Coming Soon - Awesome local parks & indoor playgrounds section.
Places & Kid Programs:
Minnesota Children's Museum - Downtown Saint Paul
Free every 3rd Sunday of the month, great baby/toddler room
Minnesota Zoo - Apple Valley
Zoo with lots of indoor exhibits so it is great even in the winter
Como Zoo Park/Conservatory - ComoPark, Saint Paul
Zoo with no admission, conservatory, and amusement park
Valley Fair - Shakopee
Outdoor amusement park and splash park
Nickelodeon Universe @ MOA - Bloomington - Indoor amusement park
Nickelodeon Universe 2010
SEA LIFE Minnesota @ MOA - Bloomington
Indoor aquarium
Toddler Tuesdays @ MOA - Bloomington
Tuesdays from 10am-12pm April through June
Free events and entertainment plus discounts
Lego store @ MOA - Bloomington
Free mini-build 1st Tuesday of each month at 5pm (line starts at ~4:30pm)
Walker Art Center - Minneapolis
Arty Pants play dates for ages 3-5 every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month (July 12,26, August 9,23, 2011)
Minneapolis Institute of Arts - Minneapolis
(July 10, August 14, 2011)
Every 2nd Sunday of the month there is a family day with free kid's activities
Movies in the Park - All over
(Throughout June 13 - September 3, 2011)
Free movies in parks throughout the twin cities - Check this link for family movie schedule and locations
Summer Festivals and Fairs:
Festival of Nations - RiverCentre, Saint Paul
(May 3-6, 2012)
Ethnic foods, vendors, live entertainment, children's activities
Grand Old Day - Grand Street, Saint Paul
(was June 5th, 2011)
Parade, vendors, food, free kid's activities like pony rides and petting zoo
Grand Old Day 2011
International Festival of Burnsville - Nicollet Commons Park, Burnsville
(June 16, 2012)
Food, vendors, dancers, musicians and other entertainers
Stone Arch Festival of the Arts - St. Anthony Main, Minneapolis
Mid June (was June 18-19 in 2011)
Art Festival, food, vendors, kids quarter with activities for kids
Kaposia Days - Central Square, South Saint Paul
Last weekend in June (was June 24-26 in 2011)
Parade, carnival rides, food, vendors, live entertainment, fireworks
Eagan Art Festival - Eagan Community Center, Eagan
Late June (was June 25-26 in 2011)
Family friendly art festival, live entertainment, food, vendors, kid's activities
Eagan July 4th Funfest - Eagan Community Center, Eagan
Weekend surrounding the 4th of July (was July 2-4 in 2011)
Parade, carnival rides, food, vendors, live entertainment, fireworks
Pan-o-prog Summer Festival - Downtown Lakeville
Early July (July 4-10, 2011)
Parade, carnival rides, food, vendors, live entertainment, fireworks
Ramsey County Fair - 2020 Whitebear Ave, Maplewood
(July 13-17, 2011)
Parade, livestock shows, carnival rides, live entertainment, vendors, food, fireworks
Highland Fest - Corner of Cleveland Ave & Ford Parkway, Saint Paul
(July 15-17, 2011)
Art fair, live music, vendors, food, carnival rides
Minneapolis Aquatennial - Several locations throughout Minneapolis
(July 15-23, 2011)
Parade, block party, fireworks, water based events
Lumberjack Days - Downtown Stillwater
(July 21-24, 2011)
Parade, carnival rides, food, vendors, live entertainment, fireworks
Uptown Art Fair - Calhoun Square, Uptown Minneapolis
(August 5-7, 2011)
Art fair, vendors, food, kid's imagination station
Derby Days - Huber Park, Shakopee
1 st Full week in August (August 3-7, 2011)
Parade, carnival rides, food, vendors, live entertainment, soapbox derby, fireworks
Powderhorn Art Fair - Powderhorn Park, Minneapolis
(August 6-7, 2011)
Art fair, live entertainment, kid's activities
Dakota County Fair - Dakota County fairgrounds, Farmington
(August 8-14, 2011)
Parade, livestock shows, carnival rides, live entertainment, vendors, food
Irish Fair - Harriet Island, Saint Paul
(August 12-14, 2011)
Specialty food, vendors, live entertainment, children's activities, Children's shows
Minnesota Renaissance Festival - Festival grounds, Shakopee
(Weekends {+ labor day and September 30th} August 20-October 2, 2011)
Live period shows and music, vendors, food, animals, live jousting
Renaissance Festival 2010
Minnesota State Fair - State Fair grounds, Saint Paul
(August 25-September 5, 2011)
Food, vendors, carnival rides, livestock shows, exhibits
Woodbury Days - By Woodbury High School
(August 26-28, 2011)
Parade, food, vendors, carnival rides, petting zoo, fireworks
Burnsville Fire Muster - Civic Center Park, Burnsville
(September 7-11, 2011)
Parade, vendors, food, carnival rides, civic/safety demonstrations, live entertainment, fireworks
Inver Grove Heights Days - Cahill Ave., Inver Grove Heights
(September 8-11, 2011)
Parade, food, live music, kid's activities, car show, fireworks
Lakeville Arts Festival - Downtown Lakeville
(September 17, 2011)
Art fair, vendors, food, kid's art tent, performance art shows
Medieval Art Fair - Caponi Park, Eagan
(September 25, 2011)
Period shows, demonstrations, activities
Fall and Halloween Activities:
Aamodt's Apple Farm - Stillwater
(August - November)
Orchard, wagon rides, petting zoo, hay bale maze
Sever's Corn Maze - Shakopee
(Weekends mid Sept - End of October)
(Weekends mid Sept - End of October)
Huge corn maze, fall festival, live music, food, corn pit, pumpkin patch, petting zoo
Sever's 2010
Afton Apple Orchard Apple Festival - Afton
(October 1-2, 8-9, 15-16, 2011)
(October 1-2, 8-9, 15-16, 2011)
Apple picking, hay rides, corn maze, petting zoo, food, live entertainment
Frightmares at Buck Hill - Burnsville
(October 7-8, 14-15, 19-23, 27-30, 2011)
Haunted attractions, camp fire, food, live music - For older children(October 7-8, 14-15, 19-23, 27-30, 2011)
Zywiec's Haunting Experience - Cottage Grove
Last 4 Saturdays of October (October 9, 16, 23, 30, 2011)
Low scare matinee for younger children until 5pm, fall festival, haunted house, haunted rides, corn maze
Zoo Boo - Como Park, Saint Pail
(October 22-23, 28-30)
Family friendly halloween activities and exhibits
Boo Bash - Grand Ave, Saint Paul
(October 30, 2011)
From 1-3pm local businesses host family activities,special offers, pony rides, petting zoos, costume contests, and trick or treating after 3pm
Winter Activities:
Holidazzle Parade - Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis
(End of November)
Holiday parade full of storybook characters
Macy's Christmas Display - Nicollet Mall Macys, Minneapolis
(December)
A beautiful (free) Christmas exhibit on the 8th floor of the downtown Macys, Santa Claus, Gift Shop
Macy's 2009
(January 26-February 5, 2012)
Ice sculptures (some years), parade, winter based events
