Northside Luminary Light Up!
and 40-hour vigil for our city
Bringing light to the darkness. Join your neighbors and others from our broader Twin Cities community for a time of reflection, healing, love, and peace, surrounded by beautiful ice luminaries.
The St Jane House, Old Highland Neighborhood Association, the Luminary Loppet, and Wintercraft are teaming up to host our second annual Northside Luminary Light Up! This free public event will take place the evenings of Jan. 31 and Feb. 1, 2026 in the Old Highland Peace Garden located at 18th and Emerson Avenues North. This year's event will center all that is happening in our city now and those most impacted. It will also include a 40-hour candlelit vigil. Hundreds of beautiful luminaries will be lit from 4:00pm on Saturday through 8:00am Monday morning for people to visit at all hours. Please stop by.
Saturday, Jan. 31 and
Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026
5pm - 9pm
Old Highland Peace Garden
1803 Emerson Ave. N.
Come enjoy beautiful ice luminaries created by Northsiders and others for this annual winter tradition for our community. Proceeds from this year's event will benefit Northside families impacted by ICE occupation.
Enjoy hot chocolate, cookies and s'mores around multiple bonfires.
This event is free and open to the public. If you plan to come, please sign up and we will keep you apprised of any updates.
Walk ups are welcome, too!
View photo album from 2025.
Volunteer to help bring this event to life!
Opportunities available:
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set up and clean up
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hospitality during the event (four shift options)
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fire stokers/garden tenders (during non event hours)
Be a part of the ice luminary team!
Join us in creating and/or installing ice luminaries for the event. Whether you are a seasoned ice luminary artist, or a beginner in the craft, please join us in creating the beauty. It's a wonderful group!
Friday, Jan. 30
1:00pm - 4:00pm - Pre-event day set up in the garden
Saturday, Jan. 31
8:00am - 10:00am - Ice Luminary Drop Off
8:00am - 3:00pm - Ice Luminary Installation
3:00pm - 4:00pm - Lighting Crew
Monday, Feb. 2
9:00am - 12:00pm - Help remove and transport luminaries so they can shine again at the Luminary Loppet.
CNN coverage of our event
On Saturday, Jan. 24, CNN published a powerful story by reporter Alicia Walsch entitled Grief has become infrastructure in Minneapolis, a city mobilized by trauma. The article talks about how Minneapolis residents are showing up to care for one another in the midst of the ICE occupation. Her interview with Brian about the Northside Luminary Light Up appears at the very end of the story.
