Things to do in Minneapolis & St Paul this weekend!
This June Twin Cities Family Weekend Guide covers the weekend of June 25-26, 2022. To find our most recent guide, click here. As always, you can check our JUNE FAMILY GUIDE, the ULTIMATE GUIDE TO SUMMER FUN IN THE TWIN CITIES or our FAMILY FUN CALENDAR for more fun ideas on what to do this weekend in the Twin Cities with your kids!
TWIN CITIES FESTIVALS THIS WEEKEND FOR THE FAMILY
AFTON: STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL
3418 St. Croix Trail South, Afton, MN 55001
Food, live music and fun activities for the entire family in Afton Town Square Park. For more strawberry fun, see below. All weekend, June 25-26, 2022.
Blaine: BLAINE FESTIVAL
Aquatore Park, 9191 Lincoln St NE, Blaine, MN 55434
Family beach party, carnival, petting zoo, dance party and parade. All weekend, June 25-26, 2022.
COLUMBIA HEIGHTS: JAMBOREE
Huset Park, 3965 Jefferson St NE, Columbia Heights, MN 55421
Jamboree, carnival and a parade. Fireworks on Saturday evening. Don’t forget swimsuits for the park’s splash pad! All weekend, June 25-26, 2022.
Eagan: EAGAN ART FESTIVAL
1501 Central Parkway, Eagan Festival Grounds
Art for sale in all mediums, live entertainment and food for purchase. Another park, another great splash pad for the kids! All weekend, June 25-26, 2022.
FARMINGTON: DEW DAYS
Downtown Farmington, MN 55024
Tons of free family activities to celebrate summer at this festival. All weekend, June 25-26, 2022.
MINNETONKA: SUMMER FESTIVAL
Minnetonka Civic Center Campus, 14600 Minnetonka Blvd.
Inflatables, live music, food trucks and fireworks. All activities are free except food! 4pm-10:30pm. June 25, 2022.
OAKDALE: SUMMERFEST
Walton Park, 1584 Hadley Ave N, Oakdale MN
Live music, kids events, food trucks, parade & fireworks to cap off the summer festival. June 25, 2022.
ROSEVILLE: ROSEFEST
All weekend, June 25-26, 2022.
SOUTH ST PAUL: KAPOSIA DAYS
Parade, Kaposia Kids Stuff, kids fishing clinic, kite fly, pancake breakfast and fireworks. All weekend, June 25-26, 2022.
St Paul: TWIN CITIES JAZZ FESTIVAL
Mears Park, 221 5th St E, St Paul, MN 55101
Free live jazz shows, perfect for a summer evening. There are two outdoor stages at Mears Park and one outdoor stage next to the Farmers Market. All weekend, June 25-26, 2022.
Plan ahead for fun-filled family festivals in the Twin Cities with our complete June festival HERE.
fun outdoor activities in the parks this weekend
Featured here for the weekend is just a taste of all that’s going on across the incredible Twin Cities park systems. You can get more ideas on our FAMILY FUN CALENDAR or browse the links below to search for local fun events & things to do with kids this weekend in parks across the Minneapolis-St Paul metro.
SOME FUN FAMILY IDEAS FOR THIS WEEKEND
Saturday Mornings on Gale Woods Farm
7210 County Rd 110 W, Minnetrista, MN 55364
You’re invited to visit the animals and explore the barn, gardens, greenhouses and pastures. Reservations recommended. June 25, 2022, 9:30am-12pm, $5/pp. Learn more about a visit to GALE WOODS FARM with kids.
Live theater, music & movies in the park this weekend? Just add a picnic dinner and a blanket or camp chairs and you’re all set for a FREE night out with the family. Here’s the lineup:
Minneapolis Music & Movies in the Park
- MOVIE IN THE PARK: Raya & the Last Dragon at Windom Park. June 25, 9pm. 2251 Hayes St NE, Minneapolis, MN 55418.
- MUSIC IN THE PARK: Performed at the Lake Harriet Park Bandshell. June 26, 2 & 5:30pm. 4135 W Lake Harriet Parkway, Minneapolis MN 55409.
CLASSICAL ACTORS ENSEMBLES: LOVE’S LABOR’S LOST
The family-friendly Shakespeare performance is presented twice this weekend at Minneapolis parks from 7-8pm. SATURDAY, JUNE 25 at Lake of the Isles Park, 2500 Lake of the Isles Pkwy E, Minneapolis, MN 55405 and SUNDAY, JUNE 26 at Cedar Lake East Beach, 2000 Upton Ave. S, Minneapolis, MN 55405. FREE.
EDEN PRAIRIE PLAYERS PRESENTS: CINDERELLA
Staring Lake Amphitheater, 14800 Pioneer Trail, Eden Prairie, Minnesota 55347
A fully staged live outdoor musical for the whole family. Children are invited to dress as their favorite fairytale characters. If they need to run off the wiggles, there’s a great playground next to the amphitheater. June 24 & 25, 7pm and June 26, 6pm. FREE, donations appreciated.
Live at the Rog! – Teddy Bear Band
Central Park Amphitheater, 2540 Lexington Ave N, Roseville, MN 55113
Particularly kid-friendly entertainment tonight – the Teddy Bear Band performs. June 26, 6:30pm. FREE.
Find our complete calendar of kid and family-friendly summer concerts & entertainment in Twin Cities parks!
FEATURED TWIN CITIES PARK EVENTS THIS WEEKEND
Living History Open House at Gideon Pond House
Pond Dakota Mission Park, 401 East 104th Street, Bloomington, MN
Tour the historic home on what would be the owner’s 212th birthday – complete with treats and old fashioned games. June 25, drop in from 1-4pm. FREE, donations appreciated.
Borrow a Bike at Shoreview Library
4560 Victoria St N, Shoreview, MN 55126
The library will have bikes available to borrow in a variety of styles and sizes. June 25, 2022, 11am-1pm. FREE.
Try visiting a new park or nature center!
Check out the links on our big list of Twin Cities nature & interpretive centers for details on which buildings are open; all of these locations have outdoor trails to hike. Did you know that several of these nature centers have natural playgrounds nestled within them? You can build with natural materials, climb, balance, even wade and garden at some of the more elaborate spaces. Find our list of the best Twin Cities Nature Playgrounds
Cool off this weekend in the twin cities
As the line between late spring and early summer starts to melt away in the rising temps, it’s time to visit your favorite splash spot – or find a new one! Jump over to our complete TWIN CITIES ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE BEST BEACHES, POOLS, WATERPARKS & SPLASH PADS or continue for a few ideas:
- Minneapolis wading pools are fun, free and some are splash and elaborate. Find our complete list at the link.
- We include our family favorites in our list of 20+ BEACHES, PARKS & PLAYGROUNDS TO TRY THIS SUMMER. Last weekend my kids hit up LONG LAKE REGIONAL PARK BEACH – a sandy winner.
Many outdoor pools in the Twin Cities offer special tot swim hours so littler ones can get some splash time in before the big kids arrive. You can find these tot swims at the following pools this weekend:
Saturday Tot Swims
- CASCADE BAY: Little Mates Tot Swim – select areas of the waterpark open from 9:30-10:30am. $6/child, one adult free. 1360 Civic Center Drive, Eagan, MN 55122.
- CRYSTAL COVE: Little Splashers Pool Time is for kids ages 7 & under to enjoy the zero-depth entry pool. 10-11:30am, $3/child, adults free. 4848 Douglas Dr N, Crystal, MN 55429.
- HIGHLAND PARK AQUATIC CENTER: Tot time for kids 6 & under. 9:30-11am. $4/pp children and adults. 1840 Edgcumbe Rd, St Paul, MN 55116.
- RICHFIELD OUTDOOR POOL: Kids ages 7 & under get the zero-depth-entr
y wading pool and water play equipment to themselves. 10-11am, $9/kids, $11/adults. 630 East 66th Street, Richfield, MN 55423.
Sunday Tot Swims
- CASCADE BAY – Little Mates Tot Swim (see above)
- COMO REGIONAL PARK POOL: Tot Time swim is for kids ages 6 & under. 9:30-11am. $4/children and adults. 1151 Wynne Ave Saint Paul, MN 55108.
- Don’t forget that splash pads are a perfect place to cool off without the full investment of a day at the pool. This week we highlight the splash pad at HUSET PARK WEST in Columbia Heights. Scoot through the spraying hoops and watch out for the dump buckets (or don’t!) A playground and picnic shelter are located conveniently nearby. Get our huge list of the best 35 Splash Pads & Wading Pools in the Twin Cities!
More things to do this weekend in the twin cities with kids
Pick Your Own Strawberries
Did you know that June is typically a spectacular month for strawberries in Minnesota? AFTON APPLE ORCHARD has a sweet strawberry patch that we visit every couple years to pick our own. There are farm animals to greet and plenty of photo opps, too. Find more of the BEST STRAWBERRY PATCHES IN MINNESOTA TO PICK YOUR OWN.
Fun Cultural events
MIDSOMMAR DAG at Gammelgarden Museum
Gammelgarden Museum, 20880 Olinda Trail N, Scandia, MN 55073
Traditional Swedish music and dances celebrate the long days of summer! Building Tours are FREE. Kids will delight in searching out the colorful Swedish Dala horses around the property. For a fee, you can tack on a Swedish smorgasboard for lunch.
SCANDINAVIAN SUMMER FEST
Minnehaha Falls Regional Park, 4801 S Minnehaha Drive, Minneapolis, MN 55417
Performances, raising of Midsommar Pole and crowning of Midsommar Queen. Swedish foods and crafts for sale. June 26, 2022.
always free or low cost things to do this weekend in the Twin Cities
Como Harbor at Como Park Zoo & Conservatory
The seals at Como Zoo have gotten a beautifully updated habitat – come see them swim in their underwater viewing area! We visited last week and loved it. Note that Sparky the Sea Lion shows have not yet resumed and reservations to visit the zoo are still required.
Always free to visit weekends: