Plan Your Shakopee Area Vacation
Make the most of 2025 by planning ahead—National Vacation Planning Day is January 28. Save the date for Shakopee’s annual festivals, seasonal attractions, and year round fun.
Valleyfair is the largest amusement park in the Upper Midwest, with dozens of rides and attractions ranging from kid-friendly Planet Snoopy to thrilling roller coasters like Corkscrew, Wild Thing, and Renegade. Valleyfair typically opens in mid-May, with Soak City Waterpark opening for Memorial Day weekend. Check the park’s website for the most up-to-date information about 2025 dates and hours, and consider buying a season pass for the best value.
The Minnesota Renaissance Festival has an immersive festival grounds with live jousting, 16 stages of live entertainment, an artisan marketplace with over 250 vendors, and more than 50 games, rides, and attractions, including plenty of kid-friendly options. The Minnesota Renaissance Festival runs weekends August 16-September 28, 2025, plus Labor Day and Friday, September 26. Tickets for the festival can be purchased in advance online. Now is the perfect time to buy tickets for the popular Feast of Fantasy comedy show, with early buy discounted pricing available through February 3.
Experience the excitement of live thoroughbred racing at Canterbury Park. Races start on May 24, 2025 and are held on select Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays through September 20, 2025. Canterbury Park also hosts special events year round and outdoor concerts during the summer months. Check the racetrack’s website for details about upcoming events.
Celebrate July 4th with Rock and Rockets, a free concert at Mystic Lake Amphitheater with local food trucks and fireworks. After the show, try your luck at Mystic Lake, Minnesota’s largest casino.
Rhythm on the Rails is a free Wednesday evening concert series in Downtown Shakopee with local opening acts and regional headliners, plus family-friendly activities and local food and beer vendors. 2025 concerts are scheduled for June 18 and 25 and July 9, 16, 23, and 30.
Lakefront Music Fest is one of the largest outdoor music festivals in the Twin Cities, with national acts taking the stage July 11-12, 2025. Foreigner will headline the rock-focused first day of the festival, and Miranda Lambert will headline the country-centric second day.
The Great Midwest Rib Fest is a must for barbecue lovers. Held July 24-26, 2025 at the Mystic Lake Amphitheater, the festival features top-notch barbecue and live music.
Combine dinner and a show at Chanhassen Dinner Theatres. Grease The Musical will be running on the main stage January 31-October 4, 2025, complete with 1950s nostalgia and your favorite songs from the movie. Chanhassen Dinner Theatres is also home to Stevie Ray’s Comedy Cabaret and the CDT Concert Series, an ongoing lineup of tribute concerts in the cozy Fireside Theatre.
Save the date for Sever’s Fall Festival. Typically held mid-September through the end of October, the family-friendly festival includes a massive corn maze, corn pit, seasonal food and beverages, games, and much more. Check the festival’s website for dates and further details as fall approaches.
Visit Shakopee in 2025! Shakopee is home to Valleyfair, Canterbury Park and the Minnesota Renaissance Festival. It’s also conveniently located to area attractions like Chanhassen Dinner Theatres and Mystic Lake.