If you’re in Minneapolis–Saint Paul this week and wondering how to squeeze every last drop of holiday magic out of the cities, you’re in the right place.
Let’s start in Saint Paul, where Rice Park downtown has already been transformed into a twinkling winter wonderland with a 40-foot decorated tree and sparkling lights, according to Visit Saint Paul. The park stays lit all season, so listeners can bundle up, grab a cocoa from a nearby café, and take an evening stroll under the lights any night this week.
Just a short walk away, the European-inspired Christmas Market at Union Depot is in full swing on weekends through December, with handmade European crafts, local vendors, Glühwein, and European-style snacks, according to Union Depot and Visit Saint Paul. It’s a perfect stop for last-minute gifts and people-watching on the depot’s beautifully lit plaza. While you’re there, keep an eye on the historic train platforms, because this same spot will host the CPKC Holiday Train and a massive holiday bake sale later in the month, as Visit Saint Paul reports.
Art lovers should swing by Landmark Center in downtown Saint Paul, where the 47th Annual Holiday Bazaar runs through this weekend, featuring more than 70 regional artists and makers, live holiday music, and festive décor in one of the prettiest buildings in the city, according to Minnesota Monthly and the Star Tribune’s events listings.
Over on Summit Avenue, the Germanic-American Institute is hosting its Christmas in Germany weekend, with authentic German food, mulled wine, bratwurst, model trains, and a visit from St. Nikolaus, as detailed by the Germanic-American Institute and Family Fun Twin Cities. It’s a cozy, European-style holiday experience in one of Saint Paul’s grandest neighborhoods.
Families looking for lights and spectacle should head to CHS Field in Lowertown for the GLOW Holiday Festival, where more than a million lights, themed displays, and interactive scenes turn the ballpark into a walk-through holiday fantasy, according to Visit Saint Paul and the Mpls.St.Paul Magazine event calendar.
On the Minneapolis side, listeners can hop onto the Como–Harriet Streetcar Line for the Holly Trolley, where a historic trolley is decked out in lights and Santa rides along, followed by marshmallow roasting at the depot fire pit, as Family Fun Twin Cities describes. For something more urban, the Seward Frolic and Holiday Art Market brings art, music, and neighborhood charm to the historic Seward district with open studios and local vendors, according to Minnesota Monthly’s calendar.
If you’re craving performance and spectacle, Circus Juventas in Saint Paul is running its holiday show “Solstice,” a big-top production of acrobatics and storytelling designed for all ages, according to Visit Saint Paul and Family Fun Twin Cities. It’s a great evening option after a day of markets and lights.
Wherever you land in Minneapolis–Saint Paul this week, you’re never far from a market, a light display, or a cozy corner with music and mulled wine. Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss ideas on what to do around town. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
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