Minnesota Prairie Roots

HISTORY COME TO LIFE appeals to me because of the immersive experience. I learn better, retain more, when I can engage. This weekend offers ample opportunity to get into history at the Rice County Historical Society’s first-ever Riverside Rendezvous and History Festival along the banks of the Cannon River in Faribault’s North Alexander Park.

Organizers promise that the trades, traditions and history of the 18^th and 19^th centuries (1701-1900) will come alive via hands-on activities, demonstrations, workshops, storytelling, music and special events. Hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, May 10, and Sunday, May 11. Mothers get in free on Mother’s Day. Otherwise ticket prices are $10 for adults, $5 for children 6+ and $30 for a family pass.

Admittance buys you a whole lot of history-based entertainment, knowledge and fun. For example, the hands-on history happening all day both days includes candle making, rope making, tomahawk throwing, historic toys and games, quill making, log cutting and shops at which to shop, not trade.

But you can learn about the fur trade at noon either day as local historian and documentary filmmaker Sam Temple talks about town founder Alexander Faribault and the fur trade. Todd Finney, a descendant of the Wahpekute band of the Dakota (original inhabitants of the land which is now Rice County), will speak at 3 p.m. Saturday and again at 11 a.m. Sunday about the Wahpekute Dakota.

On that same storytelling stage, musicians The Roe Family Singers, The Skally Line, Hannah Flowers, and Curtis and Loretta will perform at various times throughout the festival.

You can learn about hat making, pirates (yes, pirates with MN Jack Sparrow), historic clothing and weapons, things that do and don’t go boom, Civil War medical care and more during workshops and demos.

And then there are four special events, the first a Cane Pole Fishing Tournament starting at 10 a.m. Saturday. Bring your cane pole, not your rod and reel. Some cane poles will be available for participants. Saturday also brings Voyageur Games at 1 p.m. On Sunday, there’s a Tomahawk Throwing Competition at 1 p.m. followed by a Log Cutting Contest at 3 p.m.

I’ve never attended a rendezvous, so I have nothing with which to compare this event. But just reading through the schedule, I’m excited to take in this history festival with my two elementary-aged grandchildren, their parents and my husband. I expect we will all learn a lot and make some great memories.

One more thing, food and beverages will be available for purchase, the food being cheese curds (no festival is complete without that deep fat fried fair food), hot dogs, corn dogs, assorted frybreads, and candy and fudge.

All in all, the Riverside Rendezvous and History Festival looks to be an interesting, informative and enjoyable event for history lovers, families and anyone who’s looking for something different to do on a beautiful spring weekend in southern Minnesota.

© Copyright 2025 Audrey Kletscher Helbling