Minnesota Festivals and Events

Minnesota Festivals, Events and Celebrations

Visitors are treated to a year round offering of Minnesota festivals, events and celebrations. Annual festivities, fairs, & special events take place throughout Minnesota.

The year begins with Minnesota's celebration of winter---the Saint Paul Winter Carnival and progresses through our many summer festivals and on to the Minnesota State Fair and the Minnesota Renaissance Festival. In between you will find special events where you can experience our wonderful music, food and fun as well as our rich cultural diversity.

The large cities and small towns all have their own reasons you will want to visit Minnesota over and over!

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Saint Paul Winter Carnival

January 23 - February 3, 2008

The Winter Carnival is called "the coolest celebration on earth."
Plan now to attend the 2008 annual celebration of winter!

In 1885 a New York Times reporter wrote that Saint Paul was the "Siberia of America" and questioned whether it was fit for human habitation. Offended by this attack on their Capitol City, the Saint Paul Chamber of Commerce decided to not only prove that Saint Paul was habitable but that it's citizens were very much alive during winter, So was born the Saint Paul Winter Carnival. Each year the Carnival offers over 100 events including parades, cultural celebrations, ice and snow sculpting, and a giant snow slide.

Over 100 Years of Ice Castles

Commonly associated with the St. Paul Winter Carnival, Ice Palaces have a long history with the Carnival. This page offers a sampling of some of those ice palaces, including some of the oldest from the late 1800's.

Festival Of Nations

May 1, 2, 3 & 4
RiverCentre
175 West Kellogg Blvd.
Downtown St. Paul

The Festival of Nations is one of the nation's largest and longest-running multi-ethnic events. It has been presented since 1932 by the International Institute of Minnesota.

Find more information about the Festival of Nations.

The Taste Of Minnesota

June 30-July 4
Harriet Island
Saint Paul

Celebration held on Harriet Island over the Fourth Of July holiday. Fantastic fireworks displays, over 40 food booths run by local restaurants, great music, and lots of arts and crafts for sale.

The festival is free. Main stage music features Alice Cooper on June 30.

More information about The Taste of Minnesota.

Wefest

August 7th, 8th and 9th Soo Pass Ranch Detroit Lakes, Minnesota

World's largest outdoor country music festival---a tradition every year since 1983---held every August in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota.
Each summer, about 50,000 people camp out in one of the many campgrounds and listen to an all-star lineup of popular country singers and entertainers.

Get more information and see this year's lineup of country stars.

Minnesota State Fair

The Minnesota State Fair August 21 - Labor Day, September 21 We call it "The Great Minnesota Get-together." Some of my earliest memories are of the tastes, sights and smells of the state fair that is matched by no other!

As we raised our family the Minnesota State Fair days were set aside every year. No matter where we lived in the state, we traveled to "the cities" to attend. There were years when our kids were in 4-H and had projects entered. Our artist daughter won ribbons for her art and our sons for woodworking.

Minnesota Renaissance Festival

Each Saturday and Sunday through September 30, including Friday, September 28: THE 37TH ANNUAL MINNESOTA RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL will be held just south of Shakopee off Highway 169. The Minnesota Renaissance Festival is one of the largest attended themed events in the country, and features more than 275 merchants, live entertainment, games, food and fun in a 22-acre, 16th-century village. Additions to this year's festival include belly dancing, an Arabian horse show, and yoga lessons. To find out more, dial 952-445-7361, or visit Minnesota Renaissance Festival

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Some of the information in this report is provided courtesy of
Explore Minnesota Tourism.