Winter can be dreary, but the following events can give you something to perk up the cold days ahead.

Holidazzle Village – Nicollet Mall from 12th Street to 10th Street, Minneapolis

Every weekend until December 24^th this Mall will be hosting exciting and new venders and events. Santa’s Workshop will have live reindeer and live Christmas characters. There will be an authentic Old World German-style Christmas Market to shop in. You can enjoy mulled wine, unique candy, holiday displays and glass blowing for a small seasonal pass fee.

Northfield’s Annual Winter Walk Event – Historic Downtown Northfield, Northfield

Enjoy viewing storefront displays and shopping while strolling down the lively luminated downtown. Horse-drawn wagon rides, storytelling, caroling and a Tree Lighting by the Middle School Choir are just to name a few of the things that you can see and do.

Checkpoint MN

Over the course of 12 weeks from December 11^th to March 5th, this is the second year scavenger hunt aimed to encourage winter travel in Minnesota. It will highlight destinations only found in Minnesota this winter season. There will be more than $40,000 in prizes with a grand prize of a snowmobile.

St. Paul Winter Carnival 2015 –75 West 5th Street, Saint Paul

This carnival will run from January 22^nd until February 1^st. Kicking off this Carnival is the 30^th Annual challenging course, Securian Winter Run. Starting January 24^th at 9 am, you can choose from 5k, 10k or half marathon races. Later that day at 2 pm you can watch the King Boreas Grande Day Paraders march down West 7^th Street and end at Rice Park. 

From 3:30 to 7:30 pm you can your day at the Midway Stadium sampling craft beers at The Beer Dabbler. Starting at 5:30 pm the next weekend you watch the Torchlight Parade starting at the Union Depot and ending at Rice Park.

These are just a few of the many upcoming events for winter throughout Minnesota.