Taste of Minnesota returns to Waconia
Updated: 6:05 p.m. | Posted: 3:35 p.m.
A Taste of Minnesota is returning to Waconia for a second year.
The music and food festival, which was held in St. Paul for almost 30 years, relocated to the far west metro last year due to flooding on St. Paul's Harriet Island.
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General Manager Linda Maddox said things went so well at the Carver County Fairgrounds, organizers decided to hold it there again this year.
"I have to say it was probably more of a hometown feel," Maddox said. "The families are there with the blankets spread out, and the kids are running around playing, and mom and dad are sitting on the blanket watching them, enjoying visiting with their friends."
The event marked a revival for the festival, which went on hiatus after filing for bankruptcy in 2010.
The change of venue leaves Harriet Island without a major summer music festival for the third year in a row. City leaders had hoped to replace Taste with the River's Edge festival, starting in 2012, but it fizzled after one year.
Joe Spencer, the city's director of arts and culture, says he's not concerned.
"We know that Harriet Island can be a phenomenal venue for live music festivals," Spencer said. "And we also know that it is a tough business throwing music festivals. So we're happy to host them when we can. In the meantime, we're happy for all the other festivals we have."