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December 07, 2004
From Holidazzle to the mall, the skinny on Cities celebrations
Students on campus have been working diligently for the past three months and are most certainly deserving of a break.
Most, I assume, are eagerly anticipating the end of finals so they can return home to their families and friends.
Luckily, between now and the end of the month, there is no shortage of Christmas-minded celebrations to keep their minds off homesickness and the inevitability of finals week.
An old local favorite is the TCF Holidazzle Parade, which takes place in downtown Minneapolis on Nicollet Mall.
The Holidazzle Parade features dozens of brightly lit floats and holiday characters. The parade runs each night through Minneapolis until the very end of December. It’s free, and those looking for an extra thrill, listen up: Anyone can participate in the parade. Simply show up to the volunteer booth prior to the parade, sign up, grab a costume, suit up and march away.
Either way, make sure to bundle up, because Minnesota temperatures aren’t the most friendly.
If a chilly parade isn’t up your alley, take a leisurely drive down St. Paul’s historic Summit Avenue.
The mansions that line this street are always decorated in a spirited holiday style, and best of all, it’s only a short drive čor bus ride -č from Hamline.
If holiday shopping has you too busy to take advantage of the bright lights in the Twin Cities, make sure to at least search for deals in the right place: at the Mall of America. And for welcome breaks to your wallet, the mall offers free, live holiday music.
Looking for a more formal affair to celebrate the season? E.T.A Hoffman’s Nutcracker Ballet is going to be at O’Shaugnessy’s in St. Paul. Shows begin on Dec. 17 and run through Dec. 20. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.
Another favorite past time is the Marshall Field’s Holiday Auditorium Show, also in downtown Minneapolis on Nicollet Mall.
The show fills the retailer’s eighth floor, and this year it features the story of Snow White. This auditorium is open every day (including Christmas) from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. and is always more gorgeous than expected.
Ice skating is famous in the Twin Cities just because of the Depot, which is located in downtown Minneapolis at 300 S. Washington Ave. The Depot is a renovated train station open year-round for indoor ice skating. It even has special lighting and glass doors, which makes for a spectacular view of the city streets.
If indoor ice skating isn’t tempting enough, head out to Lake of the Isles in southwest Minneapolis. Part of a five-lake chain, Lake of the Isles is always crowded with skaters once it freezes over. A bonus to this is that there is a free, readily accessible parking lot. The rink is open daily until 10 p.m.
Looking for more of a alternative celebration? An option is First Avenue’s Le Cirque Rouge Burlesque Cabaret and Christmas show featuring the Nutcracker. Because it is First Avenue, and it is a burlesque show, it will surely keep all entertained. In case you are unaware, a burlesque is a more classy form of adult entertainment.
These feature scantily clad women (and sometimes men) dancing and putting on creative routines for an audience. From the sounds of it, this special event, featuring the Nutcracker, ensures a special time on Dec. 17 and is 21+.
On Dec. 21 and 22 at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, Sounds of Blackness presents “The Night Before Christmas: A Musical Fantasy.” This show features R&B music and starts at 7:30 p.m.
No matter what your interest, the Twin Cities has dozens of opportunities to celebrate the Christmas season.
Posted by msveum at December 7, 2004 01:03 PM