The City of Wayzata's event page for Light Up the Lake says the 2026 date is an exception. "The date this year is one week prior to the normal date," the note reads, "and will take place the Friday BEFORE Thanksgiving." The city's page for the 2025 celebration carries the same note, word for word, above a date of Friday, November 21, 2025.
So the exception has now happened two years in a row. On Friday, November 20, Lake Street will light up a week before Thanksgiving, the same way it did last year. Most of the evening carries over from 2025, but the schedule does not. The candy hunt keeps its 5 p.m. start, but the parade runs later this time, and the gap between the two has grown.
The Same Note, Two Years Running
The 2026 Light Up the Lake page on wayzata.org sets the event for Friday, November 20, 5 to 7 p.m., on Lake Street at Panoway. The city hasn't published a reason for the earlier date in either year. What the two pages do show is a pattern. Both years, the lighting falls on the Friday before Thanksgiving. Both years, the city calls that a one-week shift from normal.
For anyone planning a November around Wayzata, that matters more than the wording. The Friday after Thanksgiving used to be the obvious guess for the lighting. On the city's calendar, the lighting now comes a week before that. If relatives are flying in for the holiday, they'll arrive after Lake Street is already lit, unless they come a week early.
What Moved on the Clock
The two city pages list nearly the same activities. The timing and a few details changed.
| 2025 | 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Event window | 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. | 5 to 7 p.m. |
| Children's candy hunt at Depot Park | 5:00 p.m. | 5:00 p.m. |
| Wayzata Firefighter's Parade of Lights | 5:15 p.m. | 5:45 p.m. |
| Town Lighting Ceremony at Panoway Plaza | 5:45 p.m. | Immediately following the parade |
| Animal photo opportunity at Depot Park | Reindeer | Llamas |
| Toys for Tots collection | Under the tree and at the Wayzata PD parade float | At the Wayzata PD parade float |
| Medallion hunt | Fourth annual, clues November 10 to 14 | Fifth annual, clues November 9 to 13 |
The biggest change is the gap after the candy hunt. In 2025, the parade started 15 minutes after the 5 p.m. candy hunt. In 2026 the candy hunt stays at 5:00 and the parade waits until 5:45, so the gap grows to 45 minutes. The lighting no longer has a fixed time either. The city lists it as taking place immediately after the parade from Broadway to Barry Avenue.
Planning the Evening Around 5:45
Since the parade now anchors the night, it helps to plan backward from it. Here is the published schedule in order, with what happens in each window, all drawn from the city's 2026 listing.
- 5:00 p.m., Depot Park. The children's candy hunt starts, limited to ages 5 and under. Llama photos are at Depot Park too, so families with small children can do both in one spot.
- 5:00 to 5:45 p.m., the open stretch. Hot cider, treats and a reindeer food activity for children run inside the Historic Wayzata Depot. Horse-drawn wagon rides, strolling carolers and music run along Lake Street. Letters to Santa and refreshments, listed by the city as "Muni Refreshments," are at Panoway Plaza. Last year this window lasted 15 minutes. Now it lasts 45.
- Before 5:45 p.m., light wands. Free glow light wands are handed out on Lake Street. The city notes they will only be passed out before the parade, so late arrivals may miss them.
- 5:45 p.m., the Parade of Lights. The Wayzata Firefighter's Parade of Lights, with local fire departments, travels Lake Street from Broadway to Barry Avenue.
- Right after the parade, Panoway Plaza. Mayor Mullin leads the Town Lighting Ceremony.
The event runs until 7 p.m., so there's also time after the lighting. In 2025 the lighting was set for 5:45 with the event closing at 6:30. This year, everything that comes after the parade gets pushed later in the evening.
The Week Before Belongs to the Medallion
The person who flips the switch on November 20 won't be chosen at the event. The city's fifth annual Winter Medallion Hunt runs the week before. Clues go up November 9 to 13 on wayzata.org, on wayzatachamber.com and on social media. The first child or family to find the medallion wins the honor of lighting up Wayzata on November 20. Only children 12 and under can win, and the city lists [email protected] as the contact for questions.
The first clue posts on Monday, November 9. Last year's clues ran November 10 to 14, also the week before a pre-Thanksgiving lighting. The search window has moved along with the lighting date.
The Wayzata West Metro Chamber's holiday kickoff falls in the middle of that week. "Eat, Drink & Be Merry!" is set for Thursday, November 12, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., at Sears Imported Autos, 13500 Wayzata Blvd. in Minnetonka. It's just outside downtown Wayzata. The Chamber lists vendor shopping, music, food and drinks, prize drawings and a Toys for Tots collection, with no admission fee. Put the two together and Wayzata's holiday season has a full week of lead-up, all of it before Thanksgiving.
What to Carry Down Lake Street
Both years, the city has tied the lighting to two donation drives. IOCP hosts a food drive at Panoway Plaza. The Toys for Tots collection is at the Wayzata PD parade float. This year, the city has posted the specific items IOCP needs:
- Brand-name boxed cereal, such as Cheerios, Lucky Charms or Frosted Flakes
- Canned tuna
- Toilet paper
- Name-brand hearty soup, such as Progresso, Campbell's or Chunky
- Spaghetti sauce in a plastic jar or container
The spaghetti sauce should come in a plastic jar or container. Toys for Tots now lists only the parade float as a drop-off point. Last year's page also included a spot under the tree. If you're bringing a toy, look for the Wayzata PD float.
A Calendar That Starts Earlier and Runs Later
Taken together, here's how Wayzata's November 2026 lines up. Medallion clues post November 9 to 13. The Chamber kickoff is on Thursday, November 12. Lake Street lights up on Friday, November 20, a week before Thanksgiving. On the night itself, the main moments come later than they did a year ago, with a 5:45 parade and a lighting that follows right after.
The city's page still calls November 20 "one week prior to the normal date." Based on the city's own calendar for the past two years, the Friday before Thanksgiving is now when Wayzata lights up.
Our practice is based in Wayzata, and November is a good time to take stock of the lakeshore and the village around it. If you're thinking about your next move here, or want to know how this season's calendar fits with your plans for a home on Lake Minnetonka, The Debbie McNally Group would be glad to help. Schedule a private consultation.
