WATERTOWN & MAYER
COMMUNITY GUIDE 2024
PHOTO BY SHELBY JADE PHOTOGRAPHY
Festivals celebrate local communities
Watertown and Mayer residents enjoy summer festivals each year . Watertown ’ s Rails To Trails Festival and Mayer ’ s Rising Community Festival , both held in July , are two annual events not to be missed .
Rails To Trails is organized by the Watertown Lions Club , though the Chamber of Commerce and other community organizations work to make the event a success as well . It ’ s technically a two-day festival — Friday and Saturday — with most events held downtown , and a grand parade on Saturday afternoon . However , the festivities truly start in the week leading up to the weekend celebration .
Popular Rails to Trails events include the search for the Golden Spike , golf tournament , bean bag tournaments , games for kids , the Thursday Movie in the Park , great food , duck races , bingo , fishing contest , spaghetti eating contests , gaming tournaments , a display from the Watertown Area Historical Society , and of course , live music throughout the event . For more information , visit railstotrailswatertown . com . This year ’ s event is set for July 26-27 .
In Mayer , the Mayer Rising Community Festival will be back this year . Events typically include games for kids , a rock climbing wall , kids parade and great food , and some recent events also included an amateur baseball game . The
annual antique car and tractor show has also grown to be one of the biggest parts of the festival , with nearly 200 entries in years past . Organizers described the festival as “ a free family friendly event with truly something for everyone . It is a way to bring the community together and enjoy a day spent supporting local business , checking out cool cars and tractors , and letting the kids be kids .” The 2023 Mayer Rising Community Festival will be held in July .
For more information or to help with the festival , contact city hall at ( 952 ) 657-1502 , or visit www . cityofmayer . com or visit the festival ’ s page on Facebook .
Other fairs and festivals also occur nearby including the Carver County Fair in Waconia which takes place in August . Delano holds a festive Fourth of July celebration featuring one of the state ’ s oldest Fourth of July parades , fireworks , live music , carnival rides and much more — catch the fun the first weekend in July .
Stiftungsfest , a German-themed festival , is traditionally held in August in Norwood Young America , and Nickle Dickle Day , the annual community celebration in Waconia , is held in September . Winsted hosts one of the state ’ s largest music festivals each year called Winstock which will take place in June .
24 | WATERTOWN & MAYER COMMUNITY GUIDE | 2024