Mears Park holiday lights won't shine as bright

Plans for this year's holiday display at the St. Paul park call for small lights to be hung in trees around the park perimeter. But tight budgets are hindering the city's ability to pay for the traditional dazzling, decorative holiday light displays people are used to seeing, the Pioneer Press reports.

Author:: BMTN Staff
Publish date:: Oct 23, 2012
Updated on: Mar 8, 2018

Plans for this year's holiday display at the St. Paul park call for small lights to be hung in trees around the park perimeter. But tight budgets are hindering the city's ability to pay for the traditional dazzling, decorative holiday light displays people are used to seeing, the Pioneer Press reports.

Officials say costs are rising and support from downtown businesses for lights are decreasing, the newspaper reports.

The city leaves the lighting decisions to the tourism group Visit St. Paul, which coordinates with W Marketing. That company has been left to allocate the city's flat holiday lighting budget in downtown, and make tough choices about where to cut corners, the newspaper reports.

DONTCHA KNOW?

BMTN Newsletters Deliver The Biggest MN Stories

Get Our Newsletter

flickr-sun-day-minneapolis-river

Two out of three days look great.

You can bid on the Mount Curve property now.

Screen Shot 2019-05-24 at 10.45.37 AM

Cousins was called out to take part in the Crack Cancer challenge.

Lake_Superior_North_Shore

A combination of snowmelt and heavy rain is behind the problem.

Lake Calhoun

It comes after a Wisconsin's new tourism secretary claimed they have Minnesota beat.

Karl-Anthony Towns

His max contract could have jumped from $158M to $189M.

flickr-mn-capitol-building-nov-2018

But can they actually get everything done in that short of a time?

fawn-cpr-oxygen-anoke-county-sheriff-facebook-screengrab

2 fawns were found submerged in wetland in Oak Grove.

Screen Shot 2019-05-23 at 10.52.52 PM

The crash in western Minnesota is under investigation.

Screen Shot 2019-05-23 at 10.39.48 PM

The suspect is being treated at Hennepin County Medical Center.

North MOA sign

The 5-year-old is still recuperating from the injuries inflicted

Screen Shot 2019-05-23 at 6.28.16 PM

It's the second time this season they've hit 8 home runs in a single game.

Deloitte's 27th annual holiday survey shows shoppers in the Twin Cities plan to spend roughly $430 on gifts this year, but cut their overall holiday budgets.

The city of Duluth maintains First Amendment rights do not extend to a holiday lighting display in the city's Bayfront Festival Park. Two men say police violated their free speech rights when they stopped the men from preaching at the park.

The Minnesota History Center for two years has been intensely researching the six-week conflict in 1862 and what led up to one of the most heart-breaking chapters in state history, KARE 11 reports. Research of the complex episode included interviews with direct descendants of settlers and native people. The culmination of the work will be on display beginning Saturday, in time for the 150th anniversary of the war.

Two men have filed a lawsuit in federal court to be allowed to preach during Duluth's holiday lighting festival. The men say police ordered them out of the display last year -- violating their First Amendment rights.

The Duluth News Tribune reports there was quite the light display over the Northland Saturday night into Sunday morning. Some residents told the newspaper they could even see the aurora within the Duluth city limits.