Forget the broom at home: These Minnesota witches prefer to be on the lake
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Witches across Minnesota are getting ready to take flight with their paddle boards in hand. There are at least four paddles happening in the state this Halloween season as “witch paddles” grow in popularity across the country.
There have been paddles in Minneapolis the last few years switching between Lake Harriet and Lake Nokomis. Last year's paddle had about 50 people, and co-organizer Lindsey Groth said she expects the numbers to grow at the Lake Harriet paddle on Friday.
Groth participated for the first time in 2025. She was jealous after seeing all the paddle events pop up across the country.
Halloween has always been her favorite holiday. She says her late mother is to thank for that. She made all of Groth’s costumes by hand, and years later Groth still can’t part with them.
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The witch paddle “is also a tribute to my mom too because she always made everything so magical for us,” Groth said.
New additions on Lake Harriet this year will include lanterns to increase the spooky mood and a witch playlist, waterproof speaker included.
Harriet is in good company with two more new paddles happening over the upcoming weekends at Lake Minnetonka and Warner Lake County Park in Clearwater.
Natalie Webster, a manager at Shoreline Hotel on Lake Minnetonka, said the hotel, which opened in 2025, is owned by a woman and the team thought a witch paddle would be the perfect community event for them to bring women together.
“That’s an emphasis for us, to want to create community around other women,” Webster said. “It’s really about that core female energy coming together because we believe that the more we can come together, the more powerful we all are.”
Cabana Anna’s, the restaurant at the Shoreline Hotel, will offer a breakfast buffet from 8 to 11 a.m. before the paddle. Life jackets are required, as well as costumes (while it is a witch paddle, any magical creature garb is acceptable).
In Clearwater, paddle boards, kayaks or canoes are welcome and festive decorations for your mode of travel are encouraged.
The Instagram account @paddlesouthmpls is hosting a paddle on Lake Nokomis launching from the north dock.
What to know if you want to go:
Lake Harriet Witch Paddle: Oct. 2 at 5:30 p.m.
Lake Nokomis Witch Paddle: Oct. 3 at 5 p.m.
Lake Minnetonka Witch Paddle: Oct. 10 at 11 a.m. (life jackets required)
Warner Lake County Park in Clearwater: Oct. 17 at 11:30 a.m. (life jackets required)
