Minnesota is home to some very popular and interesting events that take place throughout the year. This is a listing of the more popular events that draw large numbers of people, and have captured national attention. For a listing of more unique events, check out our Unique Festivals & Events page.
- Minneapolis Aquatennial (Minneapolis, MN)
A ten-day festival held annually in Minneapolis during the third week of July. The Aquatennial is the official civic celebration of the City of Minneapolis, also called “The City of Lakes”. Entering its 70th year, the Aquatennial is comprised of many events that take place throughout city parks, the downtown area and city lakes. - Minnesota State Fair (St. Paul, MN)
The Minnesota State Fair is one of the nation’s largest and best-attended agricultural and educational entertainment events, in recent years attracting over 1.6 million people annually from across Minnesota, the U.S. and Canada. This 12-day exposition is held each year on a 360-acre permanent fairgrounds situated midway between the downtown areas of St. Paul and Minneapolis. - State Boys High School Hockey Tournament (St. Paul, MN)
One of the largest, if not THE largest state high school hockey tournament in the U.S. In 2010, the Boys High School Hockey Tournament surpassed the 5 million attendee mark since it’s inception in 1945. It’s a true rite-of-passage for high school students in Minnesota. The hockey tournament draws more people than any other high school age tournament in Minnesota. - St. Paul Winter Carnival (St. Paul, MN)
Started in 1886, the first Saint Paul Winter Carnival included parades, skiing, snow shoeing, a blanket tossing contest, and more. The most successful attractions were a huge ice castle and six large toboggan slides. Today, typical events include; ice carving competition, snow sculpting competition, hockey tournament, a torch light parade and a medallion treasure hunt that sends treasure seekers into parks and public areas based on clues in the local paper. The St. Paul Winter Carnival attracts about 350,000 visitors a year. - Uptown Art Fair (Minneapolis, MN)
Began 47 years ago as a small event with artists propping their pieces up against the curb to sell their wares, the Uptown Art Fair has grown into a nationally recognized, three-day fine arts festival attracting more than 375,000 people. It takes place the first part of August.