Explore West St. Paul Days returns June 5-8

Explore West St. Paul Days returns June 5-8
By Jake Spitzack | Staff Writer | June 2025

Igniting a summer full of fun is Explore West St. Paul Days, held this year June 5-8 at sites across the city. The 4-day event features many opportunities to celebrate all that West St. Paul has to offer, including parks, businesses and organizations, and, most importantly, its people. For those new to the community, this event is the latest iteration of Celebrate West St. Paul Days, which had been organized by an 8-member nonprofit board for nearly three decades before being cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is the fourth consecutive year the City of West St. Paul has hosted the event, which is primarily supported by sponsors. Here’s the schedule of events. Details were accurate as of press time. For more information, visit explorewsp.com.

Medallion hunt
New this year is a medallion hunt held throughout the celebration. A medallion will be hidden on public land in the city and whoever finds it gets $500. Clues are released at 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., June 5-8 at explorewsp.com until the medallion is found.

Citywide garage sale
Find bargains on gently used items during the citywide garage sale, held June 5-8. For a list of participating locations, visit explorewsp.com. To host a sale, register online for $10.

Artists exhibit
Paintings, drawings, sculpture, mixed media and other artworks created by West St. Paul artists will be on display 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m., June 5-7, at FoodSmith Bistro Pub. Vote for your favorite piece to be entered into a drawing to win a gift card to the restaurant.

Marthaler Park grand reopening
Join city officials 5:30-7 p.m., Thursday, June 5, at Marthaler Park, 1625 Humboldt Ave., to celebrate the completion of the multi-year Marthaler Park improvement project.

Puppet show
Open Eye Theatre will present a puppet show 7-7:35 p.m., Thursday, June 5, at Turbo Tim’s Anything Automotive, 815 Dodd Rd. Free.

Pinterest patio garden party
Southview Garden Center, 50 Crusader Ave. E., is hosting an open house featuring Pinterest garden projects
8 a.m.-6 p.m., Friday, June 6. View decorative garden mushrooms, dragonfly fence décor made from an old ceiling fan and more.

Food trucks and Free and Easy concert
Fill up at food trucks starting at 6 p.m. and enjoy live music by Free and Easy 7-10 p.m., Friday, June 6, at the West St. Paul Sports Complex, 1650 Oakdale Ave. Free and Easy performs covers of classic artists and bands, such as Michael Jackson, Chicago and Prince, and modern chart-toppers like Bruno Mars, Chris Stapleton and Justin Timberlake. A fireworks display will follow the concert.

K9 demonstration
Meet and see a demonstration from the West St. Paul Police Department’s K9s Cecil and Bear, 6:15-6:45 p.m., Friday, June 6, at the West St. Paul Sports Complex, 1650 Oakdale Ave.

Parade
View colorful floats, marching bands, emergency vehicles and more during the festival’s parade, which gets rolling at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, June 7. It departs from the intersection of Runge Lane and Charlton Street and travels north along Charlton to Bernard Street West at Harmon Park. A quiet zone (no lights, horns or sirens) is located on Charlton Street between Langer Circle and Emerson Avenue West.

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WestFest
Shop from artisan vendors, view and purchase artwork by local artists, and more, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Saturday, June 7, at Harmon Park, 230 Bernard St. W. Food trucks will be onsite.

Giveaway event
Anyone is free to peruse and take home a wide variety of free items, 2-3 p.m., Saturday, June 7 at St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church, 1575 Charlton St. Enjoy free hot dogs, ice cream sandwiches and water. Registration to give things away is full.

Explore 1800 Oakdale Ave.
El Destino Market and Clothesline Laundromat, 1834 and 1838 Oakdale Ave., are hosting a community event 2:30-6:30 p.m., Saturday, June 7. It will feature family-friendly performances in the parking lot including a mariachi band and dancing, as well as giveaways for $800 in Clothesline laundry cards, $500 worth of laundry detergent, and two bikes and books for children. El Destino will offer $2 tacos and other specials all day. Washers and dryers at Clothesline will be free during the event.

Raddatz Dance Studio open house
Enjoy free dance classes, snow cones, bounce house and more, 3:30-5:30 p.m., Saturday, June 7, at Raddatz
Dance Studio, 120 Butler Ave. E.

Food trucks and Ragtown concert
Grab dinner at the food trucks starting at 6 p.m. and enjoy live music by Ragtown 7-10 p.m., Saturday, June 7, at the West St. Paul Sports Complex, 1650 Oakdale Ave. Ragtown performs covers of classic artists and bands such as the Beatles, Prince and Elvis Presley, and modern chart-toppers like Zac Brown Band, Mumford and Sons and Jason Mraz.

West St. Paul Rider
A community bike ride will depart from Marthaler Park, 1625 Humboldt Ave., at 8:30 a.m., Sunday, June 8. The 6.2-mile route is a loop that highlights West St. Paul’s parks. Donuts, coffee and juice will be available before it begins, and a water and snack break will be offered at the halfway point (Thompson County Park). The event is free but registration is encouraged. Register at explorewsp.com.

Take a Kid Fishing
The state’s Take a Kid Fishing weekend is June 6-8. Ages 16 and older may fish for free without a license if accompanied by a youth age 15 or younger. Fishing poles will be available noon-3 p.m., Sunday, June 8, at Thompson County Park, 1200 Stassen Dr. The event includes stations to practice knot tying, baiting a hook, casting and more. Free. No registration required.

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