Mystic Lake Amphitheater Named as Minnesota’s New Venue

Minnesota is home to some incredible music venues, from intimate indoor theaters to iconic stadiums. But the race to build the state’s premiere outdoor concert destination has been heating up, and the largest one yet just got its official name.

A brand-new 19,000-seat outdoor amphitheater is under construction at Canterbury Park in Shakopee. Designed with massive national touring acts and multi-day festivals in mind, this venue is expected to change the live music scene in Minnesota in a big way.

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Minnesota’s Next Big Outdoor Music Venue

Originally slated to open sooner, construction delays pushed back the timeline. Now, the amphitheater is expected to host its first concerts in the summer of 2026. When doors finally open, it will be known as the Mystic Lake Amphitheater, thanks to a naming rights partnership between Live Nation and the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community.

The new amphitheater will be the crown jewel of Shakopee’s growing entertainment district, Canterbury Commons. Once complete, the development is expected to attract not just concertgoers, but visitors from all over the region.

Tribal Casinos Making Big Moves in Entertainment

This news comes shortly after another major shift in Minnesota’s live entertainment landscape. Grand Casino recently secured naming rights for the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, which will officially be renamed Grand Casino Arena starting September 3rd.

With seating capacity rivaling Target Center and the newly named Grand Casino Arena, the Mystic Lake Amphitheater is positioned to become one of the most important venues in the Upper Midwest. Backed by Live Nation, which already manages The Fillmore Minneapolis, Uptown Theater, and the Varsity Theater, music fans can expect some of the biggest shows in the country to make their way to Shakopee.

Minnesota's Best Restaurants You Can Boat Up To

Minnesota, as the Land of 10,000 Lakes, has a lot of great restaurants and bars right on the water. While there are many with beautiful lakeside views, not everyone has the option to boat up to enjoy some time at the establishment.

While this is by no means a complete list of every bar and restaurant you can boat up to in Minnesota, these are the top-rated ones according to online reviews.

NOTE: These are in no particular order.

Gallery Credit: Nick Cooper - TSM Duluth

Tour Minnesota's Fanciest Mini Golf Course - The Centennial Lakes Putting Course

While they won't call it a mini golf course, it kind of is. This 18-hole course boasts all real grass playing surfaces, natural obstacles like sand traps, boulders, and water, just like a real golf course.

The whole course looks and feels like a shrunken golf course, and it plays like one, too! The holes are long! The shortest hole is 57 feet, the longest is 125 feet, and the whole 18-hole course plays 1,662 feet.

This is no ordinary mini golf course!

Take a tour.

Gallery Credit: Nick Cooper