Rapids River Food Fest Preparations Nearly Complete

(KNSI) – Sauk Rapids’ largest summer event is back on June 25th.

Rapids River Food Fest Committee Chairperson Kathy Phenow says all the finishing touches in preparation for this year’s festival are nearly complete. The group received a permit at Monday’s City Council meeting to operate at the Municipal Park. Phenow says volunteer positions have already been filled, and groups interested in helping are being added to a waitlist for future years.

The event runs from 11 AM to 8 PM, featuring live music, food, and a variety of kids’ activities. Phenow says the group works hard to coordinate with all participants, especially the food entrants. Only two vendors are allowed to sell the same item. Shotgun Mafia is the opening musical act. The full lineup can be found on the Rapids River Food Fest Facebook page. Bounce houses, pony rides, and more will be available to help interest kids.

Phenow says, “It’s a great day. It’s the only citywide event in Sauk Rapids, and we get anywhere from 4,000 to 7,000 people.”

She says the Municipal Park is a great venue for the summertime. “They’ve got two beautiful buildings down there where we sell the tokens out of and the river’s right there, it’s really pretty. Municipal has all of the trees, so on a hot day we’ve got a little shade.”

Rapids River Food Fest operates separately from other events happening that week, even as it has become the capstone of the three-day-long Rapids River Days. On Thursday the 23rd, there is a beauty pageant in the evening followed by a parade on Friday the 24th.

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