SPONSORED BY: EXPLORE MINNESOTA
Consider this guide your curated agenda for Minnesota fun. There are art fairs and crawls, summer events, gardens and arboretums, and more for you to check out. Start planning your next visit now!
Art Fairs and Crawls
Minnesota is an arts destination par excellence. Whether you’re perusing fine art at some of the best museums in the country or browsing a local fair, you’ll discover something to love. Here are just a few of the state’s top arts destinations.
Art-a-Whirl
MAY 15-17, MINNEAPOLIS
Thirty years ago, artists organized the first Art-a-Whirl open studio tour. What started as a small neighborhood event is now the largest open art studio tour in the country. Over 1,400 artists participate across 100 sites. Use the Art-a-Whirl app to figure out which sites and artists interest you most.
While you’re there … stop at Hazel’s Northeast for classic American comfort food.
Watermark Art Festival
JULY 18-19, BEMIDJI
Located in the north-central part of the state, the Watermark Art Festival features more than 100 artists at this two-day juried event. There’s a wide range of items for sale, including clothing, photography, jewelry and even homemade preserves. Enjoy live music on two stages and art-making activities for adults and kids alike.
While you’re there … walk to the Headwaters Science Center to check out 40-plus hands-on exhibits.
Powderhorn Art Fair
AUG. 1-2, MINNEAPOLIS
Combine art and nature exploration at this fair on beautiful Powderhorn Lake. More than 200 artists from across the country, selected by jury, line the waterfront to showcase their work. You’ll find work in dozens of mediums on display, plus a community and youth showcase highlighting talent of all ages.
While you’re there … stop by the Midtown Global Market and shop food, crafts and more from international vendors.
Meander Art Crawl
OCT. 2-4, UPPER MINNESOTA RIVER VALLEY
Step inside more than 30 artists’ studios on this event that covers multiple communities in southwestern Minnesota. The three days are a chance to see behind the scenes with painters, sculptors and more artists making beautiful pieces.
While you’re there … visit the Pomme de Terre River, one of the state’s many calm, scenic waterways.
St. Paul Art Crawl
OCT. 16-18, ST. PAUL
In 1977, the St. Paul Art Collective held its first tiny exhibition at a local transport depot. They would be surprised (and thrilled) to see what the crawl has become today – a semiannual showcase of more than 300 artists spread across dozens of locations. If you miss the fall dates, the crawl will return for three weekends in April.
While you’re there … catch a show at the Park Square Theatre, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
Do you love Wauwatosa’s new Mama Rosa sculpture? Well, check out the other work Danish artist Thomas Dambo did for our neighbors to the west. Detroit Lakes is home to not one, not two, but six of his giant trolls (and one golden rabbit) in City Park.
Art Museums
Walker Art Center
MINNEAPOLIS
The multi-acre Walker Art Center campus, home to the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, has an impressive visual arts collection, hosts performances and screens films.
Minnesota Marine Art Museum
WINONA
Located on the Mississippi River, this art museum has a fitting theme – the complex relationship between humans and water.
Rochester Art Center
ROCHESTER
You’ll find boundary-pushing contemporary art here, with rotating exhibitions by artists from across the country.
Festival and Events
Time your trip to Minnesota for one of these annual extravaganzas! These celebrations run the gamut, from birdwatching to Paul Bunyan.
Festival of Birds
MAY 14-16, DETROIT LAKES
Every year, hundreds of birders flock to this event. Why? Because Detroit Lakes is uniquely situated for prime birdwatching. The area ecosystem has three unique biomes – tallgrass prairie and hardwood and conifer forests – along with lakes and wetlands, perfect for birds to thrive. Over 250 species fill its skies, plants and waters. New to birding? Friday and Saturday morning, experienced birders will guide field trips to teach about different species and their habitats.
While you’re there … the small Trowbridge Creek Zoo offers little ones encounters with local wildlife like deer and porcupines, and exotic animals like gators and monkeys.
Trout Days
MAY 15-17, PRESTON
Fishing fanatics, this is the one for you. The weekend in southeastern Minnesota’s portion of the Driftless Area is filled with catch contests, a nine-hole “fishing course” and angling activities just for kids. Even if you’re not that into fishing, there’s plenty to do. Trout Days also includes a classic car show, fireworks and a huge citywide garage sale.
While you’re there … take a drive along the Historic Bluff Country Scenic Byway that runs along the Root River.
Water Ski Days
JUNE 25-28, LAKE CITY
Did you know water skiing was invented in Minnesota? Yes, indeed, that honor goes to Ralph Samuelson, a daredevil pushing his limits on Lake Pepin. In honor of Samuelson and the sport he created, Water Ski Days puts on a weekend full of gravity-defying waterborne action that would have made the man proud. Plus, the USA Water Ski and Wake Sports Foundation hosts free training for folks interested in learning how to water ski.
While you’re there … pop over to Jewel Golf Club and play the scenic golf course winding through the river valley.
Paul Bunyan Days
JUNE 26-28, AKELEY
In this northern Minnesota town of just 400 people, Paul Bunyan was born … or so goes the story. The legendary lumberjack of many a tall tale is celebrated every summer in Akeley with traditions inspired by the gigantic folk hero and his blue ox, Babe. Run or walk a 5K, dance to live music, watch the parade and more during the 77th Paul Bunyan Days.
While you’re there … hike or bike down the Paul Bunyan State Trail.
Grand Portage Rendezvous Days Celebration Pow Wow
AUG. 7-8, GRAND PORTAGE
This celebration honors Ojibwe culture and reenacts the historic 18th-century rendezvous of Canadian fur traders and Native Americans. The festival includes Native American song and dance performances, a pow wow ring, traditional food and drink and more. Experience Native culture up close through firsthand experiences and demonstrations.
While you’re there … visit beautiful Grand Portage State Park and take a paved hike to High Falls to see the majestic waterfall.
Heritage Days
AUG. 8-9, EAST GRAND FORKS
Heritage Village is a bit like Old World Wisconsin – a re-creation of a town of preserved historic buildings that illustrates what life was like in the 1800s. This free annual celebration brings the village to life with reenactments. Horse-drawn buggies shuttle visitors around, and an antique tractor pull kicks off the festivities.
While you’re there … explore natural wonder at the Red River State Recreation Area.
Potato Days
AUG. 22, BARNESVILLE
During the Great Depression, potatoes became a staple in many households because they were affordable and filling. In true Midwestern fashion, the folks in Barnesville turned necessity into an occasion for frivolity when they started Potato Days in the 1930s. Nearly a century later, the celebration is still a spud-themed spectacular, with events like a potato-peeling contest, a mashed potato eating contest, and obviously many, many culinary takes on the tuber to eat.
While you’re there … take a stroll through McGrath Park and visit the Kava Family Splash Pad to cool off.
Minnesota Renaissance Festival
WEEKENDS, AUG. 22-OCT. 4, SHAKOPEE
King Henry and his royal court invite you back to 16th-century Europe for this celebration of this distant age. Over seven weekends, live entertainment will take place across 16 stages including jousts, theater and more. Lively characters populate the colorful village street, and more than 250 artisans sell their wares at the festival marketplace.
While you’re there … catch a show at the country’s largest dinner theater, the Chanhassen Dinner Theatres.
Defeat of Jesse James Days
SEPT. 9-13, NORTHFIELD
In the late 1800s, the James-Younger gang terrorized the Midwest, and their leader Jesse James became an outlaw legend. That was until Sept. 7, 1876, when the gang’s attempted robbery of the Northfield First National Bank went awry after citizens fought back. The highlight of this festival is a reenactment staged on the street where it all went down. The original bank building is now home to the Northfield History Center, where guests can see the teller’s counter, vault and artifacts related to the raid.
While you’re there … visit the Riverfront Fine Arts Festival at Riverside Commons, held in conjunction with Defeat of Jesse James Days each year.
Gardens and Arboretums
Stopping to smell the roses (as well as all the other flowers) is wisdom worth heeding. In Minnesota, there are plenty of opportunities to do just that.
Leif Erikson Park
DULUTH
Along the shores of Lake Superior, Leif Erikson Park is home to over 3,000 rose bushes in its Duluth Rose Garden. Overlooking the lake shore, 22 classes of roses are planted across 2.5 acres of land, for visitors’ enjoyment from late spring through early fall. Peppered among the roses are allium, salvia, foxtail lily and more. The park’s Italian-style gazebo and granite fountain are ideal spots for a rest or even a picnic.
While you’re there … stroll a few minutes down the Lakewalk to Va Bene for an Italian dinner with a Lake Superior view.
Marjorie McNeely Conservatory
ST. PAUL
Completed in 1915, this conservatory inside Como Park is one of the last remaining glass-domed Victorian-style green houses in the country. Half an acre of seasonal flower displays fill the structure, with over 260 varieties of plants maintained year-round. Inside the wings are exhibits showcasing plants used for historical medicines, a sunken garden and more. In winter, stepping inside is like entering a warm and humid tropical oasis.
While you’re there … the Como Town amusement park next to the Como Zoo is open for kids ages 2-12 in the summers, offering 18 retro-style rides and attractions.
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
CHANHASSEN
Known for its award-winning tree collection, this arboretum, affectionately called “the arb,” has trails open year-round. At the Oswald Visitor Center, you can enjoy a coffee on the outdoor terrace or peruse the art galleries. The Snyder Building is home to the Andersen Horticultural Library, which specializes in horticulture, botanical art and plant sciences, and has a wide collection of seed catalogs.
While you’re there … stop by Paisley Park to tour Prince’s legendary recording studio, residence and performance venue-turned-museum.
Munsinger and Clemens Gardens
ST. CLOUD
These two gardens are adjacent to each other on the banks of the Mississippi River. Open from spring until fall, each garden is home to unique plant life. Munsinger dates to the 1930s and has 14 acres of flowered paths and tall pine trees. Clemens is a more recent arrival, having opened in the ’90s with gardens in a more formal style, featuring a classic European layout.
While you’re there … head to Beaver Island Brewing to see how the local craft beer stacks up against Milwaukee’s.
Normandale Japanese Garden
BLOOMINGTON
When the Normandale Community College campus was being developed in the 1960s, the Bloomington Affiliated Garden Clubs approached the college about creating a Japanese strolling garden. The college donated two acres of land that are now brimming with Japanese garden elements, including bridges, stone lanterns, streams and waterfalls.
While you’re there … kids will enjoy the Crayola Experience at Mall of America, a colorful, hands-on look at crayon creation.
Saint John’s Abbey Arboretum
ST. JOSEPH
This Benedictine abbey became a state wildlife refuge in 1933. With prairie, savanna, oak and hardwood forest, conifer forest, lakes and wetlands, it’s home to dozens of birds, butterflies and thousands of acres of pristine land. Take home a bottle of Saint John’s Maple Syrup, which the monks have been cooking up since they first tapped the abbey’s trees in 1942.
While you’re there … buy some “Johnnie Bread,” a Bavarian recipe sold at Saint John’s University Bookstore. It’s so beloved that there’s a book about it: Kenneth Jones’ The Loaf That Became a Legend.
Explore More!
Bog Walk at Lake Bemidji State Park: This quarter-mile boardwalk takes you through the unique ecosystem.
Visit Barn Bluff: This Red Wing destination includes burial mounds sacred to Native Americans.
Stargaze at Voyageurs National Park: On clear nights, this official Dark Sky Park has unbelievable fields of stars.
Bike the Gitchi-Gami State Trail: The 36-mile trail offers bikers a tour through the state’s striking North Shore.
Fish the Red River: The meandering western border of the state is home to more than 70 fish species.
SPONSORED BY: EXPLORE MINNESOTA
