January
February
March
April
May
Hot Dog Day
Hot Dog Day 2024 is set for Saturday, May 18. Come to downtown St. James for hot dogs! Several organizations will be serving hot dogs (and more!) as a fundraiser. More information will be available as it gets closer!
June
Railroad Days
Railroad Days 2024 is June 17th -23rd.
Step back in time at the annual Railroad Days celebration. This event is a week of fun that celebrates our railroad heritage. Stop by the Model Rail Club where there are a variety of villages and trains in different scales to view, including hands-on interactions for the kids.
Visit the historical society museum to take in the many collections and displays featuring St. James history.
Pull out your clubs and challenge yourself at the St. James Golf Invitational tournament.
Saturday is the main event with fire truck rides, an antique car show, a pancake breakfast, Donut Eating Contest, the Gandy Dancer Parade, and more.
For a schedule of events, click here.
Rail Run featuring “Run For Those That Can’t”
The St. James Rail Run/Walk is Thursday, June 20th, 2024. The run/walk is held annual in conjunction with St. James Railroad Days. This is a fun family event for all ages which is held rain or shine. To find out more, click here: St James Rail Run (runsignup.com)
St. James Community Golf Invitational
St. James Community Golf Invitational is held at St. James Golf Course in conjunction with Railroad Days. This event is an opportunity for anyone who can play golf to enjoy a great afternoon of best ball golfing. The course has the ability to facilitate up to 36 – (4somes) teams. Followed by a supper meal as part of the golfing package. Sponsors and non-golfers are encouraged to attend the supper after the golfers finish the invitational. Businesses sponsor each hole and a hole-in-one is also sponsored with a great prize. Door prizes are given at the end of the evening prior to the Ball Drop Event. There are a limited number of drop ball tickets available for purchase. The Invitational benefits the St. James Rotary Club, St. James District 840 Foundation and St. James Chamber of Commerce.
Music in the Park
Throughout June and July there is a free concert series featuring a wide variety of music. Concerts are at Memorial Park. Visit www.ci.stjames.mn.us for more information!
July
Fireworks
At dusk fireworks are displayed over St. James Lake. The 2024 Fireworks show will be on Wednesday, July 3rd.
The cost of the fireworks is borne by local service clubs and individuals interested in providing this event for the area community. We so appreciate their support for this annual event!
Watonwan County Fair
The Minnesota fair season kicks off in Watonwan County. Nothing beats a county fair- think cotton candy, carnival rides, cheese curds, 4H exhibits, tractor pulls, live music and animal barns to explore.
The 147th annual county fair will be held in St. James at the fairgrounds July 17-20, 2024. The fairgrounds are located in the southeast corner of the city along 11th Street South. In addition to a carnival, there are 4-H exhibits, a horse show, and tractor pull, recognition of a Century Farm and Senior Citizens, excellent food vendors and a commercial building which displays a number of interesting exhibits.
The fair coordination is done by the Watonwan County Agricultural Association. The association is always looking for volunteers to assist before, during and after the fair, they can be contacted via their website: watonwancountyfair.com.
Music in the Park
Throughout June and July there is a free concert series featuring a wide variety of music. Concerts are at Memorial Park. Visit www.ci.stjames.mn.us for more information!
August
September
Godahl Day
Each year on Labor Day, the community of Godahl puts on a Godahl Day celebration. There are a variety of events throughout the day, but some highlights include a parade, baseball, and bingo.
Multicultural Fiesta
The Multicultural Fiesta in St. James is an annual event that celebrates the many diverse cultures of the residents of our community. Come to beautiful downtown St. James and enjoy live musical performances including ethnic dancing. Get a taste of different cultures by sampling food from Germany, Guatemala, Scandinavia, and Mexico, to name a few.
Join the community on September 14, 2024 and attend the sixth annual Multi-Cultural Fiesta sponsored by the “Uniting Cultures” planning committee. This date usually coincides with the celebration of the Mexican Independence Day which celebrates Mexico’s independence from Spain. The event is an opportunity to not only share cultures with food vendors, exhibitors, but also music and dancers representing many nationalities. This is a family-oriented event and usually starts at 4:00 pm and ends at 10:00 pm. The fiesta is sponsored by a number of corporate sponsors and nonprofit organizations. Any culture is invited to contact the planning committee to participate in the fiesta.
Homecoming
The St. James High School host a variety of Homecoming activities each fall. A special part of the festivities is the annual Hall of Fame induction banquet.
October
November
December
Winter Carnival
Hot chocolate and candy canes, Santa Claus, and a lighted parade. Let’s celebrate the holidays in St. James! There’s plenty of fun for all ages with a lighted parade, pictures with Santa, a free movie at the Princess Theater, Santa’s Gift shop for children to purchase Christmas gifts at a reasonable price, and much more! Go to the Winter Carnival page for more information!
Annual Events
