The event raised more than $133,000 for Best Buddies programs in Minnesota.

On Sunday, May 17th, the seventh annual Best Buddies in Minnesota Friendship Walk returned to Viking Lakes in Eagan for the second year. This year’s celebration of friendship, inclusion, and community spirit brought over 800 participants, friends, and community members out on a beautiful day, showcasing the mission of Best Buddies.

This year’s walk saw activities for folks of all ages and abilities including music by DJ Jamir Hopson, giant yard games on the turf plaza provided by Ingster Experiential, therapy llamas, a POUND workout class, face painting, a new Disability Resource Fair, and more. The addition of the Disability Resource Fair featured 10 organizations who work in, with, or for the disability community, sharing the services they provide and how they promote inclusion.

Among the 800+ walkers were friends, family, school chapters, corporate teams and sponsors, and community groups – showing up loud and proud to support inclusion for people with and without intellectual disabilities (IDD).

Thanks to the generous support of participants, donors, and sponsors, the 2026 Friendship Walk surpassed the fundraising goal of $130,000 and raised over $133,000 to support Best Buddies programs across Minnesota including 44 local school chapters and 4 community adult friendship programs that serve over 2,600 kids and adults with and without IDD across the state. The money raised will also help to expand these one-to-one friendship programs, leadership development opportunities, and statewide initiatives promoting inclusion for individuals with IDD, including the brand-new Transitions Program that will be launched this fall.

We were thrilled to recognize the incredible efforts of our top fundraisers and teams:

• Top Individual Fundraiser: Jason Hagman – $2,600
• Top School Team: Minnewashta Elementary Best Buddies – $3,900
• Top Friends & Family Team: Hagman Walk Squad – $2,800
• Top Corporate Team: Eurest & ESFM – Twin Cities – $4,672

Additionally, we’d like to recognize two more school chapters:

• Outstanding Chapter & Farthest Travelled: Perham School District – who took a bus over 3 hours to walk for inclusion!
• Largest School Team: Minnetonka Middle School West with 48 people registered!

Miss Minnesota Teen USA and longtime participant of Best Buddies, Maisie Adams, brought the excitement as the emcee of Opening Ceremonies, sharing the importance of Best Buddies in her own life. Buddy pair Annie and Gaby then spoke about their friendship that began in the Twin Cities Citizens Program before Minnesota Vikings Offensive Tackle, Walter Rouse, joined Maisie on stage to celebrate the Top Team & Individual Awards. Minnesota’s 2025 Champion of the Year, Shelby Hohneke, and her Mission Partner Mikayla Holmgren, led the walk around the lakes as the Grand Marshals. Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders and SKOL Line helped usher walkers across the finish line, just in time to get the party started!

This event would not have been possible without the generosity of our sponsors and partners. A heartfelt thank you to Abdo, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, Burns & McDonnell, Central Roofing Company, Eurest & ESFM, Federated Insurance, Finley’s, First Light Asset Management, Fortune Financial, Health Partners, Jennifer Myster & Gene Sieve, Minnesota Vikings, Neu Medical, New York Life Foundation, Sephora, and Wunderlich-Malec Engineering.

And a big thank you to our in-kind donors for supporting the Friendship Walk and bringing extra excitement with snacks, drinks, activities, and giveaways, including Bix Produce Company, Caribou Coffee (Vikings Parkway), Dairy Queen (Normandale Blvd), Hy-Vee (Eagan), POP! Balloon Décor, POUND Instructor Azure Adler, Raising Cane’s (Eagan), J&J Sweets, Euroworx and the Minnesota Chapter of the Changing Spaces Campaign.

Thank you to everyone who participated, fundraised, and supported this year’s Friendship Walk, including the volunteers, sponsors, donors, committee members, Team Captains, and every single walker who showed up and showed out. Your support is making an immediate and tangible impact towards a more inclusive world!

View event photos: Click here to see photos

Photos courtesy of volunteer photographers Etta Draper and Nick Thompson.

We look forward to seeing you at next year’s Friendship Walk on Sunday, May 16th, 2027, as we continue to build a future of friendship and opportunity for all.