Authored on
Print
Title

Annual Circus of the Heart event celebrates adoption while highlighting the need for more adoptive parents

Minnesotans who have recently adopted children from foster care and those considering adopting foster children can come together to share their stories, ask questions, and celebrate their growing families together at an upcoming free event sponsored by the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF), Foster Adopt Minnesota, and other community partners.

The 29th annual “Celebrate Adoption: Circus of the Heart” event will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7, at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. DCYF Assistant Commissioner Rebecca St. George will give the welcome address, and adoption experts will be available throughout the event to answer questions about adoption from foster care. The fair’s North End Event Center has arcade games, crafts, prizes, music, mascots, clay art, henna art, face painting, outdoor activities and photo opportunities for attendees to enjoy.

“Children deserve safe, supportive, stable homes and nurturing families,” said Commissioner Tikki Brown. “We work with our partners to find permanent families who can best meet a child’s cultural, emotional, mental health and physical health needs, particularly for older children and sibling groups. Adoption is a life-changing decision for both the parent and the child and can have a meaningful and profound impact on the lives of all involved.”

Register to attend in person through the Foster Adopt Minnesota website. Visit the Foster Adopt Minnesota website regularly for optional virtual activities and contests as Circus of the Heart approaches. Parking is free.

In 2025, Minnesota families adopted 531 children from foster care. Currently, 441 children in foster care are not currently in a permanent home. Of the 441 children who need permanency in Minnesota:

  • 52% are 12 to 18 years old, 22% are 6 to 11 and 26% are under 6
  • 44% are siblings who need to be adopted together
  • 37% are white, 23% are Black/African American, 32% are two or more races, 7% are American Indian, 1% are Asian/Pacific Islander, and the race of 1% is unknown or not provided
  • 66% have special needs, including physical, mental, emotional or behavioral disabilities.

This event reflects the Walz-Flanagan Administration’s efforts to strengthen Minnesota’s child welfare system, including the creation of an Office of the Foster Youth Ombudsperson and the passage of the Minnesota African American Family Preservation and Child Welfare Disproportionality Act. Together, these investments help give a voice to foster youth and address systemic challenges African American and other disproportionately represented families face in the child welfare system. This event further reflects the Administration’s commitment to modernizing state services, strengthening Minnesota’s support systems, and making Minnesota the best state in the country to raise a family.

More information about adoption is available from county or Tribal social service agencies, Foster Adopt Minnesota at www.fosteradoptmn.org, or the DCYF website at https://dcyf.mn.gov/partners-and-providers/child-safety-and-permanency/adoption-and-kinship.