Lilydale Festival Boasts New Attractions, Familiar Favorites in 2013

Saturday, September 28, 2013, the City of Lilydale will invite the public to explore and enjoy the neighborhood with the 3rd annual Lilydaze festival from12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at River Bluff Shopping Center. The City of Lilydale sits at the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers. Lilydaze festival focuses on three key components: food, fun and friendship. During this free event, visitors can expect kids activities, food and karate demonstrations, live music, a photo contest and the first .5K, sponsored by Snap Fitness in Lilydale.

To kickoff the festival, Chet’s Wine and Brewsky will be offering a wine cruise aboard the Magnolia Blossom on the Mississippi River. The cruise will be held Friday, September 27th from 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and will feature over 30 wines to sample along with appetizers and desserts for $44.95 plus tax! Space is limited. Tickets are non-refundable and all guests must be 21+ with a valid photo ID for boarding. Tickets have to be purchased in advance by calling (651) 454-3227. 

New Festival Elements

.5K Race

As a tongue in cheek response to the overwhelming number of 5K races throughout the Twin Cities, the .5K is accessible to people of all ages and abilities. This is not a race, but rather a fun way to get out and enjoy the City of Lilydale. With awards for best costume, best team effort, youngest participant, oldest participant, and most creative mode.  The .5K will start at Lilydale Senior Living at11:30 a.m. and end at Lilydale’s River Bluff Shopping Center, where the festival will take place.  

Photo Contest

To showcase the City of Lilydale through the lens of a camera, the festival, along with Lilydale Garden Center and Lilydaze Committee decided to initiate a photo contest that would portray the lifestyle, people and places around the city. Awards will be given to the first, second and third place winners in each category. Contest is open to everyone and each participant can enter up to three 8x10 photos in the three different categories. Photos will be displayed and judged September 25 – 27 at the Lilydale Garden Center. Interested parties should submit photos under the following categories: Lilydale: Small Town, Big Views; Nature: landscape, wildlife, floral; Lifestyle: people, activities; “Give Us Your Best Shot”: anything taken anywhere. The entry form can be found online at www.lilydale.govoffice.com.

About City of Lilydale

Rich in history and community pride, Lilydale, a unique little gem of a town, has the feel of both country and city. Lying along a sliver of land in Northern Dakota County between Highway 13 (also called Sibley Memorial Hwy.) and the Mississippi River, it lies within a national park, the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area.  Flanked on the south side by the river, it is adjacent to St. Paul, Mendota Heights and Mendota.

For more information, visit www.lilydale.govoffice.com or the Lilydaze Facebook page.