Franconia Sculpture Park, Shafer
This is one of our favorite places to visit for a family picnic or to bring an out-of-town guest. Located in the scenic St. Croix River Valley, Franconia Sculpture Park is a 43-acre outdoor sculpture park that actively supports contemporary artists with residencies and community arts programming. It is run by artists for artists and art lovers. Founded in 1996 the park has grown each year with sculptures being added continuously. Each year 40 artists are accepted for a residency to create in this open-air setting.
Music at Franconia
Besides supporting sculpture artists, Franconia offers music concerts featuring local musicians on select weekends during the summer months. Note that these are popular events and there is often a parking fee on concert dates. Otherwise the park is completely free.
Dogs are Welcome
We're always looking for family fun that doesn't have to leave out our dog. Franconia is one of those places. Leashed dogs are welcome, just make sure to bring plastic bags for clean up and, in the summer, bring a water dish. The open fields can get really warm for everyone, including the dog.
Kids Make Sculpture & Summer Camps at Franconia
Watch for select dates between May and September when kids can "step into the life of a sculptor" for the afternoon. Children between the ages of 4 and 18 can participate in these workshops. They will spend the afternoon creating BIG sculptures with some help from the park staff and resident artists. Reservations required and the cost is $40.
Camps are an expanded version of the Kids Make Sculpture. We feature the camps in our annual summer camp guide, where we update prices and dates annually.
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