Holidazzle returns to Nicollet Mall to help rev up downtown Minneapolis

More than 30 years later, downtown is still fighting for visitors in the face of new pressures. Duininck said companies such as US Bank, Target and Xcel Energy — all of which have a presence downtown, including on Nicollet Mall itself — were among the biggest contributors to the event’s roughly $500,000 budget this year.

Bringing back the parade would have been too expensive, Duininck said, and some restaurants and retailers expressed a preference for a festival-style event that drives traffic over a longer period of time. Building on the success of summer events for the U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Trials and Taste of Minnesota, the Downtown Council closed Nicollet Mall from S. 6th to 11th streets to make way for food trucks and fire pits, concert stages and art installations.

This year’s Holidazzle also has indoor components. Yuri Samuel, who cited his Miami roots, said he appreciates the ability to take a break from the cold to shop at Dayton’s Project, enjoy music at the IDS Center or roller skate at City Center. His son, 5-year-old Avon, liked City Center’s Minnesota-themed miniature golf course best.

Melody Owens, on the other hand, fondly recalled the days when Minnesotans huddled outdoors for hours to get the best view of the parade. She roamed Nicollet Mall with her 18-year-old daughter, who was too young to make the Holidazzle parade memories her older siblings have.

“I just wish she could experience it once. I think it’s much better than the Macy’s parade. But times have changed and things are different,” Owens said, waving a hand at storefronts once dominated by department stores.

Those doing last-minute Christmas shopping this year will find pop-up holiday markets instead. Among the many vendors that have squeezed into Dayton’s Project is Northern Drift, a clothing retailer with a store in Excelsior. Owner Lisa Jane said the event exposes the brand to new customers, driving future business online and in-store.