11 Of The Most Welcoming Towns In Minnesota
Minnesota wears its hospitality on its Main Streets, in the sound of brass bands at River City Days in Red Wing, and in the exclamations spilling out from Defeat of Jesse James Days in Northfield. In Stillwater, crowds gather by the Historic Lift Bridge for riverfront celebrations, while in New Ulm, the clang of the Glockenspiel echoes through Oktoberfest parades. Up north, Grand Marais turns its harbor into an open-air gallery during the Grand Marais Arts Festival, and Ely greets guests with blueberry pies and marathon medals at the Blueberry/Art Festival and Ely Marathon. These gatherings are not just for show; they connect residents and visitors through volunteerism, local arts, and shared heritage. Whether joining the chorus of cheers at Cannon Valley Fair in Cannon Falls, taking in a Shakespeare performance in Winona, or attending a gallery opening with Lanesboro Arts, travelers find that the warmth of Minnesota’s people is as real as its long summer days.
Red Wing
The town of Red Wing frames much of its civic life around public summer events and its bluff-top commons, the He Mni Can-Barn Bluff. The three-day River City Days festival brings bands, community parades, and volunteer-run booths onto downtown streets; the event is organized by the Red Wing Area Chamber, so residents and visitors alike experience the town’s civic muscle. The annual River City Ramble, a community 5K that is part of River City Days, and family-oriented programming at the He Mni Can-Barn Bluff overlook prompt cross-generational attendance and long volunteer lists, ensuring newcomers meet school board members, local historians, and 4-H families. The Red Wing Shoe Museum holds seasonal open houses and school outreach days that invite community participation, and the town’s historic downtown holds weekly Late Night Thursdays, where residents and visitors are invited to shop, eat, and participate in a variety of community events to connect with their neighbors.
Grand Marais
Grand Marais sits on the edge of Lake Superior and turns civic life into a welcoming, participatory weekend with events that celebrate some of the town’s local creativity. The Grand Marais Arts Festival puts artist booths, hands-on workshops, and community art projects on the harborfront, and the festival’s volunteers and local non-profit staff run booths that allow visitors to meet artists and arts educators directly. Community gatherings extend into a full season: Winterers’ Gathering & Arctic Film Festival, summer plein air meetups, and concerts like Stars of the North at the Harbor Park Pavilion keep neighbors connected and rely on an engaged volunteer community. The Grand Marais Art Colony is a local interdisciplinary arts institution that hosts a variety of community events designed to foster a deeper exploration of the arts. These events include things like ceramics workshops, youth art clubs, and artist education talks that encourage discourse and engagement and promote a community-wide appreciation for the arts.
Northfield
Northfield’s community personality is expressed most vividly during Defeat of Jesse James Days, a multi-day festival built around reenactments of the 1876 bank raid and a full slate of parades, rodeo, concerts, and family activities. Volunteer committees coordinate the reenactment, the bleacher seating, and town square events so that the festival functions like a civic classroom: residents and visiting performers collaborate on staging, logistics, and historical interpretation. Beyond the labor of festival weekends, Carleton College maintains a healthy alumni network through a variety of alumni events, in addition to a variety of ways to volunteer and share your knowledge and experience. Another college in town, St. Olaf College, offers Community-Based Work Study, an initiative that allows students to earn credits through work done at local non-profit organizations or in preK-8 classrooms. This initiative encourages students to learn about local issues and services while also supporting the Northfield community at the same time.
Lanesboro
Lanesboro has a bustling arts scene and relies on its arts programming and locally run festivals to make social life inclusive. A major driver in town is Lanesboro Arts, a non-profit that organizes concerts, gallery shows, and an art auction that funnels volunteer participation and energy into its sustained civic programming. Community members staff performance nights at the restored St. Mane Theatre, host artists in residence, and help run other events, like community film nights, children’s theater workshops, and open-mic evenings, that keep the community-based theater going. Beyond the arts, the town celebrates inclusivity through its Rhythms on the Root summer concert series, which depends heavily on volunteer crews drawn from across Fillmore County. The local Commonweal Theatre Company, a professional ensemble in residence since 1989, keeps the community engaged year-round with performances, public talkbacks, student programs, and a long-standing “pay what you can” night that ensures everyone feels welcome.
Ely
Ely’s civic calendar is anchored by large community-wide events that are open to all ages. The town's annual Blueberry Art Festival happens every summer and draws up to 40,000 people across the three-day event. Visitors and locals visit the event to discover artisans, purchase art, and enjoy some local delicacies like, of course, blueberry pie. The Ely Marathon is an endurance event unlike any other, challenging runners to race through the Ely wilderness while also including a canoe-portage race and categories for dog teams. Many arts organizations in Ely operate year-round workshops and sponsor the annual Harvest Moon Festival, a free arts and craft exhibit that celebrates Northeastern Minnesota’s heritage. The Ely-Winton History Society runs community storytelling nights called “History Nights” that invite historians, residents, and guests to share their stories about Ely’s past. Long-time residents and those new to the Ely area are encouraged to join and connect with each other through sharing stories of the past, creating a feeling of belonging in their community.
New Ulm
New Ulm is the county seat of Brown County and channels its German immigrant heritage into public rituals that welcome visitors as honorary townspeople. Festivals such as Oktoberfest and HermannFest celebrate the town’s deep German heritage and are produced by neighborhood associations like the Prairie Lakes Regional Arts Council, the city, and local businesses. Oktoberfest, held over two weekends in early October, fills downtown New Ulm with traditional polka bands, costumed dance troupes, and stein-holding contests at Schell’s Brewery, one of the oldest family-run breweries in the United States. Visitors gather beneath tents serving bratwurst and sauerkraut, while local clubs organize a parade led by marching bands and folk dancers in dirndls and lederhosen. HermannFest, celebrated each September at Hermann Heights Park, honors the historic Hermann Monument, a towering symbol of German-American unity. The event features cultural demonstrations, community picnics, fireworks over the monument, and live music that draws crowds from across the Midwest. Both festivals culminate near the downtown Glockenspiel, a 45-foot-tall mechanical tower with 37 bells and rotating figurines that perform several times daily.
Winona
Winona brings together theater lovers, students, and residents through an arts calendar that feels like an open community invitation. Each year, the Great River Shakespeare Festival transforms the Winona State University Performing Arts Center and Levee Park into lively cultural hubs filled with professional performances, outdoor concerts, and community picnics. The festival’s “Front Porch” events, free discussions, family-friendly workshops, and pre-show gatherings make it easy for visitors to connect with locals and cast members alike. Hundreds of volunteers from Winona and surrounding counties help with everything from ushering and stage setup to hosting out-of-town performers, reinforcing the festival’s reputation as one of the most welcoming arts events in the Upper Midwest. The town’s artistic energy continues year-round with events like the Frozen River Film Festival, which showcases independent documentaries and student films, and the Midwest Music Fest, a spring celebration that fills downtown Winona with local bands and food trucks.
Stillwater
Stillwater in the eastern Twin Cities orbit invites residents and visitors into a downtown culture centered on civic get-togethers more than commercial draw. The Historic Lift Bridge forms a ceremonial entrance to the waterfront, and each year the Greater Stillwater area hosts riverfront events such as the winter World Snow Sculpting Championship and summer street fairs organized by the Greater Stillwater Chamber of Commerce, which help anchor volunteer networks and neighborhood fundraisers. A popular community-led activity is Stillwater Summer Tuesdays, which brings a vendor market, live music, and a new movie to North Lowell Park. South Lowell Park is used for other events like the annual Opera on the River, a free concert that invites residents to gather with lawn chairs, blankets, and picnic baskets for an evening of music courtesy of St. Croix Valley Opera. Stillwater also supports its community through grassroots initiatives like Townie Night at Lift Bridge Brewing, a popular community event that brings craft beer enthusiasts together to raise money for a different non-profit or charity each week.
Bemidji
Bemidji, the “First City on the Mississippi,” has long turned its folklore and festivals into opportunities for connection. The town’s most recognizable symbols, Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox, stand beside Lake Bemidji as the backdrop for nearly every community celebration. The annual Bemidji Blue Ox Marathon, held each October, transforms the city into a festival of motion, with local schools, civic clubs, and small businesses volunteering to staff aid stations and cheer zones. Each July, the Annual Water Carnival, hosted by the Bemidji Jaycees, fills downtown and the waterfront with a week of parades, fireworks, and community picnics. The Lake Bemidji Dragon Boat Festival in August recruits local teams of residents, college students, and visitors to join in colorful boat races and fundraise for local charities. Even in the winter, Bemidji’s hospitality does not cool. The Brrrmidji Days encourages residents and visitors to celebrate the season through the Brrrmidji Plunge and The Bash Ice Fishing Derby & Raffle.
Faribault
Faribault blends history and hospitality through traditions that revolve around civic pride and neighborhood participation. Each June, the town comes alive during Faribault Heritage Days, a festival that transforms Central Park and Downtown Faribault into centers of celebration. The event opens with a grand parade down 2nd Avenue featuring local school bands, civic organizations, and costumed historical figures from Faribault’s early days. Families gather at the Bandshell in Central Park for Faribault Concerts in the Park, while the Classic Car Show fills the streets with color. The town’s heritage is also preserved year-round through the Rice County Historical Society, which hosts guided tours of the Alexander Faribault House, the 1853 home of the town’s founder, and organizes hands-on workshops that teach visitors about early settler life. Nearby, the Faribault Woolen Mill Co., one of the oldest operating mills in the United States, invites guests to its open-house tours and annual sidewalk sale, an event supported by local volunteers and artisans.
Cannon Falls
Cannon Falls, located along the scenic Cannon River between the Twin Cities and Rochester, is a community that thrives on shared celebration and small-town pride. The highlight of the year is the Cannon Valley Fair, held over the Fourth of July weekend at the Cannon Valley Fairgrounds. Established in 1915, the fair blends old-fashioned charm with volunteer enthusiasm, as hundreds of residents come together to plan and host the festivities. Local 4-H clubs organize livestock exhibitions, home craft contests, and youth competitions, while civic groups coordinate the carnival, fireworks display, and the ever-popular Grand Parade that winds through the town. Families gather along Mill Street to cheer on floats, marching bands, and vintage tractors, while food vendors serve up classics like cheese curds and pulled pork sandwiches. Beyond the fairgrounds, community connection continues through the Cannon Falls Historical Society, which preserves the town’s heritage with guided walking tours, museum exhibits, and storytelling nights at the Little Theatre.
Welcome to Minnesota’s community calendar
These towns show how hospitality in Minnesota works: organizers recruit volunteers, historic societies stage living history, and arts councils run to build community through artistic engagement and education. Whether the draw is the Historic Lift Bridge in Stillwater, the Grand Marais Arts Festival, the reenactors in Northfield’s “Defeat of Jesse James Days,” or New Ulm’s Oktoberfest parades, each place uses festivals and civic rituals to extend a clear invitation: come for a day and stay involved.
