Celebrate Bentleyville’s 20th anniversary! Bentleyville is open nightly (including holidays) from November 18 – December 26. The Bentleyville tour of lights has been an amazing triumph for Duluth. The annual, walk-through holiday light display – featuring over five million lights, live characters, refreshments, and a large variety of themed displays – typically welcomes an astonishing 300,000+ visitors per year. While many are local residents, others come from far and wide to visit Bentleyville. In fact, Visit Duluth estimates that the event provides between $21-22 million in annual economic impact. But, beyond the astounding influx of tourism and cash for the local economy, Bentleyville is also doing great things for the community. Each year, the event collects and distributes thousands of pounds of food, and thousands of children’s toys, for the less fortunate. Twenty years after its inception, Bentleyville remains free to the public, as it has since day one. Bentleyville has free admission for all guests, as well as free hot cocoa & coffee, free cookies, free freshly popped popcorn, free marshmallows to roast, and free visits with Santa & Mrs. Claus! “As long as I’m at the helm, it will always be free,” said founder/creator/namesake, Nathan Bentley. “That’s part of the uniqueness of it all. A lot of people don’t have extra disposable income – especially at that time of year.” Please Note: Parking is $10 per vehicle near the attraction, but if you’re willing to hike a little, free street parking is available downtown after 5:30 pm and weekends. Nathan Bentley
- $200,000 for new lights and displays
- $60,000 for stocking caps, which are free for children
- $45,000 for cookies, hot cocoa, and popcorn, which are free for guests, at the Cookie House
- $15,000 for restroom facilities
- $8,000 for cookies given out by Santa
- $9,000 for power bills
Other significant expenses include snow removal, equipment rentals, zip ties, trucking costs, insurance, costumes, and infrastructure. Bentley noted that as part of the agreement for the move, the City of Duluth pays for Bentleyville’s power bills. Bentley unfortunately gets some flak from the community about this expense. His response? “That money comes from tourism, and it’s a very small portion of our budget. We spend more in zip ties than we do on the power bill.” Funding Bentleyville is a 501(c)(3) non-profit entity; as such, funding comes from a variety of sources. Bell Bank, along with a variety of other corporate sponsors, helps pay the bills. There are also annual fundraising events, like the Chip in Fore Bentleyville golf scramble and a candy bar sale. Funding is rounded out by donations, parking lot revenue (parking in a nearby lot costs $10), and retail revenue from the Bentleyville gift shop. For those who want to contribute, financial donations are always welcomed and accepted. People are also encouraged to bring non-perishable food items and new, unwrapped toys for kids and teens. These items are donated to and distributed by the Salvation Army and shared with seven regional locations. Another way to support Bentleyville is to purchase some delicious Christmas Cookie Cream Ale, a seasonal brew offered by local brewery Bent Paddle. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Bentleyville.
- Free live performances and extra events every single weekday night.
- Chris Hawkeye will perform a free live solo performance on Friday, December 1st at 7:00, 8:00, and 9:00 pm.
- Fireworks – Wednesday, December 20th, for the 20th anniversary celebration.
- Retro Week – Bentley and his crew are bringing back all the nostalgic things about Bentleyville, starting December 18th, and going through December 22nd.
- More photo opportunities than any time in the past 20 years.
- Live Reindeer night – December 4th.
Special Memories Over the years, Bentley has witnessed some amazing memories being made. “People have had their first date there and gotten engaged there,” he shared. “Couples have even gotten married there,” he added. “In fact, we host between 3-4 weddings a year. “People also name their kids and dogs after Bentleyville! It’s really fun that the next generation is also bringing their kids. I enjoy seeing the smiles on everyone’s faces, and just watching them have a good time.” Schedule Bentleyville Tour of Lights opens November 18th, and runs through December 26th. The event is open from 5-9 PM Sundays – Thursdays, and 5-10 PM on Fridays and Saturdays. For more information, go to BentleyvilleUSA.org