Cirque Dreams Holidaze, the aerial-and-acrobat Christmas spectacular, returns to the Orpheum Theatre for four performances between Tuesday, Dec. 22 and Thursday, Dec. 24, 2026, according to Hennepin Arts. If you are building a holiday trip around it, 300 Clifton is a historic Georgian mansion in the Loring Park neighborhood with a four-season garden hot tub, a haunted movie room, and guest rooms that feel like a story instead of a lobby.
What Is Cirque Dreams Holidaze?
Hennepin Arts describes Holidaze as a holiday show that pairs Broadway-style staging with contemporary circus acts. The story follows Clara on Christmas Eve: her family may be delayed by a snowstorm, so she is swept into a colorful world called Holidaze, where she makes friends and finds her courage. The cast includes aerialists, jugglers, skippers and acrobats, and the 2026 version adds new music with holiday favorites sung live, plus new sets, scenery and costumes. The press release calls it “a show for all ages to enjoy.”
When Are the Performances, and Where?
- Tuesday, Dec. 22: 7 p.m.
- Wednesday, Dec. 23: 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.
- Thursday, Dec. 24: 11 a.m.
All four shows are at the Orpheum Theatre, 910 Hennepin Ave. Tickets are sold at the State Theatre Box Office (805 Hennepin Ave.) and through HennepinArts.org; the release does not list prices. One caution: when we checked, the Hennepin Arts event page for Holidaze still showed the 2024 run, and a third-party listing showed only Dec. 22 and 23, so confirm the exact performances when you buy.
Why Stay in Loring Park for a Hennepin Avenue Show?
Loring Park is a 33.94-acre park built around Loring Pond, with gardens, paths and a pedestrian bridge to the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, according to Minneapolis Parks. It is a calmer place to sleep than a convention-hotel block, and it keeps you close to the theater district. We are not going to promise a walking time: plan your route with the Metro Transit trip planner or a rideshare, especially on a cold December night.
Three Ways to Build the Trip
The Tuesday-night show. Arrive in the afternoon, catch the 7 p.m. performance, and come home to a soak in the garden hot tub, which stays open to the stars even in winter. A fresh-air hot tub after an evening of aerial acts is a very good way to end a day.
The Christmas Eve morning matinee. The Thursday, Dec. 24 show starts at 11 a.m., which leaves the rest of Christmas Eve free. Stay the night of the 23rd, see the show, then have a slow afternoon in the mansion.
The two-night holiday getaway. Take the Wednesday 3 p.m. matinee, then spend the evening in the movie room with its heated reclining seats, or in Gertrude’s Cistern, the mansion’s speakeasy. Browse the Crystal Mansion, Georgian and Grand Edwardian rooms to pick your favorite.
Stack It With a Holiday Lights Trolley
The Minneapolis Trolley’s holiday lights rides board at the Pillsbury Club mansion and, per the ride page, run all December: Santa’s Nice Ride is a family-friendly hour, and the Naughty Holiday Party Ride is a two-hour, 21+ outing. For the full plan, read our guide to a holiday lights trolley weekend or Christmas mansion tours in Minneapolis.
Book Direct and Use Your Vouchers
Guests who book direct receive a $20 Pillsbury Club dining voucher and a $20 Minneapolis Trolley voucher per stay; the details are on the vouchers page. Dec. 22–24 is a popular stretch for holiday travel, so reserve early. Book your stay at 300 Clifton and let the show be the headline of your holiday.
Keep reading: where to see the best holiday lights in Minneapolis from a heated trolley that boards at a mansion.