Holidazzle to be replaced with "European Christmas Market" Just like every other big city (Minneapolis: appointed, home)

[pete6032]

Another uniquely Minnesota icon bites the dust, replaced by copying what other cities are doing.

Holidazzle to be replaced with Christmas marketplace | Star Tribune

The Holidazzle parade marched down Nicollet Mall for the last time in December, but the holiday celebration will return as a European-style marketplace.

Steve Cramer, Downtown Council president, said Friday that the council hopes to reinvent Holidazzle as a shopping, eating and entertainment experience centered on Peavey Plaza.

“It would be a concentrated opportunity to do some gift shopping, to have some food items, some beer, mulled wine, that kind of thing,” Cramer said.

The city’s ways and means committee will review committing $395,000 to the concept, coupled with $1.3 million in private support.

Cramer said that unlike the parade, where people come downtown and then leave, the market would be more of an ongoing event.

“It’s a much longer experience, so it would be seven days a week, open most of the day, well into the evening,” Cramer said.

Other cities that have implemented similar markets include Chicago and Vancouver, Cramer said.

[irootoo]

Originally Posted by pete6032

Another uniquely Minnesota icon bites the dust, replaced by copying what other cities are doing.

Holidazzle to be replaced with Christmas marketplace | Star Tribune

How mediocre can you get?

[uptown_urbanist]

I like Christmas markets. I like the Holidazzle parade, too, but if we can't have that anymore then I think a marketplace will be fun and festive. And who cares if everyone else also has one? That's like saying everyone else has a farmers' market, so why do we need them, too?

[StPaulGal]

I have to agree with uptown_urbanist. I have had fun going to the Holidazzle, and it is a shame that it won't be happening any more. But I think a Christmas market is a great idea! To be honest, I expect that I personally will get more benefit from the market than I did from the parade. Perhaps I would feel differently if I had grown up with the parade, but I didn't. I do think it is too bad we can't have both.

[queenswake]

I have long wanted the market idea to come to Minneapolis so I am pretty happy. For an area with such German (and other Scandanvian roots), it's amazing that it took them this long to bring the idea here. Here's the problem I had with the Holidazzle. It was too quick, too short, and without any interaction. The floats moved so quickly that you could barely take it in, let alone have enough time to take a picture. Plus, it was basically the same each year. And, the city is exactly right. People would drive in to see the parade, and then immediately leave afterwards. Especially now that Macy's is doing the same show every year and people no longer have a reason to spend the day downtown.

The market means that not only will people linger, but I think it will end up being a more fun experience for all. Instead of people standing in the cold, freezing, they can be moving about a market so distracted that they don't even notice the cold. Hopefully it will have vendors representing all of the local cultures that will be a great way to show out-of-town visitors what the Twin Cities is made up of. Hmong, Somolia, Latino, Liberian, and the Europeans. And with this lasting many nights, there is room for plenty of different musical acts each night. I am sure Target will have things going on like they have in the past few years at the Holidazzle. Hopefully a large lit tree. Maybe an ice skating rink and bonfire. Holiday craft tent for the kids. Model train display. Have a beer tent showcasing all of the craft beer. Maybe another tent where people from North Folk Home School or the Native Americans are demonstrating winter craftsmanship -- building snowshoes, sleds, etc. Pen of reindeer for the kids to see. Horse-drawn carriage rides. It could really be a fun thing and the ideas are endless.

I just hope they do it right and go big. Extend it down Nicollet Mall. If it's too small, people will be disappointed and won't go back. As it is, so many people are reluctant to travel downtown in the first place.

It will be interesting to see how this ends up being. In my opinion, the Twin Cities has been behind other cities of all sizes in creating a festive atmosphere during the holidays. I watch with envy as other cities really do it right and create a fun reason to be downtown and enjoy the season. Christmas and the city just goes hand in hand -- look at how popular NYC is as a destination during the holidays. Hopefully this will create that same sort of excitement in Minneapolis as I've been hoping for.

[Mason3000]

Originally Posted by queenswake

I have long wanted the market idea to come to Minneapolis so I am pretty happy. For an area with such German (and other Scandanvian roots), it's amazing that it took them this long to bring the idea here. Here's the problem I had with the Holidazzle. It was too quick, too short, and without any interaction. The floats moved so quickly that you could barely take it in, let alone have enough time to take a picture. Plus, it was basically the same each year. And, the city is exactly right. People would drive in to see the parade, and then immediately leave afterwards. Especially now that Macy's is doing the same show every year and people no longer have a reason to spend the day downtown.

The market means that not only will people linger, but I think it will end up being a more fun experience for all. Instead of people standing in the cold, freezing, they can be moving about a market so distracted that they don't even notice the cold. Hopefully it will have vendors representing all of the local cultures that will be a great way to show out-of-town visitors what the Twin Cities is made up of. Hmong, Somolia, Latino, Liberian, and the Europeans. And with this lasting many nights, there is room for plenty of different musical acts each night. I am sure Target will have things going on like they have in the past few years at the Holidazzle. Hopefully a large lit tree. Maybe an ice skating rink and bonfire. Holiday craft tent for the kids. Model train display. Have a beer tent showcasing all of the craft beer. Maybe another tent where people from North Folk Home School or the Native Americans are demonstrating winter craftsmanship -- building snowshoes, sleds, etc. Pen of reindeer for the kids to see. Horse-drawn carriage rides. It could really be a fun thing and the ideas are endless.

I just hope they do it right and go big. Extend it down Nicollet Mall. If it's too small, people will be disappointed and won't go back. As it is, so many people are reluctant to travel downtown in the first place.

It will be interesting to see how this ends up being. In my opinion, the Twin Cities has been behind other cities of all sizes in creating a festive atmosphere during the holidays. I watch with envy as other cities really do it right and create a fun reason to be downtown and enjoy the season. Christmas and the city just goes hand in hand -- look at how popular NYC is as a destination during the holidays. Hopefully this will create that same sort of excitement in Minneapolis as I've been hoping for.

Why do you feel so strongly that a European Holiday Market in Minnesota represent all cultures for out-of-town visitors? You want Muslims from Somalia to represent their non-European, non Christian culture at a European Holiday Market in Minnesota so visitors will think what about us? This is Minnesota, let's embrace our culture when appropriate & let those visitors continue to think what they're going to think anyhow about our diversity. We are an absolutely awesome state & should be very proud to be who we are, as-is.

[uptown_urbanist]

I can't speak for queenswake, but I think one of the neat things about this metro area is that this "European style" market could indeed have an interesting ethnic mix to it. It would certainly put a modern Minneapolis stamp on it. And why shouldn't officials invite, say, local Somali artisans to have a booth? The holiday market may be based on traditional European models, but it seems highly appropriate to put a local twist on it. And while most customers may indeed be buying Christmas gifts, it's not as though the market itself is religious in nature and most vendors don't have a problem with selling to customers of different religious backgrounds. I don't really care what out-of-state-visitors think, but I think a diverse marketplace would be nice for the benefit of all of us who live here already. (and should any organizers be reading, I'd like to put in my request for a churro and horchata stand -- part of my southern CA Christmas tradition that I'd love to revist here in MN)

[Justabitoff]

I saw the Holidazzle parade and having not grown up here, I wasn't impressed. It seemed pretty low budget, but since I don't have any nostalgia attached to it.

I did spend 7 holiday seasons shopping at the NYC holiday market (there are at least 2 very large ones), I really like the idea of having a holiday market. It's a great way to showcase and support local business and I shopped for my family almost exclusively there. I'm not sure why having a holiday market is such a horrid idea... there are plenty of farmer's markets around Minneapolis that are quite popular and those are done in other cities as well. Other cities have malls and public transportation and schools... do you want to get rid of those too?

I understand being upset that the Holidazzle parade is going away but I don't see how that has any bearing on whether or not it's a good idea to have a holiday market.

[Mason3000]

Originally Posted by uptown_urbanist

I can't speak for queenswake, but I think one of the neat things about this metro area is that this "European style" market could indeed have an interesting ethnic mix to it. It would certainly put a modern Minneapolis stamp on it. And why shouldn't officials invite, say, local Somali artisans to have a booth? The holiday market may be based on traditional European models, but it seems highly appropriate to put a local twist on it. And while most customers may indeed be buying Christmas gifts, it's not as though the market itself is religious in nature and most vendors don't have a problem with selling to customers of different religious backgrounds. I don't really care what out-of-state-visitors think, but I think a diverse marketplace would be nice for the benefit of all of us who live here already. (and should any organizers be reading, I'd like to put in my request for a churro and horchata stand -- part of my southern CA Christmas tradition that I'd love to revist here in MN)

It's my impression that people only want diversity added if it's a predominantly White event, am I wrong? I never hear people saying we should add Somali vendors to the 5 de Mayo festival, the Asian New Year or MLK Day celebrations.

[steel03]

White people are not marginalized. Europeans do not need a dedicated space for their culture and traditions because their culture and traditions define the entire structure of Western society.

The question you should be asking is why non-European Minneapolitans SHOULDN'T be included in the Holiday Market when they are just as much residents of the Twin Cities as anyone else. Their holiday/Christmas traditions are just as legitimate and important as European traditions, and Minneapolis isn't even a European city.