Hometown Holidays
Owatonna, with all its charm, has done its best once again to let tradition reign. Which means all the stops have been pulled to make certain there is no other place to be than our Hometown for the Holidays.
Hosting for the Holidays?
Help give your family the best holiday experience! Whether you’re runnning out of space, or everyone just wants their own space– a stay at one of our clean, comfortable and affordable hotels in Owatonna will ensure everyone is still getting along when the holidays are over! Find a place to stay here!
Santa’s wonderland
Get in the holiday spirit with Santa’s Wonderland and Santa Pictures at Cabela’s in Owatonna, MN this Christmas season!!
You and your family will enjoy a magical FREE Santa experience again in 2022. Santa will be available for free photos from November 5 – December 24, 2022.
Reservations are recommended for 2022
Salvation Army Red kettle
Starts November 11
Various locations throughout the season
Find locations to volunteer or donate here.
Volunteer bell ringers are more than an icon of the Christmas Season; they’re the difference between an empty kettle and one that raises the funds that sustain the help The Salvation Army provides all year long. When you volunteer to stand at a kettle, you’re not just ringing a bell…you’re changing lives.
Funds raised at your Kettle are put to work in our own county! For additional volunteer opportunities in Steele County, please reach out to Victoria at 507-649-2703
Holiday LIght Cruise
November 24-December 31
Sponsored by Steele County Historical Society
Join the Holiday Lights Cruise beginning at 5pm on Thanksgiving Day. Maps highlighting the light display locations can be purchased at the Steele County HIstorical Society at 1700 Austin Road, for a $10 donation. Homeowners that a part of the Holiday Lights Cruise will display their lights through December.
Shop Owatonna for the holidays
November 25-December 18
We all know how important it is to support local and the holidays are no different! Keep it local – Shop Owatonna for the Holidays!
Small business Saturday
November 26
After the turkey and mashed potatoes have settled, Black Friday has arrived with all of its crazy deals- local Owatonna businesses are no exception. The extra special day in this month is Small Business Saturday, November 26th. Saturday is your day to show small businesses all the love. When you choose to shop somewhere “small”, it means a very large amount to each owner and worker. It doesn’t get much more hometown than that.
November 26, 7pm
Owatonna High School Auditorium
Enjoy an evening of music to raise funds and give HOPE to those in need. Free will donation and funds go to Transitional Housing of Steele County!
Cookie Sale
Wednesday, Nov 30, 1 – 7 pm
Thursday, December 1, 10 am – until out of cookies
Steele County History Center
1700 Austin Road
The bakers are ready, the ovens are heating up, and the ingredients are prepped. That’s right, the Steele County Historical Society’s Annual Cookie Sale is almost here!
Stop by to pick up your cookies for that special person in your life, or pick up a dozen or two just for yourself. We won’t tell!
Questions? Call 507-451-1420
Frosting the holidays
December 1, 3pm-5pm
The Kitchen Restaurant
329 N. Cedar Ave
Enjoy frosting a Christmas cookie at The Kitchen’s Cookie Frosting party! This is open to the public and is held right before the Lighted Parade. Cookies and supplies are provided.
Annual Chili Supper
December 1, 5pm
Redemption Church
123 E Main Street
Redemption Church will continue the annual tradition of the Chili Feed that was started by First Baptist Church at the same location of 123 E Main Street. Once the purchase of the church was completed, the recipe was handed over to Redemption Church to use year after year, the same night as the lighted parade.
Lighted Holiday Parade & LIghting of the Lights
December 1, 6pm
The parade is held on Cedar Avenue and moves towards Central Park for the Lighting of the Lights
This unique parade is the official launch to Hometown Holiday Weekend which encompasses holiday events starting the Thursday after Thanksgiving. From firetrucks to bicycles, there are always surprises at this family tradition-worthy parade. The excitement continues after the parade as the switch to light up the trees in the park is flipped, the Owatonna High School Carolers perform and cider is passed out freely to all who come. Nothing says “Welcome” to the holiday season quite like this beloved town tradition.
holiday stroll
December 1-4
Styles of Steele
Come stroll the businesses of Styles of Steele, for a weekend of sales, door prizes, refreshments and more!
OHS Carolers Schedule
The OHS Carolers have spreading cheer in Owatonna for over 80 years! They are performing at the following public locations this holiday season. Make sure you stop in and listen to them as they bring their cheerful music to our community.
THU 12/01
Central Park at Lighting of the Lights
SAT 12/10
10:40 Wal-Mart
12:00 Urban Loft
MON 12/12
3:20 Owatonna Public Library
3:40 Community Pathways
WED 12/14
2:20 Bremer Bank
2:40 City of Owatonna
5:10 Bethel Church
5:30 Trinity Lutheran
SUN 12/18
8:30 Our Saviors Lutheran Church
8:50 St John Lutheran Church
9:10 United Methodist Church
9:30 Cornerstone Evangelical Church
9:50 Sacred Heart Catholic Church
10:10 St Paul Episcopal Church
10:30 Associated Church
10:50 St Joseph Catholic Church
MON 12/19
3:20 Wells Fargo Bank
3:40 Owatonna Shoe
4:00 Old Town Bagel
WED 12/21
1:00 United Prairie Bank
1:20 Owatonna Public Utilities
2:00 & 2:20 Hometown Credit Union
Christmas In the Village
December 2, 4:30pm-7:30pm
December 3, 10am- 2pm
Steele County History Center (1700 Austin Road)
Village of Yesteryear (1448 Austin Road)
The Steele County Historical Society’s Christmas in the Village is an annual event designed to bring out the child in all of us. Luminary walk (Friday only), take home crafts, horse-drawn wagon rides, carolers, live music, craft sales, lefse-making demonstrations and of course Santa Claus! This multi-day event is one of our most beloved annual traditions.
trinity women’s bake sale
December 3, 9am-11am
Trinity Lutheran Church
609 Lincoln Ave
There will be home-baked goodies for sale including fresh lefse!
Trinity friends, bake your best treats, breads, cakes, pies and Christmas cookies to donate to the sale! Baked goods for the sale may be delivered to the Narthex at Trinity on Friday, December 2, 8am-4pm.
December 3, 8am-Noon (doors open at 7am)
St. John Lutheran Church
1301 Lincoln Ave
Open to kids 4 years old through 6th grade, this community service event gives kids the chance to buy presents for family and friends and experience the excitement of giving during the holidays.
All gifts are made and donated by Steele County 4-H members, leaders, friends, and grandparents. All proceeds from Shop with Santa support youth programming in Steele County.
For answers to frequently asked questions and other information, visit their facebook event page.
toys for tots concert
December 9, Concert is CANCELLED- please click to find locations to drop off your toy donation in Steele County before December 8.
Toys for Tots of Steele County has been serving the local community for more than three decades, and it operates within the national U.S. Marine Corp Reserve Toys for Tots program, which began in 1947, according to Toys for Tots of Steele County. The organization’s mission is to collect and distribute new, unwrapped toys to needy Steele County children at Christmas, and while toy donations are of course appreciated, cash and gift cards are also useful, as they are used to purchase more toys for children.
December 10, 10am-noon
Owatonna Arts Center
435 Garden View Lane
Everyone who is young at heart wants to tell Santa their wishes at Christmas. Don’t forget your camera!
December 11, 11am-3pm
Spare Time Entertainment
333 SE 18th Street
Join us for a ton of fun at the 2nd Annual Santa Bowl! We’ll have bowling with heroes, bag bingo, a silent auction and a raffle! The event supports the Exchange Club Center for Family Unity.
A Cozy Holiday Concert
December 17, 7pm
Little Theatre of Owatonna
Sharon Stark Auditorium- West Hills
560 Dunnell Drive
LTO invites you to our Cozy Holiday Concert! Come hear some of your favorite holiday songs performed and accompanied by our incredible friends!
This is a free will donation event. Cash, check, or credit accepted.
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Have an event to add?
Hosting an event that is open to the public? Email oacct@owatonna.org, or call 507-451-7970 with the details to add it to our Calendar of Events.
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