Community Corner

18 Cool Things to Do After Thanksgiving (Plus 2 for that Morning)

Holiday celebrations, pet adoptions, charitable events, shopping and more. There's plenty to keep you entertained after you've put away the leftovers.

You’ve given thanks, stuffed yourself with turkey and watched some football. But the relatives are still in town, and the kids are still out of school. What’s a family to do for fun?

Thankfully, the Twin Cities offers plenty of fun after-Thanksgiving events. Whether you’re looking to kick off the Christmas season, shop or give to the less fortunate, there’s sure to be something to keep you entertained.

Patch has rounded up some of the best options across the metro. Did we miss your favorite event? Share it with your neighbors in the comments section below.

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  • When: 6:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays Nov. 29 through Dec. 21
  • Where: Nicollet Mall between 12th and Fourth Streets
  • Cost: Free
  • Why it's cool: It's the classic Twin Cities parade—illuminated floats, music, celebrity grand marshals and Santa.
Light Up Night in Hudson
  • When: 7 p.m., Friday, Nov. 29
  • Where: Downtown Hudson
  • Cost: Free
  • Why it's cool: Santa will arrive at Second Street on a horse-drawn sleigh and, with a wave of his hand, turns the dark of night into the festive glow of Holiday Lights.
River Dazzle Extravaganza in River Falls
  • When: 1–7 p.m., Friday, Nov. 29
  • Where: Downtown River Falls
  • Cost: Free
  • Why it's cool: Carolers, Santa and Mrs. Claus, chili cook-off, hayrides, and a parade at 6:30 p.m.
Hometown for the Holidays
  • When: Weekends from Nov. 29 through Dec. 31
  • Where: Main Street, Stillwater
  • Cost: Free
  • Why it’s cool: Different fun activities every weekend. Friday features “Downtown Sleepy-Head Doorbusters” starting at 9 a.m. Santa arrives on a fire truck at 10 a.m. Free carriage rides from noon to 4 p.m. Carolers will be on Main Street from 7-9:30 p.m. Click here for a full schedule of the season’s activities.

Old Fashioned Holiday in Hopkins

  • When: 1-4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 30
  • Where: Downtown Hopkins
  • Cost: Free
  • Why it’s cool: Pictures with Santa, live reindeer, strolling carolers, gingerbread house judging, Raspberry Royalty and more. New this year, 100 of snowballs (Ping-Pong balls with prize numbers) will be dropped at the clock tower plaza. There will be lots of prizes, including the grand prize of an iPad (32GB).

Thanks4Giving Day

  • When: 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 29
  • Where: Burroughs Elementary (1601 W. 50th St., Minneapolis) and The Commons (14451 Minnesota 7, Minnetonka)
  • Cost: It’s up to you.
  • Why it’s cool: Thanks4Giving Day encourages people to think of students who are less fortunate. Donate new schools supplies and new or gently used clothes, outerwear or toys. Don’t have time to shop, or items to give away? Stop by with a gift card to your favorite retailer and Save Our Schools will do the shopping for you.

Excelsior Christkindlsmarkt

  • When: Friday and Saturday, Nov. 29 and 30, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 1 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Where: Excelsior’s east parking lot, near 421 Third Street.
  • Cost: Free
  • Why it's cool: In the spirit of German Christmas markets, Christkindlsmarkt offers food, music, shopping, reindeer rides and visits with Santa hosted in the charming lakeside village of Excelsior.

'Green Friday' at the Arboretum

  • When: 1-3 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 29
  • Where: 3675 Arboretum Drive, Chanhassen in the gift store alcove of the Arboretum's Oswald Visitor Center
  • Cost: $12 entrance fee
  • Why it's cool: Enjoy delicious samples from Waconia-based Laketown Chocolates and Ames Honey of Watertown. Visitors can enjoy a 20-ft. live poinsettia tree, made of more than 500 white poinsettia plants soaring to the ceiling of the Great Hall.

Chuck & Don's Grateful & Giving Back

  • When: 7-9 a.m. Friday, Nov. 29
  • Where: Chuck & Don's locations throughout the metro
  • Cost: Free
  • Why it’s cool: For every person who stops in Friday morning between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m., Chuck & Don’s will donate one pound of pet food to Second Harvest Heartland or Red Wing Area Food Shelf in Minnesota. If a person attends with a pet, Chuck & Don’s will donate two pounds of pet food. There will also be free coffee and donuts.

Gratitude & Expectant Joy: A Thanksgiving/Christmas Hymn Sing & Open House

  • When: Sunday, Dec. 1. Open house begins at 3:30 p.m. the hour-long hymn sing starts at 4 p.m.
  • Where: Third Church of Christ, Scientist, Minneapolis; 4147 Xerxes Ave. S., Minneapolis
  • Cost: Free
  • Why it’s cool: The event will include audience-participation singing of Thanksgiving hymns and traditional Christmas carols, special performances by accomplished vocalists, and live accompaniment by the church's pipe organ and other instruments. Refreshments will be served following the sing.

Eagan Old Fashioned Holiday

  • When: 12 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 1
  • Where: Holz Farm, 4665 Manor Drive, Eagan
  • Cost: Free
  • Why it's cool: Enjoy hayrides, bonfires, organ music, carols, and of course, a visit from Santa.

2013 Holiday Extravaganza a Craft & Vendor Event

  • When: 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 30
  • Where: Apple Valley Community Center, 14603 Hayes Road, Apple Valley
  • Cost: Free
  • Why it’s cool: Support "Small Business Saturday" and do some one stop shopping. All of your favorite crafters and vendors will be there. Attendees qualify for a donation raffle ticket for each item brought for donation. Organizers will also be selling tickets for prize drawings ($1 each), and 100 percent of that will be donated to Second Harvest. 

Pump It Up Black Friday Open Jump

  • When: Friday, Nov. 29, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  • Where: 7406 Washington Avenue South, Eden Prairie
  • Cost: $9 per child. Adults free.
  • Why it's cool: Did you eat too much turkey? Kids have cabin fever? Need a break from the busy shopping? Family in town? Pump It Up offers indoor arenas with gigantic inflatables for kids to play on. And there’s wireless internet throughout the facility for parents waiting on active kids.
Holiday Vendor Fair
  • When: 9 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 30
  • Where: Moore than Dance Studio, 1220 East Moore Lake Drive, Fridley
  • Cost: Free.
  • Why it's cool: Support Small Business Saturday and find your holiday gift items among our vendors, crafters and baked goods.

Black Friday Meow-Buster

  • When: Friday, Nov. 25 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. (The shop is closed between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. for cat naps.)
  • Where: The Adopt-A-Pet Shop, 1115 Vicksburg Lane North, Unit #8, Plymouth
  • Cost: Admission is free—you simply have to pet and cuddle as the cats roam free and tend to request your undivided attention!
  • Why it’s cool: All black cats and kittens (or any fortunate enough to have a trace of black in their coats) will be offered up for adoption at a “Meow-Buster” discount of $50 each. All of the proceeds benefit the eleven allied rescue groups of The Adopt-A-Pet Shop.

Holiday Hoopla Extravaganza

  • When: 3-6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 1
  • Where: Clarion Hotel, 701 Concord St. S., South St. Paul
  • Cost: Free
  • Why it’s cool: Join your friends for holiday shopping without the crowds at the mall. Hot drinks and cookies available. Bring non-perishable food items to be entered into a door prize drawing.

Craft & Vendor Open House

  • When: 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 1
  • Where: AmericInn Hotel, 5861 Blaine Avenue, Inver Grove Heights
  • Cost: Free
  • Why it’s cool: Shop at vendors and crafters. There will also be hourly door prize drawings.

Bethel University's 5th Annual Holiday Bazaar

  • When: 11:00 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 2 and 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 3
  • Where: Bethel University, 3900 Bethel Drive, St. Paul (Brushaber Commons in The Underground)
  • Cost: Free
  • Why it’s cool: Fifty vendors selling everything from cookware, pottery, jewelry, candles, bath and body, fair trade goods, Christmas decor and much more

Walk to End Hunger

  • When: 7-10 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 28 (Thanksgiving Day).
  • Where: Mall of America, 60 E. Broadway, Bloomington.
  • Why it’s cool: Since its inception in 2008, the Walk to End Hunger has raised more than $1.2 million for hunger relief organizations in the Twin Cities metro. The event is fun, and family-friendly, and features music, balloon animals and crafts for the kids. For the fitness enthusiast, there will be a second-floor 5K power walk route.

Northfield Rotary Thanksgiving Turkey Trot 5K Run/Walk

  • When: Registration begins at 8 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 28 (Thanksgiving Day).
  • Where: Northfield Golf Club, 707 Prairie St. in Northfield.
  • Cost: $15
  • Why it’s cool: The annual event benefits the Northfield Rotary Youth Exchange Program and other Rotary International service projects. Registration begins at 8 a.m. Nov. 28, with the trot beginning at 9 a.m. Find out more here.

 

 



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