Holidays 2024 – an Eclectic Guide

BY DEBRA KEEFER RAMAGE

The holiday smorgasbord

Here we are again in beautiful November, with winter holidays just around the corner. And here is Southside Pride again to tell you what’s on, among both the traditional and the innovative, and even the downright weird. As per the last few years, we don’t have space to both tell you lots and lots of options and give loads of details like phone numbers, ticket prices, showtimes, and reviews of the offerings. These will be in a condensed, list form and you may have to do a Google search or two. To make it a little easier we will give the basic URL of the home page if that is appropriate. Assume there is an admission charge unless it says “Free.”
The categories will be theater (which includes plays, musicals, puppets, cirque, and comedy), music and dance (includes ballet and opera, classical to punk and everything in between), markets and fairs, and then the unclassifiable miscellaneous (films, classes, dinner parties, what have you.) The order will be roughly chronological.

Theater

The venues are in Minneapolis unless noted in other cities. Addresses, and ticket sales if applicable, are mostly available via the given website. NOTE: Hennepin Theatre Trust (HTT) bought Dudley Riggs Theatre and the Brave New Workshop in 2021. HTT was rebranded as Hennepin Arts in June 2024. Also NOTE: First Avenue/7th St Entry has become a venue conglomerate, and now also owns and operates The Fine Line and the Turf Club in Minneapolis, as well as St. Paul’s Fitzgerald Theater and Palace Theatre.
White Christmas, the Musical. Chanhassen Dinner Theater (Chanhassen), chanhassendt.com, from Oct. 4 to Jan. 25, 2025. (Too many shows to count.) By Irving Berlin, admission includes dinner.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Children’s Theatre, childrenstheatre.org, from Nov. 5 to Jan. 5, 2025, 69 shows. Based on a popular children’s book by Dr. Seuss.
Big Christmas Energy. Dudley Riggs Theatre, hennepinarts.org, from Nov. 7 to Jan. 31, 2025, 58 shows. Improv.
A Christmas Carol. Guthrie Theater, guthrietheater.org, from Nov. 9 to Dec. 29, 49 shows. Based on a novella by Charles Dickens.
Cinderella. Theater Latte Da (at the Ritz Theater), latteda.org, from Nov. 20 to Jan. 5, 2025, 46 shows. By Rodgers and Hammerstein.
The Unexpected Guest. Theater in the Round, theatreintheround.org/ from Nov. 22 to Dec. 22, 16 shows. By Agatha Christie.

Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley. Commonweal Theatre Co. (Lanesboro), commonwealtheatre.org, from Nov. 23 to Dec. 22, 22 shows plus four previews starting Nov. 16. A romantic Christmas comedy by Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon.
Scrooge in Rouge. Open Eye Theater, openeyetheatre.org/ from Nov. 29 to Dec. 29, 24 shows. A farce based on a production of A Christmas Carol gone horribly wrong.
I’ll Be Home for Kahless. Phoenix Theater, phoenixtheatermpls.org, from Nov. 29 to Dec. 15, 11 shows. The Hallmark parody of the season. (It’s holidays with Klingons, for those of you not au fait with Star Trek anthropology.)

Dinner for One. Jungle Theater, jungletheater.org, from Nov. 30 to Jan. 5, 2025, 29 shows. Co-Created by Christina Baldwin, Sun Mee Chomet, and Jim Lichtscheidl, based on a classic comedy sketch that is a traditional New Year’s Eve show throughout Europe.
Black Nativity. Penumbra Theatre (St. Paul), penumbratheatre.org, from Dec. 3 to 22, 21 shows. A Twin Cities classic.
Miss Richfield 1981 Phony Baloney Holiday Show. Illusion Theater, illusiontheater.org, from Dec. 6 to 22, 10 shows. Miss Richfield has been performing since 1999! And she has a blog here – missrichfield.com.
The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. Park Square Theatre (St. Paul), parksquaretheatre.org, from Dec. 6 to 22, 9 shows. Based on an award-winning children’s book by Barbara Robinson, directed by Ellen Fenster.
Holidaze by Cirque Dreams. Orpheum Theater, hennepinarts.org, from Dec. 20 to 22, four shows. This annual tradition wraps a Broadway-style production around an infusion of contemporary circus arts, produced by a division of Cirque du Soleil.

Music and dance

This year’s list of concerts and dance events is pretty traditional overall, but #2, # 7, and #12 provide the exciting outliers, if that’s your jam.
Julglädje: Family Holiday Concert. American Swedish Institute, asimn.org, Nov. 30, 9 a.m.
Trashy Little Xmas with Trailer Trash. Parkway Theater, theparkwaytheater.com, Dec. 7, 7 p.m. doors, 8 p.m. show. Another Twin Cities classic.
Ben Cook-Feltz’s 4th Annual Holiday Shindig. Cedar Cultural Center, thecedar.org, Dec. 8, 2 p.m. 100 percent of proceeds to Rein in Sarcoma.
Minnesota Chorale’s Annual Messiah Sing! MN Chorale (and audience) at St. Olaf Catholic Church or on Zoom, mnchorale.org, Dec. 8, 7 p.m. Free but you must register (RSVP) for both in-person and Zoom. Scores will be provided but if you want to keep it, you must buy it for $10.
Bach’s Christmas Oratorio by Bach Society of MN & VocalEssence. St. Paul’s United Church of Christ (St. Paul), bachsocietymn.org, Dec. 13, 7:30 p.m. First of two, see below.
A Minnesota Nutcracker by Twin Cities Ballet. TC Ballet at the Ames Center (Burnsville), ames-center.com, from Dec. 13 to 15, five shows.
Wranglers and Refrains: A Homespun Holiday by Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus. Ted Mann Concert Hall, campusmaps.umn.edu/ted-mann-concert-hall, Dec. 6 and 7, 7:30 p.m. Tickets at tcgmc.org
Bach’s Christmas Oratorio by Bach Society of MN & VocalEssence. Westwood Lutheran Church (St. Louis Park), bachsocietymn.org, Dec. 14, 4 p.m. Second of two, see above.
Lucia Celebration Concert. American Swedish Institute, asimn.org, Dec. 15, 2 shows: 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. The Lucia Celebration Concert features festive performances by 75 young singers and ASI’s talented Lilla Lag, in both English and Swedish.
Simple Gifts, with Billy McLaughlin. Parkway Theater, theparkwaytheater.com, Dec. 15, 6 p.m. doors, 7 p.m. show. Celtic whistles, violin, piano, acoustic guitar, and percussion are topped off with angelic three-part harmonies giving this legendary ensemble its signature “Old-World Modern” sound.
Katie McMahon’s Celtic Christmas. Hopkins Center for the Arts (Hopkins), hopkinsartscenter.com, Dec. 19, 7:30 p.m.
Nutcracker Noir. Phoenix Theater, phoenixtheatermpls.org, from Dec. 20 to 28, 6 shows. Adult show about adult Clara, featuring ballet, but also ballroom, belly dance, burlesque, cirque, drag, jazz, pole dance, and lots of kinky ideas.

Markets and fairs

There are tons of holiday markets around this time of year, ranging from tiny and niche to huge and corporate. This is a very curated list of the best.
MN Christmas Market. St. Paul Union Depot (St. Paul), mnchristmasmarket.com, Nov. 16, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., $1. There are a few of these markets dotted around the state; this is the nearest one. Since 2016 they have hosted pop-up holiday markets that highlight homegrown brands with a charitable twist.
Walker Church Holiday Art Fair. New City Center (formerly Walker Church), facebook.com/walkerumc (see Events),

Nov. 23, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Nov. 24, from noon to 4 p.m. Free admission, many artists and vendors, soup, bread, coffee, and baked goods available for purchase.
Holiday Ornament Event and mini-market. Dame Errant Clay (part of Northeast Minneapolis Arts Association [NEMAA]), nemaa.org, from Nov. 23 to 30, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Free admission to market, $10 to make and take an ornament.
Palace Theatre Holiday Market. Palace Theatre (St. Paul), first-avenue.com, Nov. 29, from 2 to 8 p.m., and Nov. 30, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., free.
Julmarknad Handcraft Market & Festival at ASI. American Swedish Institute, asimn.org, Dec. 7 and 8, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Registration by half-hour entrance time slots and entrance fee required, discount for ASI members and children. Julmarknad features pop-up musical performances, family crafts, story time, festival foods and take-home handcraft projects that celebrate the season.
No Coast Craft-o-Rama at MGM. Midtown Global Market, nocoastcraft.com, Dec. 7, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., free. No Coast Craft-o-Rama is a modern, urban & indie-style art & craft show that’s been held annually since 2005.
RedHot Market. Chicago Avenue Fire Arts Center, cafac.org, Dec. 14, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The RedHot Market both showcases local artists and artisans and raises funds for scholarships to CAFAC’s classes in blacksmithing, metal and glass sculpture, and all sorts of arts based on fire.

Miscellaneous.

This year, these suggestions fall into two broad categories. The first are classes, meals, and exhibits from those two great South Minneapolis centers of Scandinavity, ASI and Norway House. The second is a selection of films from a seasonal series at the Heights Theater in Northeast Minneapolis.

Unfortunately, our publishing schedule is a bit too late for the Gingerbread Community Build at Norway House, which was November 3rd, but keep that in mind for next year. This is a free and open event where you can build a gingerbread structure for the ensuing Gingerbread Wonderland, with all materials and instruction provided.
Gingerbread Wonderland. Norway House, norwayhouse.org, from Nov. 19 to Jan. 4, 2025, six days a week, closed Monday, varying hours (see website.) Special tours on Mondays. This is the 10th Annual Wonderland, and this has become Norway House’s biggest and most popular event.
It’s A Wonderful Life (1946.) Heights Theater, heightstheater.com, Dec. 9, 7:30 pm. Featuring Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed, and directed by the immortal Frank Capra, with Dickens’ style time travel, except with an angel rather than ghosts. A flop in its day, and one that destroyed Capra’s production company, It’s a Wonderful Life began to interest audiences again in the 1980s, and has since become a beloved holiday tradition.
Festive Brunch. Virtual on Zoom, presented by American Swedish Institute, asimn.org, Dec. 12, 1 p.m., registration required. Join Kristi Bissell of the True North Kitchen food blog and gather a collection of new recipes perfect for holiday breakfasts and brunches. A recipe packet is available for download a week before the class. If you register but can’t make the live class, you can watch the recording for one month after the session.
Fanny and Alexander (1982.) Heights Theater, heightstheater.com, Dec. 16, 7 p.m. Ingmar Bergman’s raw and intense film is also a lush celebration of family life and triumph over adversity and is one of the most unheralded holiday films ever made. It won four Oscars. In Swedish, with English subtitles.
Winter Solstice at ASI. American Swedish Institute, asimn.org, Dec. 20, from 5 to 9 p.m. Registration by half-hour entrance time slots and entrance fee required, discount for ASI members and children. Since pagan days, solstice has traditionally meant the “year as reborn,” with ancient (and modern) Scandinavians fusing it into the longer “Jul” or Yule season. ASI celebrates this powerful seasonal juncture with fun, festivity, and performance. Tickets are selling out fast!
Julbord Dinner at ASI. American Swedish Institute, asimn.org, Dec. 21, from 1 to 3 p.m., and Dec. 22, from 6 to 8 p.m. by reservation. It’s pricey, but it’s a multicourse meal of fine Scandinavian dining, with accompanying entertainment. Please note that Julbord reservations are non-refundable and must be made one week in advance. All party members must be registered under a single reservation for table reservations (tables seat up to eight guests.)
Dala Horse Ornament Embroidery. American Swedish Institute, asimn.org, Dec. 21, from 1 to 4 p.m. Jan Hagerman will teach you how to embroider a felt Dala horse ornament for a tree, a garland, or to gift. Suitable for ages 11+. While some hand sewing experience can be helpful, this project is open to all experience levels. A $5 materials fee is payable to the instructor and covers all materials. NOTE: this is only one of scores of similar crafting classes ASI presents throughout the year, including dozens in the holiday season. Most are in person, but some are virtual. Check the website for more.
Miracle on 34th Street (1947.) Heights Theater, heightstheater.com, Dec. 23, 7:30 p.m. A single mom, a depressed child, a drunken Santa and a city full of cynical souls, it sounds bleak but is anything but! Touching on themes of divorce, faith and even capitalism, Miracle is a winner of three Academy Awards. Starring Maureen O’Hara and Natalie Wood.