There’s always something to do in the Twin Cities, especially in the summer months! We’re here to help you keep your sanity by bringing these activities all together in one easy guide. In 2016, we’ll be bringing you monthly event guides so you don’t miss a thing! This is month #6, again with no shortage of activities (lots of freebies this month!) and an entire list of the activities going on in our Neighborhood Groups, including some family days! We’ll update with new additions as they come.
June 1-5
June 3-5: Edina Art Fair | Booths upon booths of ceramics, jewelry, glass, photography, wood carvings, mixed media, 2D pieces, fine art, wearables and sculptures will line the curbs of France Avenue, 50th Street and in the Lunds parking lot. FREE.
June 4-5: Discover Aviation Days | 7am-4pm There’s so much to see and do for aircraft lovers of all ages!
June 4-5: Grand Old Days St. Paul | 8am-7pm Grand Old Days is the kick-off to summer and the largest one-day festival in the Midwest, and they’re adding a second day this year! There is so much family friendly activities to do–check out their website for a complete schedule. FREE.
June 4: WaterFest 2016 | 11am-4pm A free family festival with hands-on activities on and around Lake Phalen. Boating, fishing, water games, live animals, arts & crafts, exhibits. FREE.
June 4-5: Farm Animal Weekend at Oliver Kelley Farm | Various Times The animals on a farm all have specific uses and require different kinds of care. June means time to shear the sheep. Encourage the Kelley farmers as they hand-shear the sheep to help them get out of their “winter coats.” Meet the spring newborns, and discover how farm animals have been used in the past and the different ways they are used today.
June 4-5: Flint Hills International Children’s Festival | Various Times In and around the Ordway, performing artists from around the world take to the stage for two full days of shows. Indoor performances are only $5 a person and outdoor performances are FREE!
June 4: Friendship Forest Tree Planting Party | 1pm-4pm Come help us grow the next 150 years of our city! When you arrive you get assigned a new friend and tree. Together with the help of trained volunteers and arborist you will plant your tree, name your tree, and adopt your tree. This will be a fun-filled day celebrating the urban canopy, the mighty Mississippi river and our future! There will be music and free snacks! FREE.
June 4: Explore Your Parks Day in Washington County No permit required in all Washington County Parks! Enjoy lots of different activities happening at different parks, including a story stroll with Eric Carle’s book From Head to Toe. FREE.
June 4-5: Rivertown Art Festival in Stillwater | Various Times Shop from more than 100 artists, unique handmade gifts and culinary marketplace vendors, food stands and live art demonstrations. All of this with the stunning and scenic Saint Croix River as the backdrop. The Rivertown Art Festival is family-friendly and leashed pup-friendly. FREE.
June 4: St. Anthony Park Arts Festival | 10am-5pm The free outdoor show is located at the intersection of Como and Carter Avenues in St. Paul and features over 70 juried artists, delicious food, live music, a used book sale, a gnome hunt, art activities for children, and other fun activities for all. FREE.
June 9-12: Spring Lake Park Tower Days | Various Times There’s so much fun to be had at Tower Days–face painting, carnival games, giant slide, obstacle course, food, a parade and more! $3 for a button.
June 11-12: Chalkfest 2016 | 10am-5pm Chalkfest at Arbor Lakes is a free, 2-day street art festival with entertainment, food, and family fun! The Chalkfest at Arbor Lakes is featuring sidewalk chalk art by professionals, amateurs & art enthusiasts from across the world! Don’t miss it! FREE.
June 11: Take a Kid Fishing at Pickerel Lake | 12pm-3pm Take a Kid Fishing is a fun program for kids of all ages. Participants that are age 16 or older don’t need fishing licenses on this day, provided they are accompanied by youth and children age 15 or younger. We provide all the fishing poles, tackle, and bait. Plus we will offer hints, encouragement, tell stories, untangle lines, and just have a lot of fun right along with the participants. FREE.
June 12: Edina Model Boat Show at Centennial Lakes Park | 11am-4pm Come and see over 100 radio controlled electric, steam, and wind powered models. Club members on hand to display, run, and answer all your questions about model boats. Special guest Captain Jack Sparrow will be there from Noon-3pm. FREE.
June 12: Minnesota Sinfonia Concert at Caponi Art Park | 7-8pm The Minnesota Sinfonia’s summer family pops concert presents a wide variety of music from the movies, Broadway, marches, waltzes, and light classics. Characterized by their elegant strings, this fine-tuned professional chamber orchestra boasts some of the very best musicians in the Twin Cities committed to providing free access to music.
June 12: Take a Kid Fishing at Thompson County Park | 1-4pm Catch some quality time with a child in your life. Bring your own pole or borrow one of ours. There will be lots of hands-on fishing stations to practice tying knots, casting, baiting a hook and more. Recycle your lead tackle or fishing line. There will be door prizes and giveaways. FREE.
June 16-21: Cottage Grove Strawberry Festival | Various Times The Cottage Grove Strawberry Fest is a four-day, family focused event that offers something for everyone. An estimated 15,000 to 20,000 people will enjoy wonderful food, fantastic bands, a carnival and much, much more! FREE.
June 17: Penny Carnival | 4-7pm Bring your pennies to the Kid’s Penny Carnival. Give each game a try to win carnival prizes. Games will include, a Hi-Striker, Duck Pond, Plinko, inflatables and more! Limited concessions will be available for purchase. FREE admission.
June 17-19: GermanFest | Various Times This family-friendly event will not be similar to the stereotypical “Oktoberfest” festival. Instead it will be focused on celebrating German culture through food, music, dance, art, education, and other activities.
June 17-19: Stone Arch Bridge Festival | Various Times A weekend of art & music on the Minneapolis Riverfront with 250 artists, 3 performance stages, family art activities, and more!
June 18: Midsommar Celebration at the American Swedish Institute | 10am-5pm A family-friendly day full of music, dancing, and much more! Join in traditional Swedish Midsommarstång (Midsummer-pole) raising, singing and dancing. Highlights include live music from ASI’s performing clubs, slöjd (handcraft) demonstrations, flower head-wreath making, face painting, storytelling, outdoor games and music-based nature play activities. Come hungry as FIKA will be serving delicious Midsommar fare!
June 18: Minnesota Parent’s 3rd Annual Kid Fest | 10am-1pm Events will include live children’s music, activities, face painting and more! FREE.
June 18: Riverfront Quest Family Tour | 1-2:30pm Explore the Minneapolis riverfront with a family treasure hunt! Participants will make a quest journal and then solve rhyming riddles and search for hidden boxes throughout the tour. The tour is designed for ages 6-11.
June 23-26: Rosefest | Various Times Rosefest celebrates the community traditions of health and wellness, arts and entertainment, fun and fresh air for people of all ages. There are Rosefest events for everyone, including the annual Rose Parade.
June 23-25: Twin Cities Jazz Festival | Various Times The Twin Cities Jazz Festival is a free family-friendly event attracting over 30,000 people to the vibrant, joyful sounds of jazz. Festival events are held in and around beautiful Mears Park in the heart of downtown Saint Paul’s historic Lowertown neighborhood. FREE.
June 23-25: Oakdale Summerfest | Various Times Oakdale Summerfest is an annual event that happens during the month of June. Each year there is a carnival, vendors, and free concerts. Come and enjoy a relaxing festival with us.
June 23-25: Earle Brown Days Festival | Various Times From a petting zoo to kids’ crafts to inflatables, face painting, magic show and fireworks, there is so much to do and see at this event!
June 24-25: Twin Cities Caffeine Crawl | Various Times Nineteen local roasters, cafes, chocolatiers and ice creameries will unite for 6 tours through the Twin Cities, highlighting the best of the beverage scene and bringing you “behind the bar” for face to face interaction with the beverage heroes behind your morning latte. Six tours, include biking and driving routes, are available Friday and Saturday, and we’re expecting a sold out event!
June 24-26: Blaine Festival | Various Times
June 25: Dakota Day | 10am-4pm Dakota Day features presentations, mini-language seminars, walking tours, crafts, games, Dakota-inspired food and much more. Visit our tipi, the bark lodge, and the wild rice camp. Our Dakota medicine and vegetable gardens will be growing. The restored prairie is always worth a visit.
June 25-26: Wayzata Art Experience | Various Times Come to this family friendly art fair with food and great music in downtown Wayzata! Perfect for the whole family.
June 25-26: Afton Strawberry Festival | Various Times This unique community festival honors the long, rich heritage of Strawberry crops grown in the area since the 1800’s. Great food, live music and fun activities for the entire family in Afton Town Square Park. FREE.
June 26: Uptown Food Truck Festival | 11am-8pm One of the Twin Cities most popular & delicious free events – The Uptown Food Truck Festival– invade Lake & Hennepin on Sunday, June 26th. FREE.
Story Time Trolley in Stillwater: June 4- October 29 | This event for families includes a short ride on the trolley with an author or storyteller! Your $5 registration includes a token to board the trolley, a discount for 20% off a children’s book the day of the event and a snack after your ride.
Mummies: New Secrets from the Tombs: Through September 5 | Get a rare, up-close look at nearly 20 mummies from ancient Peru and Egypt in this stunning new exhibition, developed by the world-renowned Field Museum of Chicago. Featuring one of the largest collections of mummies in North America, Mummies: New Secrets from the Tombs lets you see how modern technology has revealed intricate details about the lives and customs of these ancient people. Saint Paul is one of only four cities on this exclusive tour. Don’t miss it!
Dinosaurs @ MN Zoo: May 28-September 5| This summer, bring your family to the Minnesota Zoo, where amazing lives and dinosaurs roam! See life-like Stegosaurus, Brachiosaurus, Allosaurus and more. You can even snap a selfie with a T. rex. The Zoo is the only place your family can experience dinosaurs and some of their living friends who survived extinction.
Farm Babies at Gale Woods Farm: April 2 – August 27 | The arrival of spring at Gale Woods Farm means the arrival of other exciting things – farm babies! From piglets, chicks and lambs in April to a calf in June, see which animals might be there to greet you at an exciting event on the farm. See schedule for dates and times.
Three Rivers Park District: FREE Family Fun Days: Sundays | Various Times Three Rivers offers family fun at Kroening Interpretive Center or Richardson Nature Center. Discover all the fun that life in and around the river and woods has to offer. FREE.
Toddler Tuesdays at MOA Tuesdays | 10am-Noon Toddler Tuesdays is a program that provides events, free entertainment and discounts especially for toddlers. Events include special character appearances, arts and crafts, story time and much more! FREE.
Wee Wednesdays at Midtown Global Market Wednesdays | 10:30am-1pm Wee Wednesdays showcase free educational programming, fun crafts and great meal deals each Wednesday morning at Midtown Global Market! Dance with them, experience live puppet theater, learn to cook fun items together in the kitchen, and even pet live animals from the Como Zoo. FREE.
Kids at the Castle: Third Friday Playdates (American Swedish Institute) In the hour before the museum opens, join ASI for visual play, storytelling, music, movement and crafts inspired by ASI’s current exhibits- activities that will encourage creative minds and active hands. Recommended for ages 2-5. $5 per family. Registration not required; check in at the Information Desk by 11 a.m. on the day of the program. Adult accompaniment required.
Beauty and the Beast at Chanhassen Dinner Theater: March 4 – September 3 | Various Times The classic story brought to life at the Chanhassen Dinner Theater! Only ages 5 and up are admitted.
What’s Up Doc? The Animation Art of Chuck Jones: April 30-August 14 Explore the creative genius behind Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck and the hapless but optimistic Elmer Fudd. How did Chuck Jones and his collaborators create cinematic magic? Original sketches, storyboards, cels, photographs, wall-projected animated films and more tell the story of this amazing animation.
Have you joined one of our Twin Cities Neighborhood Groups yet? These groups are always gathering for a night out or playdates. Here’s what our Mombassadors have planned for June – please note that in order to view these activities, you’ll need to join the group for your area.
Moms’ Nights Out in June:
June 5: South of the River West Family Picnic @ Savage Park | 11am
June 7: Bloomington @ MOA Scavenger Hunt | 7:30pm
June 8: Lake Minnetonka @ Primo Plates & Pours | 8pm
June 8: West @ Kayaking & Treats at Lake Harriet | 6:30pm
June 10: Southwest @ Schram Vineyards Winery & Brewery | 6pm
June 11: Eau Claire @ V&V Nails | 2:30pm
June 25: Hudson @ Smilin’ Moose Lodge Bar and Grill | 9am
Neighborhood Group Play Dates in June:
June 5: Lake Minnetonka Family Day @ Private Home | 4:30pm
June 7: Lake Minnetonka @ Wekota Beach | 9:30am
June 11: Minneapolis Family Picnic @ Morris Park | 11am
June 12: West Family Day @ Model Boat Show | 11am
June 13: West @ Pamela Park | 10am
June 13: Bloomington @ MN Zoomobile at Moir Park | 10:30am
June 18: Bloomington Family Day @ Zoo (TBD) | 11am
June 22: Bloomington @ Riley Lake Park | 9:30am
June 25: Eau Claire Family Day @ Irvine Park | 10am
June 27: Bloomington @ Wendy Wiggles at Moir Park | 10:30am
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More of our local guides:
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