Last updated: November 11, 2024
Plan your festive fun in Coon Rapids with our comprehensive event guide. Whether you're deeply rooted in Coon Rapids or just branching out, this guide will light up your holidays.
One event to check out is the GLOW Holiday Festival, where vibrant light displays and winter activities transform the park into a magical wonderland. If you're looking for a taste of European charm, the European Christmas Market offers an array of artisan goods and seasonal treats. And the Cathedral Christmas Festival is something you definitely don't want to miss, featuring beautiful music and stunning decorations. See more details on these and other fun events and activities below!
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Coon Rapids Holiday Light Displays
GLOW Holiday Festival
- What to Expect
- Unique holiday event with a zip line and boutique shopping.
- Description
- GLOW Holiday Festival at CHS Field in St. Paul, MN, features over a million lights, new exhibits, a zip line, and a boutique shopping experience with local holiday vendors.
- Where
- St. Paul | More Info : GLOW Holiday Festival
Figure Skating Exhibition and Santa Visit
- What to Expect
- Community celebration with Santa visits and live music.
- Description
- Join the Coon Rapids Community Tree Lighting Festival at Boulevard Plaza for a community celebration featuring cocoa, cookies, Santa visits, live music, and fire pits to keep you warm. Enjoy fun activities for kids and a twinkling light display with fireworks.
- Where
- Coon Rapids | More Info : Figure Skating Exhibition and Santa Visit
Coon Rapids Holiday Markets and Shopping
European Christmas Market
- What to Expect
- Authentic traditional holiday market with handmade crafts and European delicacies.
- Description
- The European Christmas Market in St. Paul offers a unique shopping experience with over 70 vendors selling handmade European crafts and unique gifts. Enjoy live entertainment, European-style food, and kids' craft activities.
- Where
- St. Paul | More Info : European Christmas Market
Cathedral Christmas Festival
- What to Expect
- European-styled outdoor Christmas Market with live music and food.
- Description
- The Cathedral Christmas Festival is an outdoor European-styled Christmas Market in the Cathedral Courtyard, featuring a variety of warm food, hot cocoa, Glühwein, beer, unique gifts, fire pits, and a warming tent. The event includes a silent auction, raffle, and roaming entertainment. Food trucks from Dayton Avenue offer a range of options. The festival also hosts concerts by multi-platinum recording artist Steven C and a choral concert by University of Mary and local high school choirs.
- Where
- St. Paul | More Info : Cathedral Christmas Festival
Landmark Center Old Fashioned Holiday Bazaar
- What to Expect
- Unique handcrafted gifts by local artists.
- Description
- The 46th Annual Landmark Center Holiday Bazaar features handcrafted gift items by 80 local artists, including jewelry, woodwork, paintings, and more. Enjoy festive music and delicious treats in a beautiful, classic venue.
- Where
- St. Paul | More Info : Landmark Center Old Fashioned Holiday Bazaar
Coon Rapids Holiday Shows and Entertainment
A Hygge Holiday
- What to Expect
- High-flying acrobatics and dazzling artistry in a holiday setting.
- Description
- A Hygge Holiday by Circus Juventas is an annual holiday performance celebrating the season with advanced circus performers. The show transports audiences to a cozy cabin in the woods, featuring mischievous mice, contorting cardinals, and a high-flying Christmas morning celebration.
- Where
- St. Paul | More Info : A Hygge Holiday
Pentatonix: The Most Wonderful Tour of the Year
- What to Expect
- Acclaimed vocal quintet performing holiday hits and new tracks.
- Description
- Pentatonix brings their signature a cappella sound to the Xcel Energy Center with their 2023 North American Christmas tour, featuring a new holiday album and a mix of classic and original holiday songs.
- Where
- St. Paul | More Info : Pentatonix: The Most Wonderful Tour of the Year
The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Corelli’s “Christmas” Concerto
- What to Expect
- Baroque concerto with a Christmas-themed finale.
- Description
- The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra presents Corelli’s “Christmas” Concerto, featuring Arcangelo Corelli’s Concerto Grosso, Opus 6, No. 8. This Baroque masterpiece showcases Corelli’s innovative concerto grosso style, with a Christmas-themed finale evoking the rural setting of Jesus’ birth. The concert also includes works by other renowned composers, highlighting the musical diversity of the SPCO.
- Where
- St. Paul | More Info : The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, Corelli’s “Christmas” Concerto
Christmas Festival Concert, Christmas Together with Steven C.
- What to Expect
- European-style outdoor Christmas festival with live music and festive activities.
- Description
- Join the Cathedral Christmas Festival for an European-style outdoor celebration featuring arts and crafts vendors, Glühwein, cocoa, beer, food trucks, costumed carolers, and a frame-worthy backdrop for family and friends group photos. Enjoy games, fire pits, a warming tent, and music, with a chance to win fabulous prizes in the raffle. Cap off your visit with the gorgeously lit Cathedral and the 8th Christmas Together with Steven C. concert.
- Where
- St. Paul | More Info : Christmas Festival Concert, Christmas Together with Steven C.
The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra Holiday Concerts: Handel’s “Messiah”
- What to Expect
- Classical music's most beloved tradition featuring renowned vocal soloists and ensembles.
- Description
- The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra presents George Frideric Handel's "Messiah," featuring an all-star roster of vocal soloists and the renowned vocal ensemble The Singers. This annual holiday tradition showcases classical music's most treasured works in a festive and musical experience for the whole family.
- Where
- St. Paul | More Info : The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra Holiday Concerts: Handel’s “Messiah”
Coon Rapids Other Holiday Activities
Holidays on the Hill Tours
- What to Expect
- Holiday-themed tours of a Gilded Age mansion.
- Description
- Explore the James J. Hill House during the holiday season, featuring holiday-themed exhibits and guided tours highlighting stories and memories of the Hill family and their staff.
- Where
- St. Paul | More Info : Holidays on the Hill Tours