Linking Our Past With Our Present and Our Future…
Stiftungsfest is more than a German celebration – it’s entertainment for all ages with continuous music all weekend long.
Join us for our 165th Stiftungsfest on August 27 – 30, 2026. Minnesota’s Oldest Celebration returns with live music from bands like Ragtown, The Johnny Holm Band, and more, plus delicious food, drinks, family fun, and free parking.
Don’t miss our every-five-year parade back on August 30, 2026, a Stiftungsfest tradition!
A Minnesota celebration you don’t want to miss!
While it’s common for cities to hold an annual community festival or celebration, only Norwood Young America continues to proudly claim the title of Minnesota’s Oldest “Consecutive” Celebration. Stiftungsfest is an annual celebration that honors our strong German heritage in the Norwood Young America community, held the weekend before Labor Day.
Stiftungsfest, meaning “Founders Day Celebration” in German, will mark its 165th anniversary in 2026. The four-day celebration typically attracts around 10,000 visitors each year. Throughout the weekend, nearly 20 bands perform, and the festival hosts one of Minnesota’s largest softball tournaments, the Stiftungsfest Ambassador Coronation, a Polka church service, a 5K fun run, a family night for the kids, and more.
Stiftungsfest is more than a German celebration – it’s entertainment for all ages with continuous music all weekend long. Stiftungsfest is also about the food! Our famous Stiftungsfest burgers and brats are served all weekend with many other treats and beverages.
See you at Stiftungsfest!
A Letter From The NYA Fire Department
The Norwood Young America Fire Department is excited to invite you to Stiftungsfest 2026. We want to remind everyone that 100% of Stiftungsfest’s profits are donated to the Norwood Young America Fire Department. The fire department will use the funds for two purposes. First is the purchase of life-saving emergency equipment. Second is the purchase of protective gear and equipment to help keep our firefighters healthy and safe. Studies show that 68 percent of firefighters will be diagnosed with cancer, compared to 22 percent of the general population. Firefighting advocates believe firefighters are exposed to toxins in smoke, which are then absorbed through their skin despite their protective gear.
Last year, the Stiftungsfest committee entrusted the fire department with $40,000.00. Here are a couple of items that the fire department purchased using funds from the Stiftungsfest:
- A battery-powered ventilation fan, which firefighters use to clear smoke during search and rescue operations.
- A battery-powered hydraulic ram. This is an auto-extrication tool that firefighters will use while responding to accidents.
Saying that Stiftungsfest is a community celebration is true, but it is also much more than that. Stiftungsfest is your family; helping our family helps your family.
Sincerely yours,
NYA Fire Department