Light Up Princeton

Nov. 28-Dec. 24
Thursdays & Sundays: 6-8 pm
Fridays & Saturdays: 6-9 pm
Christmas Eve: 5:30-8 pm
Mille Lacs County Fairgrounds, Princeton

There is no cost to drive through Light Up Princeton; however, each night there will be a group of volunteers there to greet you and to collect free will donations to split between their group, Light Up Princeton 2027 and the Princeton Pantry. They will also be collecting non-perishable items for the Princeton Pantry. Don't have a donation? No problem! Come on through!

Please remember: Light Up Princeton is a DRIVE - THROUGH event only.

Please NO WALKING through Light Up Princeton.

There is an opportunity for photo opps/parking at the end of the American Legion Light Up Princeton loop. Watch for signs and volunteers.

SPECIAL NIGHTS

November 28:

All Day: Small Business Saturday
5:30 pm: Light Up Princeton Parade, From City Hall down 3rd Street N to the Mille Lacs County Fairgrounds
Approximately 6 pm: Lights go on to Light Up Princeton!
6:00-7:00 pm: Photos with Santa in photo op area
Purchase Light Up Princeton Tigers and winter hats!

December 3: Princeton Early Childhood Night

December 19: Horse-drawn Sleigh/Carriage rides through Light Up Princeton! Cost is $20/per couple and $30/per group. Parking outside Fairgrounds gate in east parking lot. Rides provided by Premier Machine Farm & Carriage, Princeton, MN. Proceeds benefit Light Up Princeton 2027.

The Minnco Hot Chocolate Hut

Stay cozy warm in your car while volunteers bring steamy, delicious hot chocolate right to you! Fifty percent of the profits will go to a non-profit group in our area. The other 50 percent will go to Light Up Princeton 2027.

NOTE: The Minnco Hot Chocolate Hut will be open on Fridays and Saturdays ONLY.

Christmas Tree Lane

Show off your business/organization and show your community support by sponsoring a tree for Christmas Tree Lane! We estimate that more than 10,000 people pass through the light display each year, and it is a great way for people to take notice of you!

Deadline to register is no later than October 22nd.

Cost and Guidelines

Cost and guidelines:
Cost is $75 per tree for chamber businesses, $100 for non-chamber members or $50 for Nonprofits (non profits must be chamber members to receive discount).
You may decorate your tree at the fairgrounds on the specified dates and times below.
Trees will be 5-6 feet tall.
All of the decorations to advertise your business must be on the tree. No signs or other forms of advertising will be allowed on the ground.
All decorations must be well secured and weather resistant. We experience rain, sleet snow and a lot of wind at Light Up Princeton.
The tree must include working lights with the power source at the base of the tree.
There is no need to decorate the back of the tree as all trees will be secured to a fence post but you are encouraged to put the lights all around the tree.

Trees must be decorated during the following dates and times:

Sat., Nov. 14th, 10 am - 1 pm
Monday, Nov. 16th, 12-2 pm
Friday, Nov. 20th, 3-5 pm
Saturday, Nov. 21st, 10 am-1 pm

IMPORTANT NOTE: You MUST sign up for a time to decorate your tree. If not one is signed up for a certain date, we will not be there to let you in.

Tree lights and decorations must be removed before trees are removed. There will be ONE take-down day, and you MUST make arrangements to have the decorations removed.

Take-down: Friday, March 12, 3-5 pm

If weather does not permit us to take down that day, the BACKUP date is March 19, 3-5 pm.

CLICK HERE to register!

Volunteer at Light Up Princeton!

Work at Light Up Princeton

Volunteers will designate a non-profit to benefit from 50% of the free will donations collected at the event. The other 50% is split 25% each between the Princeton Pantry and Light Up Princeton 2027. Groups will need a minimum of six workers, two of whom must be responsible adults. For safety reasons, please do not bring a lot of young children to volunteer.

These spots fill quickly, so be sure to sign up early!

CLICK HERE to sign up to volunteer to work at Light Up Princeton.

Work the Hot Chocolate Hut at Light Up Princeton

Volunteers will designate a non-profit to benefit from 50% of the sales of hot chocolate sales at Light Up Princeton. The other 50% will go toward Light Up Princeton 2027. Groups will need to consist of a minimum of four workers, two of whom must be responsible adults and others ages 14 and above. Due to the size of the Hot Chocolate Hut, we ask that you bring no more than 5 volunteers. The Hot Chocolate Hut will only be open on Friday and Saturday nights, so sign up early!

CLICK HERE to sign up to volunteer to work the Hot Chocolate Hut at Light Up Princeton.

Be a part of the Light Up Princeton Parade!

The Light Up Princeton Parade will take place on Saturday, November 28th. Check in will begin at City Hall from 4:30 - 5:00 pm, with the parade beginning at 5:30 pm. Please check in with the volunteers (wearing yellow vests) at City Hall. DO NOT enter the parking lot from 2nd Street. The parade will end at the Mille Lacs County Fairgrounds. No candy will be allowed to be thrown during the parade. Parade units will not be allowed through the gates of the Fairgrounds, but will instead exit off of 14th Ave onto 1st Street. For those needing to drop people off, you must do so on 2nd Ave.

Teardown of your float should be done back at the City Hall Parking lot. DO NOT park along the fence in front of the fairgrounds for any reason and please do not stop on 14th Ave.

The parade route will start on 2nd Street at City Hall and will proceed east, turning left onto 6th Ave. From there, the route will go west on 3rd Street all the way to the main entrance of the Mille Lacs County Fairgrounds.

We are limited to 25 floats MAX, so register soon!

CLICK HERE to register.

Light Up Princeton Committee: Bopha Sar (Bopha Sar), Kimberly Walizer (Minnco Credit Union), Kaylee Fetters (Pizza Barn), Brian Julson (Princeton Community Education), Dylan Donner (Princeton Wine & Spirits), Todd Frederick (Princeton Police Department), Bob Gerold (City of Princeton), Randy Hatch (Princeton Pantry/Civic Betterment Club/Princeton VFW/Princeton American Legion), Chad Young (Community Volunteer), Kim Young (PACCT)