10 MN Festivals That Sound Completely Made Up (But Are 100% Real)

We are starting to see the second half of summer in Minnesota. Many town festivals have already happened, and while some are still left, we are fast approaching the Minnesota State Fair, meaning the time is ticking until we start thinking about back-to-school shopping and Vikings football. Here are 10 absolutely real Minnesota town festivals that sound completely made up!

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1. Eelpout Festival - Held in Walker, Minnesota, this festival is actually held in the winter. It's built around one of Minnesota's ugliest fish, the eelpout. Participants can usually expect ice golf, polar plunges, and eelpout weigh-ins, making it a legendary winter activity.
2. Spam Jam - Held in Austin, Minnesota, this festival celebrates the canned meat, SPAM, because it's made there. Those taking in the celebration can expect to see SPAM carvings,  find new SPAM-based recipes, and, of course, taste opportunities for those curious about the canned specialty.
3. Kolacky Days - Held in Montgomery, Minnesota, which is also known as the Kolacky Capital of the World. The festival is devoted to the Czech pastry called a kolacky. On top of the pasty being celebrated, there is a national prune spitting contest, and of course, a kolacky eating contest too.
4. Bean Hole Days - Held in Pequot Lakes, Minnesota, this festival features meals being cooked overnight in giant underground bean pits, which is a cooking method that's become the festival's identity. According to the events website, there is even a royal event with a crowning ceremony of a King & Queen Bean!
5. Bullhead Days - Held in Waterville, Minnesota, this festival honors the humble bullhead catfish with fishing contests and plenty of fish-themed fun. It's an early town celebration, which helps kick off the summer/camping season for nearby Camp Dels.
6. Defeat of Jesse James Days - Held in Northfield, Minnesota, in September, this festival sees the entire town celebrate stopping an attempted bank robbery by Jesse James. On top of regular festivities like street dances and 5k runs, there are hourly re-enactments of the attempted bank robbery, complete with robbers on horseback.
7. King Turkey Day - Held in Worthington, Minnesota, also in September this festival is actually one of the oldest turkey festivals in the country. It features turkey races and turkey-themed events, and according to the event's website, it all began in 1939 and was modeled after a Texas festival.
8. Kandi is Dandy Days - is held in Kandiyohi, Minnesota, and features a kids pedal pull, waterball fight with the fire department, and a street dance.
9. International Owl Festival - is held in Houston, Minnesota, and takes place in early spring.  The next one will be in March 2027, and you can expect a kids' owl calling contest, an owl pellet dissection, and of course, live owl programs.
10. Looney Days - takes place in Vergas, Minnesota, and celebrates Minnesota's state bird, the common loon. The festival is all-encompassing as there are also community garage sales going on, wiener dog races, and it couldn't be a loon celebration without a loon calling contest.

Have you been to any of these celebrations before? Did we miss an odd-sounding event? Let us know in the comments!

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