Oakdale Recreation Monthly News

December 2023

UPCOMING EVENTS

FAMILY FUN ACTIVITIES
Santa and a firetruck

Firetruck Santa Visit

Wednesday, December 13 | 6 to 7:35 PM | Stops along Hadley Avenue

Santa will visit the children of Oakdale on a decorated firetruck with twinkling lights. Bundle up and get those cameras ready! 

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Gingerbread houses on a table

Gingerbread House Contest

Drop off your house during the Discovery Center's open hours December 14 and 15

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 16. 

Contest winner will be contacted after Winter Wonderland to pick up their prize! 


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Santa and costume snowman

Winter Wonderland

Saturday, December 16, 9 AM to 1 PM | Discovery Center

In partnership with the Oakdale Area Chamber of Commerce and First Resource Bank, Oakdale Recreation will sponsor 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


MORE INFORMATION
Snowshoes resting against a tree

Snowshoe Rental

Rentals available daily pending snow conditions, during building hours | Discovery Center
 
Take your family and friends snowshoeing in the 200 acres of the Oakdale Nature Preserve. Watch for animal tracks, deer, fox, and birds, even snowshoe angels! Sizes available for both children and adults. $6, tax included, per person for a two hour rental.  Cash or check only on weekends. 

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Paul Bunyan Snow Sculpture

Snow Sculpture Contest

Oakdale residents submit your snow sculpture now through March 31, 2024 | Any address in Oakdale, MN 55128
 
Calling all creative Oakdale residents. Do you have what it takes to create the best snow sculpture in Oakdale? If so, head outside any time after a snowfall, and start constructing your masterpiece. All sculptures are judged on appearance, relative to the season’s theme.  

This year’s theme is “Snow Animals”

Please submit photo entries by March 31. Winning sculpture will receive a themed winter prize basket!

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Ice skates

Ice Rinks & Warming Houses

Rinks are scheduled to open late December and close late February (weather permitting) 
 
Maintained, supervised rinks with heated warming houses are located at Eastside, Northdale, and Walton Parks.

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PROGRAMS FOR THE KIDS
Santa theme mailbox

Letters to Santa

Mailboxes appearing through December 17 | Discovery Center and 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 your full name, age, and address in your letter.

MORE INFORMATION
Librarian reads to kids

Library Story Time | "Weather"

Wednesday, December 27 | 10:30 AM | Discovery Center
 
A Washington County Youth Librarian will be visiting for a special preschool story time! We’ll have fun talking, singing, reading, writing, and playing together. We will focus on concepts such as counting, colors, sharing, emotions, patterns, and the alphabet. A simple craft will follow. A free program recommended for developmental ages 0 to 5 and their grown-ups.

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ACTIVITIES FOR ADULTS
Shopping for holidays

Indoor Market

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

Shop local! The perfect place for holiday shopping! Over 20 local vendors offer a unique variety of items including baked goods, meats, canned goods, artisan foods, sweets, salsas, strudels, jewelry, essential oils and much more!  

MORE INFORMATION
Painting of snowman on wood board

Painting Classes

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. $30 per class. Upcoming Classes: 

  • Pine Bough | Wednesday, December 20, 6 to 8:30 PM   
  • Wood Snowman |  Friday, December 22, 11 AM to 2 PM     

MORE INFORMATION
woman doing a yoga stretch

Adult Yoga

Oakdale welcomes Jen Vail, registered yoga teacher and trainer and certified Pilates instructor, who will bring three brand new yoga classes 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. 

Drop-in for a single class is $20 (cash or check only for Twilight Yoga). Please arrive at least ten minutes prior to class when dropping in. 

Morning Yoga | Tuesdays, December 5 or 12 | 9:30 to 10:30 AM 

Rise and shine with intention. Experience a customizable yoga practice designed to build strength and mindfulness to help increase mobility, flexibility and balance. This all-levels class encourages participants to move at their own pace to explore postures in a safe and sustainable way for a more fulfilling practice.

Twilight Yoga | Thursday, December 7 | 6 to 7 PM

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. 

Roll and Release: Foam Rolling and Yoga | Friday, December 1 | 3 to 4 PM 

Melt away tightness and stress using self-myofascial techniques, yoga shapes and a foam roller to improve overall health and wellness. This all levels class is the perfect addition to any fitness routine and can help alleviate muscle soreness, support healthy joints and speed up recovery with a focus on deep tissue massage. Space is limited.

MORE INFORMATION
Oakdale Wellness 50+ logo

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).

WEDNESDAY WALKS AT THE OAKDALE NATURE PRESERVE | Wednesdays at 10 AM | No registration is necessary to join these weekly walks. Meet in front of the Discovery Center. 

WELLNESS MOVIE CLUB: HOPE SPRINGS | Tuesday, December 19 | 1 PM | Oakdale Library | Email oakdalewellness50new@gmail.com to join.

MORE INFORMATION

Oakdale Recreation and the Discovery Center will be closed December 24 through 26, and January 1, in observance of the Christmas and New Year holidays.


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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!
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1584 Hadley Avenue N, Oakdale, MN 55128
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