Plymouth - December 2025 by Local.

Build Your Own Board

Charcuterie Bar brings a whole new meaning to BYOB

Photo: Chris Emeott

from the EDITOR

It’s easy for me to get caught up in the doldrums of winter. The light is fleeting, and the snow precludes me from many of my favorite outdoor pastimes. For this issue, I looked for stories that break us out of our hibernation, and four new indoor recreation facilities offer excellent opportunities for just that. From picking up pickleball to reaching new heights, writer Alexandra Tostrud details four ways Plymouth residents can cure their cabin fever (page 16).

The holiday season also includes plenty of opportunities to entertain, and local companies are happy to oblige. The Festive Holiday Lights Tour by Twin Cities Sightseeing Tours winds its way past dazzling displays around Plymouth and Maple Grove neighborhoods (page 29). For hosts looking to take some of the pressure off at-home hospitality, Charcuterie Bar invites guests to design custom cheese boards specifically suited to their tastes (page 22).

This December, one former Plymouth resident won’t have the chance to let the cold weather slow her down. Amanda Gaines, head coach of the University of Minnesota dance team, is working with 25 student-athletes to polish and hone their jazz and pom dance routines for Nationals in January (page 12). “I think the level of athleticism has continued to grow,” Gaines says. “The artistry has continued to expand. I think the level of excellence that these athletes are held to is higher than ever.”

Although I won’t be pursuing athletic excellence this winter, I will aim to elevate my artistry through a ceramics class at CeramicSow Pottery & Gallery in Hopkins. It’s been years since I’ve thrown on the wheel, but I’m excited to pick up where I left off.

Happy holidays, and until next time,

Madeline Kopiecki madeline@localmedia.co

Photo: Chris Emeott

Photo by: Chris Emeott

VOL. 21 NO. 3

December 2025/January 2026

PUBLISHER

Susan Isay

EDITOR

Madeline Kopiecki

MANAGING CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Renée Stewart-Hester

MANAGING EDITOR

Hailey Almsted

DIGITAL EDITOR

Madeline Kopiecki

COPY EDITORS

Kellie Doherty and Sherri Hildebrandt

STAFF WRITERS

Mollee Francisco, Emily Gedde, Meredith Heneghan, Jennifer Pitterle and Paige Udermann

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Ryan Barland, Douglas Broman, Emily Maxson, Ashley Meyers, Amy Sundet and Grant Whittaker

DIGITAL INTERN

Claire Krieger

EDITORIAL INTERNS

Diane Meyer and Avery Vrieze

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

Kelley Giancola, Interfaith Outreach ; Meghan Milovich, blogger and fundraiser for Children’s Hospitals ; Zach Nelson, Wayzata School District ; Mark Poppendeck, Beez ‘N Treez Foundation ; Brian Rosemeyer, City of Plymouth ; and LuAnn Svendsen, Plymouth Reads chair and community volunteer

SENIOR MANAGING ART DIRECTOR

Sarah Dovolos

ART DIRECTOR

Allison Nolden

ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR

Jamie Klang

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Yaz Lo

LEAD STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Chris Emeott

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR

Brittni Dye

PRODUCTION MANAGER

Lisa Stone

PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

Mimi Coz

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Laura Bjorgo, Cynthia Hamre and Sara Johnson

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Rochita Chatterjee and Gina Neumann

PRESIDENT Pete Burgeson

Raising Young Voices

Angelica Cantanti Youth Choirs (ACYC) has inspired local young voices for decades, including Plymouth’s Naia Spoonheim, 16, who began singing in her church choir at age 4 and joined ACYC in 2023. She heard about ACYC from her cousin, who had nothing but good things to say about his experience. “He convinced me that I needed this in my life, and he was right,” Naia says.

The 2025–26 concert season marks the 45th anniversary of the choir and includes ACYC’s Winter Concert at the Ordway Concert Hall on December 7. Concertgoers can expect to hear winter tunes during two concerts, one at 4:30 p.m., featuring younger choirs (third through eighth grade) and another at 7:30 p.m, featuring older choirs (ninth through 12th grade).

The winter concert feels magical. Naia says. “By that point, you start to get a good feel for how to blend your voices,” she says. For ticketing information, visit angelicacantanti.org. —Avery Vrieze Your Community, Your Vote

Let’s close the year with some exciting news. Best of Plymouth is moving—to February! We think it’s a perfect fit. After all, February is the month of love, and we all adore our local businesses and service providers. Our 2026 annual readers’ choice poll will be better than ever,

featuring an all-new, voter-friendly platform at plymouthmag.com and an entire month for readers to make their selections for their favorites in more than 70 categories, including our inaugural wedding section. Find additional details in our February/March issue and online. —Editorial Staff

Photo: Steven Garcia

Sip or Gift

It’s easy to make your own powdered hot chocolate mix to have on hand for a quick warm treat. This recipe is rich and creamy with a kick of spice from the cinnamon and cayenne. Packaged in a cute glass jar tied with a ribbon, it also makes a nice hostess or holiday gift.

Dairy-Free Mexican Hot Chocolate Mix

» 1 cup coconut milk powder

» 1 ½ cups coconut sugar

» ½ cup cocoa powder

» 1 Tbsp. cinnamon

» A pinch of cayenne

» 3 oz. bar of dark chocolate

Find the recipe and serving instructions on plymouthmag.com.

Emily Maxson is a Medina recipe developer and author of Emily’s Fresh Kitchen Cookbook and Real Food. Every Day. For more recipes, visit emilysfreshkitchen.com or follow her on @emilysfreshkitchen.

Winter Magic

Fire & Ice began in 1989, a year after Parkers Lake Playfield opened to the public. The Plymouth Parks & Recreation Department wanted to provide an opportunity for the community to come together and celebrate the magic of winter in Plymouth. The intention was to have fun winter activities for all ages and to put a seasonal twist on some favorite summer pastimes.

Fire & Ice has featured a variety of activities including artistic fire performances, bonfires with s’mores, dog sled demonstrations, goofy hat contests, horse and train rides, ice fishing, ice sculptures, ice skating races and more.

The weather can be challenging when holding a winter event, and the event has been cancelled six times in 36 years for a variety of weatherrelated issues. Following cancellations in recent years due to poor ice conditions, the annual event moved from Parkers Lake to Plymouth Creek Playfield in 2025.

Ryan Barland is the historic site coordinator for the City of Plymouth. Discover more at history.plymouthmn.gov.

Conveniently Delicious

Let’s Dish celebrates two decades and expands its ready-to-bake options.

By Jennifer Pitterle

When the holiday season kicks into high gear, the heat is on—especially in the kitchen. Meal preparation can feel like it’s on a never-ending rotation. Cooking food for a celebration here or there is manageable, but when faced with the deluge of other holiday preparations, even making daily meals can be overwhelming.

Having extra help in the kitchen is invaluable. Let’s Dish launched in 2003 with a handful of meal-preparation locations. Co-founder and CEO Darcy Olson has seen two generations of families enjoy Let’s Dish. “We get to hear so

many stories,” she says. “People have said our meals have made it much easier for their kids to help out in the kitchen or for them to grow in their careers because making dinner is an equal partnership.”

More than two decades later, Let’s Dish has adapted to families’ changing needs. Instead of assembling meals themselves, customers can shop in the stores or order online to pick up fully prepped kits (over 100 appetizers, mains and desserts), and many can go from “freezer to cooked in 30 minutes,” Olson says.

In addition to perennial favorites

(like the beloved Cheese Curd Crusted Chicken Ranch Bake), Olson says popular items include Midwestern standbys Swedish Meatballs With Egg Noodles and Skillet Pot Roast and global dishes, featuring Burrito Bowls with barbacoa beef, shredded chicken or vegetables and Chicken and Vegetable Pad Thai. All of this goes to getting three square meals on the table during busy work weeks or preparing for the holidays. “We want to offer a variety of classic comfort foods that you can make really easily,” Olson says. In addition to classic dinners

Photo: Chris Emeott

Swedish Meatballs With Egg Noodles

like Family Style Chicken Pot Pie, Let’s Dish offers breakfast and lunch options, featuring Cinnamon Rolls With Cream Cheese Icing, Sausage and Hashbrown Breakfast Bake and a variety of sandwiches and wraps.

Apart from daily meals, hosting duties can get a boost. Olson recommends stocking up on easy-to-heat appetizers, including Baked Ham and Swiss Sliders, Bourbon-Glazed Wild Rice Meatballs, Pulled Pork Sliders on Pretzel Buns and Shredded Beef Wellingtons.

Gift-giving has become another significant part of Let’s Dish’s service, offering delivery across five states and free, handwritten gift messages with each order. Olson says delivery boxes have also become a popular option for supporting parents with new babies, families dealing with illness or elderly individuals who struggle with cooking—something her own family knows well. “My mom isn’t able to cook anymore, so my dad, at 89, does all of their cooking,” Olson says. “Let’s Dish has been a big help with that.”

While Olson witnesses the importance of convenient meal preparation in her own family, she has spent her entire career in the food industry and loves seeing the impact of wholesome, easyto-make food for busy families. “I’ll see women who were young moms back when Let’s Dish started, and now they’re buying meals for their new grandkids or their college students,” she says.

This summer, a new partnership between Target and Let’s Dish brought the company’s beloved meals to the freezer aisles of Metro Target locations. When Target reached out about the collaboration, Olson and her team leapt at the opportunity to expand the reach of their accessible meals. “It’s pretty surreal and has really meant a lot to the company,” she says.

As of this writing, nine of Let’s Dish’s popular three-serving-size meals are in 25 Target locations, including at 4175 Vinewood Lane N., Plymouth “We’re really excited to continue to grow with Target,” Olson says. Find Let’s Dish at your local Target location and more at target.com.

Let’s Dish letsdish.com

@letsdishmn

Life-saving Legacy

Memorial Blood Centers donors and staff give the gift that keeps giving.

By Jennifer Pitterle

On Plymouth’s Harbor Lane, crucial work happens every day. For over 75 years, Memorial Blood Centers (MBC) has provided blood and blood products to hospitals and other health care sites across Minnesota and beyond. At the Plymouth donor center, that mission is carried out with compassion, dedication and plenty of cookies.

Leah Thompson knows the stakes better than most. She’s spent 17 years with MBC, including six at Plymouth, as an operations manager, phlebotomist and trainer. Before that, she worked in a St. Paul emergency room. “One day, an ambulance coming in radioed our emergency department,” Thompson says. The ambulance carried two patients from a car crash, both in critical condition. “I

got that look from the doctor. I know that look,” she says. She sprinted to the lab to retrieve two units of O negative blood. “Then the lab staff said, ‘Leah, this is the last of the O neg—don’t hang it if you don’t need it.’” That experience—nearly running out of blood during a crisis— stayed with her. “It broke my heart and started a passion for donated blood,” Thompson says. “It wasn’t long after that I started working for Memorial Blood Centers.”

Now at nearby donor centers in Maple Grove and Coon Rapids, Thompson helps others give the gift of life. “Our donors truly get to be an extension of our work family and are very dear to us,” she says. One of those longtime donors is Steve Fossen. Known to staff as “Sparky,”

Fossen began donating decades ago. As of this writing, he’s donated more than 134 gallons through platelet apheresis (donation of white blood cells only). “They tell me my doubles can treat multiple people with various types of leukemia, and they let me know where mine go,” Fossen says. “Lately, mostly to children’s hospitals.”

Fossen’s interest in donating blood was inspired by a Reader’s Digest article about a Russian helicopter captain who died after unknowingly flying over Chernobyl. “He was serving his country, and I am a vet. I felt for him,” Fossen says. He joined a bone marrow registry, got advanced blood typing and started donating. His “why” is simple: “I have more blood than money.”

Winter is an especially crucial time

for blood donations due to challenging road conditions, causing increased injuries. “At the same time, businesses and schools aren’t hosting large blood drives [due to holiday breaks],” Thompson says. MBC encourages anyone who can to spare an hour and give blood. At your first appointment, staff will check your hemoglobin to make sure you’re a good candidate for donation and to see if your blood qualifies for a special type of donation. The collection itself only takes about 15 minutes. “Then you’re ready to have a cookie or two and relax,” Thompson says.

Memorial Blood Centers mbc.org

Memorial Blood Centers

Left: Blood donation at the Memorial Blood Centers donor center in Plymouth takes about 15 minutes.

Right: Donors are eligible for different types of donation based on blood type.

Written by Madeline Kopiecki

NATIONAL EXCELLENCE

Meet Amanda Gaines, University of Minnesota’s award-winning head dance coach.

The moment before Universal Dance Association’s College Nationals in 2025 unfolded much like it had in 2006. The University of Minnesota (U of M) Dance Team huddled together for a final, high energy chant before hitting the competition floor. And, just like 15 years earlier— when head coach Amanda Gaines was a freshman on the team—they won.

Gaines has been in her student-athletes’ shoes. “My first time [at Nationals] was really unlike anything I had ever experienced,” she says. “You work all season on two routines, and you get to compete them twice. You’ve got four minutes on the competition floor to sum up your entire year. It was a really rewarding experience, knowing we had worked as hard as we did and achieved the goal that we set out to do, which was win a National Championship in 2006.”

But before Gaines was competing on the national stage and coaching others to do the same, she was a kid growing up in Plymouth who couldn’t stay still. “I was one of those kids that was constantly dancing around the house, heard

a song and just had to start moving,” Gaines says. Her parents enrolled her at Summit Dance Shoppe (then The Dance Shoppe), and she tapped, pirouetted and shimmied her way through an array of genres. “We were doing it all, which was a really great way to be a very well-trained dancer,” Gaines says.

During her freshman year at Wayzata High School, Gaines took the next step in her dance career when she joined the

Wayzata Trojet Dance Team. “I was still dancing at The Dance Shoppe and then layering on that team aspect, getting to support your school and competing at state; it was a really influential experience,” Gaines says.

In her senior year, Gaines only applied to three schools (“The other two were kind of just to make my parents happy,” she says.). The U of M’s dance team had been rising to prominence since 2002, and Gaines knew that’s where she wanted to be. “The first day of tryouts was my 18th birthday, so yeah, I vividly remember that tryout weekend,” she says. Her leap of faith paid off, and Gaines represented the U of M from 2005–09 alongside teammates who are still like family to this day.

Twenty years later, Gaines is still at the U of M, starting as an assistant coach in 2010 and taking over as head coach for the 2013–14 season. Of the team’s 23 national titles in pom and jazz, Gaines has been a part of the team for 20 of them. “I think that success is really just about the village that surrounds us,” Gaines says.

Amanda Gaines (far right) on the University of Minnesota Dance Team, 2008.

Amanda Gaines

“It’s about the people that we choose to bring in to work with the team in whatever capacity, whether that’s the coaching staff, the choreographers, teachers, consultants [and] alumni. It’s really the collective that has helped elevate the team and helped us maintain this level of excellence.”

Although Gaines has been to Nationals numerous times as a coach, the experience is still a striking one for members of the team. “Nationals is probably my core memory just because it actually didn’t feel real at first, and I just didn’t know what to expect going into it,” says U of M sophomore and dance team member Katelyn Franta about the 2025 competition in which the team took first place for pom and second place for jazz. “It’s a lot to take in at first, but I think having the right teammates and people around you makes it easier to get through it and just enjoy the process and make the best out of it.”

In 2025, the University of Minnesota dance team took home first place in pom (top) and second place in jazz (bottom) at the Universal Dance Association’s College Nationals.

The Maple Grove native’s story in many ways mirrors Gaines’. Franta also got her start at Summit Dance Shoppe before attending Wayzata High School and dancing with the Trojets. As a coach, Gaines’ teaching style reminds Franta of their shared training at Summit. “I feel like she’s taken how she was coached and applied that to how she coaches our team now,” Franta says. “I really enjoy it, actually, because it’s similar to how I grew up.”

Although there are times of tough love, Franta says that Gaines knows when to be supportive. “I feel like she always has the right thing to say, and it always helps motivate me in the right way,” Franta says. After placing second for jazz at Nationals in 2025, Gaines had the team huddle around her. “She was just telling us how proud she was of us, no matter what the outcome was,” Franta says. “I feel like that was just definitely a moment that I’ll always remember because she seemed just so happy and proud of us for what we did.”

As of December, the U of M Dance Team has been fine-tuning and polishing its pom and jazz routines for Nationals on January 16–18. “Our motto this year is ‘Uncommon on purpose, outworked by none,’ and I think it’s a good way to describe them,” Gaines says. “What we were doing 10 years ago, compared to what we’re doing now, is wild. I think the level of athleticism has continued to grow. The artistry has continued to expand. I think the level of excellence that these athletes are held to is higher than ever.”

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INDOOR ADVENTURES

The cure for cabin fever is closer than you think.

Written by Alexandra Tostrud

It’s tempting to reduce your winter fitness routine to a solitary workout at home or the occasional trip to the gym, but sometimes a change of pace is just what the doctor ordered. Four new indoor recreation centers in Plymouth are challenging visitors to stay active this season in fun and community-centered ways. Try your hand at bouldering, let the kids loose on an indoor playground or join in on the pickleball phenomenon.

CLIMB TO NEW HEIGHTS

In 2024, a group of neighbors came together to bring bouldering to Plymouth with Big Island Bouldering. The gym offers a dedicated youth climbing space, three 16-foot walls and two adjustable climbing walls for training. Outside of the bouldering spaces, Big Island Bouldering also has a coworking space, fitness area and party rooms. Guests can purchase a day pass, a six-visit punch card or an unlimited membership that grants access to the adjustable walls, climbing walls and fitness space; discounts at the gear shop; and two free guest passes per month. Throughout the year, Big Island Bouldering offers group classes and events to enjoy. There

are beginner bouldering classes, competitive teams, ever-changing themed events, homeschool programs, a women’s club, and youth camps and programs.

One of the owners, Chris Massoll, advises visitors to create an account and sign the waiver before arrival to avoid delays. He also encourages climbers to come prepared to make mistakes. “Come with a willingness to push yourself to a boundary and then move slightly beyond that, because that’s where learning really happens—at that edge of your comfort zone and figuring out what’s possible,” Massoll says. bigislandbouldering.com

PLAY THE DAY AWAY

When Stacy Anderson realized there weren’t many indoor options for her young boys during the winter, she and her husband, Ted Anderson, decided to create one. InnerActive Playground is a one-stop destination, primarily serving children ages 2–10, with basketball courts, a bounce pad, an indoor playground, toddler and infant play zones and more.

The site is unstaffed, which requires play

passes to be purchased online to receive an entry code. InnerActive Playground offers day passes as well as monthly and annual memberships. The space also includes a cafeteria for parents to relax and work or for their children to enjoy a packed snack. Almost everything is designed for parents to join in on the fun too.

“You know what you’re coming into,” Anderson says. “You know that the equipment’s safe. You know that the area is safe. You know that your kids can’t go anywhere. And it’s a really great spot to have that one-on-one interaction with your kids. I love seeing parents run onto the jumping pillow with their kids, or try out the slides.” inneractiveplayground.com

Top: Big Island Bouldering features five climbing areas.

Bottom: InnerActive Playground’s jumping pillow is a fan favorite.

PICK UP PICKLEBALL

As pickleball rises to become another of America’s favorite pastimes, Plymouth residents have two new places to pick up a paddle.

Leena Khurana opened PickleX with a group of friends last January to give visitors a place to explore the sport and join the broader pickleball community. It’s an easy sport to pick up and enjoy, according to Khurana, and the fun comes with an engaging workout for all ages—the event spaces have hosted parties for 7-year-olds and celebrations for those in their 80s.

PickleX’s six courts are home to private or group lessons and leagues, along with camps for children and weekly yoga classes. Khurana says additional leagues are in the works to welcome more players, including one designed for young parents and another for players 55 and over. Unlimited play monthly memberships are also available, but anyone can

Top: Pure Pickleball Club aims to apply the old school “pick-up” nature of basketball to pickleball.

Bottom: PickleX offers beginner clinics and leagues to help get new players into the swing of things.

attend open play or book a court. PickleX is beginner-friendly, with classes and leagues for new players, and visitors can rent equipment in-house.

“I hope they can also come to us and say, ‘Hey, I’ve never held a racket. I want to learn how to play pickleball. I want the basics, and then I’ll grow my game from there,’ so they can learn to love the game and come to a good place,” Khurana says. picklexmn.com

Another pickleball hotspot, Pure Pickleball Club, was founded by father-daughter duo Leah and John Schwartzman last February. Leah started playing as another way to stay active and spend time with her dad, and she found that she enjoyed how all ages could pick up the sport and spend time together.

Pure Pickleball Club hopes to bring back the old school “pick-up” nature of basketball and create a community to bring together people from all walks of life. The club offers 19 courts, a fitness center and an on-site shop with apparel and equipment. Visitors can attend open play, join a league or take lessons with an optional membership granting discounts and free unlimited open play.

Like Khurana, Leah also promotes pickleball as a sport that’s easy to start. “You know, it can be hard as an adult to go out there and learn how to skate and play hockey in the same year,” Leah says. “That’s not the case with pickleball. You pick up a paddle, and the barrier to entry is very low, so it’s a very welcoming, inviting environment for people.” purepickleballclubmn.com

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Build Your Own Board

Charcuterie Bar brings a whole new meaning to BYOB.

Written

by Madeline Kopiecki

Photos by Chris Emeott

For snackers also looking for a sip, Charcuterie Bar offers a wine menu with aroma and palate notes to help guests select the perfect glass to match their plate.

The holiday season is full of gatherings, whether it’s out-of-town guests or students returning to the nest. The pressures of hosting can run high, which makes a reprieve all the nicer—especially when there’s a little something for everyone.

For Angel Rogers, the perfect charcuterie board has to include a creamy Brie, a buttery Havarti, marinated mozzarella and slices of beef salami. “I love olives and pickles, so I’ll do that,” Rogers says. To round out her board, she’ll add grapes, honey and strawberries, with a side of water crackers and sourdough bread crackers.

Angel Rogers’ restaurant career began in January 2020 when she and her siblings opened Angelea’s Soulfood Kitchen in Brooklyn Park. The menu is inspired by their mother, Angelea Rogers, who passed away in 2017. “My siblings and I wanted to do something in her honor,” Angel says. “One of the things my mom loved to do was cook, and she wanted to open a restaurant of her own. We wanted to do that in honor of her to keep her name alive.”

But if that’s not your recipe for the perfect board, don’t worry—Rogers’ new restaurant at Waterford Park Plaza can build a board for all kinds of tastes.

Charcuterie Bar opened its doors to the Plymouth community on October 2 with a novel approach to noshing: build it yourself. Guests can head to the refrigerated display for the build-you-own option to select from a wide variety of cheese, meat and assorted accoutrements, or take a seat and order from the menu.

“Usually for charcuterie, there’s a three, three, three rule,” Rogers says. For the Classic Board, which serves one to two, guests can select three cheeses, three crackers and three meats along with three accompaniments and two spreads, which will be assembled in real time by an employee behind the counter. There will also be a two, two, two option for

“The vibe we’re going toward is a warm, rustic elegance with some modern touches,” Angel Rogers says. Charcuterie Bar’s palette of rich walnut and creamy beige is offset by pops of gold accents throughout the cozy 40-seat dining area. “I really like hosting and providing a nice space for people to come to,” Roger says.

grazers who feel a little less peckish, and a Shareable Lux Board touting four selections of cheese, crackers and meat alongside accompaniments and spreads.

Rogers and her team have worked out an assortment of cheeses, both classic hits and artisan finds for the more seasoned connoisseurs. “We plan to have something for everyone to be able to enjoy,” she says. This includes organic options and picks from nearby Wisconsin farms for those who love to eat local.

For the busy host not looking to leave home, Charcuterie Bar also offers catering services to take appetizers off your holiday to-do list. Hosts can pick from charcuterie boxes, cups and small boards

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HOLIDAY LIGHTS

Tour festive home displays around town.

Driving around the city in search of holiday light displays is a time-honored tradition for many families, and a local company is taking the guesswork out of the equation. Twin Cities Sightseeing Tours offers nightly rides at 5 and 8 p.m. on Wednesdays–Sundays throughout December with its Festive Holiday Lights Tour.

The tour starts at Lucky’s 13 Pub and winds its way through neighborhoods in Plymouth and Maple Grove on a route that varies year to year, owner Rebecca Pfeiffer says. Some homeowners even reach out to the tour company to add their festive homes to the route.

Pfeiffer says that the tours receive a mix of guests including families, groups of friends and corporate parties. The tour has become a holiday tradition for

many families. “You don’t have to remember where anything’s at,” Pfeiffer says. “You just sit back and just enjoy yourself. You have music going, and everything’s already put together for you.”

The bedecked Holiday Lights Tour bus serves up Christmas tunes and cheer with Santa at the wheel (or not—if some younger riders are a bit shy). The twoand-a-half-hour tour can accommodate a maximum of 14 guests, kids included. Food and drink is allowed but not provided. Twin Cities Sightseeing Tours can accommodate private tours, larger groups and handicap accessible bus tours upon request any day of the week. Learn more at twincitiessightseeingtours.com. —Madeline Kopiecki

bus tour that winds through neighborhoods in Plymouth and Maple Grove.

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Shop from local vendors at the second annual Merry Market, hosted by the Plymouth History Center. Sip on hot cocoa while you shop, and drop off a letter to Santa at Santa’s Mailbox. plymouthmn.gov

12.03

Holiday Bingo

Get ready for a holiday-themed game of bingo for adults 55 and older. Enjoy light refreshments and play for fun prizes. plymouthmn.gov

12.07

Santa Visits the Sensory Room Meet Santa without the crowds at

the sensory room. Reserve your spot as a family, and participate in other sensory-friendly holidaythemed activities. plymouthmn.gov

12.11

Christmastide Tour

Enjoy an evening of holiday music at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church with SimpleGifts, featuring Billy

McLaughlin. This ensemble group features Celtic whistles, guitar, piano, violin and voices. simplegiftsmusic.net

01.02–01.03

New Year’s Concert

Enjoy a night of music from the Cross Community Players at the Plymouth Playhouse, celebrating the golden age of music and featuring songs from Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Irving Berlin and more. crossplayers.org

01.04

Mastering the Basics

Learn the basics of pickleball during this 90-minute class with guided game play and instruction. This clinic at Pure Pickleball Club is designed to help you gain the confidence to play in a league or at open play. purepickleballclubmn.com

01.14–01.17

The Importance of Being Earnest

Immerse yourself in the world of Oscar Wilde’s comedic play, performed by Wayzata High School students. whstheatre.com

Compiled

Diane Meyer and Avery Vrieze

To have your event considered: email plymouthmag@localmedia.co by the 10th of the month three months prior to publication. Please note that some events may have changed since these pages went to print. Please visit affiliated websites for updates.

Stick Together

“I was inspired by the idea of finding beauty in winter, especially since it can be a tough season for many,” Jen Shepherd says. “To me, the photo represents the beauty and strength found in community and friendship, much like the way connections can help people navigate through difficult times. I’m drawn to photography because it lets me find beauty in everyday moments that might otherwise go unnoticed. It helps me stay in the present and see the world in a new light. Plus, there’s always something to learn, and I love that challenge. Photography is a blend of art and technique, which creates so much variety.” —Madeline Kopiecki

To view other Picture Plymouth photo contest winners, visit plymouthmag.com.

PICTURE PLYMOUTH

Photographer: Jen Shepherd

Title: Friendship

Equipment: OM System OM-5 with a M.Zuiko 60mm F2.8 Macro lens

Category: Seasons Award: Honorable Mention