Event Gallery

From the 2019 Old Wadena Rendezvous just a wonderful sample of what 2021 Rendezvous attendees can expect this year!

Musicians Curtiss and Loretta, in addition to performing, taught Chautauqua classes at the2019 Old Wadena Rendezvous

Musicians Curtiss and Loretta, in addition to performing, taught Chautauqua classes at the2019 Old Wadena Rendezvous

Ray Boessel Jr (far right) demonstrated and explained his methods used to construct a birch bark canoe in Native American style.

Ray Boessel Jr (far right) demonstrated and explained his methods used to construct a birch bark canoe in Native American style.

Ray Boessel Jr, paddles his authentic birch bark canoe down the Crow Wing River along with a few other river paddlers.

Ray Boessel Jr, paddles his authentic birch bark canoe down the Crow Wing River along with a few other river paddlers.

2018 Construction of our new Pavilion!

2017 Old Wadena Rendezvous


Curtis and Loretta 2017


Gary and Dawn Timbs 2017


John Gorka 2017

2016 Old Wadena Rendezvous

2015 Old Wadena Rendezvous

  • Crow Wing Muzzleloaders firing off their Candy Cannon for kids to enjoy in the 2015 event!

  • 2015 Old Wadena Rendezvous

  • 2015 Old Wadena Rendezvous

  • 2015 Old Wadena Rendezvous

  • Dick Oehlenschlager describing one of the hundreds of items in his collection of wildlife from Wadena County.

  • The 2015 Candy Tent

  • 2015 Entertainment on Saturday’s stage

  • Bird house building by Jon Hamberg

  • Monroe Crossing playing to a full tent of delighted rendevous attendees

  • Kayakers enjoying the Crow Wing River from the Old Wadena park site

  • Pickin’ and grinnin’ by Monroe Crossing members

  • Artisans making and selling their wares including Lowell Bayerkohler talking with Dale and Sue Adams from Aldrich

  • Blue Frog Traders tent

  • Folks enjoying themselves at the 2015 Rendzvous!

  • Folks enjoying themselves at the 2015 Rendzvous!

  • Folks enjoying themselves at the 2015 Rendzvous!

  • Folks enjoying themselves at the 2015 Rendzvous!

  • Folks enjoying themselves at the 2015 Rendzvous!

  • Sunday afternoon at the Rendezvous featured (above) Gary and Dawn Timbs

  • Attendees relaxing and enjoying the beautiful music and setting.

  • Curtis and Loretta, another of the featured performers that day.

  • Circus at the 2015 Rendzvous!

  • Folks enjoying themselves at the 2015 Rendzvous!

  • Building bird houses.

  • Joanne White cuts the ribbons officially opening the Old Wadena park bog walk. Others in photo included Tom Kajer, OWS president, Mike Johnson, retired 3M machinist and others who worked on the bog walk project for several years.

  • OWS member Chuck Neal tries out a bench located along the several hundred feet of the Old Wadena Park bog walk.

  • Young people were among those who took part in a guided walk along the bog walk at the walk’s dedication in May, 2014.

  • Chuck Neal, Wadena County Commissioner Jim Hofer, Rudy Fellman and Glenn Motzko, Wadena County parks superviser, were among those who checked out th bog walk.

  • Volunteers worked on the bog walk for several years to complete it from one side of the bog to the other side.

  • Retired 3M employee Mike Johnson, left, and students from the Staples Central Lakes College campus diesel mechanics class were among the many volunteers who worked on the bog walk over a five to seven year long period.

  • Work, work work!

  • Tough work,but many hands helped!

  • Ingenious ways to build a bog walk were devised! Old Wadena Society president Tom Kajer (blue sweater) was there to supervise.

  • It’s a long walk on the bog walk!

  • Fall colors in the Old Wadena area.

  • 2011 Old Wadena Society Rendezvous

  • Making dreamcatchers at the 2011 Old Wadena Society Rendezvous

  • Lace making at the 2011 Old Wadena Society Rendezvous

  • 2011 Old Wadena Society Rendezvous

  • 2011 Old Wadena Society Rendezvous

  • 2011 Old Wadena Society Rendezvous

  • Minnesota Science Museum biologist explaining wildlife examples at the 2011 Old Wadena Society Rendezvous

  • Young Visitors making their own birdhouses at the 2011 Old Wadena Society Rendezvous

  • 2011 Old Wadena Society Rendezvous

  • Young Visitors making their own birdhouses at the 2011 Old Wadena Society Rendezvous

  • Young Visitors making their own birdhouses at the 2011 Old Wadena Society Rendezvous

  • Clockwork Clown and Mime performing at the 2011 Old Wadena Society Rendezvous

  • Young Visitors making their own birdhouses at the 2011 Old Wadena Society Rendezvous

  • Caitlan Robertson and Jake Hyer performers at the 2011 Old Wadena Society Rendezvous

  • “Monroe Crossing” bluegrass performers at the 2011 Old Wadena Society Rendezvous

  • “County 20” Bluegrass and Country performers at the 2011 Old Wadena Society Rendezvous

  • 2011 Old Wadena Society Rendezvous

  • Benny Tonce and Leech Lake Tribal College Drum at the Rendezvous and Folklife Festival

  • Partridge river edge with mink tracks

Welcome to Old Wadena

The Old Wadena Society sponsors the annual Old Wadena Rendezvous and Folklife Festival every August in the Old Wadena Park as part of its mission to share information about the natural environment and history of this area of north-central Minnesota. The park is situated on the banks of the Crow Wing River, one of the best canoe rivers in Minnesota. The festival showcases two days of great acoustic music, storytelling for all, Anishinaabe dance and drum, Rendezvouers demonstrating 1840s skills and living coniditions, and artists and artisans displaying their work. In addition the Society carries out other educational and interpretive work about the environment and history of the region.

Our location

A map and directions to Old Wadena County Historic Park will help you get to the park. Its location on the Crow Wing River between the Crow Wing's confluence with the Partridge and the Leaf Rivers in north-central Minnesota was an important hunting and trapping area for Indians and later for the French. Today the park is the centerpiece to a string of parks with campsites along the Crow Wing River in Wadena County. The Park is north and west of Staples and north and east of the city of Wadena in Wadena County.