Over The River Holiday Festival Returns to Downtown Fergus Falls
Fergus Falls will host the annual Over The River Holiday Festival on December 13, 2025, bringing a tree lighting, visits with Santa, holiday markets, live entertainment and evening fireworks to West Lincoln Avenue. The event matters to residents because it drives seasonal foot traffic to downtown merchants, supports local makers and tourism, and requires municipal coordination for safety and commerce.
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The Over The River Holiday Festival is set to return to downtown Fergus Falls on December 13, 2025, offering a family friendly kickoff to the holiday season along West Lincoln Avenue. The event traditionally combines a downtown merchant market, a community tree lighting, children oriented activities with Santa visits, live entertainment and fireworks to close the evening. Organizers list the date on community calendars to aid planning and promotion for residents and businesses.
The festival serves as a major seasonal draw for Fergus Falls, the largest city in Otter Tail County. By concentrating shoppers and visitors in the downtown core, the event provides a predictable boost to local retailers, food vendors and arts organizations. Downtown merchants typically participate with special hours and promotions, while local makers use the holiday market as an important sales opportunity ahead of year end. The concentration of activity also supports lodging and other tourism related services across the county.
Hosting an event of this scale requires coordination among a range of local institutions. City departments are responsible for street closures, permitting and public safety planning, while event organizers coordinate vendor placement, entertainment schedules and the evening fireworks. The municipal role in facilitating such events has budgetary and operational implications. Public safety resources must be allocated for crowd management and emergency access, and parking and traffic plans need to be communicated to minimize disruption for residents and commuters.
For civic engagement the festival provides volunteer opportunities and a visible forum for community groups and nonprofit organizations to connect with the public. Arts organizations and small businesses that participate gain exposure, while the event itself acts as a focal point for seasonal community identity and civic life. The consistency of the annual festival helps downtown planning efforts by creating a recurring market for retailers and a predictable schedule for municipal support.
Residents and visitors planning to attend should note the calendar listing for December 13, 2025, to coordinate family activities and shopping plans. For local officials and downtown stakeholders, the festival underscores the importance of maintaining clear permitting processes, effective public safety coordination and marketing support to maximize economic benefits. As Fergus Falls prepares for this annual event, its success will be measured by the ability to draw shoppers and visitors to the downtown, bolster small businesses and provide a safe, welcoming community celebration.
