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Lake Waconia Fireworks

Thursday, July 4 | Show starts at dusk

The Lake Waconia Fireworks, led by the Waconia Chamber of Commerce, hosts the 4th of July fireworks display. A dedicated group of volunteers work very hard each year to put on the incredible show.

The fireworks are completely funded by donations from local businesses, organizations, and community members. Fundraising becomes more difficult each year due to rising costs. Currently we are $6,000 short for this year's show. Donate today to support the fireworks!

Save the Date: July Coffee Connection

Thursday, July 10 | 7:30-9:00AM

PuroClean

4319 Steiner St, St. Bonifacius

Due to the 4th of July holiday, the July Coffee Connection will be pushed back one week to Thursday, July 10.

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! 

A Message from the President

Mission Possible-Leading with Purpose



Christine Fenner

President, Waconia Chamber of Commerce

"Find out who you are and do it on purpose." – Dolly Parton. 

I was recently invited to serve as a mentor for a new chamber executive. In thinking about the most valuable advice I could pass on, it came down to two simple (yet not always easy) suggestions.

1. Follow your mission

2. Know yourself

As leaders, we’re constantly pulled in multiple directions. However, it’s the mission of our organization that keeps us focused and moving on the right path. 

What Does the Chamber Do Anyway?

Sometimes it can be challenging to distinguish the work we do. Oftentimes we’re really good at helping our customers/clients/guests/members, and do not take time to celebrate our own internal wins. On any given day at the chamber, we might be: planning events or luncheons, hosting a ribbon cutting for a new business, advocating for policy improvements, training a new staff member, updating members on local construction, or responding to emails. These tasks are important, but not our main purpose. Our purpose involves connecting, supporting, and growing our businesses and helping our community to thrive. 

Blocking Time for What Matters

The daily grind can take over. I now intentionally block off time on my calendar for what we really want to accomplish, even if it’s not always urgent. Operational tasks like responding to emails and finances matter, but so does inspiring our teams, building relationships, and telling our story. Those things keep our mission moving forward. 

“Be the Unicorn”

I’m currently listening to the book, Be the Unicorn by William Vanderbloemen. The author says, “Unicorns don’t try to be everything to everyone. They know their value, and they lead from it.” The book is about leadership habits and understanding strengths to better your career and personal life. It’s about staying grounded in who you are while planning ahead and being open to change. The book also quotes Dolly Parton on being confident and self-aware, and is someone who I see to be an icon and deeply genuine about her purpose. 

Mission: NOT Impossible

Finally, make time for fun and simple tasks. A few weeks ago, our team collaborated to make a short reel with the “mission” to get to the downtown movie theater, one stunt at a time. We did not let barriers (construction) stop our mission! Check out the post on Facebook.

We are constantly called in multiple directions and leadership is about constant choosing. The urgent work is important, but it’s the mission-based work that matters most. Know your strengths and make your Mission: Possible!

Legislative News & Resources

Minnesota Chamber's Coolest Thing Made In Minnesota

Minnesota Chamber’s Coolest Thing Made in Minnesota nominations open in July!

Nominations open in July for the Minnesota Chamber’s Coolest Things Made in Minnesota competition! This is your chance to showcase the incredible products made right here in our state,including right here in Waconia.



Have a product in mind that deserves the spotlight? Nominate it and help celebrate the innovation and craftsmanship that make Minnesota businesses stand out.

Learn more and submit your nomination: mnchamber.com/coolest-thing-made-minnesota

Welcome New Members

Ambassador Visits & Ribbon Cuttings

Member Renewals

We appreciate your support!

Thank you to all our renewing members for your investment in the Waconia Chamber.

Greystone Construction

KinnRidge Mobile Phlebotomy

Knights of Columbus - Waconia

Mediacom

New Creations Child Care & Learning Center

Sign Gypsies Waconia

The Winery at Sovereign Estate

Member Milestones

Congratulations on your milestone!

Wishing you continued success.

Celebrating 25 years of business!

Celebrating 15 years of business!

Celebrating 10 years of business!

Celebrating 2 years of business!

Do you have a milestone coming up? Let us know - we'd love to celebrate you in the next newsletter! Email bgrohmann@destinationwaconia.org.

More Chamber News

Welcome to the Chamber: Violet Rae

We’re thrilled to share that our very own Chelsey welcomed a beautiful baby girl on June 11th!

The family now includes two proud big brothers and one sweet little sister! Congratulations to Chelsey and her family on their newest arrival, we’re also excited to welcome our latest (and tiniest) Chamber member to the world!

Baby Pool Winner

Congratulations to Paul Peterson-Sackett Waconia, the winner of our Chamber Baby Poll! Paul guessed June 13th, girl, and 7 lbs. 4 oz, a very close call! Chelsey welcomed a sweet baby girl on June 11th, weighing in at 7. lbs. 14 oz.

Great job, Paul, and thanks to everyone who joined in the fun to celebrate this exciting moment with our team!

Picture: Dustin Koubsky & Paul Peterson of Sackett Waconia

June Luncheon Recap

A Taste of Agritourism: A Farm-to-Table Experience



Our recent Agritourism Luncheon was a delicious success! Held right here in Waconia, the event showcased how agriculture, tourism, and community come together to create something truly special.



Guests enjoyed an unforgettable farm-to-table and farm-to-glass! experience featuring:

Bode Gray’s – Greg James & Chef John led a hands-on pizza-making session using fresh, local ingredients.

J. Carver Distillery – Gina Holman mixed up summer cocktail inspiration with a behind-the-scenes demo.

Lakeside Farm & Flowers – Kacy Honl showed us how to craft the perfect bouquet from locally grown blooms.



Attendees also gained insight into how agritourism supports our local economy and strengthens the Waconia community. Thank you to everyone who joined us for this flavorful and informative event!

Waconia Young Professionals Are Back!

Thanks to Jack O'Brien and Joe Adams we’re excited to announce the return of the Waconia Young Professionals Group, and it’s kicking off strong with an amazing crew of motivated and engaged young leaders!

Their first gathering of the season took place at Waconia Brewing Company, where the group connected, shared ideas, and began planning future events.



If you’re a young professional or know of a young professional who is looking to grow your network and get involved in the community, we’d love to have you join! Reach out to Joe Adams-American Family Insurance or Jack O'Brien- Equitable Advisors to get connected.

Member News & Happenings

Jessa Theis honored as 2025 Woman of Influence in food industry by The Shelby-Griffin Report

Jessa Theis' (Mackenthun's Fine Foods) leadership, emotional intelligence and commitment to both innovation and community service make her a standout leader. Jessa, alongside her brother Jaime and father Kim, has transformed Mackenthun's Fine Foods into a thriving business while maintaining a family-centered, employee-focused culture. Jessa leads with empathy, creating an environment where employees feel valued, supported and motivated. Her focus on emotional intelligence has fostered a highly engaged workforce and a positive work culture.

ArtStock at Parley Lake Winery

July 12 & 13 | 11AM-5PM

Parley Lake Winery

8280 Parley Lake Rd, Waconia

Art Stock is a 2-day art & music festival. In addition to the artist booths and the picturesque, vineyard/orchard setting, live music fills the air both days enhancing this wonderful, summertime experience.

HomeTown Bank's Night at the Ballpark

Tuesday, July 15 | 7:30PM

Waconia Lions Field

927 Wildcat Way, Waconia

Join HomeTown Bank to enjoy a summer night, watch some baseball, and have some family fun! Waconia Lakers vs. Shakopee Indians @ 7:30 pm. FREE admission! Giveaways! Kids, run the baseline and stand by the Waconia Lakers for the National Anthem! Chuck-a-Ball & more!

Homebuyer Seminar

Scheff Insurance & Triple Crown Home Team

Friday, July 18 | 6:00-7:00PM

OR Saturday, July 26 |10:00-11:00AM

Waconia Brewing

255 W Main St, Waconia

Homebuyer Seminar! Join Amy Labo from Triple Crown Home Team and Brody Scheff from Scheff Insurance on a panel.

Waconia Lions Club Take a Kid Fishing

Saturday, July 19 | 7:30-11:30AM

In Towne Marina

8 Lake Street E, Waconia

Ages: 7 to 15 (Boys and Girls) Register online - spots are limited! Transportation: Must be provided by participant’s family/friends.

7:30 Breakfast

8:00 Fishing

10:30 Clean Fish

11:00 Lunch and prizes

11:30 Kids Picked Up

Sip, Shop, Stroll Waconia

July 24 | 10AM-6PM

Downtown Waconia



Sip, Shop & Stroll Waconia

Come join us for a fun day of shopping, sipping, and strolling around beautiful downtown Waconia! During this event grab a drink, take a leisurely stroll, and support small businesses in the area. Whether you're looking for gifts or treating yourself, you're sure to find something special during this event. Don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity to enjoy a day out in Waconia!

Waconia Wine Festival Weekend

July 26 & 27 | 11AM-6PM

Parley Lake Winery, Schram Vineyards, The Winery at Sovereign Estate

The Waconia Wine Festival, Minnesota’s most anticipated wine event, featuring tastings at three top wineries—Sovereign Estate, Schram Vineyards, and Parley Lake Winery—located within 5 miles of each other.

For $60, guests (21+) enjoy 3 tastings at each winery, live music, special food menus, and shuttle transportation between locations. Attendees choose their day, time, and starting winery during registration. The event runs rain or shine, and upgrades for extra tastings or souvenir glasses are available at each stop.

Vacation Bible School at Trinity Waconia

July 28-31 | 9:00AM-12:00PM

Trinity Lutheran

601 E 2nd St, Waconia

At Trinity’s True North VBS, Monday, July 28 to Thursday, July 31, kids will discover that they can trust Jesus in a wild world! Kids participate in memorable Bible-learning activities, sing catchy songs, play teamwork-building games, devour yummy treats, and experience one-of-a-kind Bible Adventures! Kids at True North VBS will also join together in various service projects supporting our local community.

Eva Sophia Project Benefit Concert

Featuring Curtis Grimes and Jenn Bostic

Thursday July 31, 2025 | 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM

Parley Lake Winery

8280 Parley Lake Rd, Waconia

Join us for an unforgettable evening of music, community, and purpose at the Eva Sophia Project Annual Benefit Concert, featuring the incredible talents of country music star Curtis Grimes and acclaimed singer-songwriter Jenn Bostic.

Set against the stunning backdrop of Parley Lake Winery, this event promises soul-stirring performances, great company, and delicious bites from the crowd-favorite Squeaky Cow Food Truck.

SIU Summer Special & Line Dancing Classes

Beginner's Line Dancing

Tuesday Nights 6:30-7:30p. Walk- ins welcome, no registration or dance experience necessary.  

Summer Special

Get unlimited group fitness classes for June, July, and August for $399. 22 Classes offered per week. Sign up at Shape It Up Fitness or email megan@shapeitupfitnessmn.com 

2025 Best of Carver County

The Patriot is launching the 2025 "Best of Carver County" readers' choice contest. Readers can nominate their favorite local businesses in a variety of categories. The contest is all online. Businesses are encouraged to nominate themselves from June 5- June 29. Once nominated, they can ask customers, clients, and friends to vote. The top 3-4 in each category will advance to final voting, held July 31- August 21.

Winners will receive a certificate, window cling, and be listed in print on October 23 & online. Voting is allowed once per day, per category.

Businesses can promote themselves in the contest through their website, social media, and by encouraging votes. Advertising packages are available for both nomination and final voting rounds - see the attached flyer for more details.

Rotary Youth Exchange builds peace one young person at a time!

The Waconia West-Carver Rotary is looking for three families who would like to host an incoming international exchange student for the upcoming 2025-2026 school year. The exchange student for the upcoming school year is a female high school student from Spain. Each family will host the student for approximately one-third of the school year. If you would like to be part of this incredible experience and host the incoming student, please contact:



Trevor Johnson, Rotary Member

Phone: 952-653-4104

Email: Trevor.Johnson@MidCountryBank.com

New Carver County Homebuyer Support

Carver County CDA has launched a new program to support first-time homebuyers with down payment and closing cost assistance. The program is designed for low to moderate-income households and aims to make homeownership more accessible in Carver County.

Key eligibility highlights:

• Must be first-time homebuyer (no home ownership in the past 3 years)
• Income limit: $132,400 or less
• Home must be in Carver County and cost no more than $415,000
• Completion of a Home Stretch workshop (within 12 months) is required
• 
  

Interested applicants can learn more and start the pre-application process online. A home stretch course will also be offered at the CDA office on Friday, July 18.

Ridgeview - Now Offering Outpatient Mental Health Services

Ridgeview, in partnership with Allina Health, is now providing outpatient mental health care conveniently located at Two Twelve Medical Center in Chaska. Services are available for a wide range of needs including anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, and more.

Post your jobs on DestinationWaconia.org

and the Waconia Works Facebook Page.

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.

Chamber Events

19th Annual Waconia Open



THANK YOU SPONSORS!

Monday, July 14 | 11:00AM

Island View Golf Club

9:30AM registration | 11:00AM shtogun

Get ready for a rootin’-tootin’ good time!

The 19th Annual Waconia Open is set for Monday, July 14, and this year with a Wild West twist. Team spots are full but you can still donate to the silent auction or join us at the 19th Hole BBQ Following the outing.

To donate reach out to Bobbi: Bgrohmann@destinationwaconia.org

Proceeds of the event support the business community and the operations of the Waconia Area Chamber of Commerce, a member-driven non-profit 501c(6) organization.

Thank You to our Title Sponsor:

Chamber Calendar - July 2025

JULY 4 Lake Waconia Fireworks, dusk, Lake Waconia Regional Park

JULY 10 Coffee Connection 7:30AM-9:00AM @ PuroClean

JULY 14 19th Annual Waconia Open @Island View Golf Club

JULY 15 Ambassadors, 8:45AM @Chamber Office

JULY 24 Sip, Shop & Stroll Waconia, 10AM-7PM

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