Bentleyville opens in Duluth for the holiday season

Bentleyville Tour of Lights in Duluth in 2021. (Melissa Turtinen/FOX 9)

The Bentleyville Tour of Lights is kicking off its 20th anniversary season in Duluth on Saturday. 

To commence the Tour of Lights, Santa will be making a grand entrance by helicopter, right next to the Bentleyville Tree inside the Bayfront Festival Park in Duluth. 

Santa will be landing between 4:50-5 p.m. Saturday, and visitors can watch from inside the park. Once Santa has landed at 5 p.m., all the lights will be turned on to start the season. Bentleyville is free to go to and parking costs $10. 

Bentleyville provides free hot cocoa, coffee, cookies, popcorn and marshmallows every day for all visitors. 

Santa and Mrs. Claus are on site until Dec. 24 and children under 10 who visit with them will receive a free knit hat and cookies. 

This year marks the 20th season of Bentleyville. For the past 15 years, the Tour of Lights has taken place at Bayfront Festival Park. For the first five years, the light show was held at Nathan Bentley’s home, first in Esko, Minnesota and later at his home in Cloquet, Minnesota. 

The walk-through light show is open daily from Nov. 18 through Dec. 26. Sunday through Thursday. During the weekdays, it's open from 5 p.m.-9 p.m., and on weekends it's open 5 p.m.-10 p.m.