The biggest holiday light shows in Minnesota and Wisconsin

Give Me The Mike’s annual Minnesota Holiday Lights Guide offers more than 225 places to see Christmas light shows. While that guide mostly features residential displays, the roundup below compares 13 of the biggest non-residential holiday light displays around Minnesota and western Wisconsin to help you plan your family outing. While some of these displays charge admission, others are free to attend.

Let me know which ones you check out by commenting at the bottom of the page or sending me an email. I would love to hear which spots become tradition for your family. Happy holidays!

View more than 225 Christmas light displays on the
2025 Minnesota Holiday Lights Guide

2025 Big Holiday Light Shows Guide

1. Somerset, WI

Sam’s Christmas Village and Light Tour
710 Spring Street
Somerset, WI 54025

November 28, 2025 – January 1, 2026 (closed December 1-3, 8-10 & Christmas Eve)

5:00 – 9:00 pm Sunday – Thursday (must arrive by 8:00 pm), 5:00 – 10:00 pm Friday – Saturday (must arrive by 9:00 pm)

December 15 – 16 are drive-thru, all other nights are walk-thru

16 million+ lights

Drive-thru tickets: $15, free kids 3 and under

Walk-thru tickets: $25 adults, $20 kids ages 4-10, free kids 3 and under

Members of the military receive admission for $12 (bring your military ID)

$10 parking (cash only)

Includes on-site vendor market

WHO IT’S BEST FOR: Sam’s Christmas Village is for those who want to make looking at lights a full-evening holiday experience. You’re able to buy snacks, beverages, and you could find yourself in your own s’mores cabin complete with a bonfire and a visit from Santa.

2025 marks Sam’s seventh season.

Note that only December 15 – 16 are drive-thru nights at Sam’s Christmas Village. Personally, I feel that Sam’s is best as a walk-thru experience.

A note they charge $10 to park your car (cash only) if you go on a walk-thru night.

2. Shakopee

Sever’s Holiday Lights
3121 150th Street W
Shakopee, MN 55379

November 27 – December 25, 2025

Open 7 nights a week

You buy tickets for a specific time slot, starting on the hour between 5:00 – 8:00 pm

2.5 million lights

Tuesday (through December 16): $10 per vehicle (7 or less people), $25 for more than 8

Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday (through December 15): $30 per vehicle (7 or less people), $45 for more than 8

Friday – Saturday: $45 per vehicle (7 or less people), $60 for more than 8

December 18 – 25: $45 per vehicle (7 or less people), $60 for more than 8

Exclusively drive-thru display

WHO IT’S BEST FOR: Sever’s Holiday Lights is best if you’re looking for a drive-thru display closer to the cities. Located right off of Highway 169 in Shakopee, it looks impressive off the road. If you go on a Tuesday when it’s $10 for everyone in your car, this half-mile display is the best deal in the Twin Cities for a big Christmas lights show.

Instead of buying a ticket that you can use anytime, you buy tickets for a specific hour-long time slot.

The show features “new age” lights, so it’s bright.

Pro tip: you can go through the display as many times as you’d like.

3. St. Croix Falls, WI

Miracle at Big Rock
1674 State Highway 87
St. Croix Falls, WI 54024

November 28, 2025 – January 3, 2026

5:00 – 9:00 pm Monday – Thursday, 4:00 – 10:00 pm Friday – Saturday, 4:00 – 9:00 pm Sunday

Drive-thru Monday – Tuesday nights. All other nights are walk-thru

25 million lights

Drive-thru tickets: $17 per person, $15 seniors & Veterans, kids 2 and under free

Walk-thru tickets on Wednesday, Thursday & Sunday: $22 adults ($24 at the gate), $17 seniors & Veterans, $17 ages 3-12, free ages 2 and under

Walk-thru tickets on Friday: $27 adults ($29 at the gate), $17 seniors & Veterans, $17 ages 3-12, free ages 2 and under

Free parking

Enjoy Christmas in the Country at Miracle at Big Rock. Featuring a mile-long light show, craft cocktails, food trucks, sledding, train/wagon rides, vendors, private rentals, roaming characters, live music, Friday Fireworks, Christmas Boutique, reindeer, and more!

Private rentals and Cookies with Santa are also available!

WHO IT’S BEST FOR: Miracle at Big Rock is like walking onto a Hallmark movie set. It’s great for a date night since it’s so spread out and picturesque. They also have a bar. Spiked hot chocolate, anyone?

Go on a Friday night at 8:30 pm and you’ll see a spectacular fireworks show. They also shoot off fireworks on New Year’s Eve.

Don’t miss the vendor market on the upper level of the barn. It’s inside and you can shop for holiday gifts from a curated list of small businesses.

4. Waconia

The Spirit of Winter: Festival of Lights
The Winery at Sovereign Estate
9950 North Shore Road
Waconia, MN 55387

November 21 – December 31, 2025

4:00 – 8:00 pm Wednesday – Thursday, 4:00 – 9:00 pm Friday – Saturday, 4:00 – 8:00 pm Sunday (also open December 22 – 23 from 4:00 – 8:00 pm)

Closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve & Christmas Day

New ticket model for 2025: $25 admission per car or $100 for large buses/limos

1 million lights

WHO IT’S BEST FOR: The Winery at Sovereign Estate is a good option for those who live in the west metro, as many of these other displays are in St. Paul or Wisconsin. If you enjoy Minnesota wine, it’s a great choice since you’re looking at holiday lights at a vineyard!

The property sits on 20 acres of lakeshore property.

Although they don’t match the big number of lights as other displays, The Spirit of Winter is one of the more affordable options. In 2024, they charged $15 per person, and now in 2025, they are charging $25 per vehicle, so your group of 5 would pay just $5 per person to get in. Make sure to carpool!

On Wednesdays, admission is even cheaper: $15 for vehicles and $50 for buses and limos.

5. Duluth

Bentleyville Tour of Lights
700 Railroad Street
Duluth, MN 55802

November 22 – December 27, 2025

5:00 – 9:00 pm Sunday – Thursday, 5:00 – 10:00 pm Friday – Saturday

5 million lights

**Free**

Parking is $10 per vehicle Sunday – Thursday, $15 per vehicle Friday – Saturday

WHO IT’S BEST FOR: Bentleyville is for the rugged families who don’t mind whatever weather Duluth has coming its way.

It’s a spectacle. I went in 2020 when it was a drive-thru format and was definitely impressed. No matter where you looked, there was light. Get there right when they open at 5:00 pm as they turn on all 5 million lights. You won’t be disappointed.

However, it’s busy. Like, really busy. The line to get in stretched for blocks on the Saturday night I showed up. Bentleyville is now a walk-thru only display, and you’ll pay $10 – 15 to park your car. But as they say, “pack your patience” when you arrive. If you want to avoid crowds, organizers suggest going later on Friday and Saturday nights. Their website has a “crowd-o-meter” so you can see which nights will be the least busy.

6. Gaylord

Meet Me Under the Mistletoe
640 3rd Street
Gaylord, MN 55334

November 29, 2025 – January 15, 2026

5:00 – 10:00 pm 7 nights a week

1 million lights

Drive-thru and walk-thru

**Free**

November 29: Kick Off event starting at 4:00 pm with food trucks, Minnesota Hotdish Competition, Holiday Spruce Top Bingo, Santa Visits, Smore station, live caroling/music, Trolley Rides, Fire Pits, Bake sale, Bluey and Paw Patrol kid Photo op, face painting, painting for kids, living Nativity and much more!

Collecting donations for Sibley County FoodShare

7. Baxter

Sertoma Winter Wonderland
14250 Conservation Drive
Baxter, MN 56425

November 27 – December 31, 2025

Thursday – Saturday from 5:30 – 8:00 pm (also open every night between December 24 – 31)

80+ displays

Tickets: $15 per vehicle in advance, $20 at the gate (cash or check only)

8. St. Paul

GLOW Holiday Festival
CHS Field
360 N Broadway Street
St. Paul, MN 55101

November 20, 2025 – January 4, 2026

Thursday – Sunday, then daily starting December 18 (closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day & New Year’s Day)

You buy tickets for a specific time slot, done on the hour between 5:00 – 8:00 pm

1 million+ lights

Tickets: $21.75 adults, $12.75 kids 3 – 12, free children 2 and under

GLOW is at CHS Field in Lowertown St. Paul, the ballpark home to the St. Paul Saints

9. Mankato

Kiwanis Holiday Lights
Sibley Park
900 Mound Avenue
Mankato, MN 56001

November 28 – December 31, 2025

5:00 – 9:00 pm Sunday – Thursday, 5:00 – 10:00 pm Friday – Saturday

1.8 million lights

Collecting cash and non-perishable food donations

Drive-thru or walk-thru display

**Free**

10. La Crosse, WI

Rotary Lights
410 E Veterans Memorial Blvd
La Crosse, WI 54601

November 28 – December 31, 2025

5:00 – 10:00 pm 7 nights a week (open until 9:00 pm Christmas Eve & Christmas Day, open until 11:00 pm New Year’s Eve)

3 million+ lights

Drive-thru or walk-thru display

**Free**

11. Willmar

Celebrate the Light of the World
Robbins Island Regional Park
333 6th Street SW
Willmar, MN 56201

November 27 – December 31, 2025

5:00 – 10:00 pm 7 nights a week

1.5 million lights

Drive-thru display

**Free**

All donations are shared between 4 local organizations: Kandiyohi County Food Shelf, Habitat for Humanity of West Central Minnesota, United Way of West Central Minnesota, and the Salvation Army of Willmar