News and Interviews

'Tis the season: A guide to Twin Cities holiday shows

by John Kueppers

December 10, 2025

The New Standards Holiday Show at State Theatre in Minneapolis on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024.
The New Standards Holiday Show at State Theatre in Minneapolis on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024.Steve Cohen for MPR

The Current is welcoming in December with our jam-packed guide to live holiday shows coming up in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Check out shows from The New Standards, Cornbread Harris, The Jayhawks, Maria & the Coins, and more. Your music-filled winter wonderland awaits.

Tuesday, Dec. 2

  • Christmas Dreaming with Stella Cole & The Laurels String Quartet: 7 p.m. at Dakota, Minneapolis 

  • Christmas Dreaming with Stella Cole & The Laurels String Quartet: 9 p.m. at Dakota, Minneapolis 

Wednesday, Dec. 3

  • The Holiday (2006) w/ pre-movie music by Favourite Girl: 7 p.m. at Parkway Theater, Minneapolis

  • Nicholas David: St. Nick’s Show and album release: 8 p.m. at Dakota, Minneapolis 

Friday, Dec. 5

  • Debbie Briggs Vintage Jazz presents “A Very Vintage Christmas”: 8 p.m. at The Hook & Ladder Theater, Minneapolis

  • Kathleen Johnson’s Holiday Hang: 8 p.m. at Aster House, Minneapolis 

  • The New Standards Holiday Show: 8 p.m. at State Theatre, Minneapolis

  • A Dizzy Holiday Special: 8:30 p.m. at Aster Cafe, Minneapolis 

  • Christmas Punk Show: My Kid Banana with Lost Evidence and The Stabotuers: 9 p.m. at White Squirrel Bar, St. Paul (FREE)

a band and performers on stage
Chan Poling, John Munson and Steve Roehm of The New Standards performing at their Holiday Show at State Theatre in Minneapolis on Friday, Dec. 6, 2024.
Steve Cohen for MPR

Saturday, Dec. 6

  • The New Standards Holiday Show: 4 p.m. at State Theatre, Minneapolis

  • A Very Bad September Holiday Show: 7 p.m. at Black Forest Inn, Minneapolis

  • The Klezmatics - Happy Joyous Hanukkah: 7 p.m. at Dakota, Minneapolis

  • The New Standards Holiday Show: 8 p.m. at State Theatre, Minneapolis

  • Trailer Trash’s Trashy Little Xmas Show: 8 p.m. at Parkway Theater, Minneapolis 

  • A Very Way Back Yard Christmas featuring The Way Back Yard and Sammie Jean: 8:30 p.m. at Aster Cafe, Minneapolis 

men in backyard with flamingos
Trailer Trash's Trashy Little Xmas show, photo by Steve Wolf
Courtesy of Steve Wolf

Sunday, Dec. 7

  • Pat Donohue & Prairie All-Stars Christmas Show: 7 p.m. at Aster House, Minneapolis 

  • Southside Aces: Christmas in New Orleans: 7 p.m. at Dakota, Minneapolis 

Tuesday, Dec. 9

  • Travis Anderson Trio’s “A Charlie Brown Christmas”: 7 p.m. at Dakota, Minneapolis 

  • Big Bad Voodoo Daddy’s Wild & Swingin’ Holiday Party: 7:30 p.m. at Pantages Theatre, Minneapolis

  • Travis Anderson Trio’s “A Charlie Brown Christmas”: 9 p.m. at Dakota, Minneapolis 

Wednesday, Dec. 10

  • for KING & COUNTRY – A Drummer Boy Christmas: 7 p.m. at Orpheum Theatre, Minneapolis

  • Mark O’Connor’s Appalachian Christmas: 7 p.m. at Dakota, Minneapolis

Thursday, Dec. 11

  • for KING & COUNTRY – A Drummer Boy Christmas: 7 p.m. at Orpheum Theatre, Minneapolis

  • Karrin Allyson - Wintry Mix: 7 p.m. at Dakota, Minneapolis 

  • Maria & the Coins 5th Annual Holly Jolly Christmas Show w/ Leslie Vincent: 7 p.m. at Icehouse, Minneapolis

Woman singing on stage
Maria and the Coins. Big Turn Music Festival is a two-day, citywide music festival in downtown Red Wing, Minnesota.
Laura Buhman for MPR

Friday, Dec. 12

  • SNO BALL ‘25: 7 p.m. at PNA Hall, Minneapolis

  • The Jayhawks with Robyn Hitchcock: 7:30 p.m. at Fitzgerald Theater, St. Paul

  • The Blenders – Holiday Soul: 8 p.m. at Pantages Theatre, Minneapolis

  • Red Thread and Ponyfolk Sing Jingle Bells: 8 p.m. at The Cedar, Minneapolis

  • Sarah Morris & the Sometimes Elves: The 19th Annual Holiday Show: 8 p.m. at Icehouse, Minneapolis

  • Trailer Trash’s Trashy Little X-Mas: 8 p.m. at Hook and Ladder, Minneapolis

Saturday, Dec. 13

A Band performs on stage
The Jayhawks performing at Palace Theatre in St. Paul on Saturday, Dec. 16.
Steve Cohen for MPR

Sunday, Dec. 14

  • Ben Cook-Feltz's Holiday Shindig with Ann Reed and Zippy Laske: 2 p.m. at The Cedar, Minneapolis

  • The Blenders – Holiday Soul: 2 p.m. at Pantages Theatre, Minneapolis

  • Mannheim Steamroller Christmas: 3 p.m. at Orpheum Theatre, Minneapolis

  • Renaissance Holiday Market: 6 p.m. at The Cabooze, Minneapolis

  • The Aimee Mann & Ted Leo Christmas Show with Paul F. Tompkins, Nellie McKay, and Josh Gondelman: 7 p.m. at Fitzgerald Theater, St. Paul

  • The Peterson Family - ‘Twas the Jam Before Christmas: 7 p.m. at Dakota, Minneapolis 

Monday, Dec. 15

  • The Peterson Family - ‘Twas the Jam Before Christmas: 7 p.m. at Dakota, Minneapolis

Tuesday, Dec. 16

  • Merry Christmas From José James: 7 p.m. at Dakota, Minneapolis 

  • Tunes for Tots: 7 p.m. at The Cabooze, Minneapolis

Wednesday, Dec. 17

  • A Charlie Brown Christmas featuring Blue Ox Trio playing the music of Vince Guaraldi: 7 p.m. at Turf Club, St. Paul

  • Matt Wilson's Christmas Tree-O: 7 p.m. at Berlin, Minneapolis

  • Merry Christmas From José James: 7 p.m. at Dakota, Minneapolis 

  • How the Lords stole Xmas: Lords of the Universe w. Dog Gamn, Emery Snow and the Flakes: 9 p.m. at White Squirrel Bar, St. Paul (FREE)

Thursday, Dec. 18

  • Making Noise For Toys: 6 p.m. at The Cabooze, Minneapolis

  • A Charlie Brown Christmas featuring Blue Ox Trio playing the music of Vince Guaraldi: 7 p.m. at Turf Club, St. Paul

  • HEYARLO Christmas: 7 p.m. at Berlin, Minneapolis

  • Riders in the Sky Present: Christmas the Cowboy Way: 7 p.m. at Dakota, Minneapolis

  • Adam Bohanan Presents A Very Funky Hanukkah Show: 7:30 p.m. at The Cedar, Minneapolis

  • Cornbread & Friends – Holiday Blues Show: 7:30 p.m. at Hook and Ladder, Minneapolis

  • HEYARLO Christmas: 9 p.m. at Berlin, Minneapolis

HEYARLO 2025
HEYARLO 2025
Photo provided by promoter.

Friday, Dec. 19

  • Preservation Hall Jazz Band Presents: A Creole Christmas: 7 p.m. at Dakota, Minneapolis 

  • 18th Annual Yuletide Sweater Ball: 8 p.m. at Hook and Ladder, Minneapolis

  • Impromptu Christmas Project: 8 p.m. at Icehouse, Minneapolis

  • Rolling Stoners - A Very Green Christmas: 8 p.m. at Green Room, Minneapolis

  • Trailer Trash’s Trashy Little Xmas Show: 8 p.m. at Turf Club, St. Paul

  • Viva Knievel Sleigh Ball - A Holiday Spectacular: 8:30 p.m. at First Avenue, Minneapolis 

  • Preservation Hall Jazz Band Presents: A Creole Christmas: 9:30 p.m. at Dakota, Minneapolis

Saturday, Dec. 20

  • Preservation Hall Jazz Band Presents: A Creole Christmas: 6 p.m. at Dakota, Minneapolis 

  • The Belfast Cowboys “Musical Mistletoe”: 7:30 p.m. at Hook and Ladder, Minneapolis

  • Dan Rodriguez presents All I Want For Christmas Is Whiskey: 8 p.m. at Parkway Theater, Minneapolis

  • Festive Beats of Afrika with Carolyne Naomi, Diatoti, and Afrocontigbo: 8 p.m. at Cedar Cultural Center, Minneapolis

  • JD McPherson: Socks: A Rock N Roll Christmas Tour with Melissa Carper: 8 p.m. at First Avenue, Minneapolis 

  • Trailer Trash’s Trashy Little Xmas Show: 8 p.m. at Turf Club, St. Paul

  • Preservation Hall Jazz Band Presents: A Creole Christmas: 8:30 p.m. at Dakota, Minneapolis

  • Le Cirque rouge Holiday Show: 9 p.m. at White Squirrel Bar, St. Paul (FREE)

A man sings and plays guitar onstage
JD McPherson performs onstage for the 24th Annual Americana Honors & Awards at Ryman Auditorium on September 10, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Erika Goldring/Getty Images for Americana Music

Sunday, Dec. 21

  • XMas Jazz Show: 1 p.m. at White Squirrel Bar, St. Paul (FREE)

  • A Swingin’ Christmas with the Andrew Walesch Big Band: 5 p.m. at Dakota, Minneapolis 

  • Anthony Shore's 13th Annual Christmas With The King: 7 p.m. at Parkway Theater, Minneapolis

  • A Very Beemer Christmas Pageant with Nelson Devereaux: 7 p.m. at Aster House, Minneapolis 

  • A Swingin’ Christmas with the Andrew Walesch Big Band: 7:30 p.m. at Dakota, Minneapolis

  • Larry McDonough Quintet and Festivus and Other Twisted Holidays: 8 p.m. at Aster Cafe, Minneapolis 

Five men sit in a marble-tiled hallway
Twin Cities band Beemer
courtesy First Avenue

Monday, Dec. 22

  • Spending Christmas with Alicia Witt: 7 p.m. at Dakota, Minneapolis 

  • A Winter’s Evening with Ryanhood: 7:30 p.m. at Parkway Theater, Minneapolis

  • Ella Grace MNtet Holiday Show: 7:30 p.m. at Berlin, Minneapolis 

  • Zander & Clayton’s Folkin’ Christmas Coat Show: 9 p.m. at White Squirrel Bar, St. Paul (FREE)

Tuesday, Dec. 23

  • A Swingin’ Christmas with the Andrew Walesch Big Band: 7 p.m. at Dakota, Minneapolis

  • 20th Annual Eve Eve Benefit Show: 8 p.m. at Icehouse, Minneapolis

  • Merry Clash-Mas: 9 p.m. at White Squirrel Bar, St. Paul (FREE)

Friday, Dec. 26

  • Twine’s Holiday Party “More the merrier”: 8 p.m. at The Cabooze, Minneapolis

Saturday, Dec. 27

  • Home for the Holidays: Soul Asylum with Tommy Stinson: 8 p.m. at First Avenue, Minneapolis

Dave Pirner plays a black acoustic guitar while singing into mic
Soul Asylum and Ivan Neville performed at State Theatre in Minneapolis on April 20, 2023.
Davin Brandt

Sunday, Dec. 28

Monday, Dec. 29

Tuesday, Dec. 30

  • Love Actually (2003) w/ pre-movie music by Colin Bracewell: 7 p.m. at Parkway Theater, Minneapolis

This activity is made possible in part by the Minnesota Legacy Amendment’s Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.