Winona Chronicle

Your Window to the Bluffs Since 2026

Winona, Minnesota

Category: Events

  • Steamboat Days Festival Announces 2026 Headliner and River Events

    Winona Steamboat Days has announced its 2026 lineup, with country star Luke Combs headlining Saturday night and a new Mississippi River dragon boat race adding to the festival’s growing list of waterfront attractions.

    The five-day festival, running June 17-21 along Levee Park and the downtown riverfront, will also feature the beloved Grande Parade, the Captain’s Ball, carnival rides, a craft beer garden with 20 regional breweries, and expanded food vendor options including a dedicated Polish food village.

    The dragon boat race — a first for Steamboat Days — will feature 20-person teams paddling decorated longboats on a 250-meter course on the Mississippi. Early team registration has already filled to capacity.

    “Steamboat Days connects Winona to its river heritage,” said festival chair Mike Pronschinske. “Every year we look for new ways to celebrate that connection.” Full schedule and tickets at winonasteamboatdays.com.

  • Winona Farmers Market Opens Season with Record Vendor Count

    The Winona Farmers Market opens its 2026 season this Saturday on the Levee Park grounds with a record 62 vendors — the largest lineup in the market’s 35-year history.

    New vendors this year include a Hmong flower farm from the Stockton Valley, an artisan cheese maker from Whitewater Township, and a wood-fired pizza operation using locally milled flour. Returning favorites include Keenan Family Farm’s heritage tomatoes and Bluff Ridge Apiary’s wildflower honey.

    “The demand for local food in the river valley keeps growing,” said market manager Jean Schultz. “We had a waiting list of vendors this year for the first time ever.”

    The market operates every Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to noon, May through October. Live music begins at 9 a.m., and a new kids’ garden activity area will offer planting workshops throughout the season.

  • Great River Shakespeare Festival Announces Landmark 20th Season

    The Great River Shakespeare Festival has unveiled its 20th anniversary season lineup, featuring three productions running in repertory from June through August at Winona State University’s Performing Arts Center.

    This summer’s slate includes “The Tempest,” “Much Ado About Nothing,” and a world premiere adaptation of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” set along the Mississippi River bluffs. The anniversary season will also feature special events including a gala celebration, talkback sessions with actors, and a free outdoor performance in Levee Park.

    Artistic director Claire Weissmann called the milestone season a testament to Winona’s cultural ambition. “Twenty years ago, a professional Shakespeare festival in a small Minnesota river town seemed like a dream. Today we’re one of the most respected regional Shakespeare companies in the country.”

    Season subscriptions are on sale now at grsf.org, with single tickets available starting May 1. Student rush tickets will be offered at every performance.