Tour groups can embellish their trip with a visit to any of these unique events and festivals in Minnesota
Every corner of Minnesota stages group-friendly festivals throughout the year. Chances are, there will be something special on the calendar when your group visits, whether it’s a big-city shindig or small-town party. From ethnic festivals to a mega state fair, a kaleidoscope of annual events awaits group travelers. Here is a just a sampling of some of the best festivals in Minnesota:
Judy Garland Festival, Grand Rapids
June
The Judy Garland Museum every year honors the legendary singer and movie star, born Frances Ethel Gumm in Grand Rapids in 1922. There are lectures, stage performances and The Wizard of Oz film showings. Visitors are encouraged to wear their favorite Oz character costume. Festival events include guided museum tours, bus tours of Grand Rapids, guest performances, movie screenings and more. (judygarlandmuseum.com)
Scandinavian Festival, Moorhead
June
The Scandinavian Festival is all about celebrating culture. This authentic Scandinavian event features dancing, entertainment, food and a host of other activities – all in the name of keeping history and traditions alive! The event takes place at Moorhead’s Hjemkomst Center, which is home to the Hjemkomst ship and Stave Church, and hosts a variety of special events and exhibits throughout the year. (hcscconline.org)
Bayfront Blues Festival, Duluth
August
Showcasing nearly 30 national performances on two concert stages, this is one of the Midwest’s largest outdoor music festivals. Events also include a Moonlight Mardi Gras Cruise and blues acts at nearly 20 nightclubs. The event takes place in Canal Park on Lake Superior, the largest freshwater lake in the world. (bayfrontblues.com)
Minnesota Renaissance Festival, Shakopee
August & September
Journey back in time to a 16th century European village at one of the country’s largest renaissance fairs, founded in 1971. Highlights include jousting by knights in armor, elephant rides, belly dancing, games, entertainment on 16 stages and 120 food booths. Some 250 artisan booths sell everything from period attire to real battle axes. The event, held on weekends, welcomes almost 300,000 people each year. (renaissancefest.com)
Minnesota State Fair, St. Paul
Late August/Early September
Spice up your Twin Cities visit with a late-summer fling at the “Great Minnesota Get-Together,” one of the most popular festivals in Minnesota. Savor food on a stick, see farm animals being born and enjoy Mighty Midway carnival rides, big-name touring acts, a daily parade, rodeo, horse shows, agricultural exhibits, and arts and crafts displays. One of the nation’s largest state fairs, it attracts more than two million visitors annually. (mnstatefair.org)
Oktoberfest, New Ulm
October
This Old World celebration, held in a Southern Minnesota town that touts its German heritage, features German brass bands, polka bands and New Ulm’s famous Concord Singers. Fest-goers enjoy German food and August Schell beer, brewed locally since 1860. The festival is held at four locations–downtown (the site of a musical glockenspiel, plus German restaurants and import shops), the Schell’s Brewery, Morgan Creek Vineyards and Best Western Plus, but may change from year to year. (newulm.com/events/oktoberfest)
Big Island Rendezvous & Festival, Albert Lea
October
More than 1,000 living history re-enactors bring the fur trade era (1650-1840) to life. This celebration of frontier America features a voyageur encampment with hundreds of tents and campfires, music performances by groups from throughout the U.S. and Canada, and demonstrations of Native American and pioneer skills. Try your hand at spoon carving or watch a gunsmith create a work of art. Food includes wild rice soup, smoked turkey legs, pork chops on a stick, and Indian tacos and fry bread. (bigislandfestivalandbbq.org)
Saint Paul Winter Carnival
January/Early February
The “Coolest Celebration on Earth” includes day and nighttime parades, ice-carving and snow-sculpting competitions, ice skating, golf on ice and car races on ice-covered lakes, plus stage entertainment and vendor booths. The nation’s oldest winter festival takes place in downtown’s Rice Park and other locations. (wintercarnival.com)
For more group travel planning advice and inspiration, be sure to Subscribe for FREE to Leisure Group Travel.
