The summer festivals around Lake Minnetonka are always a highlight of the season, but I’m embarrassed to admit that I’ve never made it to the Spirit of the Lakes Festival in Mound, MN. That changes this year.
The Spirit of the Lakes Festival this year starts Friday, July 18 and ends Sunday, July 20. The biggest day and main attractions are on Saturday, July 19. As in prior years, it’s hosted at Surfside Park in Mound (Cook’s Bay). Just set your GPS to 5801 Barlett Blvd, 55364.
Table of Contents
Spirit of the Lakes Festival: Essentials
If you need to know anything, you should know this:
- It’s free
- If you can’t find parking, shuttles run between four parking lots — True Value hardware store, Wells Fargo bank, Shirley Hills Elementary School, and Mt. Olive Lutheran Church
- Food trucks & tents
- Non-profit event
Food & Drink
Drink
Like all other festivals and fairs in the area, drinks are served on a per-ticket basis. First you have to show your ID for a wristband, and then you can purchase $7 drink tickets.
You don’t need to tip at the bar unless you specifically want to support a local Freemasonic Scholarship Program, but if you tip at the ticket booth it’ll help fund future fireworks displays.
- Friday, July 18 — 3:00PM – 11:00PM
- Saturday, July 19 — 10:00AM – 11:00PM
Food
Yes, we’ve got a full list of the food vendors on site for 2025. You can expect to find:
- Thai food from Thai Thai (Facebook)
- Greek gyros from Gyrosi
- Corn Dogs & Curds
- Coffee & smoothies from Maui Wowi and Midlife Coffee
- Bite-sized cookies from Thumbs Cookies
- Tacos & burritos from Taco Libre
- Acai bowls from Nautical Bowls
Kid’s Events
If you have kids, you’ll want to stop by on Saturday, July 19. A few of the events might interfere with nap time, but the majority of them are available in the late afternoon.
| Saturday, July 19, 2025 | 12:00PM – 2:00PM | Zoomobile |
| Saturday, July 19, 2025 | 1:00PM – 2:00PM | Strolling Magic |
| Saturday, July 19, 2025 | 3:00PM – 4:00PM | Stilt Walker |
| Saturday, July 19, 2025 | 6:00PM – 7:00PM | Comedy Show |
| Saturday, July 19, 2025 | 12:00PM – 6:00PM | Face Painter |
| Saturday, July 19, 2025 | 12:00PM – 6:00PM | Balloon Artist |
| Saturday, July 19, 2025 | 12:00PM – 6:00PM | Dunk-a-Hawk |
| Saturday, July 19, 2025 | 12:00PM – 6:00PM | Caricaturist |
Live Music
The headliners for the Spirit of the Lakes Festival in 2025 are Pop Rocks on Friday, July 18, and Viva Knievel on Saturday, July 19.
Both are cover bands that play high-energy pop and rock covers, mostly from the 80’s and 90’s. Despite both being cover bands, you can expect to hear different songs from them, in part because Pop Rocks has a female lead and therefore a different song repertoire from which to work.
Lake Minnetonka Fireworks
Like all good things at this festival, the Spirit of the Lakes Fireworks show also takes place on Saturday, July 19.
This is one of the three major firework events that take place on Lake Minnetonka. The two others are the Fourth of July Fireworks that launch in Excelsior from Excelsior Bay on July 4, 2025, and the Labor Day Fireworks that launch from the Lafayette Club on Crystal Bay on September 1, 2025.
Grand Parade
If you want to catch the parade from the festival, you’ll need to be there by 10:00AM on Saturday, July 19. The parade starts near the festival grounds and moves North past Surfside Bar and Grill and up to the main intersection at Shoreline Drive.
Boat-In Movie: Happy Gilmore
The kick-off to festival opening is a boat-in-movie. Just drop your anchor in Cook’s Bay and enjoy the modern classic, slapstick Happy Gilmore from the comfort of your boat.
Starting at 9:30PM on Thursday, July 17, all you’ll need is a boat with a radio. Just tune in to 87.9FM and you can listen along to the movie projected on the big screen.
Spirit of the Lakes Calendar
| Thursday, July 17, 2025 | 6:30PM – 9:30PM | Wake for Warrior Charter Cruise |
| Thursday, July 17, 2025 | 9:30PM – 11:30PM | Boat-In Movie: Happy Gilmore |
| Friday, July 18, 2025 | 3:00PM – 11:00PM | Food Court & Festival Bar |
| Friday, July 18, 2025 | 4:00PM – 11:00PM | Live Music |
| Friday, July 18, 2025 | 6:00PM – 9:00PM | Meet Your Maker (registration required) |
| Saturday, July 19, 2025 | All Day | Wakesurf Competition |
| Saturday, July 19, 2025 | 8:30AM – 9:30AM | Yoga by the Lake |
| Saturday, July 19, 2025 | 10:00AM – 12:00PM | Grand Parade |
| Saturday, July 19, 2025 | 10:00AM – 11:00PM | Festival Bar |
| Saturday, July 19, 2025 | 11:00AM – 5:00PM | Business Showcase |
| Saturday, July 19, 2025 | 11:00AM – 6:00PM | Arts & Crafts Festival |
| Saturday, July 19, 2025 | 11:00AM – 10:00PM | Food Court |
| Saturday, July 19, 2025 | 12:00PM – 6:00PM | Kid’s Activities |
| Saturday, July 19, 2025 | 12:30PM – 10:00PM | Live Music |
| Saturday, July 19, 2025 | 10:00PM (Dusk) | Fireworks |
Wanting more?
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. So if you’ve made it this far, I’ll spare you a thousand words and you can watch a highlight reel from the 2024 Spirit of the Lakes Festival for yourself.
I hope to see you there! Look for me between 10:00AM – 12:00PM and 4:00PM-7:00PM on Saturday, July 19. If you’re looking for other Lake Minnetonka events, don’t forget about the free Excelsior Concert Series in Excelsior, MN.
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