Here’s How Many People Attended Bentleyville In 2023

Until next time! Bentleyville has officially wrapped, just in time for the bitter cold to move into the Northland and Minnesota as a whole. The annual festival of lights had another big year in 2023 and now, organizers are spilling just how big it was.

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They shared the big news on Thursday (January 11th), writing that it was another very successful year when it came to visitors, as well as a great year for the Salvation Army in Duluth!

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So just how big was Bentleyville for the 2023 season? According to their post, more than 300,000 people walked through the light display right here in our little city. How awesome!

There were 302,000 people that attended in 2023, to be exact. The weather probably played a big role in that large number this year. While Bentleyville always has huge numbers, it was pretty mild throughout November and December, meaning we didn't have to brave brutal temperatures to attend for the most part.

In 2022, the attraction did have to battle it out with the elements! Bentleyville was closed for a handful of days due to heavy snow, which checks out considering that Duluth had its snowiest winter ever. While snow makes for a pretty viewing experience, wet and heavy snow is dangerous for volunteers and those traveling to see the attraction.

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Guests that visit Bentleyville get in free but are asked to consider donating food or a toy to the Salvation Army in Duluth. This year, visitors really came through, donating more than twelve thousand pounds of food and nearly two-thousand toys.

Bentleyville will open on November 23rd this year and will continue through December 28th. One of my favorite parts of living in Duluth is seeing the lights driving when I am driving to and from work.