Summer in Minnesota is a special time — something locals and intrepid travelers look forward to every year. And by the time the season rolls around each year, defrosted Minnesotans are ready to take full advantage of it. That means heading out to enjoy outdoor festivals and vibrant experiences that revolve around everything from community celebration and live music to maritime culture and food. From Twin Cities Pride Festival to Mankato’s RibFest, discover all the can’t-miss events of the summer that need to get on your calendar now.
Photography provided by Explore Minnesota
Twin Cities Pride Festival
June 28–29
Minneapolis
The Twin Cities Pride Festival serves as the perfect close to the month-long celebration of Pride, providing a diverse lineup of happenings that center love, equality and diversity. Starting June 28, Minneapolis’s Loring Park will welcome revelers from all walks of life for a community-oriented affair with live performances, a parade and the rainbow run. The free, family-friendly event highlights the best in LGBTQIA+ entertainment on four stages and features more than 650 vendors, including artists, businesses, and LGBTQIA+ and BIPOC community resources.
Photography provided by Explore Minnesota
Water Ski Days
June 26–29
Water City
If you didn’t already know, waterskiing was invented by a man named Ralph Samuelson right here in Minnesota. Every year, Lake City hosts an annual three-day extravaganza the last weekend in June to celebrate the gravity-defying sport and its inventor. This city-wide event has something for everyone, from a full-on carnival with rides and games to an arts and crafts fair with more than 100 vendors. This year, Water Ski Days will be launching its brand new National Ski Jump Competition and a Ralph Samuelson Tribute Thrill Show.
Photography provided by Lakes Jam
Lakes Jam
June 26–28
Brainerd
For more than 20 years, Lakes Jam has brought incredible live music up to Northern Minnesota lake life hot spot, Brainerd. The weekend’s festivities are divided up to highlight two musical styles, one day showcasing rock performers and two days for spotlighting unmatched country music acts. This year’s highly anticipated headliners are Daughtry, Gary Allan and Riley Green. But music is just the beginning of the fun — the festival makes the most of its rural setting, offering plenty of outdoor activities, including mud trucks and watercross.
Photography provided by Explore Minnesota
Taste of Minnesota
July 5 and 6
Downtown Minneapolis
After a 20-year run in St. Paul and a brief break, Taste of Minnesota was reborn in 2023, attracting 100,000 people to downtown Minneapolis. This year, join co-hosts comedian Fancy Ray and chef Andrew Zimmern on an epic culinary adventure through Nicollet Mall and its surrounding streets. There will be 60 food vendors on site, including featured eats like the Jucy Lucy Hall of Flame cheeseburger flight. Headlining musical acts promise unforgettable performances by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts and Cheap Trick, along with energetic sets from Ludacris and Nur-D.
Photography provided by Explore Minnesota
Lakefront Music Fest
July 11-12
Prior Lake
Originally known as the Lakefront Jazz and Blues Festival, Prior Lake Rotary Club’s Lakefront Music Fest was established in 2010 and has grown into one of the largest outdoor music festivals in the Twin Cities metro area. In 2012, the festival expanded to two nights of music: one devoted to country tunes and the other to classic rock. Since then, the Lakefront Music Fest has only increased in popularity and attendance. This year’s headlining acts, Foreigner and Miranda Lambert, are sure to draw even bigger crowds. Secure your tickets now!
Photography provided by Explore Minnesota
Festival of Sail
July 10–13
Duluth
Head north to the shores of the world’s greatest lake for Duluth’s 2025 Festival of Sail. This one-of-a-kind event provides a rare chance to admire, step aboard and even set sail on some of the grandest ships of yore. Attendees are invited to gather at the newly constructed Harbor Plaza on Lake Superior’s shimmering shores, where they can get up-close and personal with majestic tall ships. This exciting event promises breathtaking views, lively entertainment and a celebration of maritime history that will captivate visitors of all ages.
Photography provided by Minnnesota Yacht Club
Minnesota Yacht Club
July 18–20
St. Paul
The debut installment of the Minnesota Yacht Club hit Harriet Island Regional Park last summer with blow-out attendance. The debut was so strong — with more than 60,000 gleeful fans showing out for acts from Alanis Morissette to Gwen Stefani — the music festival added a third day to this year’s second annual soiree. Major draws include Green Day, Fall Out Boy, Hozier, Weezer and the Prince-approved Alabama Shakes. Expected to be one of Minnesota’s biggest musical events of the summer, you’ll want to snag your tickets soon before they sell out.
Photography provided by Explore Minnesota
3M Open
July 21–27
Blaine
Bringing together 156 of the best professional golfers in the world, golf fans flock to Blaine annually for the 3M Open (formerly 3M Championship) hosted by TPC Twin Cities. The inaugural 2019 tournament marked the PGA Tour’s first regular stop in Minnesota in five decades, much to the delight of enthusiasts across the state. Today, the competition attracts around 150,000 spectators annually. This year’s tournament will kick off July 21, showcasing unmatched talents on the 7,468-yard course designed by legendary golfer and golf course architect Arnold Palmer.
Photography provided by Explore Minnesota
RibFest
July 31–August 3
Mankato
Get ready for Mankato’s tastiest music festival with iconic performers and mouthwatering BBQ from award-winning cooks all over the country. Bringing nationwide flavors together for one mouthwatering fête, ribbers travel across the U.S. to show off their skills and compete for the number one spot in three different categories: best ribs, best pulled pork and KEYC News 12’s people’s choice. Taste some of the best barbecue from across America while enjoying the musical stylings of acts like Night Ranger and Neon Trees.
Photography provided by Explore Minnesota
Grand Portage Rendezvous Days Pow Wow
August 8–9
Grand Portage
Presented by the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa (Anishinaabe), the annual Grand Portage Rendezvous Days Pow Wow is a cultural gathering focused on dance, song and family celebration. The Pow Wow showcases traditional craft, foods and music, creating a place for the community to come together annually to appreciate the national monument and celebrate on the hill. Through the Pow Wow, all people have the chance to experience Native American culture in a beautiful way.
Photography provided by Explore Minnesota
Minnesota Renaissance Festival
Weekends and Labor Day, August 16–September 28
Shakopee
Journey back in time at this long-standing festival in Shakopee, where revelers will be in good company amongst a host of colorful characters. Since its inaugural year in 1971, the Minnesota Renaissance Festival has grown to attract around 300,000 visitors annually. This year, King Henry and his royal court invite one and all to his 16th Century European village, which will feature 16 stages of exciting entertainment, classic tasty fare and a multitude of games and rides. More than 250 artisans will set up shop in the festival’s marketplace, touting exceptional handcrafted wares for visitors to shop.
Photography provided by Explore Minnesota
Minnesota State Fair
August 21–September 1
St. Paul
The granddaddy of all seasonal events, the Minnesota State Fair is the second largest in the country. Renowned for its exhibits, grandstand performances and offering just about any food you can think of served on a stick. A cherished end-of-summer tradition, the Great Minnesota Get-Together welcomes more than 2 million guests annually to a world-class showcase of agriculture, art, entertainment, food, science and industry. From the CHS Miracle of Birth Center and live art demonstrations to the Mighty Midway and horse shows, the fair offers endless entertainment that’s sure to pair perfectly with one (or many) of the 500 delicious foodie finds.
