Tradition Transformed
Holidazzle Village offers new interactive festivities
December 19, 2014
What has been a family holiday tradition for the last 10 years for junior Mimi Wyland suddenly changed this year.
Instead of going to the annual Holidazzle Parade with her family, she’s going to the Holidazzle Vil- lage, which is replacing her beloved family outing.
“Last year my family went to the parade as a way to say goodbye,” she said. “I will entirely miss the parade. I loved watching all the floats light up and fill downtown with a festive atmosphere.”
This year the Holidazzle Village and Minneapo- lis’ Holiday Market replaces Minneapolis’ annual Holidazzle Parade starting Nov. 28, according to Holidazzle spokeswoman Lou Ann Olson.
Olson said because of the increased number of families living in the Twin Cities, the Minneapolis Downtown Council decided to end the Holidazzle Parade to strive toward its goal of a consistently compelling downtown experience for all.
“The Holidazzle Village featuring the Minneapolis Holiday Market offers an opportunity to better engage a growing downtown residential population downtown workforce and visitors,” she said. “We wanted to provide an interactive experience for families to enjoy.”
Olson said the village shows the joy of the season with food and beverage, live music, demonstrations and shopping. The village also features a Minneapo- lis Holiday Market where visitors can experience an authentic European market.
“The ideal feel for visitors to catch is an old-style European market with a bunch of great food and beverages, goods and activities to indulge in,” she said.
Olson said inside the village visitors can ride on a carousel, listen to live local music, enjoy a holiday story, visit Santa’s workshop, see live reindeer or take part in events such as ice skating.
“There’s something for everyone at the Holid- azzle Village or market,” she said. “We hope this allows visitors to create memories with family and friends and make it part of their holiday traditions.”
Sophomore Kirby Goodman attended the Hol- idazzle Village and Market Nov. 28. Goodman said although she enjoyed the village, she prefers the pa- rade over the village.
“I thought [going to the village] was an overall fun and great experience, but I personally prefer the parade more because [the parade] was more holiday themed,” Goodman said.
The village opened Nov. 28 and is open every weekend until Dec. 24 along the Nicollet Mall and Peavey Plaza. Admission for the Holidazzle Village is free, but general admission tickets for Minneapolis’ Holiday Market cost $6 for season-long access.
