GRANITE FALLS — It will be a celebration of creativity and community, organizers said. Granite Falls’ Squid Fest event is returning for a second year, and a full day of fun, food and music is planned downtown on Saturday.

“The whole idea of the festival is to be as inclusive as possible,” said Dani Prados.

As an artist-in-residence for Granite Falls, Prados helped create Squid Fest in 2021.

“Our tagline is ‘Celebrating art, community and the art of community,’ ” she said.

Prados said the festival’s fishy name grew out of sightings of what some Granite Falls residents said was a squid in the Minnesota River last year.

“It became this story about welcoming a strange new neighbor to town,” she said.

To go along with the themes of art and community, festival organizers have brought together a wide variety of events on Saturday. Prados said the day will start with a 5K walk/run following “a beautiful route” near the Minnesota River. In the afternoon, there will be events like a Welcome Week cultural cookout at Falls Cafe and Canoe, vendors, live music and a chance to contribute to a mural being painted on the river floodwall.

Squid Fest also coincides with the Granite Falls American Legion’s Rib Fest. On Saturday evening, visitors can get some barbecue while supporting area fire departments with proceeds from the event.

“We’re anticipating a pretty good crowd,” Prados said of Squid Fest. This year’s event has grown, she said. “Hopefully, it will keep building.”

If you go

10 a.m. Squid Fest 5K walk, run, crawl

11 a.m. Welcome Week Cultural Cookout at Falls Cafe and Canoe

Noon Steve Virnig Memorial Disc Golf Tournament in Rice Park

3 p.m. Music by Alyssa Nelson

3-5 p.m. Petting zoo, Berge Basement paint party, community mural painting, fire and ambulance trucks, art and activities, vendors, food trucks.

4 p.m. Music by Los Rebeldes

4-9 p.m. Ribfest at Granite Falls American Legion

4-10 p.m. Music by Maddy Braun and Brody Cordes at Ribfest stage

5:40 p.m.  Music by Ian Hilmer and Drivestation

7:30 p.m. Music by Dred I Dread