101 Ideas for Holiday Family Fun in the Twin Cities - 2023
The activities we've listed here are confirmed for this year, but many require reserving ahead of time, and please keep in mind that events could be canceled... so click through to make arrangements. Enjoy the holidays!
If we're missing an activity that should be on our list, please email Mindy Mangan at mindy@kidsoutandabout.com. Please make sure to include a link to the event when you email. Thank you!
If you don't already receive our free weekly e-newsletter for the Twin Cities, sign up today to make sure you're in the know about free stuff, festivals, classes, camps, vacation ideas, and all the best events near you! In the meantime, enjoy the ideas below for holiday family fun in 2023!
Santa Sightings
Nov 16- Dec 31, 2023 | GLOW Holiday Festival - CHS Feild |
Nov 17 - Dec 24, 2023 | Visits with Santa - Northtown Mall Burlinton Court |
Nov 18 - Dec 17, 2023 | Santa & Albert's Holiday Play:Albert's Big Suprise - Bachman's |
Nov 18, 2023 | Photos with Santa & Mrs. Claus - Terra Garden Canter |
Nov 18 - Dec 24, 2023 | The Santa Experience - The Mall of America |
Nov 18, 2023 | Holiday Walk in the Woods - The Woods Gifts |
Nov 22, 2023 | Winter Lighting Ceremony with Santa & Mrs. Claus - Nicollet Commons Park |
Nov 22-Dec 24, 2023 | It's Santa Photo Time - Southdale Center |
Nov 24-Dec 31, 2023 | The Miracle at Bedrock - Big Rock Creek |
Nov 24 -26, 2024 | Wonka Holiday Lounge - North Garden |
Nov 24-26, Dec 2-3, 2023 | Santa Visits - Pinestead Tree Farm |
Dec 1-3, 7-10 2023 | North Pole Express - Friends of the 261 |
Dec 2 - 17, 2023 Saturdays & Sundays | Santa's Train Shop - Minnesota Transportation Museum |
Dec 2, 2023 | Santa Breakfast - Summit on the Park |
Dec 2, 2023 | Christmas in the Village- Village Arts Factory |
Dec 3, 2023 | Christmas Family Adventure - Oak Hill Church |
Dec 3, 2023 | Caring Santa - Southdale Center |
Dec 8, 2023 | Storytime with Mrs. Claus - Summit on the Park |
Dec 9 and 16, 2023 | Santa at the Lighthouse- Split Rock Lighthouse |
Dec 14, 2023 | Winter Wonderland - North Dale Recreation Center |
Dec 22, 2023 | Holiday Express- Phalen Recreation Center |
Old-Time Christmas
Nov 24-25, Dec 2-3, 2023 | A Holiday Flight- Charles Lindbergh House and Museum |
Nov 24 - Dec 17, 2023 | European Christmas Market - Union Depot |
Nov 25, 2023 | Julglädje (Christmas Joy) Concert - American Swedish Institute |
Dec 1-31, 2023 | Holidays on the Hill - Charles Lindberg House and Museum |
Dec 9, 2023 | Ham Lake Hometown Holiday - Crosstown Mall |
Light Displays
Nov 16- Dec 31, 2023 | Winter Lights 2023 - Minnesota Landscape Arboretum |
Nov 16- Dec 31, 2023 | Glow Holiday Festival - CHS Field |
Nov 17- Dec 31, 2023 | Magic of Lights - Viking Lakes |
Nov 18-26, 2023 | Bentleyville Tour of Lights Bayfront Park |
Nov 2023 - Jan 2024 | Sever's Holiday Lights - Shakopee |
Nov 24- Dec 31, 2023 | Miracle at Big Rock - Big Rock Creek |
Nov 24 - 26, 2023 | Lighting Festival - Taylors Falls |
Nov 25, 2023 | Holiday Tree Lighting - 50th & France |
Dec 2, 2023 | Tree Lighting & Movie Night - Union Depot |
Dec 2, 2023 | Anoka Tree Lighting Celebration - Historic Downtown Anoka |
Dec 9-31, 2023 | Holiday Lights Tour- Gray Line Minnesota |
Holiday Theatre
Nov 7, 2023 - Jan 7, 2024 | How the Grinch Stole Christmas - Children’s Theatre Company |
Nov 11 - Dec 30, 2023 | A Christmas Carol - Guthrie Theater |
Nov 24- Dec 3, 2023 | ‘Twas the Night Before… by Cirque du Soleil |
Nov 24, 2023 | Hip Hop Nutcracker presented by Tobin Entertainment |
Nov 30- Dec 2, 2023 | Nutcracker! Magical Christmas Ballet presented by Talmi Entertainment |
Dec 1-10, 2023 | Continental Ballet presents: The Nutcracker |
Dec 9-16, 2023 | Stevie Ray's Comedy Cabaret - Holiday Matinee- Chanhassen Dinner Theatres |
Dec 10 - 17, 2023 | Betty Jo’s Dance Center: The Nutcracker - Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center |
Dec 16-23, 2023 | Loyce Houlton’s Nutcracker Fantasy presented by Minnesota Dance Theatre |
Dec 18 - 20, 2023 | Celtic Holiday Hooley - Chanhassen Dinner Theatres |
Holiday Concerts
Nov 17 - Dec 23, 2023 | Winter Music Series - Oswald Visiitor Center |
Nov 24 - 27, 2023 | A Three Tenors Christmas - Chanhassen Dinner Theatres |
Nov 25-26, 2023 | Home Alone in Concert - Orchestra Hall |
Nov 26, 2023 | For KING + COUNTRY A Drummer Boy Christmas: The 2023 Tour Experience - Target Center |
Nov 29- Dec 3, 2023 | Rock & Roll Xmas Spectacular - Chanhassen Dinner Theatres |
Nov 30- Dec 2, 2023 | Festival of Christmas - Bethel University |
Dec 1-2, 2023 | Love and Joy Come to You- St. Olaf Christmas Festival |
Dec 2, 2023 | Snowed In- Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center |
Dec 3, 2023 | Reflections of Gratitude- St. Thomas Christmas |
Dec 4-23, 2023 | Holiday Music Festival- Mall of America |
Dec 5 - 14, 2023 | Honky Tonk Holiday - Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center |
Dec 8- 22, 2023 | Christmas with Cantus- multiple locations |
Dec 8-9, 2023 | Handel’s Messiah - Minnesota Orchestra |
Dec 8, 2023 | Kimberly Brown - Home for the Holidays- Heart of the City Music Factory |
Dec 9, 2023 | Minneapolis Christmas Concert featuring Micah Tyler - Gtace Church in Eden Prairie |
Dec 9, 2023 | A Very 3rd Elephant Christmas- Heart of the City Music Factory |
Dec 10, 2023 | Merry & Bright with Charles Lazarus - Orchestra Hall |
Dec 10, 2023 | Canadian Pacific Holiday Train - Union Depot |
Dec 15, 2023 | Mannheim Steamroller Christmas |
Dec 15-17, 2023 | Frozen In Concert- with the Minnesota Orchestra |
Dec 15, 2023 | An Evening of Christmas Carols - Heart of the City Music Factory |
Dec 30, 2023 | Trans-Siberian Orchestra:The Ghosts of Christmas Eve - Xcel Energy Center |
Christmas Tree Experience
Open Nov 15, 2023 (Reservations only) | Krueger's Christmas Trees - Lake Elmo |
Open Nov 17, 2023 | Hansen Tree Farm - Ramsey |
Opening Nov 18, 2023 | Jan's Christmas Tree Farm - Clear Lake |
Open Nov 18, 2023 | Cut Your Own Christmas Trees - Rum River Tree Farm |
Open Nov 18, 2023 | B & J Evergreen - Princeton |
Open Nov 18, 2023 | Pinestead Tree Farms - Isanti |
Hanukkah
Dec 3, 2023 | Hannukkah Celebration - Cook/Bellecoure St. Paul |
Dec 7, 2023 | Songs to Re-root and Remember: Hanukkah Edition |
Dec 7-15, 2023 | Chanukah 2023 - TTSP |
Dec 11, 2023 | Cocoa and Candles: JCRC Hanukkah Celebration- Black Forest Inn |
Shopping & Craft Fairs
Nov 4 - Dec 20, 2023 | AppleHouse Holiday Boutique - Minnesota Landscape Arboretum |
Nov 4- Dec 17, 2023 | Field and Festival Holiday Market - Wagner's Garden Center |
Nov 17- Dec 17, 2023 | Padzieski Art Gallery’s Holiday Market - Ford Community & Performing Arts Center |
Nov 18-19, 2023 | Holiday Art Fair- Mall of America |
Nov 24 - Dec 17, 2023 | European Christmas Market - Union Depot |
Nov 25, 2023 | Rosemount Christmas Craft & Gift Show 2023- Hope Fieldhouse |
Nov 30- Dec 1, 2023 | Old-Fashioned Holiday Bazaar - Landmark Center |
Dec 1 - 2, 2023 | Auxillary Holiday Sale - Minnesota Landscape Arboretum |
Dec 2-3, 2023 | Vintage Wonderland- Mall of America |
Dec 2 - 3, 2023 | Holiday Craft Fair - Roseville City Hall |
New Year's Eve
Dec 30, 2023 | Sparklerama: A New Year Celebration - Minnesota Children's Museum |
Dec 31, 2023 | New Year's Eve Party at Winter Lights |
Dec 31, 2023 | A Big Rock'n NYE - Miracle at Big Rock |
Dec 31, 2023 | Family New Year's Eve Party - Lebanon Hills Regional Park |
Dec 31, 2023 | A New Year’s Celebration with Søndergård, Rachmaninoff and Tchaikovsky - Orchestra Hall |
Dec 31, 2023 | New Year's Eve on Ice - |
Miscellaneous
Nov 24, 2023- Jan 7, 2024 | Gingerbread Wonderland - Norway House |
Starting Nov 29. 2023 | Minnesota Ice Castles - Long Lake Regional Park |
Dec 9, 2023 | Reindeer Run - Lake Harriet |
Dec 14, 2023 | Make Christmas Ornaments - Makery in Downtown State College |
Below are items that have been posted to our calendar. If you are affiliated with a business hosting a holiday event that should be on our calendar, we'd love to see it there... it's free to post! Click here for instructions about how to add your organization to our list and easily post your events to our calendar!