Northern Lights at the Arboretum

Northern Lights is new this winter at the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chaska! Northern Lights at the Arboretum is the first-ever light exhibition and runs November 20, 2026 through January 3, 2027, with 18 interactive installations along a one-way path through the gardens. Bundle up, grab a cocoa at the halfway point, and let the kids loose on a 60-foot shadow wall. Kids 15 and under get in free, which makes this one of the better holiday deals in the metro. The Northern Lights at the Arboretum website has the full details and the latest updates.

Check out these highlights!

Northern Lights at the Arboretum

The walk starts near the Snyder Building and winds past glowing trees, giant sculptures and a lit-up canyon you view from above the canopy. A few of our favorites: Glittering Gorge, seen from a garden lookout; Vibrant Vitae, where lit arborvitae line a pond next to crackling bonfires; Geometric Gardens, five oversized sculptures by HYBYCOZO in the Perennial Garden; and Shadow Play, a 60-foot interactive shadow wall that will absorb a solid chunk of your evening. Prince fans should watch for Prince’s Paisley Path, a dance-themed stop honoring the Purple One, who was an Arboretum member.

Dates: November 20, 2026 – January 3, 2027 (closed November 26, December 24 and December 25)

Hours: Nightly, 4:30 PM-9:30 PM

Location: 3675 Arboretum Drive, Chaska, MN 55318

Tickets: $35 for non-members and $25 for Arboretum members. Kids 15 and under are free, but they still need a ticket and an adult. Parking is free. You pick a date and time when you buy, and advance tickets are strongly recommended. If there’s room, you can pay at the gate for an extra $10 per ticket. Buy tickets here.

Food, Drinks + Warming Up

Location: Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, 3675 Arboretum Drive, Chaska, MN

Fuel up before you head out. Rootstock, the Arboretum’s cafe, serves Midwestern comfort food like turkey wild rice soup, chili, hotdish, cottage pie and porketta sandwiches, and it’s lit with geometric lanterns for the occasion. Skol Square in the Snyder Building has hot drinks, specialty cocktails and seasonal snacks for the grown-ups. About halfway along the path, the Warming Hut has hot cocoa and s’mores, which is exactly where the kids will ask to stop.

Holiday Shopping + Art

The Gift & Garden Store is stocked with holiday gifts, and three indoor galleries feature work from local artists. If the AppleHouse Holiday Boutique is on your list, get there early, since it closes at 5 PM.

For even more holiday family-friendly events around the Twin Cities, be sure to visit our Twin Cities Guide to Holiday Events!  Click here or the image below!