Holidazzle will return to Nicollet Mall in 2024

Holidazzle will make its return to downtown Minneapolis this December, bringing a jolt of Christmas cheer to a struggling part of the city, though the traditional nighttime parade will not be part of the festivities.

For the first time in 10 years, the holiday classic will be held at Nicollet Mall, from 6th Street to Peavey Plaza. It was previously held at Loring Park. The event heads back to the heart of downtown Minneapolis at a time when the city’s core is still struggling to redefine itself after the pandemic and subsequent retail losses.

“I’m excited to have it back down here,” said Adam Duininck, president and CEO of the Minneapolis Downtown Council, which runs the event. “I think people are going to be blown away by what they see.”

Duininck said the traditional parade, with its floats festooned with twinkling lights, was ditched for a couple of reasons.

“Parades are both expensive and costly, and we’ve gotten strong feedback from the community to have more of a festival that’s interactive,” Duininck said. “People can kind of walk up and down Nicollet and experience it for themselves.”

What Holidazzle will have is lights, art, shops, vendors, entertainment stages, music and Santa, among other things that are in the works.

“We’re looking into having fire pits, some fair-style rides, which we used to do in Loring Park ... interactive light shows,” Duininck said. “We’re still working on pulling all this together.”

Holidazzle will “double down” on being family-friendly, and there will be more of a focus on being a festival and marketplace.

An ice skating rink may also be absent this year.

“It’s a challenge logistically to do it on the mall,” Duininck said. “We do want to explore it, and it also might be something that we look at in future years if we’re able to.”

The Minneapolis Downtown Council has put a renewed focus on Nicollet Mall, having hosted numerous events there this summer, including Taste of Minnesota, the US Olympic Gymnastics Trials and Downtown Thursdays.

“I think there’s just a renewed energy around trying to mobilize activity at Nicollet Mall,” Duininck said.

Businesses along Nicollet Mall are excited for the return of the festival.

“I think it’s amazing,” said Danielle Kahle, manager at Brit’s Pub. “I always thought it should’ve been on the mall. The businesses around here will absolutely love it.”

Holidazzle will coincide with other downtown events, including concerts at the Guthrie, Fine Line and Dakota. There will be two Timberwolves games at Target Center, including Karl-Anthony Towns’ return to Minnesota when the team faces the New York Knicks on Dec. 19.

“We want to encourage people, if you’re going to the game, come early and enjoy what we have to offer,” Duininck said.

Elijah Julkowski has never been to the festival, but he thinks it’d be a perfect place to take his kids during Christmastime.

“I think Nicollet Mall is the perfect place to do that kind of thing, just by the way it’s laid out,” he said. “I’ll definitely take my kids to it, sounds like a good time.”

Holidazzle started in 1992, the same year Mall of America opened, to lure holiday shoppers downtown. The festival was moved to Loring Park in 2014 to create more of a holiday marketplace. It was cancelled in 2020 due to COVID and in 2023 due to a lack of funds and a change in leadership at the Minneapolis Downtown Council.