6.1.
| Park and Recreation Commission |
| Meeting Date: | 10/08/2026 |
| Primary Strategic Plan Initiative: | Connect the community through Parks, Trails and Recreational Programming. |
Information
Title:
Happy Days Recap + Recreation Program Updates
Purpose/Background:
Staff will present a recap of the 2026 Happy Days event held on Saturday, September 12 and provide a brief highlight of other upcoming programs and events.
Upcoming Programs:
Ramsey Farmers Market
Have you made it out to the Farmers Market yet? You have one last chance this year! Our last market is this Tuesday, we’d love to see you out showing some love to our fantastic vendors!
NEW: Puzzle Exchange and Competition
Join the Cities of Andover and Ramsey for a day of puzzles! Bring your gently used puzzles to exchange for something new-to-you, then test your puzzling skills in a two-hour speed puzzling competition. You can participate in the puzzle swap, the competition, or both!
NEW: NW Food Truck Fest + Community Pickleball Tournament
Join Ramsey Parks and Recreation with the NW Food Truck Fests and GRIT Adaptive for a day of delicious food, family-friendly activities, and pickleball at Central Park! The Serve it Forward Pickleball Tournament, hosted by GRIT Adaptive, will feature mixed doubles divisions for 3.0, 3.5, and 4.0+ players. Additional details and a full list of attending trucks can be found online at the link above.
Line Dancing Four-Week Session
Our popular line dancing sessions with Karen Ann Stark are back for the season! This four week session will teach you a new dance and review the previous week’s. All ages and experience levels are welcome – no partner required!
Starwatch Party
Explore the night sky with astronomer Mike Lynch as he shares the stories behind the constellations and offers close-up views of the moon, planets, star clusters, galaxies, and more through two of Minnesota’s largest mobile telescopes.
Pumpkin Chuck
Bring your old Halloween pumpkins to the second annual Pumpkin Chuck, featuring the Ramsey Fire Department smashing pumpkins from their lift truck, a three-person slingshot for medium pumpkins, and a trebuchet for small pumpkins!
55+ Day Trip: Old Fashioned Holiday Bazaar and Como Conservatory
Celebrate the season with a festive day trip featuring the holiday displays at Como Conservatory, lunch at the historic St. Paul Hotel, and shopping, treats, and music at the Old Fashioned Holiday Bazaar.
Wednesday Evening Yoga
Immerse yourself in mindful movement and connect to your breath in this hour long session. All levels welcome.
Qigong Meditation for Health
Qigong (chee gong) is a holistic system of exercise that aims to strengthen, stretch, balance, and coordinate the body. It is deceptively simple yet can be profoundly healing. Instructor Peggy Brown leads a free weekly practice at City Hall.
Fall-Winter Teaser
Upcoming Programs:
Ramsey Farmers Market
Have you made it out to the Farmers Market yet? You have one last chance this year! Our last market is this Tuesday, we’d love to see you out showing some love to our fantastic vendors!
- Dates: Tuesdays, 3 – 6:30 p.m., June 23 – October 6 at The Draw
- October 6 is our Season Closing Celebration
- We are authorized to accept SNAP-EBT benefits at our market and participate in the Market Bucks program
NEW: Puzzle Exchange and Competition
Join the Cities of Andover and Ramsey for a day of puzzles! Bring your gently used puzzles to exchange for something new-to-you, then test your puzzling skills in a two-hour speed puzzling competition. You can participate in the puzzle swap, the competition, or both!
- Date: Saturday, October 10 from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Andover Community Center
- Puzzle Exchange is from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
- Puzzle Competition is from 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.
- Cost: FREE for puzzle exchange, $40/team of up to four in the competition.
- Registration: Pre-registration is required for the competition, space is limited to 25 teams. Open until full.
- Puzzle Drop Off: drop off is available in Ramsey or Andover prior to the event. Day of exchange is also available, lines may be long. For detailed information on drop off times and location, view the full event details linked above.
NEW: NW Food Truck Fest + Community Pickleball Tournament
Join Ramsey Parks and Recreation with the NW Food Truck Fests and GRIT Adaptive for a day of delicious food, family-friendly activities, and pickleball at Central Park! The Serve it Forward Pickleball Tournament, hosted by GRIT Adaptive, will feature mixed doubles divisions for 3.0, 3.5, and 4.0+ players. Additional details and a full list of attending trucks can be found online at the link above.
- Date: Sunday, October 11 from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. at Central Park
- Cost: FREE to attend, $35 for pickleball tournament.
- Registration: Pre-registration is required for the pickleball tournament. Registration is taken on an external online site here.
- Registration is not required to attend the NW Food Truck Fest. However, if you would like to be notified of any event changes or weather cancelations, you must register online.
Line Dancing Four-Week Session
Our popular line dancing sessions with Karen Ann Stark are back for the season! This four week session will teach you a new dance and review the previous week’s. All ages and experience levels are welcome – no partner required!
- Dates: October 7 - 28 from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. at Central Park
- Cost: $37.50/person for all four sessions
- Registration: Pre-registration is required, space is limited.
Starwatch Party
Explore the night sky with astronomer Mike Lynch as he shares the stories behind the constellations and offers close-up views of the moon, planets, star clusters, galaxies, and more through two of Minnesota’s largest mobile telescopes.
- Date: Friday, October 30 from 7 – 9 p.m. at Elmcrest Park
- Cost: $12.50/person
- Registration: Pre-registration is required, open until full.
- Ages: 8+
Pumpkin Chuck
Bring your old Halloween pumpkins to the second annual Pumpkin Chuck, featuring the Ramsey Fire Department smashing pumpkins from their lift truck, a three-person slingshot for medium pumpkins, and a trebuchet for small pumpkins!
- Dates: Sunday, November 1 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Elmcrest Park
- Cost: FREE
- Registration: Registration is not required. However, if you would like to be notified of any event changes or weather cancelations, you must register online.
55+ Day Trip: Old Fashioned Holiday Bazaar and Como Conservatory
Celebrate the season with a festive day trip featuring the holiday displays at Como Conservatory, lunch at the historic St. Paul Hotel, and shopping, treats, and music at the Old Fashioned Holiday Bazaar.
- Date: Friday, December 4 from 9:15 a.m. – 3:45 p.m., bus picks up City Hall
- Cost: $97/person, includes round-trip transportation on a coach bus, entry to the Holiday Bazaar, Como Conservatory (free), and lunch
- Registration: Pre-registration is required, space is limited.
- Registration deadline is Sunday, November 1 at midnight or until full. No refunds can be issued after this date.
- Ages: 55+
Wednesday Evening Yoga
Immerse yourself in mindful movement and connect to your breath in this hour long session. All levels welcome.
- Dates: Wednesdays from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. at Public Works
- Cost: $5/session
- Registration: Pre-register prior to arrival at the class.
- Ages: 13+
Qigong Meditation for Health
Qigong (chee gong) is a holistic system of exercise that aims to strengthen, stretch, balance, and coordinate the body. It is deceptively simple yet can be profoundly healing. Instructor Peggy Brown leads a free weekly practice at City Hall.
- Dates: Thursdays from 10:30 – 11:30 a.m. in the Lake Itasca Room (note below on room change for October, this class is typically held in the Alexander Ramsey Room)
- Cost: FREE
- Ages: Youth under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
- Registration: Registration is not required. However, if you would like to be notified of any event changes or weather cancelations, you must register online.
- Note: Class will be moved to the Lake Itasca Room for the month of October due to elections and early voting. No class on October 15.
Fall-Winter Teaser
- Community Tree Lighting
- Save the date for Tuesday, December 1 from approximately 5:40 – 7:30 p.m.
- SNEAK PREVIEW: Come late October/early November, we will be searching for some holiday vendors to add to our annual event!
- Deck the Halls Lights Display
- Registration to have your home or business featured on an interactive map of holiday lights in Ramsey will open later this month and be open through Thanksgiving weekend.
- Photo Contest
- Entries now open through December 31 at midnight!
Recommendation:
Review upcoming programs and events
Outcome/Action:
Review upcoming programs and events
Attachments
Form Review
| Inbox | Reviewed By | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Mark Riverblood | Mark Riverblood | 10/01/2026 03:18 PM |
| Brian Hagen | Mariah Albrecht | 10/02/2026 02:50 PM |
- Form Started By:
- Abby Proulx
- Started On:
- 10/01/2026 03:07 PM
- Final Approval Date:
- 10/02/2026