Staff from the Renaissance Festival and fire officials met Friday morning to assess the extent of the damage left behind by a fire that destroyed multiple commercial buildings on the grounds Thursday night.
At least 10 structures containing retail shops and food vendors were lost in the fire that broke out just after 6 p.m., according to a statement from the city of Shakopee.
“While we are heartbroken by the damage, we are already planning ahead,” said Renaissance Festival Executive Director Stephanie Whipps. “The Minnesota Renaissance Festival community is resilient, and we will work to rebuild and bring back the magic as soon as possible.”
This year’s festival is set to open Aug. 16 and will mark the 54th season of entertainment, art, shopping and food harkening to the 16th century.
Crews encountered “heavy fire conditions” that involved connected commercial structures, the city said. At least five were fully engulfed. As many as 12 agencies responded to the four-alarm fire, the city added.
By the time the blaze was mostly extinguished two hours later, 10 of the 20 structures were lost, the city said.
The fire was difficult to contain because the grounds are not connected to the municipal water system, which forced firefighters to shuttle water from hydrants that were eight minutes away. Further complicating matters were large emergency vehicles having to traverse minimally maintained gravel roads and terrain, the city said.
One Shakopee firefighter sustained a minor injury after being struck by a fire hose. The firefighter was treated at the scene and quickly returned to duty, the city said.
