31. Basilica Block Party
City: Minneapolis, MN
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Description: Proceeds from this annual outdoor festival go to restore the historic Basilica of Saint Mary, which in turn offers outreach and charitable programs to poor and impoverished people throughout the state. More than 20,000 people of all ages and denominations come to this event, which features big-name bands, food, and drink.
32. Taste Of Minnesota
City: Minneapolis, MN
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (651) 772-9980
Description: This huge event offers food prepared by more than 40 of the Twin Cities’ best restaurants, and dozens of national and regional performers. Each night concludes with fireworks.
33. Ten-Second Film Festival
City: Minneapolis, MN
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (612) 623-9176
Description: Yes, you read that right—ten seconds. That’s how long each entry in the Ten-Second Film Festival is; a further stipulation is that the films not be recorded on conventional video cameras. This is where cell-phone videographers shine, with often hilarious and sometimes strangely touching results. The films are projected on the wall of the Soap Factory immediately following the 4th of July fireworks, with beer and hot dogs available to enjoy while you watch.
34. Eden Prairie’S Fourth Of July “Home Town” Celebration
City: Minneapolis, MN
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (952) 949-8450
Description: This celebration finishes with spectacular fireworks at the Eden Prairie Center. Daytime activities at Round Lake Park include a kiddie parade, youth baseball tournament, live music, games, and concession stands.
35. Minneapolis Riverfront Fourth Of July Celebration
City: Minneapolis, MN
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (612) 230-6400
Description: This is one of the best Fourth of July fireworks displays in the Twin Cities, with music and self-guided tours of the area’s Mississippi River bridges. The best seat in the house is anywhere on Nicollet Island, where the fireworks seem to explode directly overhead.
36. Pan-O-Prog
City: Minneapolis, MN
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (952) 469-2020
Description: Since 1967 Lakeville has celebrated its Panorama of Progress festival, now called Pan-o-Prog, which features family entertainment including races, picnics, pet shows, dances, a scholarship pageant, Fourth of July fireworks, and a parade.
37. Anoka Riverfest & Craft Fair
City: Minneapolis, MN
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (763) 421-7130
Description: This all-day riverfront festival includes a craft/artisan fair, historical society events, live music, youth activities, and, of course, lots of food.
38. Sommerfest
City: Minneapolis, MN
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (612) 371-5656 or (800) 292-41
Description: The Minnesota Orchestra’s annual Sommerfest features a series of concerts on Peavey Plaza (corner of South 12th Street and Nicollet Mall) adjacent to Orchestra Hall. The festival opens with Macy’s Day of Music, a 24-hour, free music marathon with dozens of bands, singers, and ensembles playing from noon one day to noon the next. Numerous concerts follow, some played by the Minnesota Orchestra but also with many guest artists performing everything from opera to Zydeco.
39. Summer Music And Movies
City: Minneapolis, MN
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (612) 375-7622
Description: Every Monday night from mid-July through August, free live music is followed by a movie in downtown Minneapolis’s Loring Park. This is a collaboration between the Walker Art Center and the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board.
40. Subway Block Party
City: Minneapolis, MN
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (612) 338-0634
Description: Part of the Minneapolis Aquatennial Celebration, this free outdoor concert always features big-name bands and big crowds.
41. Minneapolis Aquatennial
City: Minneapolis, MN
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (612) 338-0634
Description: Royalty pageants, parades, milk carton boat races, and other events are featured in this citywide celebration nicknamed the 10 Best Days of Summer. The Aquatennial has the Torchlight Parade, a huge fireworks show, sand castle competitions, a triathlon, programs for juniors and seniors, and tons of family-oriented activities. One of the highlights of the celebration, the milk carton boat races, invites participants of all ages to create full-size boats out of hundreds of sealed milk cartons and race on Lake Calhoun.
42. Lumberjack Days
City: Minneapolis, MN
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (651) 430-2306
Description: This huge, weekend-long event features live concerts from local and regional artists, tons of concession stands, Minnesota’s fastest 10-mile and 5K runs, kids’ events, a huge parade, and Minnesota’s biggest fireworks display—all located in historic downtown Stillwater. Wine tasting, ice-cream socials, lumberjack exhibits, logrolling and pie-baking contests are just a few of the events that you can expect to be torn between, not to mention the annual Treasure Hunt.
43. Uptown Art Fair
City: Minneapolis, MN
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (612) 823-4581
Description: The Uptown Art Fair is the largest art fair in Minneapolis, featuring work from hundreds of local and national artists as well as food and live music. Painting, photography, sculpture, jewelry, ceramics, and fiber are on display and for sale at the event.
44. Loring Park Art Festival
City: Minneapolis, MN
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (612) 203-9911
Description: Held at the same time as the Uptown Art Fair and Powderhorn Art Fair, the Loring Park Art Festival features more than 130 artists showing (and selling) their work on the grassy lawn surrounding Loring Lake. The juried show includes all manner of media, and the festival also has food booths, musicians wandering through the crowds, and stage performances.
45. Powderhorn Art Fair
City: Minneapolis, MN
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (612) 729-0111
Description: The popular Powderhorn Art Fair, which runs concurrently with the Uptown Art Fair and the Loring Park Art Festival, is a winning attraction for crafts-fair fans. The weekend-long festival—originally billed as an alternative to the “big one down the street”—has developed a flavor of its own, exposing an eclectic variety of both artwork and artists to the public. Free bus service connects it with the Uptown Art Fair and Loring Park Art Festival.