Red Wing Basket Crawl event will help raise funds for flower baskets
For nearly 40 years, the Noontime Kiwanis Club of Red Wing has kept Red Wing beautiful by fundraising for the downtown flower baskets.
Other than those on the block around City Hall, all of the downtown baskets are paid for by Noontime Kiwanis. The organization has always relied on donations from local residents, businesses, and philanthropic organizations to support these efforts. That remains the case, but this year the community will have another way to contribute to the flower basket fund.
On Saturday, June 27, the Red Wing Area Chamber of Commerce and Red Wing Downtown Main Street are hosting the Red Wing Basket Crawl. That day, portions of all sales from twenty local businesses will go directly toward the expenses of the flower baskets.
“Not only does this shopping day support keeping our town beautiful,” says Downtown Main Street Director Andrea Hanson, “but it also directly impacts our local economy by asking the community to shop small.”
All of the participating businesses, Hanson says, were excited to participate, because they know how important the baskets are to the town.
The flower baskets have become an iconic part of summers in Red Wing, but they require a significant budget. In 2024, the total cost ran to just over $40,000. That amount includes the cost of purchasing the flowers from Sargent’s Nursery, and the cost of the materials and watering labor required to keep the baskets vibrant all summer, and all of those expenses are the responsibility of Noontime Kiwanis.
Hanson believes supporting the flower baskets is important for the long term health of Red Wing’s businesses. “The flower baskets are synonymous with Red Wing,” she says. “They are truly part of the brand of our city. They make our town stand out against other tourist locations, and are a genuine draw for our economy.”
The participating businesses are: 210 Plum Crazy, Adourn, Bev’s Café, ELEVAE, Forever Adored Boutique, Howes Diamond Jewelers, HW Mercantile, I Rise Café & Achieve Health and Wellness, Man on The Water, Mandy’s Coffee & Café, North Star Stitching Studio, Phileo Style, Red Wing Confectionery, River Blu Salon DaySpa, Riverbend Floral Studio, RW Restyle & Tootsie Too’s, Sargent’s Nursery, Simple Abundance, UFFDA SHOP, and Whimsy’s By Krista.
Anyone interested in contributing to the flower baskets, but unable to participate in the Basket Crawl, can still donate at k00307.site.kiwanis.org/what-we-do/.
This story originally appeared in the Red Wing Republican Eagle.
