Last updated: November 11, 2024
Celebrate the holidays in Winona with our comprehensive guide. From Winona natives to holiday tourists, this guide ensures you enjoy the festive spirit.
Popular events include the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train, which rolls into town adorned with brilliant lights and festive cheer, bringing community members together for a memorable evening. Light Up Lake City dazzles with its impressive holiday displays that transform the area into a winter wonderland. And the Murder by the Book event promises an intriguing twist to your holiday activities, combining mystery and fun for a unique experience. See more details on these and other fun events and activities below!
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Winona Holiday Light Displays
Light Up Lake City
- What to Expect
- Spectacular giant balloons and light displays.
- Description
- Light Up Lake City is a 2-day holiday festival featuring giant balloons, an amazing light show, live music, holiday displays, and family activities around Bright Lake at Old Settlers Park.
- Where
- Lake City | More Info : Light Up Lake City
Winona Holiday Markets and Shopping
Outdoor Holiday Market
- What to Expect
- Recreates European outdoor Christmas market tradition with local artisans and Italian market foods.
- Description
- Villa Bellezza's Outdoor Christmas Market transforms the piazza into a beautiful, lighted market where guests can shop local artisans and retailers for the holiday season. The market features a variety of seasonal items, including freshly baked artisan breads, holiday greens, jewelry, and more. Italian market foods, such as pizza by the slice and hot sandwiches, are available at Tavola Calda in the Great Hall.
- Where
- Wabasha | More Info : Outdoor Holiday Market
Winona Holiday Shows and Entertainment
Canadian Pacific Holiday Train
- What to Expect
- Live musical performances on a decorated train.
- Description
- The Canadian Pacific Holiday Train is a festive event featuring live musical performances by artists like The Lone Bellow and Tiera Kennedy. The train, decorated with hundreds of thousands of LEDs, stops in 20 Minnesota towns, raising donations for local food banks and spreading holiday cheer.
- Where
- Winona | More Info : Canadian Pacific Holiday Train
Murder by the Book
- What to Expect
- Quirky volunteer actors solve a real murder to save their library.
- Description
- In the town of Two Spruce, a beloved library is in financial trouble. A team of quirky volunteer actors stage a murder mystery to save it, but their theatrical aspirations are threatened by a real murder most foul. Lucy, the librarian, and her team scramble to solve the crime before the curtain rises and the library is lost forever.
- Where
- Winona | More Info : Murder by the Book
A Christmas Carol, The Musical
- What to Expect
- New adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic with a focus on redemption.
- Description
- Charles Dickens' holiday classic returns to the Geva stage in a new adaptation by Playwright in Residence Harrison David Rivers. Over the course of a single night, notorious grump Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by four ghosts. But will their intervention prompt him to change his “humbug” ways? Filled with humor, heart, hope – and a little bit of horror – *A Christmas Carol* reminds us that it is never too late to have a change of heart.
- Where
- Rochester | More Info : A Christmas Carol, The Musical
Canadian Pacific Holiday Train
- What to Expect
- A festive train decorated with thousands of lights, featuring live music performances.
- Description
- The Canadian Pacific Holiday Train brings a vibrant display of lights and music to the community. Families gather to see the beautifully decorated train and enjoy live musical performances. This celebration fosters a sense of togetherness and holiday spirit among attendees while raising awareness for local food banks.
- Where
- Wabasha | More Info : Canadian Pacific Holiday Train