May 7-9, 2026
Thank you for joining us during our 13th year of celebrating lights in Ramsey Park! Twenty-six community businesses and organizations along with Event Sound & Lighting join Celebrate Redwood Falls to bring you a fun and unique event in Ramsey Park. The lights come on at 8:30pm to showcase the natural beauty of the woods and trails. Come enjoy the show!
Three nights of lights, music, and family fun. Each night has something a little different! Pick your favorite or come back for all three.
THURSDAY
MAY 7, 2026
8:30 PM – 11 PM
-
Shorter wait times
The best night to drive through if you want to avoid the lines.
-
Full light display
All 500,000 lights and every illuminator station are live
-
Good for first-timers
Quieter trails make it ideal for families with young kids.
-
Find the secret spots first
Discover the new displays and hidden surprises tucked throughout the park.
FRIDAY
MAY 8, 2026
8:30 PM – 11 PM
-
Lower Sioux Indian Community Drum Group
Live performance brings rhythm to the trails.
-
Sweet Kettle Madness
Hot kettle corn on-site! Bring your appetite.
-
Cansayapi Girls Basketball
Fundraiser food stand with Walking Tacos.
-
Festive atmosphere
The biggest crowd and lots of energy and excitement.
SATURDAY
MAY 9, 2026
8:30 PM – 11 PM
-
RVHS Drumline
Performs every 15 minutes from 9-10 PM near Ramsey Zoo.
-
Sweet Kettle Madness
Last chance for kettle corn until next year.
-
Cansayapi Girls Basketball
Walking Tacos and more at the fundraiser food stand.
-
Final night
Last chance to see the lights for another year.
Happening Every Night
Thursday · Friday · Saturday
-
500,000+ lights on display
Lighting up over 4 miles of trails throughout the park.
-
2 lighted waterfalls + 6 bridges
Including the historic Swayback Bridge.
-
Hidden creatures along trails
Spot dinosaurs, fairies, animals, and friendly spooks.
-
Drive-thru displays
Roll down the windows and tour the park from your car.
-
27 illuminator displays
Decorated areas from local businesses and organizations.
-
Synced radio broadcast
Tune in to 88.7 FM as you drive through.
-
Park closes at 7:00 PM for final setup every night.
Grove Street entrance opens at 8:30 PM. Oak Street entrance stays closed.
-
Daytime park visitors:
please move your vehicle to a designated parking
lot by 7:00 PM.
The easiest way to enjoy NightFalls. Stay warm in your car, roll down the windows, tune in the radio, and let your family soak it all in.
HOW THE DRIVE-THRU WORKS
The drive through route is one-way. Enter Ramsey Park / Cansayapi on Grove Street and follow the signs to queue along West River, Baker Drive, and West Middle streets. The Oak Street entrance stays closed during the event.
Plan on 30-45 minutes for the full route depending on the night. Thursday is the quickest if you're in a hurry.
Tune in on your drive
Set your radio to:
88.7 FM
Synced music plays during your drive through the park. Roll down the windows, turn it up, and let everyone in the car hear it.
Before You Go - Download the Maps & Guides
Walking is the best way to spot the hidden creatures along the trails. The best way to take it all in, slowly and enjoyable. Park nearby and explore over 4 miles of trails.
Where to Park
PLAN YOUR WALK - Start Here
WHAT YOU'LL SEE WALKING THE TRAILS
Hike the special trails to spot dinosaurs, animals, fairies, and friendly spooks tucked into the woods. Walking takes you past the historic Swayback Bridge, both lighted waterfalls, and decorated areas you'll miss from the car.
Bring a flashlight, comfortable shoes, and warm layers — Minnesota nights in May can still be chilly. Leashed, well-behaved dogs are welcome on the walking trails.
-
Spooks
-
Dinosaurs
-
Dragon Weyr
-
Animals
-
Fairies
Before You Go - Download the Maps & Guides
Directions to Ramsey Park / Cansayapi
in Redwood Falls, MN 56283
To increase event safety and reduce the number of cars waiting along MN-19/US-71/Bridge Street, see the new vehicle route below.
No parking along the driving route will be implemented from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. on May 7 - May 9.
Click on the map image to enlarge.
Event Map
Parking Map
Past Events
Photo Gallery
NightFalls wouldn't shine without these neighbors. Thank you to every business, organization, and volunteer who lights up Ramsey Park / Cansayapi for NightFalls.
Trailblazers
Illuminators
Sparklers
- Chuck Lussenhop
- Daktronics
- Dan Schmid Photography
- Dave & Corrine Gertsema
- Henle Printing Company
- Jason Garman
- Jay Johanneck
- Jesse Bell
- Klabunde Electric
- Leon King
- Lee Davis
- Lonnie Leske
- Mark & Brenda Dressen
- MnDOT District 8
- Redwood Falls Golf Club
- Rick Morris
- RVHS Drumline
- Scott Johanneck
- Steve Medrud
- Thrivent Financial
- Tiffany Farms
- West Central Sanitation
Light the Trails Donors $1,000+
Craig & Cindy LaBrie
$500 - $999
- American Family Insurance
- Dan & Pam Schmid
- Everstrong Construction
- HomeTown Bank
- Kirby & Donalee Josephson
- Minnesota Valley Snow Riders
- Minnwest Bank
- Orrin S. Estebo Foundation
- Sward Kemp Drug, Inc.
- Total Glass
- Truly Home Real Estate
- VFW Post 2553
$250 - $499
- A&W Furniture
- AgCountry Farm Credit Services
- Bayer
- Bob Schmidt
- Bobby & Brenna Elwell
- Clements Lumber
- Dental Center
- Olson Chevrolet
- RE/MAX Realty Plus
- Stephens Funeral Service
- Teri & Michael Smith
It's just a few short weeks until Summer Splash weekend! Check out the schedule for a couple of new things--parade starts at 6pm this year for an extra hour at Memorial Field, there's a Sand Volleyball tournament (Elway Berg) at Legion Park Saturday morning and get in on the Dunk Tank fundraiser for Discover Downtown Redwood Falls Pocket Park project later on Saturday! More info on our website and we'll post more details over the next few weeks about our other activities! #SummerSplash #Parade #Fireworks #LiveMusic #OutdoorMovie #FlyinBreakfast #Racing #RedwoodArea #CRWF
Our final night is tonight so that means take-down starts tomorrow! We know it's Mother's Day but the lights need to come down and with enough help, maybe we ALL can celebrate Mother's Day with loved ones! We're starting at 9am, breaking from 12-1 and go until 4pm--find us at the trailers near the swayback or call to find where we're working. Even an hour of your time is a tremendous help--we can accomplish a lot so come join the crew for whatever time you can contribute! Come out tonight for one last time to catch the lights in the dark!
What began in 2014 as Founders’ Day celebrating the arrival of a small group of settlers establishing the future town of Redwood Falls has evolved into the NightFalls event you get to experience today. After several years in the area around Ramsey Falls, the event now encompasses the entire park. We’ve added more lights, new areas, and new displays to make it better than ever!
We hope you can help keep NightFalls growing with a donation to our Light The Trails fundraiser. Donate at one of the barrels in the park, send a check, or donate online. Thanks to all who have contributed so far – so far we've raised nearly $18,000 of our $30,000 goal!
We couldn’t do this without the support of all of the volunteers, illuminators, sponsors and donations – a very special thank you to everyone who has helped make this event possible. On behalf of the Celebrate Redwood Falls board, thank you for coming to explore the park in the dark at NightFalls!
Craig LaBrie, President
NightFalls Fun Facts
Number of lights used: 375,000- Miles of trails illuminated: 4
- Number of lighted bridges: 7
- Number of lighted waterfalls: 2
- Number of business & organizations decorating areas: 26
- Number of creatures hidden along the designated trails:
Spooks 10, Animals 24+, Dinos 15+, & Fairies 16+ - Past attendance: 8,426 attendees in 2023 including 1,416 vehicles & 4,474 walkers
- NightFalls began as Founders Day in 2014 during Redwood Falls Sesquicentennial
- The 2014-2019 events were entirely at Ramsey Falls, 2020 had 4 drive-thru displays installed by Celebrate Redwood Falls & a Home Edition contest, 2021 expanded drive-thru displays with 21 groups participating & lighting on some trails, 2022 had 22 groups & all trails lighted to include the entire park, 2023 had 26 groups
- Future goals for the event: Add more lighting along trails by decorating trees & ground areas, increase local participation, & bring more tourism to Redwood Falls
Ramsey Park Fun Facts
- Ramsey Park is 256+ acres which makes the largest municipal park in the state
- The unique swayback bridge built in 1938 is on the National Register of Historic Places
- Home to 2 waterways – Redwood River which creates the Falls of the Redwood & Ramsey Creek which creates Ramsey Falls
- 5 Bridges cross Ramsey Creek & 2 cross the Redwood River
Your gift keeps NightFalls free for everyone and adds more lights, trees, trails, and bridges to next year's show.
Donate
Online
Easy and Secure
Mail a
Check
Made to Celebrate Redwood Falls
Drop in a Park Barrel
Look for them at the event
What Can My Donation Help Light Up?
$40 - Small Tree
$60 - Medium Tree
$75 - Large Tree
$240 - Trail Crossing Canopy
$480 - Swayback Bridge
$600 - Trail per 10th of a Mile
$1,000 - Decorated Area or Walk Bridge