Last December 5, the line to see Santa Claus at Lakefront Park went all the way around the pavilion building. Prior Lake News Compass reported that hundreds of families filled the park that night. Club Prior's Acoustic Strum Group led carols, Mayor Kirt Briggs welcomed the crowd before the tree lighting, and a bonfire kept people warm while an ice sculptor worked on his blocks.
That line is a good guide to this year. The 2026 holiday calendar in and around Prior Lake builds slowly for three weeks. Then it packs its biggest moments into one Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 4 to 6, with Santa at a different place each day.
The market that moved to Savage opens Friday, Nov. 13
The first change on this year's calendar is a move. Barn on the Hill's Christmas Market in the Greenhouse spent last season at Queen Bee'z Lawn & Garden in Prior Lake. This year it moves to the greenhouses at Cal's Garden Center, 6403 Egan Drive in Savage. Prior Lake Events says it's the same market in a new place.
The schedule changed too. Last year the market ran on weekends. This year it's open 24 days in a row, from Friday, Nov. 13 through Sunday, Dec. 6. Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday. As of Oct. 30, about 50 handcrafted and vintage vendors had signed up, selling gifts, vintage finds, Christmas decor and home decor. More pop-up vendors will join over the run, so a second trip may turn up different booths than the first. The market's Santa visit is listed for Saturday, Nov. 28.
The roots of the market are still in Prior Lake. Barn on the Hill has held spring and fall boutiques since 2009 in an old dairy barn in rural Prior Lake. Cal's has been in Savage since 1961. The market's last day falls on Dec. 6, the same Sunday that closes Prior Lake's big weekend.
Nov. 21: Makers fill Club Prior
The City of Prior Lake's own Holiday Market is Saturday, Nov. 21, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Club Prior, 16210 Eagle Creek Ave. SE, in the Prior Lake Library building. Local makers fill the room with handcrafted, one-of-a-kind gifts.
The city capped each type of vendor at four, so you won't find a dozen tables selling the same candles. Applications closed Oct. 1 and the lineup is set. The City of Prior Lake's Facebook event has the details.
Keep the address in mind. You'll be back in the same building on two weeknights in early December.
Nov. 28: Main Avenue and Dakota Street
The Saturday after Thanksgiving belongs to downtown. Small Business Saturday in downtown Prior Lake falls on Nov. 28 this year and covers the independent shops along Main Avenue and Dakota Street. Last year's version paired store specials with brunch and holiday food and drinks across downtown.
Rhino Wine Bar is opening early that day, with hours from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and discounts for people shopping downtown. Other stores' specials will be added to the listing as they're announced, so check it again the week of Thanksgiving.
If you'd rather split the day, the Barn on the Hill market is open in Savage the same Saturday, and that's the day of its Santa visit.
Dec. 1 and 2: Two weeknights at the library
The early part of the next week is quieter and more hands-on. Both programs are in the Prior Lake Large Meeting Room, inside the same building as the Nov. 21 market.
- Create a Winter Holiday Book Ornament, Tuesday, Dec. 1, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. It's for adults 18 and older, and registration opens Nov. 10 through the Scott County Library event page.
- Cook Book Club Cookie Exchange, Wednesday, Dec. 2, 6 to 7 p.m. Bring a batch of holiday cookies and a container to carry home your share. Details are on the library's listing.
Both run on weeknights, so they don't compete with what comes Friday.
Dec. 4 to 6: Three days, three Santas
This is the weekend the whole calendar builds toward. Each day has a Santa appearance at a different Prior Lake location, at a different time of day.
| Day | Where | Time | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday, Dec. 4 | Lakefront Park pavilion, 5000 Kop Parkway SE | 5:30 to 8 p.m. | Tree lighting, fireworks, ice carving, bonfire |
| Saturday, Dec. 5 | Indoor farmers market, mall near Lunds on Highway 13 | 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Enter near Hooligans. Live music planned |
| Sunday, Dec. 6 | Charlie's on Prior, 3950 Green Heights Trail SW | 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Free. Bring your own camera and a non-perishable food item if you can |
Friday at Lakefront Park
The City's DecemBRRR Dazzle starts with a tree lighting ceremony, followed by fireworks. After that, the evening spreads across the park. There are Santa photos in the pavilion, professional ice carving demonstrations and a giant bonfire. Snacks and refreshments are for sale. Admission was free last year.
There are two practical points, and both come from earlier years. First, the Santa line is the longest thing at this event. Last year it wrapped around the building, so start there if photos are the main reason you're going. Second, weather has changed the program before. In 2022 the Pioneer Press reported that more than 600 people came even though freezing weather canceled the fireworks and the bonfire. Check the city's page that afternoon if the forecast looks rough.
Saturday morning on Highway 13
The Prior Lake Farmer's Market hosts an indoor market on Saturday, Dec. 5, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the mall near Lunds on Highway 13. Use the entrance near Hooligans. Santa and live music are planned, according to the Scott County calendar listing. It's indoors and in the morning, so it works well if a Friday night outside with small kids is too much.
Sunday at Charlie's on Prior
Charlie's on Prior has free photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Dec. 6, open to all ages. Bring your own camera, and bring a non-perishable food item if you can.
The restaurant keeps going into the evening with Kids Night at Santa's Workshop from 2 to 10 p.m. Kids' meals are half price with an entrée purchase, and there's a free cocoa and sundae bar and a holiday coloring contest.
The same Sunday is also the last day of the Barn on the Hill market at Cal's, which closes at 4 p.m. on Sundays. If you've been putting off that trip to Savage, Dec. 6 is your last chance.
After the weekend
Once Dec. 6 passes, the Prior Lake calendar quiets down and the remaining events are mostly ticketed or a short drive away. The Waniyetu Art Market at Hoċokata Ṫi, the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community's cultural center at 2300 Tiwahe Circle in Shakopee, features handmade goods and gifts from Native and local artists. It runs Dec. 10 and 11 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Dec. 12 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. If you're after a big holiday show, Mystic Lake has Mannheim Steamroller Christmas by Chip Davis in the Mystic Showroom at 3 and 8 p.m. on Dec. 12.
All of these are scheduled events, and organizers can change times or details. Check each listing before you head out, especially for the outdoor Friday night at Lakefront Park.
If family visiting over the Dec. 4 weekend starts asking what living in Prior Lake is really like, I'm happy to talk it through with you or with them. I'm local, and I answer quickly. Nicholas Thull. Let's Connect.
