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64th Annual Nickle Dickle Day
Saturday, September 13 | 8:00AM-5:00PM
The Waconia Chamber of Commerce started Nickle Dickle Day in 1961 as a sidewalk sale to promote local spending and keep a vibrant downtown. Now the tradition brings thousands of people to Waconia to experience a thriving retail community, small town hospitality, and family-friendly activities that make the day a classic celebration.
Nickle Dickle Day supports our local businesses and is the largest fundraiser of the year for the chamber and other community organizations. Consideration of your time and treasures is appreciated and helps our community continue to thrive and grow.
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VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY: Chamber Booth at the Carver County Fair
August 6-10 | Time Varies
Carver County Fairgrounds
The Carver County Fair kicks off on August 6 and the Waconia Chamber will once again host a booth in the Carver County Commons building. The booth is staffed by chamber members and is a member benefit for you to utilize and promote your business. The schedule sign-up is open now! Click below to sign up.
| | A Message from the President | | |
12 Things to do in Waconia During the Month of August
Christine Fenner
President, Waconia Chamber of Commerce
Summertime in Minnesota is the best! There’s still plenty of time to relax and complete your summer bucket list, and you don’t need to go far. Here are a few suggestions to soak up the sun and enjoy Destination Waconia!
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- Attend a baseball game
- Carver County Vintage Baseball Game on Sat, August 2
- Waconia Laker's Game - Sun, Aug. 3
- Eat a corn dog at the Carver County Fair, Aug 6-10
- Paddle board around Lake Waconia Coney Island
- Watch an outdoor concert (there are many to choose from!) See listings at local Wineries, Restaurants, and downtown Waconia
- Bike downtown for ice cream
- Rent a boat on Lake Waconia
- Happy Hour at a restaurant or brewery’s deck/patio
- Buy a new outfit for an upcoming event
- Go fishing on the pier
- Play a round of golf
- Walk and care for a llama
- Pick apples
Tourism and retail mean a lot to our local business economy. Continue to shop, play, dine, and stay!
-Christine
| | | Legislative News & Resources | | |
Nominations Open- Coolest thing Made in Minnesota
Minnesota companies have a long history of innovation, creating some of the coolest products to fuel our economy. The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce is again searching for the Coolest Thing Made in Minnesota!
- Manufacturing represents the single largest private-sector component of Minnesota's GDP.
- 325,000 Minnesotans work in manufacturing.
- 42% of Minnesota's Fortune 500 companies are in manufacturing.
- Minnesota exported $120 billion in manufactured goods in 2015.
- These companies sent 1,057 different types of products to more than 200 countries worldwide.
- Manufacturing workers took home $24.9 billion last year for an average annual wage of $76,950 - 10% higher than the state's overall private sector wage.
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Minnesota Paid Leave
Beginning in January 2026, Paid Leave will give Minnesotans the opportunity to take the time they need to support life’s most meaningful moments. Almost all employers and individuals who work in Minnesota will be covered by Paid Leave.
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Navigating New Laws
The Minnesota Retailers Association is hosted a webinar "Navigating New Laws: A Timeline for Retailers and Stakeholders. In case you missed it, see links below
| | Ambassador Visits & Ribbon Cuttings | | Elite Nutrition & Wild Poppy Boutique | | |
Primary contact: Whitney Peterson
218-821-6155
36 West Main ST, Waconia
wildpoppyboutique.com
wildpoppyboutiqueonline@gmail.com
Elite Nutrition + Wild Poppy Boutique, which opened in April, is in one shared space. You’ll find delicious smoothies at Elite Nutrition. On the boutique side, Wild Poppy offers a carefully curated collection of cute and trendy clothing.
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Primary contact: Kelsey Platt
309-335-1174
blanchard.com
kelsey.platt@blanchard.com
Blanchard Leadership & Development Consultants support individuals, teams, and organizations with strategic planning, leadership coaching, and professional development. Their mission is to build stronger leaders and more effective workplaces right here in our community.
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Primary contact: Greg James
952-442-4447
140 West Main ST, Waconia
IronTap.com
info@irontapmn.com
10 Years of Iron Tap in Waconia!
Cheers to a decade of outstanding food, craft beer, and community connection! Here's to many more!
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We appreciate your support!
Thank you to all our renewing members for your investment in the Waconia Chamber.
| | Maverick City Restoration Inc. | | New Creations Child Care & Learning Center | | | Congratulations on your milestone!
Wishing you continued success. | | Celebrating 30 years of business! | | Celebrating 5 years of business! | | |
19th Annual Waconia Open Recap
Thanks for participating in the 19th Annual Waconia Chamber Golf Scramble!
Your support of the Waconia Chamber helps to promote and strengthen our business community, and also our community as a whole. The event raised over $23,000 for the operations of the Chamber of Commerce.
The golf scramble would not be possible without our generous sponsors, silent auction and prize donors, committee, volunteers, and golfers. A special thank you to our event sponsor, Cabinetworks Group.
Congratulations to the 2025 Golf Winners!
1st Place: Waconia Lions Club
Best Dressed for theme: Abbywood Carpentry
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Vintage Baseball at the Andrew Peterson Farm
Saturday, August 2 | 1:00-3:00PM
Andrew Peterson Farm
8060 Hwy 5, Waconia
Free to attend, so bring your family and friends! Donations gladly accepted. Please bring your own chairs and blankets to sit on for this game. There will be a food truck, starting at noon and the Peterson farmhouse will be open for people to walk through.
Please remember it is a field game and seating will be located in the grass around the edge of the field. Snacks, including peanuts, Cracker Jacks, and Ice ice-cold beverages will be sold at the game by the CCHS!
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National Night Out Kid's Day
Tuesday, August 5 | 3:00-5:30PM
Mackenthun's Waconia Location
851 Marketplace Dr, Waconia
Before you head to your neighborhood party, enjoy an afternoon at Mackenthun's! Come out and play ring toss & bingo with prizes and fun, we will have our Mack Shack open as well as Dearest Baker Macaroons truck and Mini Donuts. Kemps Ice Cream will be donating an Ice Cream Treat to those attending!
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Waconia National Night Out
Tuesday, August 5 | 5:30-7:00PM
City Square Park
S Spruce St, Waconia
Family-friendly community event for all of Waconia to join together for a night to make connections, live music, kids' activities & games, food trucks, meet local first responders, and more! Hosted by the Gather and Grow Food Shelf & Connection Center and the City of Waconia. Bring non-perishable donations.
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Lunch at the Carver County Fair
August 6 & August 7 | 11:00AM-1:00PM
Carver County Fairgrounds
501 W 3rd St, Waconia
The Carver county Fair would like to invite you and your employees to come to the fair for lunch on Wednesday and Thursday. Gate admission to the Fair during lunch hour (11am-1pm) is complimentary. Please enter through Gate #3 (South Gate) and be prepared to show your company ID badge or name tag. Wristbands will not be offered upon entry or exit.
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August Coffee Connection
Thursday, August 7| 7:30AM-9:00AM
Koch Bus Company
150 Victor Court, Waconia
Network and connect! We'd love to hear what's new with you and your business. Coffee Connection offers a perfect opportunity to explore the benefits of Waconia Chamber membership and connect with local professionals before becoming a member. No need to register. FREE! Hope to see you there!
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Global Leadership Summit
August 7 & 8 | Time Varies
Freshwater Church
138 W 1st Street, Waconia
Freshwater Church in Waconia is going to be a host site this summer for the Global Leadership Summit, an annual event that brings together influential leaders, thinkers, and practitioners from around the world to inspire and equip attendees with practical leadership skills! The 2-Day Conference features a diverse lineup of speakers from various sectors, including business, government, education, and faith-based organizations. Its goal is to empower individuals to lead effectively in their communities, workplaces, and organizations, regardless of their role or background.
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Women's Connect
Monday, August 11 | 11:30AM-1:00PM
The Uptown Apartments
233 S Olive St, Waconia
This month, join Women's Connect with guest speaker, Britney Cole, Chief Innovation Officer, Head of the Blanchard Innovation Lab and Experience Center. Bring your own lunch to this event. It's free for Waconia Chamber members!
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In-Person Hiring Event at CareerForce Chaska
Wednesday, August 13th 1:00-3:00PM
CareerForce Chaska
602 East Fourth St., Chaska
Join CareerForce Chaska for an in-person hiring event where you can meet local employers and explore current job openings. A CareerForce local veterans employment representative will also be in attendance.
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Waconia Young Professionals
Wednesday, August 20 | 3:30-5:00PM
Safari Island-Outdoor Rink
1600 Community Dr, Waconia
The Waconia Young Professionals group is all about building community, expanding your network, and having fun while doing it! Open to anyone in their 20s to mid-30s, who lives or works in the area, this group is a welcoming space to meet new people, share ideas, and get involved in Waconia’s growing business scene.
Mark your calendars for Wednesday, August 20th, we're mixing things up with a fun evening of pickleball and casual networking. RSVP Below
For more information about the Waconia Young Professionals pleas reach out to Joe Adams: jadams8@amfam.com
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Lakeside Farm and Flowers Now Open for the 2025 You-Pick Season
Summer Hours:
Tuesday | 9:00AM-12:00PM, 5:00-8:00PM
Thursday | 9:00AM-12:00PM, 5:00-8:00PM
Sunday | 4:00-8:00PM
Lakeside Farm & Flowers
10405 MN 25, Cologne
Lakeside Farm and Flowers is open for the season! This pick-your-own paradise offers beauty and a unique experience the whole family will love! Bouquet options: small $30, medium $40, and large $50.
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Love INC. Golf Tournament
Monday, September 8 | 10:00 AM Registration
Island View Golf Club
7795 Laketown Pkwy, Waconia
Join us for a fun-filled day of golf, generosity, and community impact at the beautiful Island View Golf Club.
Whether you're swinging clubs with friends or sponsoring to serve families in need, every part of this tournament helps Love INC go the distance for our Carver County neighbors.
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Ridgeview Welcomes Tara Denke, MD to its Care Team
Tara Denke, MD, is now seeing patients at Western OB/GYN, A Division of Ridgeview Clinics. She sees patients at the Chaska and Waconia clinic locations. Dr. Denke is passionate about women’s lifelong health care, not just their reproductive years. To schedule a meet-and-greet with Dr. Denke, call 952.442.2137.
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Ridgeview Welcomes Patrick Malecha, MD to its Care Team
Patrick Malecha, MD, is now seeing patients at Ridgeview Waconia Campus for both inpatient and outpatient palliative care services. Dr. Malecha offers complex symptom management and support for medical decision-making and planning for the future of patients with serious illness. To learn more about Dr. Malecha and Palliative Care services, visit ridgeviewmedical.org or call 952.442.6003.
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Lakeview Clinic Welcomes Board-Certified Pediatrician, Dr. Ria Bardhan
Dr. Bardhan is seeing patients at the Waconia and Chaska clinics. She cares for newborn through adolescents and is accepting new patients at both locations.
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City of Waconia 2025 Summer Music Series
There are a couple more concerts to catch in the 2025 Summer Music Series!
Mark your calendars for:
August 14th - Mike Bustin - 1st Street between Vine and Olive Street
August 20th - Traveled Ground - Elm Street between Main and 1st Street
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Job Postings Online
The Waconia Chamber of Commerce offers a dedicated space on DestinationWaconia.org to highlight local job openings. Chamber members are invited to post their employment opportunities and connect with job seekers looking to work in our vibrant community. It’s an easy and effective way to support local hiring efforts.
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Waconia Events Calendar
Mark your calendars for these fun events happening in Waconia this year! For more events and details, visit DestinationWaconia.org.
If you have an upcoming event, add it to the Community Calendar. Click for instructions to add your event.
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August Luncheon: The State of the Waconia School District
Thursday, August 28 | 11:30AM-1:00PM
District Location TBD
Join us as we welcome guest speaker Dr. Brian Gersich, Superintendent of Waconia Public Schools.
Cost: $20
Deadline to register: Monday, August 25.
| | Chamber Calendar - August 2025 | | |
AUGUST 7 Coffee Connection, 7:30-9:00AM @Koch Bus Service
AUGUST 11 Women's Connect, 11:30AM-1:00PM @The Uptown Apartments
AUGUST 12 Tourism Committee, 9-10:00AM @The Winery at Sovereign Estate
AUGUST 14 Retail Committee, 9-10:00AM @Chamber Office
AUGUST 21 Ambassadors, 8:45AM @Chamber Office
AUGUST 28 Chamber Luncheon, 11:30-1:00PM @ISD110
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STAY CONNECTED
@DestinationWaconia
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Friday Facts is a publication of the Waconia Chamber of Commerce
952-442-5812
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