Unfortunately, due to an extremely cold forecast on Saturday, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board staff made the difficult decision to cancel the 2026 Lake Harriet Kite Festival.
The National Weather Service has issued an extreme cold watch for Saturday with low wind chills, and conditions are colder on the frozen, windy lake than on land.
This is a beloved community event that we love to host, however, safety is always our top priority. This is an entirely outdoor event without warming houses and we were not comfortable with park staff and community members being exposed to dangerous cold for long periods of time.
The Art Shanty Projects is still available at Lake Harriet, please check their website for updates.
We are in talks with community partners to potentially to host a different event on the lake later this winter.