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1. Christmas lights cruise

The Lake Mills Chamber Development Corporation has organized a Christmas lights car cruise starting at 5 p.m. Saturday. Participants are encouraged to grab goodies from downtown Lake Mills businesses for the drive before taking off on a tour of both the Lake Mills drive-thru lights display at Leonard Fjelstad Sports Complex — where food bank donations will be accepted — as well as participating locations in the residential Christmas lights contest. The route map and starting point as well as voting ballots will be released this week through the Lake Mills chamber.

 

2. Free showing of Christmas classics

Christmas classics will be shown for free Saturday at The Mills Theater, 216 W. Main St. in Lake Mills. “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” will be shown at noon, “The Little Drummer Boy” at 12:30 p.m., “Frosty the Snowman” at 1 p.m., “Frosty Returns” at 1:30 p.m., “The Life & Adventure of Santa Claus” at 2 p.m., “Garfield’s Christmas” at 3 p.m., “Charlie Brown Christmas” at 3:30 p.m. and “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” at 4 p.m. Santa will be in the ticket booth from 2 to 4 p.m., with goodie bags sponsored by MBT Bank available. The free movies are sponsored by Citizens Community Credit Union.

 

3. Drive-thru Santa and live reindeer experience

Downtown Albert Lea will host a drive-thru holiday experience, where children will receive a candy cane, be able to see live reindeer up close and wave at Santa Claus. The event is strictly a drive-thru event, and a line is expected. The event will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday in the North Broadway parking lot. Those attending are asked to enter the parking lot from North Washington Avenue via West Fountain Street, and will then exit onto North Broadway Avenue via Water Street to keep traffic moving.

 

4. Light Up the Lake

There will be a “Light Up the Lake” event from 5 to 8 p.m. Sunday in Albert Lea. Luminaries will line the sidewalk along Lakeview Boulevard from Fountain Street to the bridge by Edgewater, and people are invited to “enjoy the warm glow with a slow cruise” around Fountain Lake, according to the event’s Facebook page. For those who would like to help by giving their time or a donation, they can message the Albert Lea Convention and Visitors Bureau or email Janelle Koepke at janellekoepke@gmail.com.

 

5. Free movie showing

There will be a free showing at 1:30 p.m. Saturday of “The Polar Express” at Northwood Movie Theatre, 740 Central Ave. in Northwood. Farmers State Bank is sponsoring the free admission into the movie.