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Bringing holiday cheer back downtown
There’s no replacement for Holidazzle this year, so the Downtown Council hopes a new shopping experience can bring people into the heart of the city.
MINNEAPOLIS — The shops and events that brought people to Downtown Minneapolis during the holiday season have changed.
COVID has emptied storefronts and office spaces, but even before then, Holidazzle moved on from its parade route.
Adam Duininck is two weeks into the job as mpls downtown council’s President and CEO, but he has big hopes.
“I’m a farm kid out by a Willmar but I have fond memories of coming downtown,” he said. “I remember coming to Dayton’s myself and seeing Santa with my family.”
The days of the Department Store Santa faded away and Holidazzle had its own metamorphosis. Starting in 1992 it brought a lot of shoppers downtown. It later moved to Loring Park as a marketplace, but the council canceled it this year due to funding and leadership changes.
“There’s been a debate about whether we should do it on Nicollet or do it in Loring Park, and I think Loring Park has served a purpose,” said Duininck. “And maybe there’s a way to do it there, too, and create some energy. But this is really the heart of the downtown business district.”
This year, they’re concentrating holiday efforts on Holidays on Nicollet, a weeks-long experience that includes holiday window displays, entertainment and shopping.
Duininck wouldn’t describe the 70-plus vendors and four holiday pop-ups as a replacement. They have had the event in the past, but never this scale.
“We want to continue to build,” he said.
“I know people miss the parade,” said Jessie Witte of AudreyRose Vintage, who sells at one of the holiday pop-ups. “But it’s really nice to see efforts are actually being made. You can like visually see it in the store fronts.”
Mizrrain Lias owns FX Store Minnesota, a shoe and apparel store in the IDS Crystal Court.
“It helped to recover the town,” said Lias. “People come to buy things and they buy from another store, and they also visit my shop as well.”
For more information on Holidays on Nicollet, visit the mpls downtown council website.
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Police are investigating after three men were shot early on Saturday morning.
MINNEAPOLIS — Minneapolis police are investigating after three men were shot in the Ventura Village neighborhood early Saturday morning.
According to Minneapolis police, officers were called to the area around East 21st Street and South 15th Avenue around 5 a.m. Saturday.
Officers found three men had been shot. One of the men died and the two others were taken to the hospital with what police described as life-threatening injuries.
Officials said the shooting happened at a small homeless encampment.
Police have not announced any arrests as of Saturday morning.
KARE 11 will update this story as more information is made available.
This Halloween the chocolate shop is getting very festive.
MARINE ON SAINT CROIX, Minn. — A small sweet shop in a Minnesota river town has won some BIG awards for its chocolates.
St. Croix Chocolate Company in Marine on St. Croix has won national and international awards including Best of Show in this year’s America’s Division of the International Chocolate Awards.
Their chocolates are available at the St. Croix Chocolate Company kitchen or online.
This Halloween they are selling a Halloween Countdown Calendar that features 14 prize-winning recipes made into ghosts, bats, skulls and other spooky configurations. They also have a Boo Bag-handled tote that comes with their “best of” Halloween assortment.
Owner and Chocolatier, Robyn Dochterman, joined KARE 11 Saturday to share what St. Croix Chocolate Company has to offer.
MINNEAPOLIS — Making pasta at home is relatively simple, as long as you have the right tools.
October is National Pasta Month and Red Rabbit‘s Corporate Chef, Adam Lerner, joined KARE 11 Saturday to show us how to make homemade noodles in the confines of your own kitchen.
