LOCAL 10: Conversations Around Hastings Today (MEDIA Edition ▲ July 20, 2025)

Start your morning with a smile! From quirky visits to heartfelt community efforts and big plans that put Hastings on the national stage, our river town is buzzing. Here's what your neighbours are chatting about over coffee and lemonade today. AI Image by Local Pigeon.

Community Celebrations

Party in the Park draws hundreds to Levee Park – Lines for facepainting, henna art and balloon animals snaked across Levee Park as Hastings celebrated National Parks & Recreation Month at the annual "Party in the Park." Recreation groups from around the area set up booths to showcase programs, and the River Valley Band and Orchestra played to mark ten years of programming at the park. Visitors learned about environmental efforts from community organisations like Hastings Environmental Protectors and Kids Creating Canopies, while history buffs enjoyed artifacts from the Hastings Historical Society hastingsjournal.news. Organisers emphasised that the free family event is supported by donations and local sponsorships, reminding residents how community contributions keep the fun going hastingsjournal.news.

👉 Link: Hastings Journal – Party in the Park

Hockey Day Minnesota 2026 set to transform Hastings – It’s official: the 20th annual Hockey Day Minnesota will land at the United Heroes League campus in Hastings next January for an eight‑day celebration of the state’s favourite sport. Organisers have raised $3.5 million of a $4 million capital campaign to build a permanent outdoor NHL‑size rink, four locker rooms, bleachers for 1,200 people, a VIP tent and even a two‑mile skate trail hastingsjournal.news. The schedule (Jan. 17–24, 2026) includes high school games, youth tournaments and community skates, and the Minnesota Wild and FanDuel are partnering on the event. Hastings expects to host more than 100,000 visitors over the week, bringing a huge boost to local businesses hastingsjournal.news.

👉 Link: Hastings Journal – Hockey Day Minnesota 2026

Local businesses shine in Star Tribune’s Minnesota’s Best awards – Hastings institutions scooped up several prizes in the Star Tribune’s Minnesota’s Best contest, where businesses across the state are nominated and voted on by the public. The Dakota County Library system earned gold for best public library, maintaining its champion status, while Wiederholt’s Supper Club in nearby Miesville took home its first gold for best supper club after earning silver last year hastingsjournal.news. Dakota County Technical College received silver for best trade school, and bronze winners included Hastings Flower Co., Afton Alps and Fresh Earth Farms hastingsjournal.news. It’s heartwarming to see our favourite spots recognised – congratulations to all the winners and nominees!

👉 Link: Hastings Journal – Minnesota’s Best winners

Luxury Hillbilly Hideaway podcast gives back – What started as two friends recording stories in a garage has blossomed into a hit local podcast celebrating Hastings’ history and small businesses. Hosts Bullet and Lux mix humour and heartfelt interviews with hometown business owners hastingsjournal.news. Recently the pair served as celebrity beverage‑cart boys at the "Gals on the Greens" charity golf tournament at Hastings Golf Club, donating all their tips to a local cause hastingsjournal.news. Their mission? To share the tales of the people and places that make our town special and give back along the way hastingsjournal.news. Give them a listen for laughs and community spirit in equal measure.

👉 Link: Hastings Journal – Luxury Hillbilly Hideaway Podcast

Oscar Mayer Wienermobile brings smiles to Cub Foods – A 27‑foot‑long, mustard‑yellow hot dog on wheels rolled into the Cub Foods parking lot in Hastings, delighting shoppers young and old. The iconic Wienermobile offered photo ops and games; one young boy tried his hand at a ring‑toss game and walked away with a coveted Frank Whistle hastingsjournal.news. If you missed it, don’t worry – there’s always next summer’s visit for your own larger‑than‑life hot dog adventure.

👉 Link: Hastings Journal – Wienermobile Visit

Rivertown Days Buzz

Rivertown Days craft fair and schedule heating up – Rivertown Days kicked off this weekend with a popular craft fair featuring handmade goods, treats and quirky items you didn’t even know you neededrss.app. The festival continues through Sunday, with a schedule packed with music on three stages, beer tents and carnival rides on Friday evening rivertowndaysmn.com. Saturday’s agenda includes the beloved arts and crafts fair at Jaycee Park with more than 80 vendors rivertowndaysmn.com, while Thursday’s kickoff picnic at the LeDuc Historic Estate served free burgers from Culver’s, cookies from Subway, and libations from Spiral Brewery and Alexis Bailly Vineyard rivertowndaysmn.com. Don’t forget to buy your button to support the festival!

👉 Link: Rivertown Days – Schedule

Sports Highlights

Hens and Hurricanes score big on the diamond – Hastings’ amateur baseball team, the Hens, dominated this week with a 13–3 win in seven inningsrss.app. The Women’s Hurricanes softball team also celebrated a 7–2 victory over Lakeville, though stormy weather forced KDWA to cancel its live coveragerss.app. It’s summertime ball at its best – grab your lawn chair and root for the home teams this weekend.

👉 Link: KDWA Radio – Local Sports

Hockey Day Minnesota matchups announced – KDWA reported the first lineup for Hockey Day Minnesota 2026: the Hastings boys will face East Ridge and the Hastings girls take on Park of Cottage Groverss.app. Saint Thomas Academy will challenge Rock Ridge, and minor‑league fans can catch the Milwaukee Admirals battling the Iowa Wild at the United Heroes League rink the day before the high school matchupsrss.app. Mark your calendars for January; the big reveal drew cheers at Rivertown Days.

👉 Link: KDWA Radio – HDM Matchups

Civic Updates

City talks PFAS treatment and clean drinking water – Concerned about per‑ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in our water? KDWA invited listeners to tune in for an interview with Hastings City Administrator Dan Wietecha to learn about progress on building a new water treatment plant and ensuring our taps remain saferss.app. The conversation is part of the city’s ongoing effort to address PFAS contamination and will explore how state and federal funding are being leveraged for solutions. Stay informed and ask questions – the quality of our drinking water affects us all.

👉 Link: KDWA Radio – PFAS and Water

Sponsors sought for Hockey Day Minnesota’s economic boon – Beyond the ice, Hockey Day Minnesota offers a windfall for local businesses. Organisers expect more than 100,000 visitors during the weeklong event and are encouraging area companies to sponsor everything from hospitality tents to rink amenities hastingsjournal.news. With $3.5 million already raised toward the $4 million budget hastingsjournal.news, sponsorships will help close the gap while boosting brand exposure and supporting youth hockey. Interested businesses can contact the United Heroes League or the Hastings Hockey Boosters to learn more.

👉 Link: Hockey Day Minnesota Sponsorships

That wraps up your LOCAL 10 – a blend of heartwarming community events, exciting sports announcements, business accolades and civic updates. Our charming river town is buzzing with activity, and there’s always more to discover. Head over to HastingsNow.com for the full LOCAL 10 story, photo galleries and ways you can get involved.

If you spot a misstatement or have a hot tip, drop us a line at HastingsNow.com/contact—our newsroom loves neighborly notes!