Outdoors

Photo gallery: Picnic on the Farm

Joanna Werch Takes

July 25, 2024

People gathered for live music, history, and hands-on activities at the Eden Prairie Historical Society’s Picnic on the Farm Wednesday at the historic Dorenkemper House near Riley Lake Park. Photos by Joanna Werch Takes

The Eden Prairie Historical Society hosted its first-ever Picnic on the Farm event the evening of July 24 on the lawn of the historic Dorenkemper House at Riley Lake Park. The event included tours of the historic home led by Ginny Dorenkemper, who lived in the house as a child and whose mother was born in it in 1910.

The Geisler-Dorenkemper House was built in the 1860s and originally located along Pioneer Trail at Settlers Ridge. Ginny Dorenkemper lived in it as a girl with her parents.

Historical Society members also offered hands-on displays of antiques and old-fashioned games, while the Eden Prairie Art Center provided materials for crafts and Galactic Cowboy Orchestra performed live music. Participants were welcome to bring their own lawn chairs, blankets, and picnic supplies, while a Pizza alas Brasas food truck peddled wood-fired pizza and NorthStar Tavern offered adult beverages. The Eden Prairie Historical Society plans to repeat the free event on Aug. 14.

The Aug. 14 event will feature live music from Fred the Bear, artesian pizza available for purchase from OG ZaZa, and NorthStar Tavern making a return appearance. The Picnic on the Farm events run from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Dorenkemper House, 9090 Riley Lake Road, near the Riley-Jacques Barn, with free parking at Riley Lake Park, 9180 Riley Lake Road.

featured

Donate to Eden Prairie Local News

Your donation will support the student journalists of Eden Prairie Local News. Your contribution will allow us to purchase equipment and cover our annual website hosting costs.

About the Contributor

Joanna Werch Takes, Managing Editor

Joanna Werch Takes began her professional journalism career at a weekly community newspaper in Iowa. After moving to Minnesota, she spent several years as an editor at a magazine aimed at hobbyist woodworkers. Joanna and her family have lived in Eden Prairie for over 20 years. She is a former member and officer of the Eden Prairie Women of Today service group and a former Girl Scout leader in Eden Prairie.