Stillwater, several miles north of Afton, is the largest
city on the St. Croix. It’s also one of Minnesota’s oldest
towns, founded in 1843, and its beautiful, historic
architecture now houses an array of antique shops, art
galleries, book stores, specialty shops, eclectic restaurants,
and charming B&Bs. Main Street is a great shopping and
dining destination. One of the best ways to see the
beautiful old homes is to take a narrated trip aboard the
Stillwater Trolley. The St. Croix Boat and Packet Company
offers river cruises aboard paddlewheelers. The former
warden’s house of the Minnesota state prison is now a
history museum, and the 1870 county courthouse is the
oldest in the state.
Tiny Marine on St. Croix is another quaint village
on the river with architecture dating to the 1800s. Next to
Marine is William O’Brien State Park, where you can rent
a canoe to paddle along the St. Croix. In nearby Scandia,
Gammelgarden is a collection of log homes and a church
June
Flint Hills International
Children’s Festival, St. Paul
The Pride Festival, Minneapolis
Back to the ‘50s Weekend,
St. Paul
Juneteenth Festival,
Minneapolis
Festivals
& Events
Sampler
January-February
St. Paul Winter Carnival
May
Cinco de Mayo, St. Paul
Art-A-Whirl, Minneapolis
Scottish Fair & Highland
Games, Farmington
July
Minneapolis Aquatennial,
Minneapolis
Rivertown Days, Hastings
Karl Oskar Days, Lindstrom
Lumberjack Days, Stillwater
There are lots of great getaways in the Twin Cities metro area.
built by Swedish immigrants in the 1850s-1870s.
In the 1800s, Taylors Falls was a landing point for
Swedish immigrants arriving by paddleboat. This former
lumbertown sits at the scenic Dalles, where the St. Croix
River rushes between soaring cliffs. Swirling waters
created some of the world’s deepest potholes centuries
ago, and these interesting rock formations can be seen in
Interstate State Park at the edge of town. An excursion
boat offers a great view of the gorge from the water. There
are several 1850s Greek Revival style homes in the Angel
Hill district in Taylors Falls, including the Folsom House,
open for tours in summer and fall. North of town is Wild
Mountain, a year-round recreation area with a water
park, alpine slides, go-karts, canoe rentals, and in the
winter, downhill skiing, snowboarding and snow tubing.
Many of the area’s Swedish immigrants settled in
the Chisago Lakes area west of the river. Swedish
novelist Vilhelm Moberg wrote a popular saga on
Swedish immigration after visiting the area in 1947. The
1880s homestead that he used as a basis for his
characters’ home has been restored and stands in a
lakeside park at Lindstrom, and the city’s water tower is
a giant Swedish coffee pot. The chain of lakes here are
popular for fishing. Wild River State Park lies along 18
miles of the St. Croix, with miles of scenic hiking and
skiing trails through the forest.
Renaissance Festival,
Shakopee
August
Minnesota Fringe Festival,
Minneapolis
Uptown Art Fair, Minneapolis
Irish Fair of Minnesota, St. Paul
August-September
Minnesota Renaissance
Festival, Shakopee
Minnesota State Fair, St. Paul
September
Nickle Dickle Day, Waconia
James J. Hill Days, Wayzata
October
Twin Cities Marathon,
Minneapolis & St. Paul
Anoka Halloween
Celebration, Anoka
November-December
Holidazzle Parades,
Minneapolis
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