1. 200C Water Street, Lake Mills, WI 53551 Office hours: Monday - Friday 10:00am - 2:00pm.
  2. Public Hosted by Lake Mills Area Chamber of Commerce. Saturday, March 9, 2019 at 6:30 PM – 10:30 PM CST. More than a year ago.
  3. The Lake Mills Area Chamber of Commerce will hold it second annual Casino Night Saturday, March 9 from 6:30-10:30 p.m.at the Lake Mills Municipal Building, 200 Water St.
The drive-thru lights display at Leonard Fjelstad Sports Complex in Lake Mills will be on nightly through December. - Colleen Harrison/Albert Lea Tribune

Hollandale 3 in 1 Bar & Restaurant. What a crazy night it could be!! We will have drink and shot.

2nd Lake Mills lights display seeks to boost holiday spirit

Published 8:20 pm Friday, December 4, 2020

LAKE MILLS — In its second year, a drive-thru lights display in Lake Mills has tripled in size while trying to bring holiday cheer to area residents.

Lake Mills Chamber Development Corporation Executive Director Cassie Johnson said the idea started last year through a collaboration with local business Marketplace on Mill Street, starting with five displays. Johnson said last year’s display was a “whirlwind” and that efforts were started earlier this year to get more businesses involved, resulting in 15 displays this year.

“I think after seeing what we were trying to do last year, many more businesses felt inspired to participate this year,” Johnson said. “There was definitely more excitement in year two.”

Nights

She said community attendance in year two increased as well, with over 5,000 people claiming interest in the online lighting ceremony event on Facebook. When the display first turned on Nov. 28, Johnson said there was a steady stream of cars, sometimes lined up all the way back to Highway 105, for a solid two hours. She said the hot cocoa from Swallow Coffeehouse ran out in nine minutes, and more couldn’t be brought back because of the long line heading into the display.

“Growing pains, I suppose,” Johnson said. “It was a fun night.”

There will be a Christmas lights cruise starting at 5 p.m. Dec. 12 that will include the display as a stop, along with entries into the residential Christmas lights contest. – Colleen Harrison/Albert Lea Tribune

In addition to businesses Singelstad Do It Best Hardware & Rental, Groe Electric Inc., Larson Storm Doors, MBT Bank, Lake Mills Care Center-ABCM Corporation, Citizens Community Credit Union, Three Oaks Greenhouse, Floral & Gift, Uptown Fitness, Winnebago Cooperative Telecom Association, Young Plumbing and Heating, Winnebago County Logan Loganeers, Norske Pork, Marketplace on Mill Street, Lake Mills Rec, Winnebago Industries and Swallow Coffeehouse participating, Johnson said the city’s parks and recreation department also got more involved this year. The department helped obtain some materials, including photocell boxes to turn lights on and off during the night automatically, as well as a “Letters to Santa” dropbox. Donations can also be dropped off in the box, and will help cover event expenses as well as support local organizations.

“Our goal is to grow into an event that can be utilized to support itself and local organizations financially, but also, on a betterment level, we want to give people something to enjoy during the holiday season,” Johnson said. “So many are putting a hold on normal traditions this year with the pandemic, and we are just hoping to fill in some of those empty spaces.”

The Lake Mills drive-thru lights display will be open and available nightly throughout December at Leonard Fjelstad Sports Complex in Lake Mills. There will be a Christmas lights cruise starting at 5 p.m. Dec. 12 that will include the display as a stop, along with entries into the residential Christmas lights contest. The Winnebago County 4-H Logan Loganeers will collect food bank donations at the drive-thru display during the cruise. More details, including a route map and voting ballots, will be released by the Lake Mills chamber as the event approaches.

“We are so grateful for the businesses who participated this year — we literally could not hold the event without them,” Johnson said. “I hope they had as much fun creating their displays as we did viewing them on opening night.

“Christmastime is such a magical time and we want to help build and provide a little boost to the community’s holiday spirit. Maybe attending the drive-thru light display will become a family tradition for people.”

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Lake Mills Casino Night Club

Ice Carvings

Enjoy ice carving master Dick Emmerich and his band of merry carvers as they create masterpieces out of ice throughout the downtown area.

Night

Team Trivia

Test your knowledge and trivia skills with ten rounds of ten questions each.

Iceberg Golf

Test out your clubs with this fun event on frozen Rock Lake.

Many More Activities

So many more events during the weekend including Candlelight Snowshoe/Ski, Fisheree, Ice Softball, Rock Lake Under Ice, Royal Coronation, Ice Skating, Family Games & 50/50 Raffle!

Join us in beautiful downtown Commons Park on July 18th for the 10th Annual Lake Mills Arts Festival. This juried festival features over 60 Wisconsin artists and fine craftspeople working in a variety of media, from glass to pottery to painting and photography. Enjoy live music and family-friendly entertainment, free admission, and free parking. A diverse selection of food vendors will be set up around the park for your convenience. Relax at a picnic table while you eat your lunch and enjoy the music before heading out for another round of shopping. Our downtown restaurants and shops will also be open and look forward to welcoming you. Spend a perfect summer day in Legendary Lake Mills and enjoy the Festival!

Lake Mills Casino Nights

Summer Farmers & Artisan Market

Mills

Held every Wednesday from May through October from 2pm through 6:30pm in Commons Park in downtown Lake Mills, the market offers fresh and seasonal produce, crafts and art, all produced by farmers, crafters and artisans who grow or create their products. We welcome all vendors who create or grow their own products. Our market has a very diverse selection of produce, prepared food, fine art and crafts.

Imagine a cool late fall night in downtown Lake Mills. Businesses are open hosting mini parties with wines for you to sample! More information about this event to come soon!

Witches Night Out

Our annual Witches’ Night Out is a great late-afternoon of trick or treating event with our downtown businesses. Try out those Halloween costumes early and come downtown, it’s the perfect time to get the kids out trick-or-treating in our beautiful downtown!

Holiday Winter Market

Some of your favorite Lake Mills Farmers’ Market vendors gather for our annual Winter Market. Along with popular Farmers’ Market vendors, we have a great variety of crafters and artisans at the Winter Market, as well as baked goods and prepared foods. The market will be bursting with food products, jewelry, scarves, and other crafts. You’ll be able to stock up on kettle corn, fudge, and honey. You will find a wide variety of items, ranging from hand-turned wooden items to delicious baked goods, wonderfully scented soaps and candles, and a variety of Christmas gift items.

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