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Prior Lake News Compass
Thursday, July 16, 2026
Wow, what a weekend! If you were one of the music fans who packed Lakefront Park for the big festival, you know just how incredible the energy was (even with Keith Urban's slight flight delay!). Now we have some community updates to catch up on: Liz Zimmerman is officially taking over as the new communications lead for our school district, and if you—or someone you know—has ever thought about running for local office, candidate filings are now open.
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Top Story
Lakefront Park was filled with thousands of concertgoers both days the festival was held.
Prior Lake Rotary's Lakefront Music Fest draws huge crowds for annual fundraiser
Prior Lake Rotary's Lakefront Music Fest drew an estimated 30,000 music fans to the city during the past weekend.
Fans of rock music came to see headliner Billy Idol in person, along with George Thorogood and The Destroyers and Jefferson Starship on Friday night. Featured artists for country night included Karley Scott Collins, Jackson Dean and Keith Urban.
Despite the heat, the event went as planned with only one minor glitch: the plane that was bringing country star Urban to the Twin Cities from Nashville encountered electronic issues and delayed his arrival by close to an hour. The vast majority of attendees stuck around for the headliner's performance that capped off the evening and event.
City
 | Chamber's 'Prior Lake Days' scheduled for downtown area Aug. 7-8The Prior Lake Chamber of Commerce will once again host its annual summer celebration of "Prior Lake Days" on Aug. 7-8. |
 | Candidate filings for Prior Lake City Council open through June 28The filing period to fill two open seats on the Prior Lake City Council is now open through 5 p.m. on July 28. |
 | City to conduct public accuracy tests on voting machines July 20The public is invited to observe the City of Prior Lake's public accuracy testing of voting machines ahead of the upcoming primary election scheduled for Aug. 11. |
Schools
 | Zimmerman to lead communications for Prior Lake-Savage Area SchoolsLiz Zimmerman has been named the new director of communications for Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools, and will lead the district's strategic communications, community engagement, media relations and digital communications. |
 | Candidate filing period now open for PLSAS board electionThe candidate filing period for the Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools (PLSAS) Board of Education election is now open through July 28. |
Sports
 | PLAY football registration for grades K-8 open until July 19Registration for Prior Lake Athletics for Youth football program is open through Sunday, July 19, for children in kindergarten through the eighth grade. |
Prior Lake in the Past
This weekly column contains summary excerpts of news items published in the Prior Lake American decades ago. We hope our readers enjoy remembering those who are mentioned from years past, and this feature provides historical perspective about how much the community has changed over the decades.
Prior Lake Police Log
This weekly report is based on information submitted by the Prior Lake Police Department for responses. All calls for service may not be included; all subjects arrested and named are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Nature
 | Tekiela: Pileated woodpecker among the most recognizable of bird speciesAuthor, naturalist and wildlife photographer Stan Tekiela shares his knowledge of the pileated woodpecker, a bird that stands out from the crowd. |
Obituaries
Featured Event
 | July 20 • Wolf discussion with Stan Tekiela - Prior Lake LibraryRegional expert on all things outdoors, Stan Tekiela, will share some of the fascinating experiences he has had involving wolves, coyotes and foxes during his presentation to be held at Club Prior from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Monday, July 20. Tekiela is a local naturalist, photographer and author with over 40 years of experience and publisher of 200 field guides. He is an expert on all things "outdoors." |
Events
July 16 • Teen art class - Prior Lake Library
Teens ages 12-18 can give old books and magazines a second life by turning them into unique word art.
July 18 • Summer concert - Spring Lake Regional Park
Prepare for a packed lineup of live music, food trucks and lawn games.
July 19 • Log rolling class - Cleary Lake Regional Park
Join the Outdoor Recreation School instructors to learn about the fun sport. Participants can test new skills while competing against other class members.
July 21 • Summer book club - Prior Lake Library
Young mystery lovers can put on their detective hats this summer.
July 24 • Prior Lake Windjammers at Music in the Park - Lakefront Park
Grab your lawn chairs, pack a cooler (no glass, please!) and enjoy a free, relaxing evening of live music in the park.
Aug. 5 • Cook Book Club - Prior Lake Library
The theme for the August event is "summer picnic." Those who attend can select any recipe, prepare it and bring the completed dish to the meeting, along with serving utensils and a copy of the recipe to share with the group.
In Case You Missed It
Top clicked stories from last week
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