On Sept. 9, the Brainerd Noon Sertoma Club announced that the 2026 Sertoma Winter Wonderland at the Northland Arboretum will be the drive-through light show's 21st and final year, according to news coverage of the announcement. The club's own event page, which still shows its 2025 season, dates the start to 2007 and counts differently, so the exact tally depends on the source. The club gave three reasons: a significant increase in electricity infrastructure expenses from Brainerd Public Utilities, no long-term lease agreement with the Arboretum, and "other operational considerations." Attendance isn't on that list. The Brainerd Dispatch reported that more than 1,000 vehicles still come through each season between Thanksgiving and New Year's.
The club's stated reasons are about what the show costs to run and where it runs. That matters for how you plan this winter. The final season is a fundraiser with a deadline. And the Arb's winter evenings don't end with it, because the Arboretum runs a second set of lights on its own.
What the Club Actually Said
Lakeland News carried the announcement the day it came out, Sept. 9. The Dispatch followed on Sept. 10. Both stories quote the club's news release, not an individual member. The Dispatch printed the release's summary in full:
"Together, these factors made it clear that Winter Wonderland could not continue in a sustainable way."
Look at the two main reasons together. A drive-through show with more than 80 lighted and animated displays depends on electrical service out to the displays themselves. A volunteer club can spread that kind of infrastructure cost over many seasons if it knows it will be using the same ground for years. Without a long-term lease, it can't plan that far ahead. The release doesn't say how much the costs went up or what lease terms were discussed, so any figure you hear around town didn't come from the club.
For the Arboretum's perspective, Executive Director Trevor Pumnea talked about the final season on a Sept. 30 Community Focus radio segment. The episode audio is posted online, though the page doesn't include a transcript. As of Oct. 11, neither the club nor the Arboretum has announced a successor event or said what will happen to the displays.
Where the Gate Money Went
Since the decision came down to what the show costs, it helps to know what it paid for. The club reports that Winter Wonderland has given about $500,000 to local nonprofits over its run. Last season alone, the club donated more than $20,000 in proceeds to these groups:
- Lakes Area Restorative Justice Program
- Northland Arboretum
- Timber Bay
- Confidence Learning Center
The Arboretum hosted the show and also got part of the money. When the lights come down, that donation stream ends too. The club's own page describes ticket sales as donations to its nonprofit partners and other organizations, and it doesn't give refunds.
The club itself isn't going anywhere. The release says it will keep running the Holiday Flag Program, the Lakes Country Triathlon and other local service projects.
Planning the Final Drive-Through
The 2026 schedule hadn't been posted as of Oct. 11. The Brainerd Noon Sertoma Club's Winter Wonderland page still shows last season's calendar and prices. Last year's pattern is the best guide until the club updates it, and it should be treated as last year's.
| Detail | 2025 season, as posted by the club | 2026 status as of Oct. 11 |
|---|---|---|
| Season | Thanksgiving through New Year's | Final season confirmed, dates not posted |
| Regular nights | Thursday through Saturday, 5:30 to 8 p.m. | Not posted |
| Holiday week | Every night, Dec. 24 through 31 | Not posted |
| 2025 dates | Nov. 27–29; Dec. 4–6, 11–13, 18–20; Dec. 24–31 | Not posted |
| Admission | $15 per vehicle online or in advance, $20 at the gate | Not posted |
| Payment at the gate | Cash or check only | Not posted |
If the club keeps that schedule, the final season would run only a few nights a week until Christmas Eve, then every night through New Year's. That makes the last week of December the easiest time to fit in a visit. Last year, buying in advance saved $5 per car, and at the gate the club took only cash or check. The club's page links to its Facebook for weather updates. That's where to check on a cold night before you get in line.
The Lights That Stay On After New Year's
When Winter Wonderland closes for good, the Arboretum still has lights out on the trails. Six kilometers of the Arb's cross-country ski trails are lit and open from 4:30 to 10 p.m. every day. The Brainerd Nordic Ski Club grooms them for both classic and skate skiing. Daytime trails are open sunrise to sunset. On a December weeknight, the lit loops stay open two hours after the drive-through's 8 p.m. close last season.
The Northland Arboretum's winter recreation page lists two miles of prepared snowshoe routes. It also rents snowshoes for three hours: $10 for adults and $5 for kids if you're not a member, $5 for adults and free for kids if you are. The same page gives two different totals for the groomed ski system, "over seven miles" in one spot and 15 km in another. Expect miles of groomed trail either way, more than enough for an evening.
Here's what it costs to get in:
- Ski pass. Skiers 16 and older on groomed trails need a Great Minnesota Ski Pass. The Minnesota DNR lists $10 for a day and $25 for a year. The Arb says it sells daily passes at its Visitor Center.
- Arboretum admission. Members get in free. The posted nonmember rate is $10 for ages 15 and up, and $5 for ages 2 to 14 and for seniors 65 and older and veterans.
- Membership. Annual memberships include free use of the hiking and ski trails. Basic levels run from $20 for a student to $150 for a family. All-inclusive levels run from $45 to $250.
The Arb posted these trail and fee pages in 2025, so check the rates at the Visitor Center before you count on them.
The Arboretum also schedules winter evening events of its own. Last season it held a Moonlight Ski on Jan. 30, 2026. That event was free for members and $10 for nonmembers, and skiers brought their own gear and a valid DNR pass. The next night, Jan. 31, it held a Full Moon Snowshoe Hike from 7 to 8:15 p.m., at $10 for members and $20 for nonmembers. It also offered an adult skate and classic ski lesson on Feb. 15. Dates for the 2027 versions haven't been posted. Last winter's calendar shows when the Arb has tended to schedule them, which is late January into February. That's when the trails usually have their best snow, and it's after any December light show would have ended.
One December Weekend Already on the Calendar
For a confirmed date while the final Winter Wonderland schedule is still pending, there's the Off The Rails Christmas Market at the Northern Pacific Center, 1511 Northern Pacific Road. The historic center will hold more than 150 vendor booths of handmade gifts, artwork, home decor, textiles and food.
- VIP Night, Friday, Dec. 11, 6 to 9 p.m. $70 with tax. Includes early shopping, unlimited wine, beer, seltzers and non-alcoholic drinks, food stations and a hot cocoa bar. Seth Warwas and Todd Lyscio play throughout the evening.
- General admission, Saturday, Dec. 12, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Free. Concessions and a bar are available for purchase. Hayden Streeter and Bruce Archer play in the morning, then Mike & Jan Cherry and Seth Doud from noon to 3 p.m.
If the club keeps its usual Thursday-through-Saturday pattern, Dec. 11 and 12 would fall on Winter Wonderland nights. Then you could shop the market on Saturday and drive through the lights at the Arboretum that evening. Check the club's posted 2026 calendar before you plan around that.
At Up North Signature Properties, Randa Haug and Wesley Hendrickson follow these changes because they're part of what living in Brainerd is like from season to season. If you'd like to talk through how the community is changing this winter, or what it could mean for your own plans, we're glad to sit down with you. Schedule a free consultation whenever it suits you.
