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Holiday Light Show

BE A PART OF THE 2025 SHOW!

SEASONS GREETINGS! Main Street Elkader, the City of Elkader, and the Elkader Area Chamber of Commerce are once again teaming up to create a holiday light display, taking visitors through the Elkader City Campground. We’ve added NEW displays this year thanks to the donations received during our inaugural season. We cannot wait to show you! ‘

Sign-up your businesses, families, individuals, memorials, churches, and organizations to sponsor a section of the park to decorate. This is a great way to advertise your business, advertise to out-of-town visitors and community members, and bring some holiday cheer to the community!


Reserve a space!

10’ x 10’ = $40 per section

  • Each reservation comes with 
    • A timer for the lights
    • A sign with your logo/name (matching all of the reserved spaces) 
    • A small spotlight for your logo’d sign (created by our team)
  • You can purchase up to three consecutive sections 


With a reserved spot, you are responsible for:

  • Set up, maintenance, and take down
  • Any liability that your displays would cause in the event of an accident 
  • We highly recommend putting your displays on pallets for easier set-up and take-down. 
  • For energy efficiency LED lights are required 
  • Please mark your extension cords as we are not responsible for lost items. 
  • No blow-up decorations will be allowed unless you can commit to checking on them daily (especially after high winds or heavy snowfall)


Reserve Your Space!

SET-UP INSTRUCTIONS:

Thank you for helping us bring JOY to the Elkader area this year through our Holiday Light Show!

We will notify you of your exact location within the light show on or before November 7th. You will then be able to set up/design your space for the following 10 days — anytime between November 8th and 18th. We will be testing the lights on 11/19 and 11/20, prior to the kickoff events on Friday, November 21st.


Key dates recap:

- Participants notified of their space location: November 7th (or before)

- Set-up of your space: November 8th-18th

- Lights running: November 21st-January 1st (daily, 5pm-10pm)

- Teardown: Any time between January 2nd and January 31st (weather/ground temperature permitting)


Be thinking of your designs now!

Questions? Email us at mainstreetelkader@gmail.com.

A partnership between the following organizations...

Give to this annual event!

Support our annual light show, held in the Elkader City Campground and sponsored by Main Street Elkader, Elkader Area Chamber of Commerce, and the City of Elkader.

Donate now!

SPECIAL EVENTS FOR 2025:

Friday, November 21st

KICK OFF NIGHT!

  • 4pm-6pm: Elkader Area Chamber of Commerce hosts their annual Get Your Jingle On event downtown at FreedomBank and shopping at downtown businesses. 
  • 6pm: Lights turned on in the City Campground!
  • 6pm-9pm: Main Street Elkader board of directors hosts a Christmas ornament making station at the shelter house (Floral Hall) in the City Campground.

Saturday, November 22nd

UGLY SWEATER RUN

  • 5pm: Show up with your ugly Christmas sweaters and run around the City Campground together! This super short run is more about fun and photos than breaking your PR. ;) Be sure to post your photos and tag us!

Saturday, November 29th

CARRIAGE "SLEIGH" RIDES

  • We're partnering with Clip Clop Carriage Rides out of St. Olaf to offer festive "sleigh" rides through the campground and through the lights! 

More details to come on timing, registration, and more!

Saturday, December 6th

PAJAMA NIGHT

  • Wear your Christmas PJs through the campground, snap pictures and more!


GLOWSTICKS

  • Each kid entering the campground will receive a glow stick to shine, while supplies last.

Saturday, December 13th

VISIT SANTA NIGHT

  • 5pm-8pm: Stop and visit with Santa in the shelter house! Snap your photo while you're here and be sure to tag us!


SIDE-BY-SIDE RIDE hosted by the Clayton County SXS Riders

  • More info to come!

Saturday, December 20th

COOKIE DECORATING

  • 5pm-8pm: While supplies last, decorate holiday cookies with us, sponsored by Pedretti's Bakery!

Saturday, December 27th

SNOW SHOEING/SNOW SKIING

  • Take a self-guided tour through the City Campground and experience the Holiday Light Show on snow shoes or snow skis! 
  • There is no specific start/end time for this "event" so you can go whenever you'd like! Of course, if there's not enough snow, the event will not take place but we will welcome you to drive or walk through.

Show More

More information for YOU!

LETTER TO BUSINESSES, ORGANIZATIONS, & COMMUNITY MEMBERS: 

Print + donate via mail or in-person at Elkader City Hall if you wish. Make checks payable to Main Street Elkader and mail to our attention at 207 N. Main Street, Elkader, Iowa 52043. Thank you for your support! 


2025 LIGHT SHOW MAP:

View + save our map of the show for the 2025 show! We are grateful for your support.

Holiday Light Show - 2025 Letter (pdf)

Download

2025 map (png)

Download

Connect with us!


MAIN STREET ELKADER

207 N Main St, Elkader, Iowa 52043, USA

PO Box 125

563-245-2770

mainstreetelkader@gmail.com


Elkader Chamber of Commerce

City of Elkader

Elkader Economic Development 


Copyright © 2025 Main Street Elkader - All Rights Reserved.

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