Unwrap the
Dykshoorn Park, Downtown Mandan November 29th – January 4th, 2025
MANDAN HOLIDAY LIGHTS ON MAIN MANDAN HOLIDAY LIGHTS ON MAIN
Christmas Star Sponsor
Lights
CHRISTMAS Sponsor
Christmas Ornament Sponsor
Mandan Refinery
Media Sponsor
Stocking
Revive Law Group
Morton Mandan Public Library
LETTER
PUBLISHERS
Photo by NewAge Creative
The magic of the holiday season in Mandan is truly one-of-a-kind, filled with cherished traditions, the glow of memories, and the warmth of community spirit that we all treasure. As winter blankets our town and the twinkling lights reflect on snow-covered streets, this special edition of Mandan Magazine brings you festive stories and highlights that capture the essence of the holidays in Mandan.
Building on last year’s enchantment, the 3rd Annual “Mandan Holiday Lights on Main” is set to dazzle once again. For over 40 nights, Dykshoorn Park, Heritage Park, Main Street, and Morton Mandan Public Library will be transformed into a glowing winter wonderland. The lights—both classic and contemporary—create a magical backdrop, perfect for capturing holiday memories with loved ones. Whether it’s that perfect holiday selfie, a treasured family portrait, or perhaps a heartwarming holiday proposal, these displays will make the season unforgettable.
We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to the city of Mandan and our community sponsors who make this all possible. Their generosity helps bring the “Mandan Holiday Lights on Main” to life, illuminating not just our city streets but also the hearts of everyone who experiences them. Their commitment to spreading holiday cheer is a true gift to our entire community.
We also have some exciting news to share! The beloved Santa Run is moving to Mandan! This annual event has a rich history of spreading holiday joy and bringing families together, and now it has found its new home right here in our community. Be sure to check out our special feature in this issue to learn about the history of the Santa Run and how Mandan will be shaping its future. We’re thrilled to welcome this festive tradition and can’t wait to see the joy it brings to our streets.
But the holiday season in Mandan doesn’t stop there. In this issue, we invite you to explore a variety of new experiences. Visit our local Holiday Cocktail Bar, where festive drinks await to warm your soul on these cold winter nights. Discover a unique new event space perfect for your holiday gatherings and stop by the latest spot in town to enjoy fine cigars and whiskey—ideal for unwinding after a long day of celebration.
As always, the holiday season reminds us of the importance of giving back, and we are incredibly thankful for the support of everyone who continues to make Mandan such a special place to live, work, and celebrate. From our generous sponsors to each resident and visitor, you all play a part in making this season brighter.
On behalf of the Mandan Progress Organization board, staff, and myself, I want to wish you all a holiday season filled with joy, warmth, and love. May this special time of year bring happiness to your hearts and homes and may the magic of Mandan stay with you throughout the season and beyond.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from Mandan!
Warmly,
Matt Schanandore Executive Director, Mandan Progress Organization
Mandan Progress Organization Members
Legacy Level Member
Chevrolet of Mandan
Stantec Consulting Services Inc.
Premiere Level Member
HIT, Inc
Sanford Health
Lewis & Clark Development Group
Bismarck-Mandan Convention & Visitors Bureau
Interstate Engineering
Mandan Rodeo Days
Excellence Level Members
1806 & Co.
Black Lions
First International Bank & Trust
Funatix Events
Knife River Corporation- ND Division
Mandan Road Races LLC
National Day Calendar
Open Road Honda
Pepsi America
Stage Stop Saloon & Grill
The Innovation Barn
The Poppy Creative
Third Day Family Farms
Entry Level Members
701 Cycle and Sport
Action Motor Sports
Advanced Business Methods
AE2S
AID, Inc.
Al Fitterer Architect PC
American Family Insurance- Terry
Kraft
AnyLeaks
Bain Agency/Bridgemark Insur-
ance Solutions
Balancing Goat Coffee Co
Barney’s Tesoro/ Red Trail
Basin Electric Power
Baymont Inn & Suites
BEK Communications
Bennigan’s Beyond the Blooms
Big Stick Cigars
BisMan Eats LLC
Bismarck Larks
Bismarck Magazine
BNC Bank Mandan
BNI Coal
Bobcat of Mandan
Bravera Bank
Buffalo Gypsy
Bullinger Tree Service
Burian & Associates
Burning Desires
Butcher Block Meats
Capital Credit Union
Cappuccino on Collins
Captain Jack’s Liquor Land (Coborn’s)
Classic Rock Coffee
Cloverdale Foods
Coal Country Coffee Company
Comfort Inn & Suites
Copper Dog Cafe
Corral Sales RV Superstore
Curvy Flamingo Boutique
Dacotah Mandan Lions
Dacotah Speedway
Dairy Queen
Dakota Caulking
Dakota Community Bank & Trust
Dakota Kustomz, LLC
DaWise Perry and Mandan Crematory
Doll’s Studios
ECO Sanitation
Edward Jones - Rick Kuhn
Edward Jones- Vanessa Martell
Every Eye
Express Yourself Salon
Eyecare Professionals
Family Fare/Spartan Nash
Family Wellness
Farm Credit Services
Farmers Union Insurance- Ressler/ Kuntz Agency
Feil Orthodontics
Fettig Millwork
First Community Credit Union
FOMO 10/40 Creamery
Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park
Gate City Bank
Goodhart & Associates, PC
Grand Junction Subs
Gunscher’s Auto Repair Plus
Gusaas Signs
Harlow’s School Bus Service
Heritage Exteriors
Hirsch Floral & Gifts
Hopfauf Custom Builders.
Huck Financial
Huntington Books
Hyundai of Mandan/ Bismarck
Motor Company
Ideal Image Dentistry
iGear
Independent Land Survey and Engineering
Jerome Distributing
Johnson’s Wrecking
Keller Carpentry LLC
Keller Insurance Services.
Kelsch, Ruff, Kranda, Nagle & Ludwig
Kids in Motion Pediatric Therapy
KLJ
L&H Branding Irons
Lakewood Marina LLC
Larson’s Tattooing
Legendary Greens
Leingang Chiropractic & Wellness
Leingang Home Center.
Leroy’s MVP Store
Letter the Lawn
Liberty Tax Service
Lillis Electric
Lincoln Repair
Little Caesars Pizza
Lords-n-Ladies
LPT Images
M&H Gas
M&W Beef Packers Inc.
Main Street Drive Thru Liquor
Mandan Aero Center
Mandan Auto Glass
Mandan Eagles
Mandan Lions
Mandan Moose Lodge
Mandan Public School District.
Mandan Regional Airport
Mandan Tire Center
McDonald’s
Metro Area Ambulance
Midway Lanes
MOJO 107.5/Big Rig 105.9
Moritz Sport and Marine
Morton Mandan Public Library.
Musicians Association
NAPA Auto Parts
ND Assoc of Rural Electric Coop.
Newman Signs
Nightlife Entertainment
NISC
North Country Inn
North Dakota Tourism
Northern Plains Equipment
Northern Plains Plumbing, Heating & Air
Northern Trophy
Northwest Tire Mandan
Ohms Cafe
Old 10 Bar & Grill
Old Town Tavern/Scapegoat Bar
Pahlke Steel, Inc.
Papa Murphy’s Pizza
Pizza Ranch
Quadrasight Software
Quality Home Furniture
Railway Credit Union
Red Carpet Mandan ARCO
Red Top Recovery
Revive Law Group
Riverwood RV & Auto
RJR Maintenance & Management
Rose James & Company, LLC
Roughrider Harley-Davidson
RuLissa Boutique & More
Rye and Rust
Safe Ship
Schaff Estate & Life Planning Group
Schlosser Excavating
Schwan Buick GMC Cadillac
Scotty’s Drive-In
Security First Agency of North Dakota
Security First Bank
Send it 24-7/ 701 Cornhole Com-
pany
Shop Suzy B
Sign Pro
Signature Events
Silver Dollar Bar
Simes Graphic Designs
Southside MVP
Spiffy Biffs
Starion Bank
State Farm Insurance- Heather
Fried
State Farm Insurance- Rod Skytland
Subaru of Mandan
Sunset MVP
Superpumper #41
The Golden Comb Day Spa & Salon
The Medicine Shoppe
The Paddle Trap
The Skin Boutique & Hair Lounge
The Title Team
Titan Machinery
TP Motel
Tri Energy Cenex
United Printing
Venue Twenty5
Vision Source
Weigel Funeral Home
West Dakota FOX
Zander Body Shop
Individual Level Member
Annette Behm-Caldwell
Karen Breiner
Paulette Bullinger
James Clement
Loah Clement
Lee Fleischer
Mike Hanson
Donna Hartze
Bernice Hilfer
Ellen Huber
Ann Kirchmeier
Donovan Kruger
Laurie Leingang
Rachael Preusse
Matt Schanandore
Kari Schmidt
Andrew Stromme
Andrea Travnicek
Gene Veil
Del Wetsch
Andrew Zachmeier
The Holiday Season at The Poppy Creative
410 West Main Street, Mandan
Story: Maria Brezny | Photos: Cloud Watcher
Inspired by her own experience planning a wedding, Chelsy Ciavarella-Mischel, has created her own creative rental shop and small venue meant for all kinds of events: weddings, baby showers, bridal showers, and now for the holiday season, Christmas parties! She named her company The Poppy Creative and hopes it can be a community hub of creativity and events.
The first part of The Poppy Creative, the rental shop, was born out of her own experience planning a wedding. Shortly after Chelsy and her fiance got engaged, her fiance lost his job. This meant the couple had to completely re-envision their wedding plans. They scoured the internet for DIY ideas and cute thrifted or rental options, but there were very limited options for them, especially in the style of wedding they wanted. After getting married, Chelsy decided to fill this space herself
and create the kind of service she needed when getting married. “We tried to fill that space with unique decor and services and creative outlets for things,” she says. “We now have a venue with studio and event spaces available, furniture rentals, decor rentals, backdrops, tables, anything you would need for events. We also do craft classes and help with other vendor shows.”
With the recent acquirement of her venue space, Chelsy has a whole plethora of ideas for the holidays. Located right across the street from the Mandan Holiday Lights, Chelsy wants to help visitors and sponsors of the Holiday Lights have a memorable experience. In this line of thinking, she wants to offer two different options. First, she will rent out her different venue spaces as event spaces for private parties. The space is a blank canvas, and Chelsy can customize it to whatever degree you need. Her second idea is to partner with the sponsors of the Mandan Holiday Lights to provide a warming house for visitors on those nights. She is offering different levels of partnership, starting with a basic warming house with a hot chocolate bar, cozy furniture, a fireplace, and Christmas tree. The highest level would include all the same things, plus a themed night with custom backdrops, photography, and a character visit, such as Elsa, The Grinch, or Santa Claus. “I want to create a warm welcoming environment for visitors of Mandan’s downtown,” explains Chelsy.
Chelsy has many more ideas for how to utilize her venue space and company as a whole during the Christmas and winter season. “There’s so many different things you can do with Christmas as a creative,” she says. Keep an eye on Chelsy and her business to be a part of all the fun things happening in downtown Mandan this year, thanks to her creative company.
Thomas & Moriarty’s Christmas
Bar
200 W. Main St., Mandan
Story: Maria Brezny | Photos: Submitted
Christmastime would not be the same without the many beloved traditions of the holiday, like the food and drink we share over the festive season. Thomas and Moriarty’s, a craft cocktail bar in Mandan, is once again transforming into a Christmas bar for the month of December, offering many of the traditional Christmas drinks you know and love, as well as some fun, unique options that just might become your new favorite Christmas drink.
Last year, Thomas and Moriarty’s was invited to be a part of a worldwide popup program called Miracle Popup Bar. “We were very honored to be selected last year because they don’t choose just anybody. You have to prove you have the cocktail program to pull that off,” explains Stacy Sturm, owner of Thomas and Moriarty’s. Through this program, Thomas and Moriarty’s was transformed into a winter wonderland, with Christmas themed drinks, glassware, food, and more.
This year, prompted by the popularity of last year’s event, Thomas and Moriarty’s will again transform into a festive Christmas scene, but without the oversight of the Miracle Bar program.
“Seeing how much people liked it last year and since Mandan has the Christmas lights and so much going on for Christmas, we figured it would be good to still do a Christmas bar, but just do it our own way,” explains Stacy. Since it will now be their own event, Thomas and Moriarty’s will have control over what they serve, what they serve it in, and how they do it.
The bar will again be dressed to the nines with holiday decor and serve a wide range of delicious Christmas drinks, ranging from the traditional eggnog to interesting and fun drinks you may never have had before, served in unique glassware. Christmas cookies, cheeseballs, and other food will be served as well.
Because of the limited space within the bar, throughout the Christmas event reservations will be required to be seated inside Thomas and Moriarty’s. This helps staff better anticipate and accommodate visitors, so no one has to make a special trip only to get turned away at the door. Reservations will likely open mid-November, so watch Thomas and Moriarty’s Facebook page for more reservation information. The Christmas bar will run throughout the month of December on Tuesdays through Thursdays from 5 pm to 10 pm and Friday through Saturday from 5 pm to midnight.
Photo by Cloud Watcher
Christmas at Big Stick Cigar Lounge
104 2nd Ave NW, Mandan
Story: Maria Brezny | Photos: Cloud Watcher
Looking for something a little different than just hot chocolate after strolling outdoors looking at the Holiday Lights on Main in Mandan?
Big Stick Cigar Lounge is half a block away from the Mandan Lights and offers a relaxed and comfortable atmosphere for all cigar lovers.
Big Stick Cigar Lounge is North Dakota’s first and only cigar lounge that has opened since the establishments were officially legalized
during the 2023 legislative session. Josette Dupree, co-owner and general manager explains, “We are the fine tobacconist and vintage tobacconist of the state of North Dakota. We have cigars, pipe tobacco, accouterments, accessories and a full liquor license. We like to supply an area where people can com enjoy their cigar in a relaxing environment with a really good cocktail.”
Big Stick Cigar has been open as a humidor for just under three years in a location a block west from their current one. In July of this year, they reopened in their current location as Big Stick Cigar Lounge.
Cultivating a community for cigar enthusiasts is one of Josette’s favorite parts of owning a cigar lounge.
“One of my pride and joys is how many friendships I’ve seen get built in this venue,” she says. To continue cultivating this community, Big Stick Cigar Lounge has started hosting different events like a whiskey, bourbon, scotch, and cigar 101 night or a steak, bourbon, and cigar night. Josette plans to continue hosting these events as well as some fun new ones.
One of these fun events in November is a wine and cigar night with lessons on cigar etiquette. In December, the first Saturday will be their First Annual Ugly Christmas Sweater and Beer Decorating Contest. They will also be accepting donations of cigars or money ($10 or more) to Cigars for Warriors, a charity that sends cigars to deployed men and women overseas. Cigars are one of the most requested items from our troops. If you bring in a donation, you will get a free pint of beer, courtesy of Shiner Beer and Jerome Distributing.
Big Stick’s bartenders are also working on creating a unique winter cocktail menu that will feature delicious seasonal drinks like a minted coffee old fashioned. With such unique delicious drinks, Big Stick Cigar will be the perfect place to stop by after strolling the Mandan Holiday Lights. Have a cigar, a Christmas cocktail, and warm up after being out in the cold. Big Stick Cigar Lounge is open every day from noon to 1 am.
Thank You to the Sponsors of
Media Sponsor
A New Home for the Santa Run
Story: Maria Brezny | Photos: Provided
2024 marks the 11th year of the Santa Run and a new location for the annual 5K fun run. The original founders of the Santa Run, Judge Dave Reich and his wife Ann, are retiring and passing the torch to the Mandan Progress Organization. The Santa Run will now start and end at Dykshoorn Park on Main Street, Mandan and be incorporated into the Mandan Progress Organization’s Mandan Holiday Lights on Main event. Matt Schanandore, the executive director of the MPO, is excited to bring a fresh and festive atmosphere to the race thanks to the bright backdrop of the Mandan Holiday Lights.
While the location is changing, the heart and spirit of the Santa Run will remain the same. “Participants will still don their Santa suits, run through a festive course, and celebrate the holiday season while supporting addiction recovery programs. The mission of raising awareness for addiction and recovery continues to be the central theme
of the event, just as it has been for the past decade. The joy, community spirit, and focus on recovery will always be at the core of the Santa Run, regardless of where it takes place,” says Matt.
The Santa Run was first started by Judge Dave Reich and his wife Ann who wanted to spread holiday cheer and bring awareness to the important but difficult topic of addiction recovery. “People liked it so much that we kept doing it, and it kept building every year. We tried to make it a meaningful and fun community event,” says Dave. Having a light-hearted event where participants dress up in Santa suits sends a message of hope to anyone still dealing with addiction and celebrates the stories of success. To continue the event’s legacy of raising awareness and supporting those on the path to recovery, proceeds from the run will benefit Hope Manor and local addiction recovery programs.
Dave and his wife Ann feel like Matt and the MPO are the perfect people to take over their Santa Run. “We’ve known Matt Schanandore for a few years,” says Dave. “He and the Mandan Progress Organization are doing wonderful things in Mandan. They have the Holiday Lights event, and they’re keeping our event for a good cause, so I don’t think we could have found a better fit to transition the run.”
Matt says that he and the MPO feel honored to take over such an important event. “The Santa Run has been such a meaningful part of our Bismarck-Mandan community, thanks to the dedication of Judge Dave Reich and his wife Ann,” says Matt. “It’s a privilege to continue their work and grow the experience by hosting it in Mandan. We understand the legacy this event carries, and we’re committed to maintaining its positive impact while adding our own Mandan flair. We’re excited to continue this tradition and make the 2024 Santa Run a memorable and impactful event for years to come.”
The fun run will feature hot chocolate and holiday treats, music, and festive views as runners enjoy views of the Mandan Holiday Lights. Santa Suits are provided to runners 13+ as a part of their registration packet.
Runners of all ages and abilities are welcome and encouraged to participate. Registration is now open. If you register before the end of the month, tickets are $35. After and until race day, ticket price will increase to $50. The race will take place Saturday, December 14th at 4 pm.
More information can be found at www.santarunnd.com
As we light up this holiday season, we reflect on a century of service, dedication, and innovation. For 100 years, we’ve kept your homes warm, your lights bright, and your family gatherings cozy.
From all of us at Montana-Dakota Utilities, we wish you a joyous holiday season and a bright new year. Here’s to powering the moments that matter for another century!
Montana-Dakota Utilities is a proud sponsor of the Mandan Holiday Lights on Main.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS
To all of our friends, families, and customers in the Bismarck-Mandan community. Wishing all of you warmth, joy, and peace this season. And a happy New Year!
From your friends at Wishing everyone a and joyful
Peace of Mind, All Year Long
Merry Christmas & Cheers to a Fabulous 2025!
