11 minute read
SoMinn Summer Festivals
from SCENE JUNE 2022
by Kate Noet
By HEATHER GORDON Guest Contributor
Sunny, summer weather is so precious around these parts, it’s simply not to be taken for granted. So with the warmer temperatures and all that Vitamin D coming in, be sure to get out and about in the next few months. Summer festivals in Southern Minnesota provide the perfect opportunity to escape the home and find some entertainment without putting too much pressure on the gas tank.
There are more options in our area than you might realize, and we’ve compiled some of our favorites. Note that these are not community celebrations (we have a different story on those); these are the festivals that are, of course, taking place in communities, but are not the specific celebration of them. They are general festivities meant to draw in audience from around the region.
(File photo/southernminn.com) Downtown Thursdays
Owatonna - June 2, July 7 and Aug. 4
Downtown Thursdays will take place at Central Park and Cedar Avenue. Live music will be playing throughout the evening at Central Park and at a specified location on Cedar. Food trucks will be lined up around Central Park and vendors selling handmade goods to local businesses down the avenue. This event draws large crowd to a pretty and historic SoMinn downtown.
Spoon Carving Festival
Milan, Minnesota, June 2-4
Take a short trip to central Minnesota to find one of the more unique festivals in the state. Sitting in the sun on the spacious front porch of a 1915 school house meticulously restored in the traditional Norwegian style, or sitting outside in the evening around a roaring fire, always among friends. That is one way to describe the annual gathering of the spoon carvers each June in Milan.
What started as a small gathering of passionate wood spoon carvers in St. Paul, has grown into a vibrant festival of spoon carving, green woodworking and the decorative arts. Attracting spoon carvers from across the United States and abroad, the Spoon Gathering today offers a family friendly event catering to both novice and experienced carvers.
Apart from ample carving time, expect to experience a variety of demonstrations, workshops and presentations from some of the best in their field, including bowl carving, kuksa carving, kolrosing, chip carving, incising, tool sharpening, and of course spoon carving.
Rhubarb Festival
Sylvan Park in Lanesboro - June 4
The Minnesota Legislature recognized Lanesboro as the Rhubarb Capital of Minnesota by proclamation in 2008. The heart of the festival takes place in Sylvan Park in downtown Lanesboro.
Start by browsing the Lanesboro Farmers Market where you’ll find all the in-season spring vegetables and other local delights. Then enjoy the fun-filled festival entertainment and food, plus try your hand at the free rhubarb games and contests. Great prizes for all events. Other free entertainment includes a rhubarb fashion show (you can be in it), goat chill out, and Rhub-Art opportunities.
Music fills the park the entire day so bring your lawn chair and enjoy it all. This year music is provided by a variety of local rhubarb-lovin’ musicians. Vendors provide opportunities to purchase additional rhubarb treats and products.
Eddie Cochran Car Show and Music Festival
Downtown Albert Lea - June 9-12
A weekend celebrating the life and music of Albert Lea native Eddie Cochran. Live music Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening. Live music Saturday during car show. This annual event showcases more than 200 cars, offers a variety of musical performances, food vendors and more. Other features include a cruise-in social and a rock’n’roll church service.
This year’s music includes Star Chiefs, Bad Habits, The Bad Companions and Holy Rocka Rollaz.
Old Town Art Fair
Old Town Mankato - June 11
This year, Old Town Mankato joins forces with the Coffee Hag to do the art fair like never before. Mankato’s Old Town district is a thriving community of artists, musicians, and other cultural creatives. Since 1992, Coffee Hag has been a prominent destination and a community mainstay. That makes 2022 a special year, as the Coffee Hag celebrates 30 years.
Organizers are doing the art fair bigger and bolder than ever before. Join, as the Old Town Art Fair expands all over Old Town Mankato.
Washington Street at the Coffee hag will be filled with live music performances all day, graffiti and street artist performances by an amazing local artist, and a fine art market. At the food truck hub, there will be multiple trucks for a great lunch with 30+ handmade vendors, and the perfect place to observe mural painting at the Wooden Spoon by Crystal Candles.
An art scavenger hunt with a mobile app is in development by Denco Lighting. A new mural will be open for participation at Mom & Pop’s Ice Cream Shop with Bellissimo Paint and Coatings.
Blues Fest
Minnesota Square Park in St. Peter - June 11-12
Get your groove on. Blues Fest is organized by the St. Peter Ambassadors and brings Minnesota Square Park in St. Peter to life annually on the second Saturday in June. The free music event includes four bands. Sit back, relax, sip on a beverage of choice, visit the vendors, and listen to top notch blues on the comfortable lawn of the park along Minnesota Avenue/Highway 169.
Schedule of Events
Saturday noon: Blues Fest kicks off in the park Saturday noon-2: Adrian Barnett & The Questers Saturday 2:30–4:30 p.m.: The Swamp Poppas Saturday 5–7 p.m.: Jon McDonald Band CONTINUED page 12
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Festival Solstice
Land of Memories Park in Mankato - June 16-17
Festival Solstice is a family friendly outdoor music festival in Mankato. Located at Land of Memories Park, it highlights a beautiful harmony of music, river, camping and people since 2004.
Visitors enjoy the hiking trails along the Blue Earth and Minnesota rivers and through the woods in Mankato’s Land of Memories Park. One of the parks features is the campground. Other offerings at the Land of Memories Park include soccer fields, an open area for Frisbee golf; bike trails; a boat ramp; and the Floyd Roberts Jr. Pavilion that can be rented. For those who like to fish and canoe, both rivers offer canoe routes, and a boat landing is available for access to the Minnesota River.
Winstock Music Festival
Festival grounds - June 17-18
If you’re in Minnesota and enjoy country music, you probably know about this festival. It’s all about country music, drinking beer and hanging out in the sun.
This year’s lineup includes Jake Owen, Tim McGraw, Jimmie Allen, Brothers Osborne, Neal McCoy, Gary Allan, Little Texas, Larry Fleet, Mackenzie Porter, Walker County and more.
Art in the Park
Sylvan Park in Lanesboro - June 18
This is a family friendly art fair attracting thousands to Sylvan Park annually. Fine art and fine craft artists booths featuring artist-made work by over 90 artists from the tri-state region. Painting, photography, fine jewelry, textile rugs and quilts, hand-thrown ceramics, stained glass, original paintings, blown and fused glass sculptures, artworks utilizing reclaimed wood, stoneware, clay pottery, metalwork, woven baskets, homemade embroidery, and more.
In honor of Father’s Day weekend and to promote artistic creativity, Lanesboro Arts will host an art activity booth with all supplies provided. A henna artist and face painter will have their own booth setup. Additional arts experiences, like aerial arts fitness and demonstrations by regional artists, are also in the works. Arts education activities will also be offered by regional nonprofits.
Beer, Brats and Bourbon
Howard Drive in North Mankato - June 23
Feeding Our Communities Partners (FOCP) and United Prairie Bank announced that, after a year of aging and flavor infusing, Beer, Brats & Bourbon for BackPacks will return in 2022. This event is all about aiding youth, while having fun with music, drinks and food.
Gammel Dag Festival Scandinavian Celebration
Peterson, Minnesota, June 24
Enjoy traditional foods and Scandinavian folk artists work. Learn how to make lefse, take a hay ride and find the hidden gnomes about town. Learn to play the hardanger fiddle, enjoy Ole and Lena jokes, play Bingo, and enjoy Scandinavian music.
Dixieland Jazz Festival
LaCanne Park Pavilion in Winona - June 30
Though Winona’s at the opposite end of the Mississippi from the birthplace of jazz, monthly jazz band performances, a Dixieland Jazz Festival, and even its own Mardi Gras celebration keeps the toe-tapping music alive there year-round.
Enjoy an afternoon of dixieland jazz at the end of June. From noon-1:30, it’s Les Fields and the Turkey River All Stars; from 1:45 – 3:15 p.m., it’s Midwest Banjo Band; and from 3:30–5 p.m., it’s Gate City Jazz Band.
Vintage Band Festival
Bridge Square in Northfield - July 28-21
Vintage Band Festival 2022 will present three and a half days of brass band music at multiple venues in Northfield. Thirtyplus bands will perform from the Wenger Main Stage in Bridge Square and in pubs, retirement communities and churches throughout the community.
Vintage Band Festival was founded in 2006 and continues to be a free, open-air festival for all ages.
Find the full schedule at vintagebandfestiyal.org.
Riverfront Park in Mankato - Aug. 3-6
Held at Riverfront Park and Vetter Stone Amphitheater in Mankato, attendees can sample multiple rib recipes along with other barbecued meat while enjoying live bands. It’s big, it’s sprawling, and it’s fun. Friday: ‘80s Night with FireHouse, Lita Ford, and a third headliner to be announced Saturday: multi-platinum rock band Gin Blossoms Sunday: Mankato’s own City Mouse, along with Mary Jane Alm
Semba Bluegrass Festival
Cushon’s Peak Camprground in Rushford - Aug. 18-21
Bands set to perform at this year’s festival include Southern Gentleman, Gold Wing Express, Serene Green, The Finley River Boys, The Paul Family, Cedar Valley, Tony Rook Band, William Lawson, Blue Rapids and more.
Be sure to bring your instrument, as jamming is always present throughout the campground. Great food service by Relay for Life
MACT Fast Festival (one act plays)
Paradise Center for the Arts in Faribault - Aug. 19-20
Community theatres and theatre enthusiasts from around the state will gather in Faribault for MACT Fast Fest 2022, sponsored by the Minnesota Association of Community Theatres (MACT). Fast Fest 2022 begins on Friday, August 19, with an evening social gathering, followed by workshops and short plays on Saturday, August 20, and it concludes with another social gathering after the last play on Saturday evening.
The Friday evening social gathering, the workshops and the plays will take place at Paradise Center for the Arts. MACT Fast Fest audiences will enjoy a wide variety of short plays, 20 minutes or less in length, and have the opportunity to attend theatre workshops on topics of interest to actors, directors, technical crews and all fans of community theatre.
Audience members may attend part of the festival or may purchase a discounted ticket package that includes all of the shows, two workshops and the two social gatherings. Tickets will soon be on sale at mact.net. Registrations for participating theatre groups are due by June 20
(© Tim McG Photo & Video)
Shangri-La Festival
Harmony Park in Clarks Grove - Sept. 1-4
This end of summer music festival is all about the vibes. It’s for the music lovers who want to get lost in what they’re listening to. The 2022 lineup includes Wookiefoot, The Polish Ambassador, Hirie, Kabaka Pyramid, Moontricks, Mike Love, Yaima, Balkan Bump, Gone Gone Beyond, The Reminders, Little Stranger, Paul Izak and more, all of which bring a wide range of musical sounds and energies to the stage.
See more at shangrilafest.com.
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