Rally the corgi has sniffed out the best Christmas events for kids in Deerwood for 2026, and here is what he found: 2 family events. They are Christkindlmarkt (December 5) and The Grinchiest Weekend (from December 11). We check every date on the host’s own website, and each listing links straight there. For the rest of the state, see our Minnesota Christmas events for kids guide.
What Rally found in Deerwood
- 2 Christmas events for kids in Deerwood
- Meet Santa: Christkindlmarkt (December 5)
- Season: December 5 (Christkindlmarkt) to December 13 (The Grinchiest Weekend)
- Every date checked on the host’s own site on Nov 10
What are you looking for?
All 2 events
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Ticketed and paid Christmas events for kids in Deerwood
Admission, tickets or a fee apply. Where a host has not posted a price yet, the listing says so.
Holiday market
Christkindlmarkt
- When: Saturday, December 5, 2026, 10 am to 3 pm (Craft vendors 10 AM to 3 PM; Santa visits and make-and-take crafts 11 AM to 2 PM)
- Where: Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort, 25039 Tame Fish Lake Rd, Deerwood, MN 56444 (opens in maps)
- Cost: No price listed on the organizer's page
- Ages: Families
Expand to see the parent tip
Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort gives a Saturday over to a Christmas market under its German name. Craft vendors set up for the day, Santa takes visits through the lunch hours, and kids can sit down at make-and-take craft tables. The resort also lists a Jingle Bar Outpost open all day, spa specials, and Christmas deals at its shop, The Garage.
The market is Saturday, December 5, 2026. Craft vendors are open 10 AM to 3 PM, while the Santa visit and the make-and-takes both run 11 AM to 2 PM. The resort's page does not list an admission price or any sign-up.
Parent tip: Santa and the craft tables only run from 11 to 2, a shorter window than the vendor hours, so aim to arrive late morning if those are what your kids care about most.
- Host
- Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort, 25039 Tame Fish Lake Rd, Deerwood, MN 56444 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Deerwood events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Deerwood daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Deerwood.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)
Rally’s Christmas research
Rally the corgi has 1 more Deerwood event researched for you.
- New events every week We research new events daily and send you one email a week with the new ones we find in Deerwood.
- Exclusive access to free events Find the free Christmas events in Deerwood before they fill up.
- Unlock the filters Find Santa visits, free events and weekend plans in one tap.
- Rally’s Christmas Eve Express and a free advent calendar Get early access to Rally the corgi’s Christmas Eve tracker, plus a free digital advent calendar to count down to Christmas.
- One-tap add to calendar Save any event to your Google, Apple or Outlook calendar so you never miss it.
Coming up on this page
- 2 Crafts
- 1 Santa
- 1 Markets
- 1 Zoos and museums
Enter your email to get new Christmas events in Deerwood every week.
Holiday event
The Grinchiest Weekend
- When: Friday, December 11, 2026 to Sunday, December 13, 2026 (Friday through Sunday; the resort had not posted times when its page was checked)
- Where: Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort, 25039 Tame Fish Lake Rd, Deerwood, MN 56444 (opens in maps)
- Cost: No price listed on the organizer's page
- Ages: Families
Expand to see the parent tip
For three days the resort leans into a Grinch theme. Friday brings a meet and greet with the Grinch plus a bonfire with pudgie pies, Saturday has family activities through the day and Grinch-themed bingo in the evening, and Sunday closes with breakfast and photos with the Grinch. Whoville Games run in the ballroom all weekend, alongside indoor options like a scavenger hunt, Giant Jenga and board games.
The weekend runs Friday, December 11 through Sunday, December 13, 2026. Outdoor activities such as ice skating, human bowling on the ice, ice bocce, snowshoeing and Hok skiing depend on the weather and safe ice. The page says more details are coming and does not yet give times, prices or how to book, so check with the resort before you plan.
Parent tip: The ice activities only happen if the weather and the ice cooperate, so pack snow gear but treat the indoor Whoville Games as your sure thing. Since no times were posted yet, confirm the hour of the Friday meet and greet before you drive up.
- Host
- Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort (opens in a new tab)
- Address
- Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort, 25039 Tame Fish Lake Rd, Deerwood, MN 56444 (opens in maps)
- Confirmed
- On the host’s page, checked
New Deerwood events every week
Rally researches Christmas events in Deerwood daily and updates this page with new events. Enter your email to get a weekly update with new events in Deerwood.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime. Privacy policy (opens in a new tab)
We check every event above on the host’s own page for the date, time and cost, plus the things parents ask about, like sign-ups and ages. Looking for a Santa train instead? Those are on our Minnesota Christmas train rides page.
See every event on a December calendar
Plan your December
When each Deerwood Christmas event for kids happens
The first is Christkindlmarkt in Deerwood on December 5; the last runs to December 13. Each bar spans an event’s dates, not every hour in them, so check the host’s page for times.
- ChristkindlmarktDeerwood · Dec 5
- The Grinchiest WeekendDeerwood · Dec 11 to Dec 13
Looking further afield? Our Minnesota Christmas events for kids guide lists every event we have found in the state, and we have city guides for Big Lake, Duluth, Taylors Falls and Delano, MN. The national search sorts every event by distance from your town.
A story for the drive home
A morning with Santa or an evening of holiday stories tends to end the same way: tired kids, a long drive and one more book before bed. Our picture book follows Rally the corgi on his first train ride to see his grand-paw-rents, and every page is painted by hand. If your family is spending December missing someone, it was written for that too. For the car, print our free corgi and train coloring pages.
A bedtime story after seeing SantaRally Takes the Train is a five-minute rhyming picture book about a corgi’s first ride on a California train, hand-painted in watercolor. $16.99 on Amazon, ages 0 to 8.
Buy on Amazon2026 Christmas events are coming in late November
More Christmas events arrive in late November. We add them here as soon as we confirm them.
The story of Christmas in Deerwood
Deerwood got its name the plain way: there were a lot of deer in the woods nearby. Today this small Crow Wing County city is the address for two December gatherings at Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort, a Christmas market and a Grinch-themed weekend.
How Deerwood celebrates
Christmas events with a Deerwood address center on Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort on Tame Fish Lake Road, which runs both of them. On Saturday, December 5, 2026, the resort holds its Christkindlmarkt, with craft vendors, a visit with Santa and make-and-take crafts. A week later, December 11 to 13, it hosts The Grinchiest Weekend, with a Grinch meet and greet, a bonfire with pudgie pies, Grinch-themed bingo and Whoville Games in the ballroom. When the weather and the ice allow, the weekend adds skating, ice bocce and snowshoeing.
Fun facts about Christmas in Deerwood
Deerwood's post office opened in 1882, a full decade before the town was platted in February 1892, and the city was incorporated in October 1909. It was named for the abundant deer in the nearby woods. The Deerwood Auditorium, a community center built in 1935 as a Works Progress Administration project, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The 2020 census counted 526 residents.
Traditions today
- Christkindlmarkt: Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort holds a one-day Christmas market with craft vendors on Saturday, December 5, 2026.
- Santa at the market: Santa visits with children at the Christkindlmarkt from 11 AM to 2 PM, the same hours as the make-and-take crafts.
- The Grinchiest Weekend: The resort themes the weekend of December 11 to 13 around the Grinch, from a Friday meet and greet to a Sunday breakfast with photos.
- Whoville Games: Games run in the resort ballroom all through the Grinch weekend, with Grinch-themed bingo on Saturday evening.
- Winter fun on the ice: Ice skating, ice bocce and human bowling on the ice are offered during the Grinch weekend when the weather and ice are safe.
A fact for kids
Deerwood was named for all the deer that lived in the woods around it. Its post office opened in 1882, ten years before anyone had even drawn up a map of the town.
Questions about Christmas in Deerwood
When was Deerwood, Minnesota founded?
A post office was established at Deerwood in 1882. The town itself was platted in February 1892 and incorporated as a city in October 1909. It sits in Crow Wing County and is part of the Brainerd Micropolitan Statistical Area.
How did Deerwood get its name?
According to the town's Wikipedia article, Deerwood was named for the abundant deer in the nearby woods. The name was already in use when the post office opened in 1882, a decade before the town was formally platted in 1892.
How big is Deerwood?
Deerwood is a small city. The 2020 census counted 526 people, down slightly from 532 in 2010. The city covers about 2.05 square miles, and more than half a square mile of that is water. Crosby and Ironton are the nearby towns.
What happens at Christmas in Deerwood?
Two events are listed for 2026, both at Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort. The Christkindlmarkt on Saturday, December 5 brings craft vendors, Santa and make-and-take crafts. The Grinchiest Weekend on December 11 to 13 adds a Grinch meet and greet, bingo and Whoville Games.
Who organizes Deerwood's Christmas events?
Both listed events are organized and hosted by Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort at 25039 Tame Fish Lake Road. The resort publishes the details on its own events pages and had marked the Grinch weekend schedule as still to come, with more details promised.
Where can children see Santa in Deerwood?
Santa is at the Christkindlmarkt at Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort on Saturday, December 5, 2026, from 11 AM to 2 PM. The craft vendors open an hour earlier, at 10 AM, and stay until 3 PM, so there is time to browse before or after the visit.
Are Deerwood's Christmas events free?
The resort's pages do not say. Neither the Christkindlmarkt page nor the Grinchiest Weekend page lists a price or states that the event is free, so families should confirm costs with Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort before making the trip.
What historic landmark is in Deerwood?
The Deerwood Auditorium is a community center built in 1935 as a Works Progress Administration project. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is described as a rare surviving example of federal relief architecture in Minnesota.
Sources
- Deerwood, Minnesota, Wikipedia
- CHRISTKINDLMARKT, Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort
- The Grinchiest Weekend, Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort
Keep the Christmas magic going: track Rally the corgi on Christmas Eve, print free Christmas coloring pages, learn how to say Merry Christmas in 100+ languages, find train museums to visit with kids, or browse Christmas events in every Minnesota city.
Deerwood Christmas events for kids: questions parents ask
What Christmas events for kids are happening in Deerwood, MN in 2026?
Two events are listed, both at Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort. The Christkindlmarkt on Saturday, December 5 pairs craft vendors with a Santa visit and make-and-take crafts. The Grinchiest Weekend follows on December 11 to 13 with a Grinch meet and greet, bingo, Whoville Games and winter activities.
Where can kids meet Santa in Deerwood?
Santa visits the Christkindlmarkt at Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort on Saturday, December 5, 2026, from 11 AM to 2 PM. That is a shorter window than the craft vendors, who are open 10 AM to 3 PM, so plan your arrival around the Santa hours.
Are there free Christmas events for kids in Deerwood?
The resort's pages do not list prices for either the Christkindlmarkt on December 5 or the Grinchiest Weekend on December 11 to 13, and they do not say either one is free. Contact Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort to ask what is included before you go.
Can kids meet the Grinch in Deerwood?
Yes. The Grinchiest Weekend at Ruttger's Bay Lake Resort opens with a Grinch meet and greet on Friday, December 11, 2026, and ends with breakfast and photos with the Grinch on Sunday, December 13. Saturday adds family activities during the day and Grinch-themed bingo in the evening.
Do Deerwood's Christmas events need tickets or sign-up?
Neither page mentions tickets or registration. The Christkindlmarkt page for December 5 lists only its hours. The Grinchiest Weekend page for December 11 to 13 says more details are coming soon, so check with the resort about booking and times before you plan around it.
What is there to do outdoors during the Grinchiest Weekend?
The resort lists ice skating, human bowling on the ice, ice bocce, snowshoeing, Hok skiing and hiking for December 11 to 13, 2026. All of it depends on the weather and safe ice. Indoors, families can fall back on a scavenger hunt, corn-hole, pickleball, the pool, Giant Jenga and board games.
Are there Christmas train rides for kids near Deerwood?
Santa trains and holiday train rides have their own guide: Rally Takes the Train’s Minnesota Christmas train rides guide. This Deerwood guide covers Santa visits, story times, light shows and other events off the rails.
How do you confirm these events?
We list an event only after we find this season’s date on the host’s own website or an official city or tourism calendar. We last checked every listing on November 10, 2026. Hosts change details, so always confirm on the host’s page before you go.
Event names belong to their hosts. Rally Takes the Train is a family picture book and is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by any host listed here. Confirm dates, times and prices on each host’s own site before you go.