Update: Family fun begins at 5pm, not 11am.

This Saturday, head on down to the Freshwater church parking lot (Unhinged Pizza parking lot) and enjoy some free family fun!

There will be a burger bar, inflatables (bounce houses), dunk tank, games, and lots of fun.

If you’re a kid, you should be ready to get wet is what we hear as there may be a foam party.

Join us this Sunday for inspiring testimonies of restoration from Teen Challenge during our 9:30am & 11:00am services! Our Family Carnival begins at 11:00am featuring fun games, inflatables and a delicious Burger Bar! You won’t want to miss it!

Wondering where everyone is going to park for the Taste of Minnesota? Good news, we have a list.

Around the Carver County Fairgrounds there is quite a bit of free parking. No meters in this town. However, even though there is quite a bit of street parking, it’s going to be hectic with all the visitors in cars, on foot, on bikes, on busses, and everywhere.

Buses will have continuous shuttles, from 11 am to midnight, July 3-6, to the Carver County Fairgrounds. It’s about a 10 minute free shuttle ride, from the following lots:

West side of Waconia off Hwy 5.

• Waconia High School
• Waconia Ice Arena
• Clearwater Middle School

South side of Waconia along Hwy 5

• The Waconia Distillery. Sorry, this location is no longer available.

Buses will drop off and pick up on the South end of the Carver County Fairgrounds.

Handicapped parking is available on 3rd Street.

I’d highly recommend a shuttle bus as the traffic around the event isn’t going to be pretty.

After a three-year hiatus, the Taste of Minnesota is back in 2014. However, flood waters have forced it out of St Paul.

Next weekend Waconia will host the Taste if Minnesota! The Carver County Fairgrounds is the backup location and it’s going to be great.

The dates remain the same, July 3rd through the 6th.

The entertainment stays the same as well with Soul Asylum, Starship feat. Mickey Thomas, Halestorm, Joe Nichols, and many more.

And, of course, the food stays the same! There’s everything from ice cream, to pizza, ribs, mini-donuts, pork chop on a stick, lobster tacos, bacon on a stick, and much, much more.

Entertainment includes fireworks, Kemps Moooseum, Beer Dabbler Garden, Shock Top Lemon Shandy Patio, Red Cross Blood Drive, Tyson KidsZone Stage and Midway and Marketplace and Exhibits, Minnesota Centennial Showboat; just to name a few.

• Hours are 11 am to 11 pm each day.
• Admission is free until 3 pm, then $10 which includes $5 in food and beverage tickets.
• Kids 12 and under are free with an adult.
• Dates and times for bands are the same.

This is extremely exciting for the city and hopefully everyone can make it out.

More details at the Taste of Minnesota website.
http://www.atasteofmn.com

Map:
https://goo.gl/maps/cwuj3

June 19th to the 21st is Summer Stroll. It’s a fun way to get out and do some shopping in Waconia, get some lemonade to support a good cause and go to Music in the Park.

There will be sales all three days but the lemonade stands and Music in the Park is only Thursday. Lemonade Stands  from 4 – 7pm and Music in the Park (featuring Jazz on the Prairie) is 7 – 8:30pm.

Some deals include:

• The Stash of Waconia: 30% off 3 items, 40% off of 4 items and 50% off of 5 or more items
• Curly Willow & Willow Winds: Ultimate Blowout Sale!
  (Curly Willow closing its doors Saturday night)
• Clearwater Clothing: Buy 2 get one free. Some exclusions apply
• The Wild Bird: 21% off select summer items
• Unearthed Arts: 10% off Wyndmere Aromatherapy Products
• BIG Athletics: 20% off entire purchase with coupon from Facebook.
• The Consignment Shop Boutique: Closeout on Nomad boots 1/2 off ~ Plus everything in the store is on sale!
• Trending Upward Shoppe: Summer Stroll $5 Bag Sale
• Mocha Monkey: $1 off frozen lemonade

The Lake Waconia Band Festival is Saturday, June 21 in downtown Waconia.

Bands start performing at 6:00 PM and you’ll need to get here early if you want a spot in the shade.

This is a band only parade so bring your comfy chairs and get ready to watch some great bands battle it out.

An awards ceremony is held at Bayview Elementary School immediately following the parade.

Parade Route

Bring your friends, family, and neighbors and join the Waconia Parks and Recreation team for a fun morning of learning about beautiful Lake Waconia and fishing off the pier at Cedar Point Park.

Waconia Parks & Recreation is proud to partner with the Minnesota DNR to bring back the FiN (Fishing in the Neighborhood) program! The DNR’s FiN program provides great fishing and learning opportunities for residents and visitors in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Fishing poles and equipment will be provided. Participants are welcome to bring their own fishing poles and equipment.

*Participants 16 and under do not need to have a fishing license to participate in this program. Adults are required to follow MN DNR laws and have a fishing license with them for this program.

Everyone is welcome to attend!  

Where:   Cedar Point Park
When:    Friday, June 13
Time:     10:00 AM – Noon
Cost:       FREE