December 2024

Winter Wonderland

Saturday, December 21 | 9 AM to 1 PM | Discovery Center 

In partnership with the Oakdale Area Chamber of Commerce and other sponsoring organizations, Oakdale Recreation will host the annual Winter Wonderland with a variety of winter activities for people of all ages at the Oakdale Nature Preserve and Discovery Center. This City event is free to attend. Join us for a community-building celebration of winter!

Activities and events include:

• Horse-drawn hayrides (10 AM to 1 PM)
• Petting zoo
• Dogs of winter
• Bonfire with s’mores
• Holiday crafts
• Visit with Santa
• Candy cane hunt
• Holiday face painting
• Breakfast and lunch

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Gingerbread House Contest

Drop off your house during at the Discovery Center, Thursday, December 19 (8 AM to 8 PM) or Friday, December 20 (8 AM to 4 PM).

Create the best gingerbread house in the Oakdale Gingerbread House Contest. The contest is open to all ages and skill levels. Prizes will be awarded for top youth (12 and under) and adult (13 and older) entries. Gingerbread houses will be voted on by attendees of the Winter Wonderland celebration on Saturday, December 21. Contest winner will be contacted after Winter Wonderland to pick up their prize!

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Letters to Santa

December 2 to 15, 2024 | Discovery Center or City Hall

Watch for Santa's magical red mailboxes to appear at the Discovery Center and at City Hall soon after Thanksgiving! Write Santa a letter and deposit your letter in his mailbox. Let him know whether you have been a little naughty or a lot nice and include your wish list! 

Please include child's full name, age, and address with any letters submitted. Write your own letter any way you like! 

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Firetruck Santa Visit

Wednesday, December 11 | 6 to 7:35 PM | Hadley Avenue
 
Santa will visit the children of Oakdale on a decorated firetruck with twinkling lights. Bundle up and get those cameras ready! Santa travels along Hadley Avenue N with the following stops:

• 6 to 6:15 PM - North Fire Station (5000 Hadley Avenue N) 
• 6:20 to 6:35 PM - Oakdale Discovery Center (4444 Hadley Avenue N)
• 6:40 to 6:55 PM -  Eberle Park (3888 Hadley Avenue N)
• 7 to 7:15 PM -  Hadley Avenue N and Stillwater Boulevard
• 7:20 to 7:35 PM - Oakdale City Hall (1584 Hadley Avenue N)

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Painting Class | Pinecone Still Life

Friday, December 6 | 11 AM to 2 PM | Discovery Center

Join local artist Sandy Danus of Cheerful Hearts Studio as she leads you through a fun and inviting, acrylic paint class. Learn a new skill and have a great time! All supplies are included and our cheerful, step by step instruction is easy to follow, even if you have never picked up a paint brush before. Come away with your own beautiful finished canvas creation that you can be proud of. Deadline to register is December 4. $35 (10-by-20 canvas).

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Adult Yoga

Oakdale welcomes Jen Vail, registered yoga teacher, trainer and certified Pilates instructor, to the Discovery Center! Jen was most recently the director and founder of YogaFresh in Woodbury, MN from 2007-2023. Her unique offerings have different focus areas and are accessible for all experience levels. She strives to create a non-judgmental, fun and safe environment to explore the benefits of yoga, barre and Pilates. Learn more at http://www.jenvail.com/. 

Registration deadline is one week prior to class/session start. 

Morning Yoga Session 3: January 7 to February 11 | 9:30 to 10:30 AM | 6 weeks | $99

Rise and shine with intention. Experience a customizable and dynamic yoga practice designed to build strength, develop balance, and increase mobility and mindfulness. This all-levels class encourages participants to move at their own pace to explore shapes in a safe and sustainable way that will support a healthy range of motion and a more fulfilling practice experience. 

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Twilight Yoga Session 3: January 2 to February 6 | 6 to 7 PM | 6 weeks | $99

Wind down your day with a gentle flow to melt away stress in the glow of twinkling lights. This all-levels class will illuminate your intention and calm the nervous system with flowing movements designed to improve balance, strength and flexibility in a sustainable way. Enjoy the outdoors in the comfort of being indoors and without bugs, humidity and sand. 

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Pop-Up Winter Solstice Yoga, Meditation and Journaling Mini Retreat | Thursday, December 19 | 6:30 to 8 PM | $35

As the shortest day of the year marks a return to lightness, intention and rebirth, we'll gather together to honor the Winter Solstice, a time of clarity, patience and potential. Explore a variety of yoga, meditation/yoga nidra, and journaling to cultivate a deeper sense of balance, harmony and well-being during this seasonal shift. This retreat is suitable for yogis of all levels.

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Oakdale Wellness 50+

Oakdale Wellness 50+ is a volunteer initiative making Oakdale and Washington County healthier by offering health-focused activities for persons 50 and over that lead to measurably improved wellness. 

Oakdale Wellness 50+ is supported by Washington County, the City of Oakdale, and the Vital Aging Network (VAN).

To register for activities, please visit www.oakdalefun.com. If you have any questions 

about the listings, please call us at 651-747-3860 and we will be happy to assist!