Kick off the holiday season! Bring your family and friends to the annual Festival of Lights from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 5, in front of St. Cloud Hospital (6th Ave. N.).

The Festival of Lights is free and open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to donate to the Food Shelf.

In addition to the traditional holiday lighting ceremony at 7 p.m., there will be horse-drawn trolley rides, reindeer, holiday carols by the Tech High School Chamber Choir, a living nativity presented by Messiah Lutheran Church of Sartell, visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus, as well as cookies and cocoa. 

Gorecki Guest House lighting, thanks to Emerald Companies, Inc.

Stop by the St. Cloud Hospital Gift Gallery for its annual holiday sale from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Dec. 5.