Fergus Falls adds seven Minnesota sculptures to 2026 downtown walk

Seven new sculptures by Minnesota artists will expand the Fergus Falls Sculpture Walk into a second-year downtown circuit that city leaders are pitching as both a public-art attraction and a downtown business booster. The 2026 installation is scheduled to run from May 2026 through April 2027, with an opening celebration set for Saturday, May 30, from 1 to 3 p.m. at a route that threads through historic downtown and toward the Otter Tail River corridor.

The city says the walk is meant to build on Fergus Falls’ reputation as a regional arts center while linking retail, tourism and public art along Lincoln Avenue. The route passes local businesses, galleries and the historic theater, then reaches the Riverfront Splash Pad and Spies Park farmers market, putting the sculptures in front of some of the downtown spots merchants have the most reason to watch closely for added foot traffic.

The Fergus Falls Public Arts Commission selected the works for conceptual strength, originality and workmanship. Each chosen artist receives a $2,000 honorarium, and the sculptures are also for sale. City officials say the program is supported by the Frank Veden Charitable Trust and Lake Region Arts Council, with funding tied to Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

The Sculpture Walk first opened in summer 2025 with six pieces installed between Union Avenue and Cascade Avenue on Lincoln Avenue. City materials show the project began with artists meeting at Fergus Brewing in January 2019, then expanded in early 2024 when community leaders joined the effort. Naomi RaMona Schliesman oversees the project for the city, giving the walk a single point of coordination as it grows from a debut installation into a longer downtown feature.

Applications for the 2026 sculptures were due in August 2025, and selected artists were to be notified in fall 2025. With the second year now set, the measure of success in downtown Fergus Falls will not be artistic ambition alone. It will be whether the walk draws people past storefronts, strengthens business visibility along Lincoln Avenue and gives the city a sharper identity as a place where public art, riverfront activity and downtown commerce meet.