SHAKOPEE HOLIDAY FESTIVAL

Amid the season to be jolly, why not kick off the season with an evening of fun? The Velodazzle parade will roll down the streets. Get a photo with Santa or take a carriage ride. Enjoy the holiday-decorated Stans House, make an ornament and participate in a scavenger hunt. Also caroling and tree lighting. (6-8 p.m. Fri. Free. Downtown Shakopee off 1st and Lewis Streets. www.shakopee.org.)

IRAQI CULTURES THROUGH YOUTH EYES

In partnership with the Al-Baghdadi Museum in Iraq and the U.S. State Department, a group of Iraqi youths helped create this collaborative exhibit. Included are objects, photos and more, documenting life in Baghdad through the eyes of young people. ($6-$11. Minnesota History Center, 345 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul. 651-259-3000. www.mnhs.org.)

MELISSA WALKER