Remember the Magic | Minnesota's Iconic Holiday Show | Full Documentary

[@judi_girl]

This was my childhood every year with my big sisters bringing us to see it. Then, as I grew older I began bringing my nieces and nephews. It was so magical

[@ascg9102]

I have never been to Minnesota or near it. But this was a wonderful watch for christmas. KZbin doesnt always recommend good stuff. But this one was wonderful

[@DSTADAV]

Such great memories there.

[@sandrasolarz5560]

I am 61 and downtown was a magical place during the holidays. We would all pile into the station wagon and go down Lyndale Ave under thr canopy of trees as we sang the song "downtown." This was the start to an entire day of magic that led to the pinnacle of the 8th floor holiday display. When my daughter was born in 1993 I made it my mission to bring her to every event downtown during the holidays. What a beautiful treat to watch this video to reminisce and appreciate the vision, talent, and hard work that went in to every display! I am so happy that many figures have been saved and displayed!

[@piratessalyx7871]

@@sandrasolarz5560 what a wonderful memory indeed, thanks for sharing!!!!

[@WellEditedCo]

This was wonderful! As a child and young adult, I went to this every single year for many years. At some point in my 20s, I moved on in life and stopped going to the exhibit, and boy do I wish I hadn’t taken Dayton’s or the 8th floor experience for granted. Now that I’m in my 50s and back living in the Twin Cities again, this feels so nostalgic to me and I’d love it if it could be recreated. At least the beloved Dayton’s sign is back on the building-it’s a start!

[@RukaApfel]

Thank you, Twin Cities PBS for giving one of my early memories when I lived in the Twin Cities suburbs a date and place. In 1994, my dad took me to see the Dayton's Eighth Floor for the Wizard of Oz show. I was confused at first as kids are (my dad not telling me anything about it before hand), but I remember being really amazed by it all. Just how the space was crafted and work it all took. Seeing the show among frequent trips to the various museums and Children's Theatre Company really impressed upon me the craftmanship and artistry it takes transform spaces and got me interested in the arts.

[@Faeriehood]

How wonderful was this❤ I loved every second and felt the happiness of artist and patron alike. Thanks for sharing this incredible story of a time when people created things for the joy of it 🎉

[@MariannaKatz17]

Wonderful memories! Fortunately my son was able to experience the 8th Floor and the Hollidazzle until he was 10. I cherish his photos with Santa. The first one was with me because he didn't want to be with Santa on his own. Thanks and Merry Christmas.

[@cassandrabenson4963]

How amazing that this shows up in my feed when I was talking about this very thing with my now adult children. They got to go my youngest only once and me many many times with my mama who passed away many moons ago. Such happy fond memories and traditions. Thank you for this wonderful Christmas gift 🎁

[@thelokifiles]

My wife and I enjoyed this, thank you for sharing this great Christmas story.

[@deaconfrost4100]

The magic is in the memories and the emotions...magic beyond the dreams and understanding of mortal man❤️ childhood and wonder all in one❤ I'm much like some of these fans...I have a few pieces of shop display from random years and places long forgotten...some were in need of love and compassion...I've become the local guy who comes from the shadows in a shower of magic and then repairs and saves holiday display pieces for people...the memories and emotional connections are why I do it...the hopes and dreams of seasons and time long past.❤

[@nancyeveritt6495]

Yes, we always expected it to be good, year after year, because it was! That was the perfect description. Thank You so much Twin Cities PBS for making this fantastic memory for us. Thank you also to ALL of the artists, designers, storytellers, costumers, animatronics, and ALL of the staff who ever worked on the 8th Floor stories! You gave decades of us such magical memories. Your truly are all magicians! I wish the University of Minnesota, Performing Arts Archive would be able to use some of the archives documents and pictures, and memories of the magicians, to put together a printed book that could be sold as a fundraiser for the archives and the restoration of the characters so they would be available to show parts of the stories to children in storefronts downtown for many decades to come. I can guarantee, if you crate such a fundraiser book, I will definitely be one of the first to buy a copy!

[@SpaneenOomlong]

I'm glad I found this. My only memories of the shows in the 60's are that I really liked them and wanted to live in the sets. I knew Jack Barkla during the years I worked at the Children's Theater, and later got to know Marc Coleman, who built the animatronics and some of the sculptures, while we were both in the California Building.

[@jchow5966]

Working at Daytons in downtown Mpls during the holidays really was magical and some of the nost wonderful moments of my life. Thank you for this wonderful video!!! ☮️💟☮️💟😊

[@photh1of7]

Omg the sweet Christmas memories of Elementary school days when going to these shows❤ 🎄

[@brianbabey]

Aww Memories. The Long Lines. I remember we started on the 7th floor and pass thru the stairwell to the 8th floor. Always long lines but worth the wait. Dayton's 8th Floor.

[@Dropla]

So strange! I was just thinking about how much I wished those shows were still happening & here's this video! At least I get to see it again through the video. The absolute magic of being there was unparalleled. Especially for kids like me, who didn't get to go downtown or see shows like this often. It was like a walk through wonderland.

[@giannamadison7275]

Amazing memories. The sights, the smells. The 8th floor always smelled amazing. Thanks PBS!

[@nxdice]

I would like a two hour version please

[@NicholasMoreau]

Thank you for this documentary. I'm not from Minnesota and had never heard of this, yet visited, but this documentary was amazing. I have intense "anemoia," nostalgia for a time I've never known.

[@CJLinOHIO]

Thank you so much for posting this. What a beautiful piece of History, You have made my holiday, and brought a tear to my eye from past better times. All that they offered you and free! We will never see anything like this ever again. In today's world of greed nothing is free, And that you have to pay for doesn't come close to the pleasure and enjoyment that was given to the previous generations just out of love and caring. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful ! My Christmas wishe is for a better world. 🙏🏼

[@BobbieXxoo]

I really enjoyed watching this! Thank you for sharing. May Christmas be something special, cherished n magical for every generation.

[@jchow5966]

I remember Lorie Line the piano player playing on the 1st floor during the holiday of 1993 or 1994. The whole store was ,agical and made you feel special. ☮️💟☮️💟

[@malvavisco10]

I have this set to record, but it’s great you have added it on YT as well! I have such fond memories of these displays.

[@piratessalyx7871]

I never knew about this particular display at this store. But I know through time, many downtown or shopping center presented their own versions, maybe not elaborate as this magic store was however! In my neighborhood of Southern California we had The Broadway, Buffums and Bullocks as our fabulous shopping stores. I remember as a kid the back display window of bottom floor The Broadway had a giant window where they had Santa and his Sleigh and you went through to the window display to get your pictures with Santa….I remember indeed crying. In the parking lot they had large enclosures with his “live” reindeer to visit. I remember Buffoms had some area upstairs where the restaurant was a Holiday Wonderland (the one in the movie Elf reminds me of it). Happy happy memories!

[@jamisonallen8710]

The rise of technology ruined soo much, but gave rise to soo much more. As a late 80s kid, the stories I heard about Daytons is a memory in itself. Watching this proves I missed out!

[@partymaster5]

Now this was the golden era of Minnesota. People back then didn't know how lucky they were. So peaceful and together. When you went some where, everyone was there together. not in their own little worlds on their phones or trying to make their kids youtube famous. People were together back then. i dont think i was old enough for this display but i saw the harry potter one downtown when the book came out. Didnt have a clue about harry potter and was told like the greatest story ever through the displays. of course entering a harry potter merch store where we all bought the books.

[@jchow5966]

The fire guy is amazing!!!

[@tklyte]

I wasn't here to experience this but just hearing from all of you guys makes me happy for you. It truly must have felt like magic. Happy holidays 2024 to all of you: 🎅🎄🎄❄❄🤶🤶 (guy from Kenya)

[@bgknowable]

@@tklyte: My father moved to Minneapolis in 1960 from Liberia; This exhibit was one of the first things he experienced in the US. Imagine-he had never experienced snow., and now this! The world is a wonder. 🩵Hug someone you love.

[@jelsner5077]

Thank you for this! I always loved those fabulously elaborate holiday installations. I wanted so badly to be part of the creative crew, I applied at Dayton's one year to work on the show. They explained that the installations were created by outside sources (and then pressured me to take a seasonal sales job). I didn't bite.

[@JoshWitte]

I remember going to the Harry Potter display. Will never forget that experience.

[@GrandmaLM]

Memories.

[@wendybutler1681]

My sister's MIL worked at Dayton's. For a few of the decades the show was done.

[@ronclinton766]

A+

[@jchow5966]

I miss Daytons.

[@steveshumaker728]

Dad's company created much of the displays alongside the Dayton's artists in the 60s. One of my earliest memories was when the display was being taken down. Mom parked me in that swan-shaped cart (at 4:36) and I promptly fell asleep. I woke as it was wheeled out the loading door onto the top parking level. It was night and the city was all lit up. It was snowing in big, fat flakes. Such wonder. I was three. I grew up in this world. kzbin.infoUgkxHHqKDQSAnTnWvxmDI2Sx1Qq5B-nOX3ul?si=iclln1ILFJ9KgRcW

[@natewilson111]

I went to Dayton's Eighth Floor every year from 1985 til the year it ended

[@aprilhernandez3141]

Please can you do the history of Daytons Santa bear 💝🧸

[@rick-fstop-lewis]

I miss those days when downtown was all dressed up with lights and window displays, crowded streets of shoppers, and going around the suburban neighborhood looking at house light displays. Now the spirit of Christmas is dead. Maybe one house every four or five blocks is decorated now. The street decorations are miniscule and almost invisible if you don't look for them. Downtown is pale, depressing and unwelcoming. Gone are the wonderful holiday season decorations, displays, caroling, santa's workshop visits ( remember the old santa huts that seemed to be at every tree seller?). Christmas is just sad now.

[@mutantsquad1993]

I still own both Ron and Harry from the Harry Potter show in 2000? 2001? They are definitely decomposing, but still maintain a lot of charm. Would love to know who could preserve this history.

[@TwinCitiesPBS]

You could reach out to John Pihaly - he has something like 24 of the Dayton's Elves on display at his home and has learned how to preserve them (his display runs nightly through Christmas from 5 pm until 9 pm at 1887 Saunders Ave. in St. Paul).

[@katherinenyberg7891]

Does anyone remember The Jolly Troll? That was magical as well! I wonder where all the Jolly Trolls are now?

[@aaronsticht3152]

We have First Bank, Target Corporation, General Mills, Wells Fargo, Honeywell and other large corporations either with headquarters located in Minnesota or at least large divisions of companies located here. Its obvious that the 8th floor auditorium is vacant from this video. Why can't the downtown council work with the owners of the Dayton-Hudson building and the big companies I listed to start bringing people back downtown? Holidazzle is back this year, why not bring the parade back? Have a reinvention of the 8th floor holiday experience for people in the Twin Cities, use the parade to draw visitors back downtown. Increase police presence and show the area that Minneapolis christmas is back in business. We used to go to the Daytons Holiday display every year. When Macy's killed the store it killed a very large part of Minneapolis' identity. I think Target should lead the pack and bring Christmas downtown back!

[@peace-changirl8161]

❤

[@sydneys.8476]

Can you post the crew that made this documentary please?

[@terrygray7465]

I mixed it.

[@maegpye]

They're all listed in the credits at the end of the video.

[@maryseman7019]

If "they" want to revitalize downtown Mpls, they need to move out some of the offices and put stores back in. They could charge for the 8th floor if need be.

[@Hecuba107]

4:00 Pom Pom!

[@phillipcooze7668]

Nadolig Llawen