by doitinnorth | Dec 5, 2021 | events/locations, evergreen
Join us for a
CSE Premiere Party
Friday, Dec. 10th, 2021, 5-6:30 p.m.
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Join the University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering (CSE) and Tesla Works for three dazzling light shows designed by science and engineering students. The high-tech light show features more than 250,000 LED lights set to music written and recorded by University of Minnesota students. And special thanks to Banner Engineering for sponsoring the show!
Now in its 10th year, the show has become a campus winter tradition. Lights will surround the semi-circular Civil Engineering Courtyard and will be synchronized to music for a 360-degree sensory outdoor experience. Features include a giant 22-foot lighted tree, two 8-foot 3D snowman signs, 8-foot lighted arches, a 5-foot-by-12-foot lighted pixelated changeable sign, a 6-foot circular light structure, 10 two-foot lighted snowflakes, and several lighted trees. The students estimate that the show includes more than five miles of lights and extension cords. The light show is presented by the University of Minnesota Tesla Works student group. The show features the technical and creative skills of University of Minnesota science and engineering students and their ability to have fun on campus—even in the winter. Share your photos on social media using #cselightshow.
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doitinnorth shop/share

The North Face Retro TNF Pom Beanie, Vanadis Grey/TNF
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Thursday, Dec. 9th, Friday, Dec. 10th, Saturday, Dec. 11th
Shows are at 5:30, 6 and 6:30 p.m. on the Civil Engineering Building Courtyard, 500 Pillsbury Dr. S.E., Minneapolis.
Each show will last about 20 minutes. All events are free and open to the public. No tickets or reservations required.
by doitinnorth | Nov 28, 2021 | evergreen, shop/share
The European Christmas Market in St. Paul is the most authentic traditional holiday market of its kind in Minnesota, offering a unique shopping experience, family-friendly entertainment & intercultural activities. It is an admission-free public event based on the festive open-air Christkindl Markets that spring up in Germany, Austria, and other European countries during the Advent season.
When: Friday-Sunday until Sunday, December 19, 2021
Friday Hours: 4 PM – 9 PM
Saturday Hours: 10 AM – 8 PM
Sunday Hours: 11 AM – 6 PM
Where: Union Depot at 240 East Kellogg Blvd. St Paul, MN 55101

Shop for handmade European crafts or unique gifts from local vendors, drink Glühwein (spiced mulled wine), and taste European inspired delicacies during four weekends in November and December.

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About The Market
The idea was born in 2011 and the first Market took place in December 2014.
The tradition of the Christmas Market dates back centuries and over the recent decades has transcended European borders to be embraced in different parts of the world. Our mission was to bring this great tradition to St. Paul for all Minnesotans to experience. We’ve grown over the last few years from a 3-day event with twelve kiosks to a 12-day event with nearly 50 kiosks and over 65,000 visitors.
We look forward to continuing this centuries-old tradition and supporting local artisans and vendors. The Market is fast becoming a St. Paul tradition.
The Market offers visitors unique and handcrafted items:
- Christmas ornaments
- nutcrackers
- beeswax candles
- decorative glass
- wool mittens and scarves
- jewelry, and more
You’ll experience the enticing aromas of Glühwein, roasted nuts, sizzling sausages, and other mouthwatering treats.
European Christmas Market provides a cultural event that will entertain the whole family and familiarize them with 500-year-old world traditions and culture.
The event creates an ambiance and celebration—to bring light to the dark of winter and add to the goodwill of the Christmas spirit. True to tradition, the event will be open to all and free of charge.
European Christmas Market’s Mission
- To foster and revive European arts and Europe’s shared cultural heritage
- Revive European cultural traditions in the United States
- Support local artists, artisanal products, and small businesses
- To educate the public about Europe’s culture and make it accessible, particularly via an authentic, charming, family-friendly holiday event in St. Paul, Minnesota, replicating the European seasonal Christmas markets that spring up each year before Christmas throughout Europe
by doitinnorth | Nov 28, 2021 | events/locations, evergreen
GLOW is shining bright now – Jan. 2, 2022
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We look forward to seeing you at GLOW this holiday season!
Stroll through over a million lights, sElfie Plaza, three-story ice palace, bike-powered tree, State Fair Food Court, Sky Glider rides and so much more!
Sip on Kowalski’s Hot Coco, ride the Home Depot slide, or prance around Santa Land this holiday season at the Glow Holiday Festival. With plenty of wintry attractions to see (Hello Glow Palace and Tinsel Tower), there’s fun for the whole family at Glow Fest.
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by doitinnorth | Nov 21, 2021 | events/locations, evergreen
Installation has begun! You can look forward to scenes like this again soon. Wintertime in Stillwater will yet again be lined with twinkling lights throughout the downtown district as of Friday, November 26th! It’s all free for you! Enjoy shopping by day and dinner, then a stroll through the lights by night.
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Discover the historic riverfront district glimmering with charm and full of festivities through March. Stillwater, Minnesota has always been a serene and romantic winter season destination but
last year the town really pulled together to create a winter wonderland with new decorations and attractions, so for 2022 they are planning to build on that new tradition with even more. We’ve lit up our historic district! The tops of our historic buildings are lined with twinkle so get ready for all the lights to glow when the historic lift bridge lights turn on and Chestnut Street’s
LED light show set to music begins for nightly entertainment. In 2022, you can look forward to the first annual
World Snow Sculpting Championship January 18-23!

Mainstreet Stillwater MN
Main Street rooflines will be outlined in white lights and street lamp posts donned with blue snowflakes.The historic lift bridge will be light up on both sides and the riverwalk will have decorated street lamps, too!
For the Christmas and Hanukkah holiday season, local merchants are thrilled to welcome you with many gift ideas during Black Friday and Shop Small Saturday, November 26-27th. Did you know that all 50+ shops in the historic downtown district of Stillwater are locally owned?
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mn curated

Minnesota Homesick Scented Candle: Take a deep breath of winter air with scents of the North Star State Notes of baked apple strudel and maple mix with peppermint. Top Notes: Apple, Maple, Clove; Mid Notes: Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Peppermint; Base Notes: Vanilla, Sugar, Tonka Bean. All natural soy wax blend. Hand poured in the USA.
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Head to Stillwater, MN if you prefer a charming nostalgic holiday shopping and dining experience during “Hometown for the Holidays” month-long celebration full of events. From caroling tours on the Biercycle to horse-drawn wagonette rides to an Elf takeover and a Twinkle Party, downtown Stillwater is all lit up for you to enjoy the season of giving.
Reuniting with friends and family? Book a stay so you can walk to the shops and restaurants right from your hotel! A special event open container ordinance has been allowed for Lowell Park (riverfront grassy area) area only, so feel free to enjoy your hot toddy to-go. Haven’t been to Stillwater in a while, see what’s new.
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Missed viewing last year…
by doitinnorth | Nov 14, 2021 | events/locations, evergreen
Come see America’s largest FREE walk-through lighting display.
Bentleyville has free admission for all guests, as well as free hot cocoa & coffee, free cookies, free freshly popped popcorn, free marshmallows to roast, and free visits with Santa & Mrs. Claus! There is a charge of $10 per vehicle to park in the Bentleyville lots. Guests are encouraged to bring a nonperishable food item or new unwrapped toy to donate to the Salvation Army for those in need.
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Address: 704 W Railroad St, Duluth, MN 55802
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About
In 2001, Nathan Bentley first started decorating his home in Esko, MN for the Christmas season. For the next two years he continually added more lights to create a larger holiday light display; his home quickly became known as the “House with all of the lights in Esko.” In 2003 Nathan changed his light display from a “drive by” to a “walkthrough” with Santa Claus visiting on weekends.
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Since Nathan was going overboard a friend sarcastically started to call it Bentleyville (referencing Dr. Seuss’s town of Whoville). The name caught on with visitors and in 2003 “Bentleyville Tour of Lights” was born.
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During the summer of 2004, Nathan and his family moved from Esko, MN to rural Cloquet, MN to a larger home for their 4 children. With the new name of “Bentleyville” came a whole new vision for Nathan. To entice people to drive out into the country a larger and grander Christmas light display was being built. A 78’ x 24’ high entrance castle made of 45,000 lights was built to greet visitors. Over 500 illuminated snowflakes hung from trees on his wooded property. Dozens of light displays were created and new ones added each year. Live entertainment was added featuring area school groups and community musicians. Fire pits were added for people to gather around and roast marshmallows. Santa Claus was now a permanent guest every night at Bentleyville visiting with children and handing out a free winter hat and bag of cookies to all the young children visiting with Santa.
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A “Cookie House” was built offering free cookies, coffee and apple cider to everyone visiting Bentleyville. All the walking paths were paved allowing it to be fully handicapped accessible. A Popcorn building was built to hand out free popcorn to the people as they strolled through the light show. A food and toy drive was started to collect items for the Salvation Army in Carlton County.
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mn made

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As the popularity of Bentleyville grew quickly so did traffic problems with the very limited parking available on a dead end country dirt road. The neighbors soon began to express their concerns that something needed to be done about the increased traffic congestion. After just two years and an estimated 35,000 people visiting, Nathan decided the only way to solve the traffic concerns was to build parking lots in nearby horse fields owned by area neighbors. Visitors would be bussed in by hiring nine 72 passenger school busses to transport visitors from two parking fields to the entrance of Bentleyville. After just 5 years of hosting Bentleyville at his residences and transporting over 72,000 people by school bus, in 2008 Nathan thought it was a good time to take a year off and reevaluate how everything was working.
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In the fall of 2008 Nathan received a phone call from Duluth City Mayor Don Ness’s Office inviting him to a meeting to discuss an invitation to host Bentleyville Tour of Lights at Bayfront Festival Park in Duluth, MN. Nathan thought the new location would be a good fit for Bentleyville and accepted the one year trial invitation.
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For the next year planning for the large undertaking of moving Bentleyville to a venue 4 times the size of his residence was underway. Nathan selected a Board of Directors, formed a 501c3 non profit organization, and asked his original Bentleyville team of 25 people to help organize and plan for a Christmas light show in need of over 600 volunteers over 37 days, taking over 10 weeks to set up the massive light show in Bayfront Festival Park.
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The excitement of Bentleyville moving to Bayfront Park grew and so did the support of area businesses that wanted the light show in Duluth in hopes of drawing people downtown in the cold and snowy months of November and December. On Friday November 27, 2009 Bentleyville Tour of Lights turned on its millions of lights to thousands of onlookers for the first time at Bayfront Park in downtown Duluth. Over 150,000 people visited Bentleyville enjoying the sounds and lights of Christmas.
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On January 8, 2010 Bentleyville announced that it had made a commitment to return to Bayfront Park for at least the next 3 years.
Bentleyville expanded in those 3 years with new displays adding the 128’ animated tree as the center piece of Bentleyville in 2010. In 2011 fresh displays were added like Dino Land, a small gift shop was built in the Family Center, additional lighted tunnels were added, heaters were incorporated into the Santa line, a new home was built for Mrs. Claus and management of the parking lots was turned over to Bentleyville Tour of Lights. In 2012 Santa Claus sky dived into Bentleyville on opening night, Thomas the Tank Engine became a welcome new display, attendance surpassed 206,00 people for the season with over 15,000 friends on Facebook.
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In December 2012 Bentleyville announced it had an agreement with the City of Duluth to continue to bring America’s largest FREE lighting display to Bayfront Park through 2015. Each year adding new light displays and a fresh new look encouraging people of all ages to come visit again and again. 2013 marked the 10th Anniversary of Bentleyville Tour of Lights.
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Stay In Duluth
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South Pier Inn: Make your plans today to experience this festive holiday tradition on the shores of the world’s Greatest Lake!
To celebrate, we are pleased to offer a special weeknight (Sunday-Thursday) discount of 20% off, when you stay two or more nights!
Just use promo code BTLY21 when booking online, or mention the ‘Bentleyville Special’ if booking over the phone.
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Lake Superior Marine Museum: Gales of November – Duluth, MN
by doitinnorth | Oct 1, 2021 | evergreen, people/passions