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🍨 America at 250, twelve Tuesday Story Times, and Lake Street goes festival

🍨 America at 250, twelve Tuesday Story Times, and Lake Street goes festival

Dustin Hart
June 12, 2026

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Good day, Wayzata. This is Wayzata Scoop, the local newsletter that's fresher than the breeze off Lake Minnetonka.

In today’s Scoop:

Stars, Stripes and Songs: Plymouth marks America's semiquincentennial on June 23 🇺🇸
The free summer routine for Plymouth families: Tuesdays at the History Center 😎
Wayzata's premier summer festival is back June 27 and 28 🎨

Let’s do this thing.

— Dustin Hart

📢 TALK OF THE TOWN

Plymouth's free 250th birthday concert lands June 23 at the Hilde

The United States turns 250 this year, and Plymouth is putting on the kind of summer night that earns the occasion.

Stars, Stripes and Songs lands at the Hilde Performance Center on Tuesday, June 23 at 7 p.m. — a free outdoor concert built around the country's semiquincentennial (yes, that's the actual word; it's been waiting 250 years for its moment). It features two of Plymouth's homegrown talents — the Plymouth Rockers Chorus and the Plymouth Concert Band — sharing the same stage for a fully patriotic setlist.

A bit of context on why this is a moment worth showing up for: these two groups don't often perform together, and getting them on one lawn for a milestone birthday feels exactly right. Plymouth Parks and Recreation Supervisor Meghan Constantini called it "a unique opportunity for friends, family and neighbors to gather and celebrate our nation" — and the Hilde, with its open lawn and big-stage acoustics, is the kind of venue that makes that gathering feel intentional rather than incidental.

Here's the run of show in practical terms:

5:30 p.m. — Doors open. Food trucks roll in. The early arrivals stake out the prime grass.
7:00 p.m. — Curtains up on a patriotic lineup of music.

Bring a blanket, bring a lawn chair, bring the kids, bring the grandparents — this one's built for all of it. And while you're packing, throw in some cash or a card for the food trucks; outdoor concerts are a lot better when dinner's handled.

America at 250, Plymouth on the lawn. Pretty solid Tuesday.

Twelve free Tuesday Story Times at the Plymouth History Center

If you've got an elementary-age kid and a Tuesday morning that needs filling, the Plymouth History Center has built a summer-long answer.

Story Time is back at the Plymouth History Center (3605 Fernbrook Lane N.) — free, weekly, and running every Tuesday from 10–10:30 a.m. through August. Each session pairs a read-aloud story with a hands-on activity tied to that week's theme. After Labor Day, the series shifts to monthly through December, but summer is the headline run.

What makes this one stand out: the themes aren't generic. They're sneakily educational, often Minnesota-flavored, and just weird enough to keep kids curious week after week. Here's the full summer lineup:

June 9 – Rocks
June 16 – Juneteenth
June 23 – Summer treats
June 30 – Extreme weather
July 7 – Fourth of July
July 14 – Local wildlife
July 21 – Aviation
July 28 – Space
August 4 – Farming
August 11 – Trains and railroads
August 18 – Camping
August 25 – Fruits and vegetables

No registration required. Just show up. And while you're there, it's worth knowing the History Center itself is a quietly excellent stop — built in 1885 as Plymouth's original municipal building, it's open 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, plus the first Saturday of every month. Inside: rotating exhibits, a research room with old newspapers and yearbooks, oral history recording space, photos, historical models, and a full timeline of the city.

Learn more at history.plymouthmn.gov.

Twelve Tuesdays. Twelve themes. One quietly great summer routine.

The Wayzata Art Experience takes over Lake Street June 27–28

If summer in Wayzata has a single flagship weekend, this is it.

The Wayzata Art Experience returns to Lake Street on Saturday, June 27 and Sunday, June 28 for its 22nd year — and the run-of-show reads more like a full-blown lake town takeover than a one-day art fair. 150 juried artists from across the country, 15 food trucks, a food artisan market, a beer and wine garden, live music all weekend, and — yes, really — free sailboat rides. Twenty-two summers in, the festival has earned its reputation as the premier summer event in town.

Here's what's happening, all weekend long:

150 juried artists showing original work across painting, sculpture, jewelry, photography, ceramics, and beyond. (Juried means: curated. Not a craft tent in sight.)
15 food trucks plus a food artisan market — basically a roving Twin Cities tasting menu.
A beer + wine garden for the grown-ups.
An activity zone for families and kids who would rather build something than browse paintings.
Free sailboat rides on Lake Minnetonka, because Wayzata.
Live music rolling across both days.

And here's the part that makes the festival genuinely Wayzata: while you're walking Lake Street, you're also walking past lakeside boutiques and some of the best restaurants in the Twin Cities. Tying art browsing to shopping and dinner makes a full day of it almost effortless.

The festival runs 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days. Free to attend.

Details: WayzataArtExperience.com

Two days, one of the prettiest stretches of Lake Street, the kind of weekend you'll remember.

📖 QOTW (QUOTE OF THE WEEK)

"Before you speak, let your words pass through three gates: Is it true? Is it necessary? Is it kind?" - Unknown

🌪️ WEATHER WATCH

Friday's 82° and sunny is basically screaming 'enjoy this, because it's all downhill from here.

Fri 12 82°/61° Mostly Sunny 🌤️ | 💧3%

Sat 13 73°/53° Partly Cloudy 🌥️ | 💧4%

Sun 14 74°/53° Partly Cloudy 🌥️ | 💧2%

Mon 15 76°/55° Mostly Sunny 🌤️ | 💧3%

Tue 16 74°/56° Partly Cloudy 🌥️ | 💧24%

Wed 17 67°/56° Showers 🌧️ | 💧64%

Thu 18 72°/55° Showers 🌧️ | 💧30%

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