Did you know that Minden, Nebraska is known for being Nebraska’s Christmas City? Minden has been named the best place to celebrate Christmas in the Midwest, and all for good reason. The history behind this lovely Christmas town dates back all the way to 1915, when the City Light Commissioner, J.C. Haws, decided to string lights from the railroad depot all the way to the town square. Since those lights technically were not made for the weather during the cold, snowy Christmas season, they are now placed in the courthouse dome, located in the Kearney County Courthouse in Minden, NE. For years, the lights have “been a huge source of pride for the whole community and state”
Another huge source of pride for the community has been Minden’s annual Christmas pageant, “The Light of the World”. This pageant is free to the public and is a must see! It is put on by local residents on the sides of the courthouse and ends with over 12,000 Christmas light bulbs illuminating the sky around Minden. This pageant is typically held on the Saturday right after Thanksgiving as well as the first two Sundays in December. For more information and to see performance dates, you can visit this online calendar!
Minden is a town that is constantly trying to shed some light and bring the community together. According to a NebraskaPublicMedia.org article, “Minden brings back the Christmas lights as a ‘ray of light’ amidst the Covid-19 pandemic”. It was also stated by Matthew Cederburg, Minden’s City Administrator and Finance Director, that “We’re tired of the bad news and we want some good news, so we couldn’t be happier that this was suggested and it worked out and the lights came on,”. Many people find Minden to be the perfect place to take their family or significant other during the holidays; the old lit-up historic buildings just give off a charming and magical vibe during the most wonderful time of the year. You will definitely want to hurry down to Minden soon to see the lights before they are shut off on January 1st. You won’t regret it!
Not only can you come down and see the pageant, but there are also many other fun things that go on centered around the Minden lights! You can ice skate under the lights, see the lighted parade, have fun at the children’s parade, and go shopping downtown. There is also an art show, craft fair, public feedings, and other family friendly events and activities available for everyone. Listed below are a few of the most popular streets in Nebraska (local to Minden) to visit and see beautiful Christmas displays!
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- Plattsmouth: Many pretty decorations in the historical area of downtown!
- Creighton: Santaland display!
- Alliance: Historic main street with winterscape type display!
- Omaha: Downtown festival of lights!
- Seward: Main street is completely decorated with beautiful lights as well as a winter festival!
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