Osberg campaigns at Fergus Falls and Wadena summer festivals

Purple shirts at two of Otter Tail County’s best-known summer festivals gave Erik Osberg a ready-made backdrop for a congressional campaign that is trying to feel local in Minnesota’s 7th District. Photos shared from SummerFest in Fergus Falls and June Jubilee in Wadena showed Osberg’s supporters mixing with parade crowds, with the campaign using familiar Main Street events to extend its reach beyond the usual political crowd.

In Fergus Falls, SummerFest was scheduled for June 12 and 13, with the parade set for 6 p.m. Saturday, June 13. The festival marked its 50th anniversary this year, giving Osberg a chance to attach his campaign to one of the city’s most recognizable civic traditions. The campaign’s Mobilize event told supporters to gather at 5 p.m. behind the Ottertail County Museum on Cavour Avenue and to bring campaign merchandise, since some would be available. Otter Tail County DFL supporters were invited to walk with the campaign in the parade.

Wadena’s June Jubilee offered a similar stage. The 2026 celebration was scheduled for June 12 and 13, and the Wadena Area Chamber of Commerce billed the theme as “Star-Spangled Summer Kickoff,” a nod to the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The chamber said the grand parade lineup began at 4:30 p.m. behind M State-Wadena, at 405 Colfax Ave. SW, with the parade starting at 6 p.m. Osberg’s campaign listing for Wadena set a 5:30 p.m. lineup and a 6 p.m. start, showing the same parade route being used as a campaign stop.

The appearances came as Osberg continues to build his run for Congress from Wadena, where his campaign materials say he is focused on rural communities, agriculture, education and healthcare. That message fits the kind of issues that shape daily life in Otter Tail County, where farm policy, rising costs for small businesses and access to care often carry more weight than national talking points. The festival circuit gave Osberg a chance to stand in front of voters who know the towns, the schools and the county institutions by name.

Osberg also entered the summer with momentum from the DFL endorsement fight. KAXE reported in May that the CD7 DFL endorsed Osberg over state Rep. Heather Keeler of Moorhead at the Granite Falls convention, with Osberg taking 65% of the vote on the first ballot. The festival appearances suggested a campaign trying to turn that endorsement into visible ground work in west-central Minnesota, not just social-media posts.