2022 Festival

2022 was a big year for the Covered Bridge Festival. Although the festival itself is not new for Zumbrota.. some of the details are! We all know Covid threw a wrench in our fun back in 2020.. even trickling into 2021. Which led to the transition from a June festival to now, a fall festival!  2021 was unknowingly a finale festival for the City of Zumbrota to running quarterback. Hence so much free fun! (and thank goodness, because we love that tradition and have adopted it moving forward)

Spring of 2022, the announcement of the City stepping away from their coordination assistance was shocking none the less to most. But historically, this festival has had MANY different "owners". So it was just a matter of time, a changing of the guards.  And by fate, there were some willing community members ready to pick up that torch.

Last year was our first hack at running an event of this magnitude (let alone an event at all!), and with the support of our incredible local businesses, it went off without a hitch! 

We have decided to continue our fall festival tradition moving forward, keeping momentum as we continue to learn how to be festival coordinators. But also - because we've been blessed with 10/10 weather days the past few years, we've had incredible turn outs & feedback about a fall event, & because change is sometimes just what's needed.

Fine tuning and solidifying of annual events will hopefully settle in this year.  We are so passionate about creating an event the whole family is excited to attend, and can enjoy all day!  We aim to keep it a small town festival vibe, vs. a hired out carnival event. We want to highlight our local makers. We want to keep this about home; family; something you & yours all come back to to enjoy. 

 

Highlights of our last season include:

The first annual Tat Erredge Memorial run/walk. A dedication ceremony to the new Veteran's Memorial, located just across the road from the park. The return of sports tournaments in the park, including - volleyball, horseshoe, & 3 on 3 basketball. A flourishing vendor market hosted all weekend in the park, alongside live local music. Our kids zone may be the most coveted event, with various zoo booths, free pony rides, free bounce houses, face painting, a Photo Booth, the game tent put on by Our Savior's Lutheran Church, & cotton candy! Several food trucks & 2 local breweries. Saturday evening housed a showing of Encanto at the historical State Theater for the kids, & a street dance with JT & the Gunslingers for the rest. And finally, fireworks lit up the fall sky Saturday to close the most perfect fall day.  

We returned Sunday with continued kids fun & inflatables, and vendors & food trucks all day. The VFW served a knockout pancake breakfast. Zumbrota Ford put on a record breaking Car Show, with over 130 registered cars; additionally a tractor show. Both shows featured their best in the finale to the weekend - our Grand Parade jam packed with our local businesses & candy to last you till next parade season!

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And because photos are the best way to relive it all, without further adieu.. your 2022 Covered Bridge Festival!!