The Waite Park Community Council would like to thank all of the vendors, volunteers and attendees who helped make our 2021 fall festival a huge success.

Over one thousand people attended the outdoor gathering on Saturday, Sept. 18, making it one of the most successful in the festival's history. The event achieved its goal of engaging neighborhood residents after a year and a half of pandemic isolation — including people who had never participated in Waite Park Community Council events before. Some were even unaware of the name of the neighborhood before attending the event.

Volunteers served more than 500 free hot dogs and veggie burgers from The Mill Northeast. The community council partnered with the Waite Park PTA on free kids carnival games, giving out hundred of prizes to excited kids who had missed school carnivals for each of the last two school years. Waite Park Community Garden members offered a plant exchange at its table.

The festival featured live music (Al Church, Skunk Creek), food trucks (Wholesoul, Ben & Jerry’s), local artisans, a fire truck, and a mobile bookstore (Babycake’s Book Stack). We were also joined by city election candidates and advocates for several civic issues (Yes 4 Minneapolis, FairVote MN, Just Deeds, NE Storm Drain Challenge, Northeast College Prep, and the City of Minneapolis).

We look forward to seeing everyone again in 2022!

If you have feedback on the festival for how we can improve it next year, email us at waiteparkcc@gmail.com.

—WPCC Fall Festival Committee