On a Friday in February, Nurture to Play was hosting Chamber Connection. Jason Roering, founder of Minnesota Family and publisher of Minnesota Family Magazine, was lingering by the Trapper Keeper used to select future host dates. There were only a few dates left in 2026. One he had been eyeing was gone. The other that looked appealing was still there: September 18.
Jon Hazen said to take the date and it would be great. Jason hesitated, explaining that he wanted to “go big” with it and, while finding a location for Chamber Connection, also find a place that could host a large, fun event for families. Jon said everyone would help and encouraged him to go for it.
The following week, Jason started calling locations. The Park Event Center showed the most promise. An exploratory meeting led to a collaboration that made the entire venue available Sunday, September 20, for what would become Minnesota Family Festival.
The Park was not available for Chamber Connection that Friday, but Luther St. Cloud Honda later donated its space. Early supporters included Theresa Henning, Kimberlee Buller, Jon Hazen, Jenna Kingsley and Derrick Brasel. Theresa attended every planning meeting. Kimberlee, Jon and Derrick helped secure sponsorships, while more people and organizations continued joining the effort.
Two days before the festival, Minnesota Family hosted Chamber Connection at Luther St. Cloud Honda, bringing the decision made there in February full circle.
Then came Sunday.
The St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce and its Top Hat Ambassadors opened the morning with a ribbon cutting. The Waite Park American Legion Honor Guard presented the colors, followed by Maddie Moore singing “The Star-Spangled Banner” and opening the festival with music.
Admission, parking, music, games and activities were free for families.
Festival sponsors and supporters included the St. Joseph Lions Club, Funtastic FunInflatable Party Rentals, Sentry Bank, Granite City Jump, Central Minnesota Council of Scouting America, JD Home Healthcare, Traut Companies, St. Cloud Area Family YMCA, St. Cloud Youth Hockey Association, St. Joseph Rod and Gun Club, Amy Hedtke State Farm, Luther St. Cloud Honda, Nurture to Play, Bravo Burrito, Northcrest Kids Activity Center, Play It Again Sports and Girl Scouts of Minnesota and Wisconsin Lakes and Pines.
Participating organizations also included the City of Waite Park Police Department, Aslan Health, St. Cloud Friends of the Library, Place of Hope, Stearns County Sheriff’s Office, Dee Cheng Kung Fu Academy and St. Cloud Chess Club.
Families moved throughout The Park between inflatables, zorb ball racing, inflatable jousting, bounce houses, archery, chess, games, demonstrations and activities. Nurture to Play created a soft-play area for younger children.
The St. Joseph Lions Club completed 60 vision screenings during the festival. Five children were referred for follow-up eye care.
Long Chen helped lead the Dee Cheng Kung Fu Academy demonstrations throughout the day, coordinating the demonstrations, explaining them to families and introducing the performers.
Music continued throughout the festival with Maddie Moore, Chris O’Brien, Andrew Capistrant, Brady Goble, Lance Bukowski, Charlie Roth and Kathy Kampa, with Brad Nelson joining Kampa.
Mike Lardy Creative Studio provided the PA, operated the main stage sound system and helped coordinate the musical lineup.
Blizzard T. Husky joined the festival and even climbed into one of Aslan Health’s zorb balls for a race.
Tommy Herbst helped things run smoothly, coordinating happenings, announcements and the flow of ceremonies throughout the day, including kung fu demonstrations, musicians, announcements and everything needed right through to the grand finale, a colorful Peruvian dance performed by Beatriz Lauer, Trudy Midas and Kathy Kampa.
Many others gave their time to make the day work, including Theresa Henning, Alex Stay, Jasslyn Dahlberg, Ashley Wenonah and Thorn Post, along with Jon, Derrick, Kimberlee, Jenna and the volunteers who helped before, during and after the festival.
Families also carried Minnesota Family Festival Passports from activity to activity. Five completed passports were drawn, with each winner receiving a $100 gift certificate sponsored by Play It Again Sports. Five additional names were then drawn to receive ticket prizes donated by GREAT Theatre.
Minnesota Family Festival was created to entertain and inspire families in Minnesota. Some of the best descriptions of the day came from the families themselves.
“The chess people were incredible,” said one parent. “I couldn’t believe how much my daughters played and how focused they were on chess more than anything else, it seemed.”
“My kid did everything there and when it was time to go cried when they had to leave,” shared another parent.
And one little girl sat down with Paula at Northcrest Kids Activity Center and summed up the day in just a few words:
“This is the best day of my life.”