- Admission: Ticketed
- Street Address: Orchestra Hall, 1111 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55403
- Kid Friendly: Yes
- Pet Friendly: No
- Parking: Paid; nearby ramps
- Website: https://www.minnesotaorchestra.org/tickets/calendar/holiday/merry-and-bright-2
Insider Tip: This concert has typically sells out each year by the time the holidays roll around, keep an eye on the ticket page for released seats or join the waitlist if it's showing sold out.
4. A Minnesota Nutcracker — Burnsville & Minneapolis
Twin Cities Ballet's A Minnesota Nutcracker keeps the essential story, traditions, and Tchaikovsky score of the classic ballet, but adds a distinctly local twist as Clara's journey passes the State Capitol's golden horses, a Mississippi River paddleboat, and Minnesota's own loon and lady's slipper along the way. Minnesota Public Radio has called it one of the state's essential holiday events, and it's been a South Metro tradition since 2003. Performances run at two venues this year, giving families options on both sides of the metro.
- Dates: December 11th–13th, 2026 (Ames Center, Burnsville); December 19th–20th, 2026 (Northrop Auditorium, Minneapolis)
- Admission: Ticketed
- Street Address: Ames Center, 12600 Nicollet Ave, Burnsville, MN 55337; Northrop Auditorium, 84 Church St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455
- Kid Friendly: Yes
- Pet Friendly: No
- Parking: Paid, on-site at both venues
- Website: https://twincitiesballet.org/ballet/a-minnesota-nutcracker-northrop/
Insider Tip: A relaxed, sensory friendly performance is offered on select dates, with lowered sound and house lights kept up, worth asking about when you book if that would help your family.
5. Holiday Bazaar at Landmark Center — Saint Paul
The Landmark Center, a turreted Romanesque federal courthouse turned cultural venue in the heart of downtown Saint Paul, hosts its 48th annual Holiday Bazaar across the first weekend of December. More than 70 regional artists fill the building's grand interior with handcrafted jewelry, woodwork, wearable art, paintings, and handmade lotions and soaps, set against live holiday music and seasonal décor. The admission directly supports Minnesota Landmarks' free and low-cost community programming at the venue throughout the year.
- Dates: December 4th, 2026 - December 6th, 2026
- Admission: Ticketed (Children 12 and under free)
- Street Address: 75 5th Street West, Saint Paul, MN 55102
- Kid Friendly: Yes
- Pet Friendly: No
- Parking: Street parking and paid ramps available nearby
- Website: https://www.landmarkcenter.org/holiday-bazaar/
Insider Tip: Plan your visit for Friday between 4:00 PM and 7:00 PM for the "Twilight Shopping" hours. Your admission includes a complimentary glass of wine or non-alcoholic option to enjoy while you browse the artisan stalls.
6. GLOW Holiday Festival — Saint Paul
CHS Field, home of the St. Paul Saints, trades baseball for over a million lights every winter as it transforms into GLOW Holiday Festival. Now in its sixth year, the walk through festival packs the ballpark concourse and field with the Enchanted Forest, Vixen's Zip Line, a Snowy Slide, a new Merry Carousel ride, and a rotating lineup of local holiday vendors curated with the co-owner of the Minnesota Christmas Market. It's one of the most immersive Christmas light displays in the Twin Cities, and a good pick for anyone who wants their light show to double as an activity park.
- Dates: November 19th, 2026 – select dates through early January 2027
- Admission: Ticketed; Adults $21.75, Children (3-12) $12.75, ages 2 and under free
- Street Address: CHS Field, 360 N. Broadway St, St. Paul, MN 55101
- Kid Friendly: Yes
- Pet Friendly: No
- Parking: Paid; Lowertown lots, ramps, and metered street parking (cash recommended)
- Website: https://www.glowholiday.com/
Insider Tip: Entry is reserved by the hour starting at 5 PM, with last entry at 8 PM, book your time slot online in advance since walk up tickets aren't guaranteed and the event is cashless.
7. Gingerbread Wonderland — Minneapolis
Norway House celebrates ten years of its cherished community-curated gingerbread town, inspired by "Pepperkakebyen" in Bergen, Norway, the largest gingerbread village in the world. More than 2,200 gingerbread creations have filled the space over the years, built by professional and amateur bakers alike, ranging from classic gingerbread houses to Minnesota landmarks and pop-culture builds. Celebrity judges hand out awards across youth and adult categories on opening day, and People's Choice voting runs throughout the exhibit with winners announced on Christmas Eve.
- Dates: November 21st, 2026 – January 7th, 2027 (closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day)
- Admission: Ticketed
- Street Address: Norway House, 913 E Franklin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55404
- Kid Friendly: Yes
- Pet Friendly: No
- Parking: Street parking available nearby
- Website: https://www.norwayhouse.org/gingerbread-wonderland
Insider Tip: Thursdays run extended hours until 8 PM, making them the best bet for an evening visit if your schedule doesn't allow for a weekend trip.
8. Minneapolis Christmas Light Tour — Minneapolis
Minneapolis Trolley Tours runs a heated, vintage trolley through some of the Twin Cities' most festively decorated neighborhoods every December, with two versions to choose from: the family friendly "Santa's Nice Ride," where guests vote for their favorite decorated home along the route, and a 21+ "Naughty Holiday Party Ride" with cocktails included. Both tours begin inside the historic Pillsbury Club, where a holiday market featuring more than 50 Minnesota artists, handcrafted cocktails, and festive dining sets the tone before you even board. It's one of the more distinctive ways to see Christmas lights in Minneapolis without doing the driving yourself.
- Dates: Throughout December 2026 (check calendar for specific ride dates and times)
- Admission: Ticketed
- Street Address: The Pillsbury Club, 100 E 22nd St, Minneapolis, MN 55403
- Kid Friendly: Yes (Santa's Nice Ride); Naughty Ride is 21+ only
- Pet Friendly: No
- Parking: Free parking available across the street from the Pillsbury Club
- Website: https://minneapolistrolleytours.com/holiday-light-ride/
Insider Tip: Arrive early to browse the Pillsbury Club's holiday market and grab a drink before boarding, many guests say that part of the evening ends up being a highlight in itself.
9. A Christmas Carol — Minneapolis
The Guthrie Theater presents its 51st production of A Christmas Carol, a holiday tradition that has delighted Twin Cities audiences for more than five decades. This world premiere adaptation by Lavina Jadhwani stays faithful to Dickens' text while bringing all-new scenery, costumes, and sound to the Wurtele Thrust Stage, following Ebenezer Scrooge as the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future show him the path back to his own humanity. It's one of the most anticipated Christmas concerts and performances in Minneapolis, and a genuine downtown institution.
- Dates: November 11th, 2026 – December 27th, 2026
- Admission: Ticketed
- Street Address: Guthrie Theater, 818 S 2nd St, Minneapolis, MN 55415
- Kid Friendly: Yes
- Pet Friendly: No
- Parking: Paid; ramps near the Guthrie
- Website: https://www.guthrietheater.org/seasons/2026-2027-season/
Insider Tip: Accessibility performances (ASL-interpreted, audio-described, open-captioned, and relaxed) run on select dates throughout the run, making them worth checking if that matters for your group.
10. Old Fashioned Holiday at Holz Farm — Eagan
Historic Holz Farm, a farmstead on the National Register of Historic Places dating back to the Great Depression and World War II era, hosts a relaxed, outdoor holiday celebration for one afternoon each December. Visitors can take a self guided tour of the grounds, ride a hayride pulled by a 1940s-era Farmall tractor, and warm up around a bonfire, all while Santa Claus makes an appearance for photos on the farmhouse porch. It's a free, low key alternative to the Twin Cities' bigger holiday attractions, and a genuinely different way to spend a Christmas afternoon with kids.
- Dates: December 6th, 2026, 12:00–3:00 PM
- Admission: Free
- Street Address: Historic Holz Farm, 4665 Manor Dr, Eagan, MN 55123
- Kid Friendly: Yes
- Pet Friendly: No
- Parking: Free, on-site
- Website: https://discovereagan.com/things-to-do/old-fashioned-holiday-at-holz-farm-2
Insider Tip: Santa is only available for photos from noon until 2:45 PM, so plan to arrive earlier in the window if that's a must do for your visit.
Explore More Christmas Events Near You
Christmas in Minneapolis is just one stop on the season's biggest map. If you're looking for more Christmas events near you or planning a holiday trip elsewhere in the country, check out our Christmas City Guides to find the best festivals, markets, concerts, and parades happening closest to you.
