To place an obituary, please include the information from the obituary checklist below in an email to obits@pioneerpress.com. There is no option to place them through our website at this time. Feel free to contact our obituary desk at 651-228-5263 with any questions.
General Information:
Your full name,
Address (City, State, Zip Code),
Phone number,
And an alternate phone number (if any)
Obituary Specification:
Name of Deceased,
Obituary Text,
A photo in a JPEG or PDF file is preferable, TIF and other files are accepted, we will contact you if there are any issues with the photo.
Ad Run dates
There is a discount for running more than one day, but this must be scheduled on the first run date to apply.
If a photo is used, it must be used for both days for the discount to apply, contact us for more information.
Policies:
Verification of Death:
In order to publish obituaries a name and phone number of funeral home/cremation society is required. We must contact the funeral home/cremation society handling the arrangements during their business hours to verify the death. If the body of the deceased has been donated to the University of Minnesota Anatomy Bequest Program, or a similar program, their phone number is required for verification.
Please allow enough time to contact them especially during their limited weekend hours.
A death certificate is also acceptable for this purpose but only one of these two options are necessary.
Guestbook and Outside Websites:
We are not allowed to reference other media sources with a guestbook or an obituary placed elsewhere when placing an obituary in print and online. We may place a website for a funeral home or a family email for contact instead; contact us with any questions regarding this matter.
Obituary Process:
Once your submission is completed, we will fax or email a proof for review prior to publication in the newspaper. This proof includes price and days the notice is scheduled to appear.
Please review the proof carefully. We must be notified of errors or changes before the notice appears in the Pioneer Press based on each day’s deadlines.
After publication, we will not be responsible for errors that may occur after final proofing.
Online:
Changes to an online obituary can be handled through the obituary desk. Call us with further questions.
Payment Procedure:
Pre-payment is required for all obituary notices prior to publication by the deadline specified below in our deadline schedule. Please call 651-228-5263 with your payment information after you have received the proof and approved its contents.
Credit Card: Payment accepted by phone only due to PCI (Payment Card Industry) regulations
EFT: Check by phone. Please provide your routing number and account number.
Rates:
The minimum charge is $162 for the first 12 lines.
Every line after the first 12 is $12.
If the ad is under 12 lines it will be charged the minimum rate of $162.
Obituaries including more than 40 lines will receive a 7.5% discount per line.
On a second run date, receive a 20% discount off both the first and second placement.
Place three obituaries and the third placement will be free of charge.
Each photo published is $125 per day. For example: 2 photos in the paper on 2 days would be 4 photo charges at $500.
Deadlines:
Please follow deadline times to ensure your obituary is published on the day requested.
Hours
Deadline (no exceptions)
Ad
Photos
MEMORIAM (NON-OBITUARY) REQUEST
Unlike an obituary, Memoriam submissions are remembrances of a loved one who has passed. The rates for a memoriam differ from obituaries.
Please call or email us for more memoriam information
Please call 651-228-5280 for more information.
HOURS: Monday – Friday 8:00AM – 5:00PM (CLOSED WEEKENDS and HOLIDAYS)
Please submit your memoriam ad to memoriams@pioneerpress.com or call 651-228-5280.
Sure, temperatures are dropping and sunsets are creeping earlier — but when has that ever stopped Minnesotans from having wintertime fun?
This is the city of the Winter Carnival, after all. The chilly celebration, which runs this winter from Jan. 22 to Feb. 1, is marking a milestone 140th anniversary.
During the holiday season in particular, from light festivals to North Pole villages, there’s plenty of all-ages family fun to be found all around St. Paul and the east metro. Here are some ideas:
Now through Dec. 31: Illuminate Festival of Lights
Along with hundreds of indoor lanterns at this colorful festival, you can also catch performances by the AmeriKing Yan Dong Chinese Acrobats. Festival runs 4 to 9 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 2 to 7 p.m. Sundays through the rest of the year; acrobat performances are 6 and 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 4 and 6 p.m. Sundays. (Note holiday hours — Nov. 26, Nov. 27, Dec. 24, Dec. 25, Dec. 31 — festival is open 5 to 9 p.m. and acrobats perform at 7:30.) Tickets required: $27.23 for adults; $16.73 for kids ages 4–11; $24.60 for seniors and military.
Pan Asian Center South: 3001 White Bear Ave., Maplewood; 651-421-1507; more info and tickets at illuminate-us.com
Now through Jan. 4, 2026: GLOW Holiday Festival
The holiday lights festival returns to CHS Field this year with more than a million lights, a carousel ride, a zipline and other family activities. Timed-entry tickets — with entry between 5 and 8 p.m.; the festival is open till 9 p.m. — are required and must be purchased in advance; $21.75 for general admission and $12.75 for kids 12 and younger. (2 and under are free.) The festival is cashless.
GLOW Holiday Festival at CHS Field: 360 N Broadway St; glowholiday.com
Now through Feb. 28: Night Trains
At the Twin City Model Railroad Museum, the main lights go down and street lamps glow in the miniature villages, decorated with snow and holiday decor, as vintage model trains run through the carefully crafted cities. You can’t ride the trains — unless you’re the size of a model-train passenger, I suppose — but you can admire them from 3 to 7 p.m. every Saturday, plus special dates of Dec. 19, 22, 26, 29 and Jan. 2. Tickets are $15 per person, free for members and those under 4
Twin City Model Railroad Museum: 668 Transfer Road; tcmrm.org
Nov. 29, Dec. 5 to 6; Dec. 13: Afton Holiday Village
Afton is turning into a winter wonderland—horse-drawn wagons, carolers, tree lighting, crafts, bonfires, treats and more. What more could you ask for? Weekends have special themes: Candy Cane Trail (Nov. 29), Celebrate Merry & Bright (Dec. 5-6) and Wrap It Up Festive Giving (Dec. 13).
Centered around Afton Town Square Park: 3418 S. St. Croix Trail, Afton; aftonholiday.weebly.com
Dec. 4–7, 11–14, 16, 18–21: Stillwater’s Hometown for the Holidays
Stillwater’s Main Street is lighting up for the holidays. During Twinkle Weekend (Dec. 4–7), kids can get free twinkle necklaces and meet-and-greet “Frozen” characters and Santa, with glowing luminaries along Main Street. During Candy Town Weekend (Dec 11–14), events include cocoa with Santa, a gingerbread man hunt and gingerbread house contest and cookie-decorating. During Furry Friends Weekend (Dec. 18–21), there’ll be a pet parade and costume contest, plus treats from the Grinch for both pets and humans. Additional events include the Outdoor Christmas Celebration on Dec. 16 featuring An Andy and Bing Christmas and the St. Croix Valley Opera and SCVO’s Home for the Holidays concert on Dec. 20 featuring Laura Osnes.
Hometown for the Holidays: Along Main Street in Stillwater; full schedule and location details at communitythreadmn.org/Hometown-Holidays
Dec. 5–7, 11–14: North Pole Express
Departing from Union Depot, the North Pole Express consists of real vintage trains that’ll take you to the North Pole — aka the far east end of the Union Depot property; don’t tell the kids — to meet Santa and enjoy treats. Tickets tend to go very fast and are likely already sold out, but consider this a heads-up for next winter.
North Pole Express: More info at 261.com/npe
Dec. 5–14: “Solstice” at Circus Juventas
This year’s holiday show at the Highland Park circus school is “Solstice,” which focuses on forest creatures’ quest to rescue Jack Frost and save winter; it’s a remount of the 2022 holiday show. Tickets are $35 for adults and $25 for kids/students/seniors/military.
Circus Juventas: 1270 Montreal Ave.; tickets at (651) 309-8106 or circusjuventas.org/holiday-show-2025
Dec. 6: Grand Meander
Find plenty of holiday entertainment during this wintry open house event along Grand Avenue. Highlights include: Trolley rides, sugar cookie decorating at Cooks of Crocus Hill, free caricatures at Red Balloon Bookshop (1 p.m.), the annual Golden Ladle Soup Tasting Contest at various spots along Grand (1 to 3 p.m.), happy hour with Winter Carnival Royalty at Red Rabbit (3 to 4 p.m.) and more.
Grand Meander: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. along Grand Avenue; find more info at grandave.com/events/grandmeander
Dec. 6: Union Depot tree lighting and movie night
It’s almost time for the massive holiday tree to be lit at Union Depot and the 2026 Winter Carnival buttons to be unveiled. Be there at 5 p.m. for the buttons, followed by a concert from the Mistletones at 5:30 p.m. The humongous tree will shine at 7 p.m., followed by a screening of the movie “Elf.”
Union Depot: 214 Fourth St. E., St. Paul; uniondepot.org/holiday
Dec. 6 and 7: Julmarknad Handcraft Market & Festival
The American Swedish Institute’s annual Scandinavian craft market showcases 60+ local artists, plus music and food, with extra family craft projects and games (plus a ticket deal) on Sunday. The festival runs 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days, but you’ll need to buy a timed ticket online: $24 for adults and $12 for kids (or for ASI members, $19 for adults and $9 for kids). On Sunday, buy an adult ticket and get a youth ticket free. Your ticket also gets you into the museum itself, which is specially decorated for the holidays.
American Swedish Institute: 2600 Park Ave., Minneapolis; 612-871-4907; asimn.org
Dec. 6–7: Christmas in Germany
The annual celebration of German holiday traditions returns to the Germanic American Institute this year, with seasonal gifts, storytime, crafts for adults and kids and a German model train exhibit. Plus, in the heated tent, find food, drinks and music. This year’s event is ticketed: $10 for adults, $5 for kids aged 4–17 and free for those 3 and under, but they still need their own ticket. The event runs 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days, but tickets are timed — choose entry between 10–noon, noon–2 or 2–4. Once in, stay as long as you’d like.
Germanic American Institute: 301 Summit Avenue; 651-222-7027; gaimn.org
Dec. 6–7; 13–14, 20–21: Santa’s Train Shop
The Minnesota Transportation Museum is celebrating trains this winter with caboose rides, crafts, a scavenger hunt, storytime and a Lego village. Timed tickets must be purchased online; $25 for adults 16+, $20 for ages 6–15, $10 for kids 3–5.
Minnesota Transportation Museum: 193 E. Pennsylvania Ave.; 651-228-0263; trainride.org/santas-train-shop
Dec. 12–14, 21–22: Celtic Holiday Hooley
It’s a Celtic variety show! Singers and musicians including Norah Rendell, Todd Menton and Dennis Curley; dancers including original Riverdance cast member Cormac O’Sé and the O’Shea Irish Dancers; and comedic sketches, too. Seven performances including matinees; online presale tickets are $30 for adults and $25 for seniors ($5 more apiece at the door, pending availability), and the show is free for youth but tickets are still required.
Celtic Junction Arts Center Performance Hall: 836 Prior Ave., celticjunction.org/event/celtic-holiday-hooley-2025-1
Dec. 14: Santa’s Workshop
Part of the Sundays at Landmark series of cultural programming at the downtown (ahem) landmark, families can stop by for a photo with Santa, “time with festive animals” and gift-making. Free; 1 to 3 p.m.
Landmark Center: 75 W. Fifth St.; 651-292-3225; landmarkcenter.org/sundays-at-landmark
Jan. 16–25: Winter Skolstice Ice Festival
This year’s festival at the Minnesota Vikings’ HQ in Eagan is set to include 8,000 square feet of ice, including custom sculptures, two “striking installations” and an ice bar. Tickets are $13 per person.
Viking Lakes: 2645 Vikings Circle, Eagan; winterskolstice.com/ice-festival
All Season, Weather-Permitting: Ice Castles
Ice Castles, a traveling attraction that also pops up in Colorado, New Hampshire and Utah, has bounced around the metro in recent years but is headed for the second year to the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. Find ice sculptures, slides, mazes, tunnels and more. More info will be released closer to snowy season.
Ice Castles: Minnesota State Fairgrounds; icecastles.com/minnesota