The Choreography of Christmas in Coon Rapids: Holiday Lights Tour Opens as Arts Commission Deliberates

COON RAPIDS, Minn. - As winter darkness settles over this northern Twin Cities suburb, dozens of homes across Coon Rapids are casting a festive glow. The city has released the 2025 Holiday Lights Tour map, a guide to more than two dozen residential displays, inviting residents to embark on a self-guided driving or walking tour even as judging for the annual contest remains underway. (Interactive Map) (Printable PDF)

A Friendly, Artistic Contest

This year’s competition is divided into two categories: Still, for displays where at least 75 percent of the lights remain static, and Motion, for displays featuring predominantly animated or kinetic lighting. Entries were due by noon on Monday, December 1. Judging by the Coon Rapids Arts Commission is scheduled from December 4 to 7, during evening hours when the displays are at their full brilliance. (Coon Rapids Holiday Lighting Contest)

Judges evaluate entries based on overall impact, visual appeal, creativity, and variety. First-place winners in each category receive $100, while second-place winners receive $50.

Touring the Lights

The interactive map and printable PDF allow residents to begin viewing the displays immediately. The map plots every participating home, transforming neighborhoods into a tapestry of glowing porches, illuminated lawns, and, in the Motion category, synchronized light shows. For many families, the tour offers a festive, low-cost outing and a chance to explore parts of the city they might not normally visit.

City officials emphasize that the map encourages community engagement and neighborhood pride, turning a seasonal pastime into a shared cultural experience. (MinneapoliMedia Coverage)

Lights as Public Art

That the Arts Commission oversees judging underscores the city’s view of the displays as a form of ephemeral public art. Beyond cash prizes, participants and neighbors alike gain something more lasting: community connection, shared joy, and a seasonal spectacle that reflects the creativity and pride of Coon Rapids residents.

What Happens Next

Residents can access the tour via the interactive map or printable PDF. The Arts Commission is expected to announce winners in mid-December, with recognition appearing on the city website, social media, in the winter edition of the “Coon Rapids Connection” newsletter, and on CTN Coon Rapids (Channel 859).

Until then, the lights are on, the competition is friendly, and the streets of Coon Rapids are glowing,  proof that the most enduring prize may be connection and holiday magic rather than cash.

MinneapoliMedia