Shakopee Family Fun. Things to do in Shakopee Minnesota with Kids and Family. Valleyfair & Soak City. Family Fun Twin Cities.

THINGS TO DO IN SHAKOPEE WITH KIDS & FAMILY

Welcome to Shakopee, Minnesota – well known for big-ticket family entertainment draws like Valleyfair Amusement Park, the Minnesota Renaissance Festival, Canterbury Park and Severs Festivals. It is also the home of the Wacipi (Shakopee Pow Wow), which occurs annually in mid-August. There is loads to do in Shakopee with kids whether you’re designing a staycation, exploring new parks, seeking a holiday event or poking into local history. Read on for the best Shakopee, Minnesota, family fun!

crowd of people in costume at Tricks and Treats at Valleyfair

Valleyfair Tricks and Treats

Halloween for Everyone! Valleyfair's Tricks and Treats is a gotta-be-there Halloween event packed with fun and family-friendly eeriness.
From little goblins to grown-up ghouls, everyone will find ghastly great things to do for Halloween. Plus, we’ve got skeleTONS of delicious seasonal treats, drinks and, of course, candy! If that’s not fang-tastic enough, our most popular rides are open during the Halloween event to deliver the amazing thrills and chills found only at Valleyfair. The event runs on Saturdays and Sundays, September 23 - October 29.
Save on tickets at Valleyfair.com.

Shakopee Quick Links

KID FRIENDLY EVENTS THIS WEEK NEAR SHAKOPEE, MINNESOTA

Find this week’s Shakopee, Minnesota, family fun including the nearby southwest suburbs of the Twin Cities: Bloomington, Chaska, Eden Prairie, Edina Minnetonka, Minnetrista, Prior Lake, Richfield, Savage, Victoria, and Wayzata. Find our full Twin Cities Family Fun Calendar here.

SHAKOPEE SPECIAL EVENTS, FESTIVALS & SEASONAL ACTIVITIES

Spring in Shakopee: Easter egg hunts & activities 

Shakopee Easter Egg Hunt & Candy Grab

1103 Adams St S, Shakopee, MN 55379
Activities include games, crafts, a bounce house, face painting, caricature artists, visits with the Easter Bunny and a big Easter egg hunt. Please register each participating child. March 23, 2024, 1-2:30pm. FREE.

Easter egg hunts & activities in the Twin cities

Spring registration for summer camps

Yes, it’s about that time to start planning summer camp opportunities for your kids! As many camps open registration as early as February (and many fill almost as quickly), we strive to publish our 2024 GUIDE TO TWIN CITIES SUMMER CAMPS accordingly. We work closely with local businesses and camps to provide a wide variety of activities and concentrations. Please check our guide to find summer camp options near Shakopee.

Winter in Shakopee: Sledding, snow tubing, and ice skating in Shakopee

Outdoor ice skating rinks in Shakopee

The city of Shakopee staffs warming houses and four outdoor ice skating rinks at the following parks:

The best sledding hills in Shakopee

The city of Shakopee website suggests the sledding hill in LIONS PARK for a fun and free winter outing. Find more sledding hills in Shakopee in our guide here.

Winter festivals & activities in Shakopee

Find more WINTER FESTIVALS near Shakopee, Minnesota.

Christmas & holiday events in Shakopee

Shakopee Holiday Fest & Tree Lighting

Downtown Shakopee
Browse a market of local vendors, visit with Santa and marvel at the holiday tree lighting ceremony. Cap off the festival with a round of fireworks. December 2, 2023.

FIND MORE HOLIDAY LIGHTS DISPLAYS NEAR BLOOMINGTON ON OUR HUGE LIST and hundreds of holiday events in our 2023 TWIN CITIES CHRISTMAS & HOLIDAY GUIDE.

Christmas and Holiday Guide Twin Cities

More winter fun in Shakopee

For more outdoor winter fun in the Twin Cities check out our round up of free outdoor ice skating rinks our Winter Survival Guide and our Winter Family Festival Calendar – all filled with ways to enjoy the cold season.

Summer in Shakopee: Festivals & Activities

Shakopee summer events in the park

  • The annual HUBER PARK PERFORMANCE & EVENT SERIES presents family-friendly entertainment at the park amphitheater most Thursday nights during the summer. The lineup includes mostly concerts with a sprinkling of mini-festivals and, in August, a movie in the park. The well-loved community-built playground is set to come down in spring of 2023 with replacement scheduled by July. Learn more about Huber Park. May 31-August 25, 2023. FREE. Fillmore St N, Shakopee, MN 55379.
  • POP UP SPLASH PADS spring up in neighborhood parks Friday evenings during the summer. Water activities and a hot dog dinner provided free by Shakopee Parks & Rec. July 14 (Community Center) & August 11 Green Meadows Park), 2023.
  • SHAKOPEE SUMMER CARNIVAL for kids ages 3-10. Games, prizes and treats in Lions Park. August 4, 2023, 10am. $5/child.
  • SHAKOPEE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL celebrates diversity in the city at Huber Park. August 4, 2023.

Shakopee Happy Birthday America Parade

1103 Adams Street, Shakopee MN.
Shakopee celebrates Independence Day with an annual parade starting at the SHAKOPEE LIONS PARK shelter. June 30, 2023, 10:30am. 

Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community Wacipi 

Wacipi Grounds, 3212 Dakotah Pkwy, Shakopee, MN 55379
August 18-20, 2023

Shakopee swimming & beaches

SandVenture Aquatic Park

1101 Adams St S, Shakopee, MN 55379
A hybrid between a pool and a beach, SandVenture Aquatic Park is chlorinated but surrounded by sand for a beach-going experience. The park is home to two 12-drop slides and a 300-foot waterslide. Opens June 9, 2023. Admission is a very reasonable range of $3-$7/pp.

Sandventure Aquatic Park
Sandventure Aquatic Park, Shakopee

 

FIND MORE OF THE BEST TWIN CITIES BEACHES AND PLAYGROUNDS

Fall in Shakopee: Festivals & Activities

Sever’s Fall Festival 

3121 W 150th St, Shakopee, MN 55379
A full lineup of fun, Sever’s welcomes you to one of the largest fall festivals in Minnesota. You can plan for an entire day of outdoor activities: obstacle course, giant corn maze, petting zoo, magic shows, zip line, playground and jumping pillow included in admission ticket. Additional activities such as pony rides and the giant slide priced separately. Open Fri-Sun & MEA Weekend, $19/pp online, $23/door. 

Yellow autumn leaves on a maple tree. Text says: Twin Cities Fall Family Festival Calendar

Shakopee Halloween Events

Valleyfair Tricks & Treats

Valleyfair Amusement Park, 1 Valley Fair Dr., Shakopee, MN 55379
Tricks and Treats is an all-ages, family-friendly Halloween festival that adds a tiny bit of spook (and lots of sweets) to the lineup of rides and attractions during fall weekends. Expect extra fun stuff like a trick-or-treating trail, special entertainment and activities and photo opps. Included with daily admission or season pass.  September 30-October 29, 2023.

Shak-O-Lantern Festival

Downtown Shakopee, MN 55379
A festival for the whole family, featuring live music, vendor market, food trucks and trunk-or-treating for kids. October 7, 2023, 1-4pm. FREE.

Shakopee Spooky Family Fun Night 

Huber Park, 150 Fillmore St N, Shakopee, MN 55379
Shakopee’s community outdoor Halloween event includes spooky games, prizes and activities. No registration required. October 28, 2023, 4-7pm. FREE!

Trick-or-Treating in Downtown Shakopee

Trick-or-treat at participating businesses along Main Street. October 28, 2023, 10am-12pm. FREE!

FIND MORE TWIN CITIES HALLOWEEN EVENTS near Shakopee, Minnesota!

More Fall Fun Near Shakopee

Fall fun near Shakopee – the best apple orchards, pumpkin patches and corn mazes to take the kids and enjoy a beautiful fall day in Minnesota. Our guides are bursting with ideas for things to do.

Peter’s Pumpkins & Carmen’s Corn

12860 Old Brick Yard Road, Shakopee, MN 55379
Enjoy a fall day on the working farm with your family and work your way through the free corn maze. Free hayrides are offered weekends in October to pick-your-own pumpkins from their field. Pre-picked, homegrown produce is available to purchase. The farm is open weekdays 11am – 6:30pm, weekends 9am – 6:30pm.

Find more pumpkin patches near Shakopee on our huge guide PICK ONE: TWIN CITIES BEST PUMPKIN PATCHES.

Baby by pumpkin patch at Pleasant Valley Orchard in Shafer, Minnesota

Apple orchards near Shakopee

Spending a crisp day picking apples is one of our favorite ways to feel the fall vibes in Minnesota. Where can you do this near Shakopee? Our best suggestion for apple orchards in the Twin Cities southwest metro area:

Ferguson’s Minnesota Harvest

Apple Lovers Lane, 8251 Old Hwy 169 Blvd, Jordan, MN 55352
One of the apple orchards with animals, you’ll want to visit the barnyard for a visit with the critters, try out the apple cannon or brave the corn maze. Admission to Apple Blossom Park with its fall activities is $15 ages 2+ (includes a FREE season pass). Pre-purchase admission and PYO apples here. Open daily for the season starting August 19, 2023, 10am-6pm.

COOL PLACES TO TAKE KIDS IN THE SHAKOPEE AREA

Valleyfair

1 Valley Fair Dr, Shakopee, MN 55379
Valleyfair is Minnesota’s best seasonal outdoor amusement park and it calls the city of Shakopee “home”. Spread out over 75 attractions are options for thrill-seekers, lovers of the classic, and youngsters alike. Included with admission is Soak City waterpark which gives much more bang for your buck if you visit during the summer. Cool off in the wave pool, float down the lazy river and try out the gamut of tube slides. When the sun has set on summer, Valleyfair keeps on glowing with special seasonal events around Halloween and the holidays. Valleyfair opens for the 2023 season on May 14. To prepare, see our Tips For Visiting Valleyfair with Kids.

Minnesota Renaissance Festival

3525 145th St W, Shakopee, MN 55379
The Minnesota Renaissance Festival, located in Shakopee, is a lively, immersive event held weekends, late August through early October. The festival has an abundance of family-friendly activities that are included with gate admission such as visits to mermaids, fairies, Vikings, kings & queens, as well as crafts and activities geared toward kids. Parents will find good tips for making their visit family-friendly in our full article: The Minnesota Renaissance Festival: An Immersive Family Experience. Regular admission $18-$27/pp.

Sever’s Festivals

3121 W 150th St, Shakopee, MN 55379
The Severs are a multi-generational farm family with a large plot in Shakopee most famous across the Twin Cities for their enormous corn maze and fall festival. You’ll want to check the “Fall in Shakopee” tab on this page to get the details on what’s included in an admission ticket to Sever’s Fall Festival (think the corn maze, corn pit, animal encounters and tons more). The entrance fee is on the splurgy side for a family, but we assure you it’s a full day out kids will love. Come Christmas season, Sever’s shines with a drive-thru holiday lights tour.

Girl waving from window of train play structure at Severs Corn Maze and Fall Festival, Shakopee Minnesota
“The Corn Maze Express.”

Shakopee Community Center & The Lookout Indoor Playground

1255 Fuller St. S., Shakopee, MN 55379
SHAKOPEE COMMUNITY CENTER has family-friendly indoor amenities that include an aquatic center, an indoor playground called THE LOOKOUT, a fitness center, ice arena and gym. Outdoors, the public is free to use the skate park. Admission to the facilities varies: swim at the indoor pool with its waterslide and zero-depth entry splash pool for $5-$12/pp (or visit during Tot Time for just $5/child). Kids 10 & under can scamper among the climbing apparatus and multi-level slides of The Lookout for just $3/pp. These are both great indoor play options in Shakopee when the weather isn’t quite ready to cooperate.

More indoor play: Community Center Kids Playtime – feel free to bring your own riding toys to use alongside those in the gym. Mon & Wed, 9:30-11 a.m., October through March. $3 per child. FIND MORE TWIN CITIES OPEN GYMS & TOT TIMES AT THE LINK.

Toddler Scribbling on wall with red crayon - "Stir Crazy?! Tot Times, Open Play, Gym & Swim Spots for Tots in the Twin Cities"
Click here for tot times around the Twin Cities

SHAKOPEE MINNESOTA FREE FAMILY FUN AT PARKS & OUTDOOR PLAY

Our list of the 10 BEST PARKS IN SHAKOPEE is a great place to start no matter the season. Our Parks Search tool also covers most of these parks – type “Shakopee” into the location search space. Some parks not to miss when searching for things to do with kids outdoors in Shakopee:

Free Family Fun:

More Active Fun:

Huber Park
Shakopee Lions Park Splash Pad
The Landing

The Landing – Minnesota River Heritage Park

2187 Highway 101, Shakopee, MN 55379
The Landing is a re-created historic village in Shakopee that employs costumed actors as guides to give an authentic view of 19th-century life in Minnesota. Managed by Three Rivers Park District, it offers living history programming to the public. Or, you are welcome to visit the park at your leisure (admission-free), exploring the trails ad interpretive signs. Depending on when you choose to go, you may glimpse a blacksmith at work or farm animals out in the yard. The grounds overlook a lovely stretch of the Minnesota River.

SHAKOPEE HISTORIC SITES

Scott County Historical Society & Stans Museum

235 Fuller St S, Shakopee, MN 55379
The STANS MUSEUM is located in downtown Shakopee. Of interest to families, the Scott County Historical Society offers occasional family-friendly programs, including a monthly free Kids Craft at the Stans Museum that you can choose to complete on-site or take home. See their calendar of events here.

RESTAURANTS WHERE KIDS EAT FREE OR CHEAP NEAR SHAKOPEE

When it comes to finding food in Shakopee or nearby, you can’t beat these Southwest Metro restaurants that offer Kids-Eat-Free or Cheap deals:

Cantina Laredo (Mall of America)

300 West Market (MOA 3rd Level), Bloomington, MN 55425; (952) 406-8311
Day/Time: Tuesday, lunch or dinner
Deal: Toddler Tuesdays: One free kid’s meal per adult entrée purchased. Verified: 6/21/21

Cedar & Stone Urban Table

JW Marriot MOA, 2141 Lindau Lane, Bloomington, MN 55425; (612) 615-0124
Day/Time: Tuesday, lunch or dinner
Deal: Toddler Tuesdays: One free kid’s meal per adult entrée purchased. Verified: 6/21/21

Chevys Fresh Mex 

2251 Killebrew Drive, Bloomington MN 55425; (952) 876-0222 
Day/Time: Wednesdays, all day
Deal: Kids eat $1 with paid adult entrée.
Verified: 6/21/21

Crave

Mall of America; 368 South Ave Bloomington, MN 55425; (952) 854-5000
Day/Time: Tuesday, lunch or dinner
Deal: Toddler Tuesdays: One free kid’s meal per adult entrée purchased. Verified: 6/21/21

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit

250 East Travelers Trail, Burnsville, MN 55337; (952) 882-4651
214 Pioneer Trail, Chaska, MN 55318;  (952) 361-0199
Day/Time: Sundays, all day
Deal: One free kid’s meal per $10 purchase. Valid at participating locations. (Limited time delivery/carry out code: KEFOLO)
Verified: 6/22/21

GameWorks

4th Floor, Mall of America, Bloomington, MN 55425; (952) 500-8700
Day/Time: Tuesday, lunch or dinner
Deal: Toddler Tuesdays: One free kid’s meal per adult entrée purchased. Verified: 6/21/21

Green Mill

1201 West 94th St, Bloomington MN, 55431; (952) 884-9898
8266 Commonwealth Dr, Eden Prairie, MN 55344; (952) 944-3000
Day/Time: Tuesdays, Hours vary by location 
Deal: Kids Eat Free: 1 child (12 and under) eats free with adult purchase. 
Verified: 6/21/21

MASU SUSHI & ROBATA

Third Floor, Mall of America, Bloomington, MN 55425; (952) 896-6278
Day/Time: Tuesday, lunch or dinner
Deal: Toddler Tuesdays: One free kid’s meal per adult entrée purchased. Verified: 6/21/21

McHugh’s Public House

5715 Egan Drive, Savage, MN 55378; (952) 226-5800
Day/Time: Sundays; 4pm-8pm
Deal: Kids Eat Free.
Verified: 6/21/21

Patrick’s Bakery and Café

2928 West 66th St, Edina, MN; (612) 861-7570
Day/Time: Tuesdays; 4pm-close
Deal: Kid’s Night: Kids eat free – 1 child (12 & under) eats free per adult entrée purchased. Entertainment by Lulu the Clown.
Verified: 6/21/21

Pinstripes

3849 Gallagher Drive, Edina, MN 55435; (952) 835-6440
Day/Time: Monday-Thursday; All Day
Deal: $5 Kids Club Special – $5 Kids Meals & $5/hour gaming with purchase of adult meal
Verified: 8/9/21

Pizza Ranch

1266 Vierling Drive East, Shakopee, MN 55379; (952) 233-2122
Day/Time: Tuesdays, Regular Buffet Hours
Deal: Kid’s Night: One child 12 & under per paying adult. 
Verified: 6/21/21

Station Pizzeria

13008 Minnetonka Blvd, Minnetonka, MN 55305; (952) 426-3273
Day/Time: Monday All Day
Deal: Kids eat free off the kids menu. (Thanks, Nicole)
Verified: 6/21/21

Twin City Grill

First Floor, Mall of America, Bloomington, MN 55425; (952) 854-0200
Day/Time: Tuesday, lunch or dinner
Deal: Toddler Tuesdays: One free kid’s meal per adult entrée purchased. Verified: 6/21/21

WILLY MCCOY’S

10700 France Ave S, Bloomington, MN 55437; (952) 456-8905
Day/Time: Sundays, 5-8pm
Deal: One free kid’s meal per adult entrée purchased.  
Verified: 6/21/21

SHAKOPEE MINNESOTA FAMILY FUN MAP

Find things to do this weekend in Shakopee on our Southwest Metro Weekend Family Guide!

children in a family bike ride

FIND MORE THINGS TO DO IN THE TWIN CITIES WITH KIDS!

Shakopee is just the start! FAMILY FUN TWIN CITIES tries hard to be the best resource when it comes to finding things to do with your kids and family in the Minneapolis-St Paul metro area of Minnesota. We strive to cover a wide range of communities and share activities and events we have personally experienced with our own kids in tow (all 12 of them!) We call the Twin Cities HOME and are excited to share the area with you! Visitors to Shakopee, Minnesota particularly love these Twin Cities attractions:

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