Three light displays you need to visit!

I’m not sure about you, but I love a good lights display during this time of year! Not much else makes you feel festive and is an enjoyable activity for family members of all ages and mobility levels. It’s also, a great activity whether it’s beautiful weather or absolutely freezing. Here are three light displays that we enjoy when it’s just a normal night or a special event at the display. Pick one, two, or all of them to visit this Christmas season!

**Kiwanis Holiday Lights- This light show is amazing as they transform Sibley Park in Mankato, Minnesota into a winter wonderland of stunning lights. It’s a free event that accepts donations of cash for non-profit organizations that help with the event or non-perishable canned goods for local food shelves. When you visit, you have the choice of walking, driving, or a mix of both walking and driving through the event. Depending on the weather, we have done all three options. Besides the beautiful lights, there is a skating rink available, Santa on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, a warming house with a concession stand, and reindeer. We usually grab some hot cocoa and take a stroll through the lights and to see the reindeer. All areas of the lights display are both stroller and handicap-accessible, which I love! Weekends are much busier than week days. This is definitely a spot you want to visit this winter season.

Address is: Sibley Park, 900 Mound Avenue, Mankato, MN 56001

Dates open are: November 24th-December 31st, 2023

Sundays-Thursdays: 5-9pm

Fridays & Saturdays: 5-10pm

**Sleepy Eye Holiday Lights in Motion- Another wonderful light display that is free to the public! They do accept donations. We love attending this event because it is not as crowded as Kiwanis Holiday Lights. The kids always get excited when they can see the lights dancing across the lake, as we drive across town. Often, we are able to finish driving through the display and just get right back in line to go through again. Our kids love to drive through and enjoy the lights four or five times. Lights are programmed to fun songs and there are lots of things to look at. If you want to get out of your car, there are spots to walk around, photo opportunities, and they even sometimes have a live nativity. Seeing the live nativity is such a fun way to show the real story of why Christmas exists! Certain nights (December 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23, 29, 30) are special event nights from 5:40-7:30. These nights have free tractor or hay wagon rides around the display and free concessions. This is another light display that your family won’t want to miss!

Located at: Sportsman’s Park on the North Shore of Sleepy Eye Lake

1000 3rd Ave. NW

Sleepy Eye, MN 56085

Open Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day

Hours: 4:30-10:00 on weekdays and 4:30-11:00 on weekends

**Winter Lights at Minnesota Landscape Arboretum- Slightly different than the two other lights displays shared, this is a beautiful one mile self-guided winter lights display. Not only are you in a beautiful nature setting, but the lights are pretty and unique to the arboretum. For example, they have a Weeping Willow made of lights. They have s’mores kits available for sale with fire pits. If it’s chilly, you can head inside to their main building to see their huge poinsettia tree that always makes for a fun family picture. Most weekends, there are performers. The whole atmosphere of the arboretum in November and December is sure to bring you joy as you enjoy this event.

Admission: $10 for members, $25 for non-members, free for ages 15 and under. Some theme nights do require an extra charge for those 15 and under.

Located at: Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, 3675 Arboretum Drive, Chaska, MN 55318

Open November 16th through December 31st