Bentleyville USA has become a holiday tradition at Bayfront Festival Park along Duluth’s harborfront.
…
For the past several years, Duluth at the holidays has been defined by the state’s biggest display of Christmas lights – and one of the largest in the country.
…
There’s just something about Christmas in Duluth, Minnesota that hits different than it does in other places. The city already celebrates big, but ahead of this year’s December release of Rescuing Christmas – the second Hallmark Christmas movie filmed in Duluth in as many years (Merry Kiss Cam was released last Thanksgiving) – the holiday seems like a bigger deal than ever in The Christmas City of the North.
…
The dazzling, walk-thru display of millions of lights (literally!) is absolutely free. (There is a cost for on-site parking, though)
As beloved as Bentleyville is, it’s the annual Christmas City of the North Parade that has been bringing folks together to celebrate the holidays in Duluth for decades.
It’s the biggest public celebration in the Northland, and every year, thousands of folks line Superior Street to see the floats and bands and marchers and, of course, Santa.
The North Shore Scenic Railroad, perhaps Minnesota’s most beloved rail line, gets in on the action, as well. Its beloved Christmas City Express excursions run throughout the holiday season. And it even offers a Bentleyville Shuttle on Saturdays to get you to the light show in style.
North Shore Scenic Railroad, West Michigan Street, Duluth, MN, USA
Here in Minnesota, there are many ways to celebrate the holiday season. Santa visits, Christmas carols, and twinkling lights make the season magical. In 2020, many favorite events are canceled in light of COVID-19 restrictions. But other fun attractions have sprouted up all across the state that allow safe social distancing. Among the most popular events are drive-thru lights shows. You can find them at Duluth’s Bentleyville USA; Glow at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds; Christmas In Color at ValleyFair; Sovereign Estate Wine drive thru in Waconia; Winter Lights at the Minnesota Arboretum. And to add another light show to your list: Severs Holiday Lights in Shakpoee, Minnesota, home to a 1/2-mile drive-thru light show that you will love.! Here’s what you need to know:
Bentleyville Tour of Lights opened at the Bayfront Festival Park! This year is a drive thru experience and the cost is $10 per car. Although it’s different this year we are thankful for the hard work that was put into it to bring some joy this season. Visit thru Sunday December 27th: Open 5-9pm Monday thru Thursday and 5-10pm Friday thru Sunday.
This dazzling light show is a 1/2-mile path through enchanting lights synchronized to music. Simply turn on the radio and enjoy the colorful dance of 1.2 million lights!
The event goes from November 26, 2020, to January 3, 2021. It’s open 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Tickets are required to enter the event. It’s $7 per person, or a maximum of $25 per car. It takes around 40 minutes to go through the event, and cars with tickets can go through as many times as they’d like!
Thursday through Sunday, there are concessions available for purchase at Sever’s Holiday Lights. Munch on mini donuts or popcorn and wash it down with apple cider or hot cocoa as you enjoy this dazzling holiday event!
…
For more information about Sever’s Holiday Lights, including tickets, hours, and more, visit their website.
And if you’re looking for another great light show, check out Nature Illuminated at the Minnesota Zoo. It’s not holiday-themed, but it’s absolutely delightful!
The season of drive-thru Christmas lights has begun! We participated in our first of the year at @sovereignestatewine in #waconiamn. And with so many options this year, here are my thoughts on this one.
When we originally bought our tickets, this was not a drive-thru event. In fact, visiting this vineyard for their light display is one of our very favorite early winter activities. We bundle up, walk the grounds, ooh and ahh over the lights, play in the snow, and end with a hot chocolate on their heated patio.
We knew this year would be different, but still hoped to get out on foot in a winter wonderland of lights. But the governor’s orders came through this week, and @sovereignestatewine quickly pivoted to a drive-thru so as not to cancel the event. Was it as charming as previous years? No. Did the kids still love it? Yes. Lots of squeals came from the car seats. Was it worth the money? Depends. Our family cost about $25. The experience only took about 15-minutes. We did receive a $5 voucher toward wine, which we gladly used to try a new bottle of wine. We are writing this one off as supporting a business we really enjoy visiting. We also have spent almost nothing on activities this year because of so had room in our budget. But I realize that’s not true for everyone.
All of this to say please consider visiting in a future year if you don’t head out this year!
…
And if you’re looking for another great light show, check out Nature Illuminated at the Minnesota Zoo. It’s not holiday-themed, but it’s absolutely delightful!
