Celebrating Father's Day In Minnesota
By Amy Rea
Mom had her turn last month, now Dad is up for honors. Here are some ideas for family fun on Father's Day.
Father's Day 5K
Get an early and active start with the 11th annual Father's Day 5K around Arbor Lake in Maple Grove. Participants can enjoy a free breakfast—and beer—at Claddagh Irish Pub. Don't forget to preregister.
Stone Arch Bridge Festival
Or there's a weekend-long event that has numerous family components: the Stone Arch Bridge Festival. There's the Art of the Car Show, unicycling demonstration, live music, and plenty of food. Also, beer.
Three Rivers Parks
Three Rivers Parks offers several fun family events on Father's Day, including family archery, Nature's Best Animal Dads, and Wild West Weekend. Some programs require advance registration.
Minnesota Children's Museum
Father's Day happens to fall on the Target 3rd Free Sundays at the St. Paul location of the newly reopened Minnesota Children's Museum. Note that this is not only a great deal, it's also very popular. Advance registration required, and the sooner, the better.
Father's Day Champagne Brunch Cruise
For even more relaxation, sign Dad up for the Father's Day Champagne Brunch Cruise, a two-hour tour of the St. Croix River with full brunch. Reservations recommended.
Father's Day Weekend at Oliver Kelley Farm
Or you can check out an old-fashioned approach to Father's Day at several places. The Father's Day Weekend at the Oliver Kelley Farm in Elk River is one. Dads get free admission when accompanied by a child. Learn about farm chores from yesteryear
The Harkin Store
The Harkin Store outside of New Ulm offers dads a chance to relax while learning about the store's history and hearing from leather artist Dan Cochran.
The Gibbs Farm
The Gibbs Farm in St. Paul offers Ice Cream Days, a chance to explore the beautiful grounds of the farm while enjoying homemade ice cream. Bring your own picnic lunch.
The Science Museum of Minnesota
The Science Museum of Minnesota has a couple of fun exhibits right now: Sportsology and The Science of Pixar. Purchasing tickets in advance is a good idea, as these are likely to be busy on Sunday.
What else is happening in our state? Be sure to check out the 10 p.m. Sunday night WCCO newscasts, where you can learn more in the weekly segment, Finding Minnesota.
