New Brighton Stockyard Days

Stockyard Days is an annual multi-day festival celebrating the spirited history of New Brighton, Minnesota, with a parade, live music, prizes, car shows, food, local business and artisan booths, the Antique Car Run, and more.

The City of New Brighton is over a century old, but incredibly young at heart. Stockyard Days began in 1981 as a way to recall the early days of the city as a center for the cattle industry including the stockyards, railroads, fashionable hotels and meatpacking plants.

Nature Writing Workshop

Join us for an afternoon dedicated to the art of nature writing, led by local writer Paula LaRochelle. This workshop welcomes both new and experienced writers who wish to explore how to bring the natural world to life on the page. Together, we’ll delve into techniques for observing and describing landscapes, wildlife, and the subtleties of nature with clarity and depth. Gain insights into the craft of capturing the essence of the outdoors in writing, creating work that resonates with readers and celebrates the world around us.

Native American Music and Arts Festival

A day filled with music and art for everyone. There will be over two dozen artists and demonstrators that will be sharing information about their artwork. There will also be Native American musicians throughout the day, including drum songs and our headliner, Bluedog. Food trucks will be serving refreshments and Indigenous foods throughout the day. Bring the whole family for this fun-filled event!

Natalie Layne in Concert

Singer, songwriter and producer Natalie Layne desires to radiate joy through her original music. With a master’s in commercial piano, Layne won Belmont’s Christian Showcase at her alma mater in 2019, leading her to sign an exclusive recording and publishing contract with Centricity Music. Prior to landing a record deal, Layne charted a successful path as an independent artist for six years during which she cultivated an impressive social following simply by inviting listeners into her songwriting process online.

Muskets and Cannons

Join us to learn about weapons technology of the early 19th century and witness firing demonstrations. In historical dress, our staff will demonstrate artillery loading and firing procedures and the types of ammunition that would have been available to armies at this time. Today will also feature a military music performance. This event also takes place Aug. 9

Music on the Lawn at Terrace Mill

Join us this summer for our annual Music on the Lawn—a series of three free, family-friendly evenings of live music and fun, presented in partnership with the Terrace Mill Foundation. While our historic Glenwood venue undergoes a much-anticipated renovation, we’re grateful to continue offering this annual summer series in the scenic setting of the Terrace Mill.

Music in the Trees

A two-day outdoor concert among the pines features live music, forest trails, and an immersive celebration of sound and nature.

With the forest as inspiration, dozens of artists will perform from tree stands 16 feet above the ground. Attendees can watch from the base of the stands or wander nearby trails and listen as the music filters through the trees. Visitors are encouraged to bring picnics, blankets, hammocks, or camp chairs to enhance their experience.

Music & Market

Come to beautiful southeast Minnesota to our charming small town and enjoy an evening in the park where kids can safely run and play while their parents (and the kids, too!) listen to live music! Every Wednesday all summer long (from May 14-August 27) we have live music and food served by a non-profit organization as a fundraiser. There are market vendors, too, to shop at with a wide variety of goods from homemade treats to fresh cut flowers to local honey. Even youth have booths serving things like boba drinks and handmade beaded bracelets.

Moth Ball

Explore the night-flying relatives of monarchs and other butterflies during an evening of mothing with MJV at our Prairie Oaks campus! We’ll explore the differences between moths and butterflies, learn various ways to attract and collect moths, identify different groups of moths, and discover the important roles moths play in our ecosystem. We’ll also collect data through iNaturalist to help us understand the wildlife at Prairie Oaks better!

This program is family-friendly, but please note that it takes place after dark. 8:30PM to 11PM 

Moth Ball

Explore the night-flying relatives of monarchs and other butterflies during an evening of mothing with MJV at our Prairie Oaks campus! We’ll explore the differences between moths and butterflies, learn various ways to attract and collect moths, identify different groups of moths, and discover the important roles moths play in our ecosystem. We’ll also collect data through iNaturalist to help us understand the wildlife at Prairie Oaks better!

This program is family-friendly, but please note that it takes place after dark.