Primary contact: Crystal Jensen

[email protected]

candieclouds.com

Candie Clouds specializes in gourmet cotton candy. Order in advance or Crystal can do on-site spinning at your next event. Try the new Christmas Candie Cake for the kids table at your upcoming holiday party! Check out Crystal's appearance on FOX 9 Good Day this week.

Primary contact: Alena Severson

(612) 889-7376

1750 Tower Blvd #104, Victoria

[email protected]

nauticalbowls.com

Nautical Bowls features organic, all-natural superfood bowls packed with essential vitamins and nutrients. Alena and Anny are owners of the Victoria and Chaska locations. Stop by a try a bowl!

Holiday Art Market 

Friday, December 1 | 4PM-7PM

Saturday, December 2 | 9AM-4PM

Sunday, December 3 | 10AM-3PM

Mocha Monkey Downtown

115 S Olive St, Waconia

This exclusive three day Art Market will feature local artists showcasing their pottery, paintings, jewelry, cards, prints, woodworking, book arts, glass and more! 

"Shred for a Sweater" Charity Workout & Clothing Drive

Saturday, December 2 | 9:00-10:30AM

Shred With Shannon

37 Main St E, Waconia

'Tis the season to GIVE BACK!

Join us for two different class formats, SHiNE Dance Fitness & Total Body Strength/Cardio, back to back. Come for one or both! Entrance fee: 1+ gently used piece of winter apparel. To register: www.shredwithshannon.com/schedule

Wrap at the Tap

Sunday, December 3 | 4-7PM

Iron Tap

140 W Main St, Waconia

Let us wrap your Christmas gifts this year! Join Thrivent and Henke Hess Financial Group for this event hosted with Iron Tap. Enjoy a frosty beverage on us, while our elves work feverishly on those hard to wrap Christmas gifts! Limit of 5 gifts. Registration is required.

This event benefits Minneapolis Toys 4 Tots. Please consider bringing a new, unwrapped toy to donate, if you are able.

Holiday Open House & Boutique 

Thursday December 7 | 5-8:30PM

J. Carver Distillery

1320 Mill Ln, Waconia

Start your holiday shopping and find the perfect gift for your loved ones during our sip and shop event at J. Carver Distillery's Holiday Open House & Boutique. This is a free admission event. No ticket or reservation required.

Ugly Sweater Bingo Bash

Saturday, December 9 | 12-1:30PM

American Legion Post 150

4 E Main St STE1, Waconia

Join us for a great day! Bingo, prizes for best “ugly” Christmas outfit, drink specials, a ham meat raffle AND MUCH MORE!!!!

Nutcracker Performance

Saturday, December 9 | 2PM or 7PM

Mayer Lutheran Fine Arts Center

306 7th St NE, Mayer

Looking to attend a show this Christmas Season? You have come to the right spot! This year Cultivate Dance Collaborative will be putting on The Nutcracker Suite! Come celebrate the holiday season and make new traditions with us by coming to the ballet. Tickets are $10 per individual, per performance. 

"Donate Funds, Change Lives" Online Fundraiser 

Donate now through December 9

Help Thrivent and Henke Hess Financial Group stock the shelves this winter at Gather and Grow/Waconia United Food Shelf. Please consider donating to keep the Gather and Grow shelves full this winter with these essential food items, for example canned soups, granola bars, pasta varieties, pasta sauces, oatmeal varieties and much more.  

For every $2 donated to Waconia Food Shelf Humanity through this online campaign, the Thrivent will add $1 up to an additional match of $1,000. 

Journey to Bethlehem

Sunday, December 10 | 12PM-3PM

Trinity Lutheran Church & School

601 E 2nd St, Waconia

Join us on The Journey to Bethlehem as we take your family back in time for a live, walk-through experience centered around the birth of Christ! Journey through Bethlehem at the time of the census, walk through the streets, experience the shops, spend your denari (but watch out for the tax collectors!), and follow the star to the newborn baby Jesus. You’ll see, and even smell, what life was like when Jesus was born. Great for all ages. Come to experience a live nativity, crafts, food and fellowship!

Old Fashioned Christmas Party

Friday, December 22 | 4-9PM

Schram Vineyards Winery & Brewery

8775 Airport Rd, Waconia

Come on out to Schram Vineyards for our annual Old Fashioned Christmas party for a fun night of nostalgia and great wine! Elsa Lee will serenade us with her beautiful holiday tunes from 5-8PM. Tickets include indoor seating, hot mulled wine samples, and Christmas activities and trivia to do on your own, so grab your loved ones and head out for a magical winter evening together at the winery! Tickets: $5/person.

Spirit of Winter: Festival of Lights

Now Through December 30 | 4-8PM

The Winery at Sovereign Estate

9950 N Shore Rd, Waconia

The Winery at Sovereign Estate invites you to light-up the season with our Spirit of Winter: Festival of Lights. The Estate is transformed into a majestic, illuminated winter wonderland, with over twenty miles of musical, synchronized lights strung over 20 acres of their lakeside vineyard. Admission is $10 per person for 5 years and older. Children 4 and under are FREE! Open Tuesday-Sunday from 4pm-8pm.

Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Years Eve.

Lola's Lakehouse Jingle Bar

Now Through December 31 | 4PM

Lola's Lakehouse

318 E Lake St, Waconia

Join Lola's nightly starting at 4PM for the ultimate in festive experiences. You’ll be ho ho ho’ing all the way home after you indulge in an order of Mistletoe Munchie Cheese Curds and one of our spectacular seasonal sips. We’ve got holiday decor galore, cocktails that sleigh, and food that’ll knock your candy cane-printed socks off. Gather your friends and family, throw on your ugliest Christmas sweater or all that sparkles in your closet, and then head over for nightly celebrations as we’ve transformed Lola's bar into a sugar plum, yuletide, tinsel twinkling, wonderland of merriment for you to enjoy! Check Facebook for updates.

Reverse Advent Calendar Giving

Donate all December long

Gather and Grow Waconia United Food Shelf

11 S Elm St, Waconia

A creative way to give back during December is participating in the Reverse Advent Calendar. These are items we need but often times can not source through our food bank. It's a great way to give back and have a meaningful Advent. Thank you for the support!

Now Playing at Emagine

• Napoleon
• The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
• The Marvels
• The Shift
• Trolls Band Together
• Wish

Holiday Open House 

Friday, December 1 | 8:30AM-4:30PM

Saturday, December 2 | 8:30AM-12:30PM

SouthPoint Financial Credit Union

502 Cherry Dr, Waconia

Stop by SouthPoint Financial Credit Union's Holiday Open House. Santa will be there Saturday, December 2 from 8:30-11:30AM, so bring your camera for a photo. 

Pet Photos with Santa

Saturday, December 2 | 9AM-12PM

Paws Inn Pet Essentials

120 S Vine St, Waconia

Start the holiday season with a fun gift for yourself! You will receive a USB drive with photos of your pet with Santa. $30 Donation. The first 20 people to arrive will receive a free gift bag of goodies. We will be donating a portion of the proceeds to support the Carver County K9

Fund. Stop by for an unforgettable photo op and to support a great cause!

Brunch with Santa

Sunday, December 3 | 9AM-12PM

Vandy's Grille

7795 Laketown Pkwy, Waconia

Santa will be at Vandy’s from 9:00 AM until noon. Come by and get your picture taken with Santa and enjoy a wonderful brunch buffet with many of your favorites. Reserve online at www.vandysgrille.com.

Santa at the Bakery

Saturday, December 9 | 9AM-11AM

Bakery On Main

136 W Main St, Waconia

BOM is excited to welcome Santa back to the bakery. Please call 952-529-0919 during bakery hours to book a time. $30 gets you photos with Santa and a cookie decorating kit to bring home! ** Bring your own camera for the photos!

Santa in the Taproom

Saturday, December 9 | 1PM-3PM

Waconia Brewing Company

235 W Main St, Waconia

Santa Claus is coming to the Taproom! Enjoy a beverage while the kids take a picture with Santa Claus.

Santa at Elite

Sunday, December 10 | 12PM-3PM

Elite Nutrition

36 W Main St, Waconia

Santa will be at Elite in Waconia!! Swing in and grab a shake or Energy bomb. We will have crafts for the kids.

Skate with Santa

Sunday, December 17 | 12-1:30PM

Waconia Ice Arena

1250 Oak Ave, Waconia

Grab your friends and family and skate to your favorite Christmas music with Santa. Don't forget to bring your camera to snap a picture with him. The concession stand will be open for your snacking needs! Space is limited! Reserve your spot today! $8/$5 for Safari Island members (includes skate rental if needed)

Moving Help Wanted

Friday, December 15 | 9AM - 3PM

Help SVA move! It's time to clear out the storage units and bring the furniture to our new Domestic Abuse Advocacy Center. Heavy Lifting required, lunch provided. For more information or to sign up, email Jesse at [email protected].

Economic Development Programs

The City of Waconia has three economic development programs to support the downtown commercial core, commercial and industrial sectors, and small business start-ups. Click the button to lean more about the available grant and loan programs.

Waconia City Council Agenda 12.4.2023

Short Term Rental Design Services 

Kristin Therese Designs is thrilled to announce that she's recently completed training and certification as a Vacation Rental Design Expert! She will be able to design for properties both in-person and remotely.

If you are looking for help with your rental property or properties, or know someone who is, or are a Realtor or Lender working with investment property buyers, reach out to Kristin at [email protected].

Waconia Chamber Business Excellence Awards

Nominations Due: Friday, December 8

The Waconia Chamber of Commerce would like to implement annual Business Excellence Awards to honor businesses by presenting three awards to individuals who have demonstrated business leadership, community leadership and a dedication to education.

Who can nominate? Nominations can come from a member company representative, an individual, another business, or self-nominations are accepted. Nominations will require a completed application by Friday, December 8, 2023 to be considered

The business excellence awards will be presented at the Waconia Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting on Thursday, January 25, 2024.

December Coffee Connection

Thursday December 7 | 7:30-9:00AM

Hometown Bank

641 Marketplace Dr, Waconia

Network and connect! We'd love to hear what's new with you and your business. Coffee and a light snack will be served. No need to register. Stop in for as long as your schedule allows. FREE! Hope to see you there. Congratulations to our host, HomeTown Bank, on celebrating 10 years of business in Waconia!

December Waconia Young Professionals

Monday, December 11 | 4 - 5PM

Waconia Brewing Company

255 W Main St, Waconia

December Waconia Young Professionals will be held directly before the Chamber Holiday Social on Monday, December 11th! Join us at Waconia Brewing Company between 4pm-5pm to meet up and mingle before we head over to Bode Gray's.

Not going to the Holiday Social? That's A-OK! Come chat and network at WBC between 4-5pm! 

Chamber Holiday Social

Monday, December 11 | 5 - 8PM

Bode Gray's | The Brass Hat

125 W 1st St, Waconia

Theme: Prohibition-era Speakeasy

1920s attire encouraged, but optional

Tickets: $50/person. Includes a drink ticket and hors d'oeuvres.

All chamber members and guests are welcome!

Deadline to register: Monday, December 4