Festival-palooza is upon us, people! This weekend may be the biggest for outdoor festivals this summer. It’s certainly the biggest thus far, with a flurry of events, from the numerous Green Line kickoff celebrations, to Juneteenth, the Stone Arch Bridge Festival, Northern Spark and much more. In honor of the Green Line launch, Metro Transit light rail and bus service will be free of charge both June 14 and 15, making it even easier to get around to all the happenings.
This weekend should prove particularly enjoyable for night owls, with night-time festivals that are bound to provide stunning visuals! It’s also Father’s Day weekend -- why not take Dad along to some of the events below? There's a 50% chance of showers both Saturday and Sunday so bring that poncho!
ROOTED: Hip Hop Choreographers’ Evening, June 12 - 14
ROOTED is billed as the “first and only choreographers’ evening focused on Hip Hop dance and its roots.” A variety of dance styles -- from African, Latin, and Tap, to Step, Breaking, Popping and Locking -- will be celebrated by the best choreographers in the Twin Cities. Attendees are encouraged to come early to enjoy tasty island-style food from the award-winning West Indies Soul Food Restaurant.
Intermedia Arts, 2822 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis
7 pm; $12 - $15
Stone Arch Bridge Festival, June 13 - 15
Enjoy local art, delicious food from vendors, live music, and the beautiful riverfront location. Over 250 artists will perform on three performances stages, with plenty of family art activities for the kids, as well. The Pop Art: Car Show or Polaris Motorcycle and Off-Road gallery may make for a fun Father's Day outing for Dad!
Minneapolis Riverfront, Historic Main Street, and Father Hennepin Park, Minneapolis
Go here for a schedule of events.
ASI Midsommar Celebration, June 14
The Midsommar Celebration is a real crowd-pleaser, featuring family-friendly activities, the raising of the Midsummer pole, traditional dancing, music and more. The food includes herring plates, Swedish-style hot dogs, and ice cream. Go here for more information, and here to download the schedule of events.
American Swedish Institute, 2600 Park Ave., Minneapolis
10 am to 5 pm; $5 - $10
Green Line Opening Weekend, June 14
Starting June 14, 10 am, it’s all systems go for the long-awaited Green Line kick off! The celebrations will be plentiful, as stations along the Green Line will be full of festivities. Rides will be free on any Metro Transit service Saturday and Sunday, June 14 & 15.
From the website:
The Main Events:
“Union Depot: After the 9 a.m. official ribbon cutting, will be a full day of live music programmed by The Current, a gallery of Lowertown artists, a display of finalists from the Green Line commemorative poster contest, along with Union Depot tours and historical information. The event site will be a connecting point for private events happening in and around Lowertown. Organized by the Metropolitan Council.
Target Field Station: "Catch a Taste of the Warehouse District"– See TC Bear from the Twins, participate in interactive games with the Timberwolves and Lynx, and taste samples from Warehouse District/North Loop restaurants. A full day of live music is planned, programmed by 96.3 K-TWIN, along with family activities. Organized by Metro Transit.”
In addition to the main events above, there will be tons of festivities in the community, from West Bank Station to Central Station. Go here for a list of all the happenings.
Black Dog Lowertown Block Party, June 14
Lowertown may be one end of the Green Line, but it’s just the beginning of the launch festivities! Black Dog Lowertown’s block party will feature art, food, drink and more. Enjoy like music from: Orkestar Bez Ime, Zacc Harris Group, Person & The People, Salsa Del Sol, Pete Hennig Group, and the Maurice Jacox band. Go here for more info.
308 E. Prince St., Saint Paul
2 pm – 9 pm
The Juneteenth Festival is an annual cultural celebration that observes the June 19th 1865 proclamation of the abolition of slavery in Texas (a full two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation became official January 1, 1863). This year’s festival includes a continental breakfast, Underground Railroad Re-Enactment, free paddling down the Mississippi River, storytelling with Vusumizi Zulu and Mahmoud El-Kati, live music and more. Festival partners MLK Tennis Buffs and USTA Northern are providing interactive tennis fun and prizes. Go here for the breakdown of activities and scheduling info.
North Mississippi Regional Park, 5114 North Mississippi Drive, Minneapolis
Starting at 10 am
2014 Twin Cities World Refugee Day, June 14
Twin Cities World Refugee Day Celebration is an annual festival held each year in June that celebrates the diverse stories and journeys of the more than 100,000 refugees in the Twin Cities, as well as refugees around the world. Enjoy local food, performances, children's activities, artisan fair and much more.
Wellstone Center, Saint Paul
12 pm - 5 pm
Free and open to the public.
Loring Park Acoustic Music Festival, June 14
Summer and acoustic sounds go hand-in-hand. The Loring Acoustic festival will feature a number of local acoustic artists, including Mikkel Beckmen and Steve Kaul, The High 48s, The Wild Goose Chase Cloggers, The New Riverside Ramblers and many more. The event is sponsored by MPRB/Loring Park, Citizen for a Loring Park Community, KFAI, Minneapolis Parks and Recreation and a host of others. Go here to see a full list of the musical line up.
Call 612-874-9002 for more info or email loveloring [at] gmail [dot] com
Noon – 8 pm; Free
Deutsche Tage (German Days), June 14-15
Germanic-American Institute, 301 Summit Avenue, Saint Paul
Do you enjoy authentic German food, music and festivities? If so, come on out to what is billed as the “Great German Get-together” at the Germanic-American Institute. The two-day festival includes a 5K run, dance party, and all day activities both Saturday and Sunday.
Go here for a full list of activities.
The Little Mekong Night Market, June 14
The first in a series of markets (other dates: July 5, July 26, August 16, and September 6), these late-night gatherings mix the allure of fresh food with live performance, culture, local art and tunes spun by DJ Kool Akiem.
Stage Schedule:
6:00: Hong De Kung Fu – Dragon Dancers
6:30: Lao Drummers
7:00: Tou Saiko Lee & GDawg
7:30: Center for Hmong Arts & Talent Youth Leadership Group
8:00: Floortribe
8:30: Still Hot “Tseem Kub” JAM SESSION
9:30: Film Screening
400 block of University Ave between Mai Village Restaurant and Little Szechuan Restaurant, near to the intersection of University Ave and Western Ave.
5 pm – 10 pm
Another fun event for night-lovers presents itself at Northern Spark, which returns from Saint Paul to Minneapolis this year. Thousands of attendees are expected to congregate around the city to enjoy the all-night arts festival, now in its fourth year. Come explore the dusk to dawn beauty of the urban landscape with the magic of art on giant video projections and temporary installations in the streets, plus glowing cyclists and much more! Various locations in Minneapolis will be lit up with art sites, including the Midtown Greenway (see Greenway Glow below). Gohere to view the many art site locations.
9: 01 pm - 5:26 am (Dusk until dawn); Free
Greenway Glow Night Bike Ride, Jun 14
The night-time fun rolls on with the 3rd annual Greenway Glow at the Midtown Greenway! Greenway Glow, taking place during Northern Spark, is a night-time bike ride that helps raise funds for the Midtown Greenway while enjoying free food, beverages and prizes and bike camaraderie. The Glow Ride runs from 9:01 pm - 1:00 am, with a post-ride "AfterGlow" party starting at 11:00 pm on the patio of the Sheraton Midtown.
Registration for the Glow bike ride is $30 ($20 for current Midtown Greenway Coalition members). Glow ride participants are being asked to register by Noon June 14. Go here to sign up for the bike ride, and go here to volunteer for the event and get a free glow-in-the-dark T-shirt, glow light and more.
Northern Spark art sites will be lit up between Hiawatha and Hennepin avenues.
Midtown Greenway Coalition, 2834 10th Avenue, Minneapolis
9 pm - 1 am
How will you spend this busy Father’s Day weekend? Add your voice to this story with the #tcdpic hashtag, and check back over the weekend to see your tweet, photo or post added to our weekend Storify.
Coverage of issues and events that affect Central Corridor neighborhoods and communities is funded in part by a grant from Central Corridor Funders Collaborative.
Festival-palooza is upon us, people! This weekend may be the biggest for outdoor festivals this summer. It’s certainly the biggest thus far, with a flurry of events, from the numerous Green Line kickoff celebrations, to Juneteenth, the Stone Arch Bridge Festival, Northern Spark and much more. In honor of the Green Line launch, Metro Transit light rail and bus service will be free of charge both June 14 and 15, making it even easier to get around to all the happenings.
This weekend should prove particularly enjoyable for night owls, with night-time festivals that are bound to provide stunning visuals! It’s also Father’s Day weekend -- why not take Dad along to some of the events below? There's a 50% chance of showers both Saturday and Sunday so bring that poncho!
ROOTED: Hip Hop Choreographers’ Evening, June 12 - 14
ROOTED is billed as the “first and only choreographers’ evening focused on Hip Hop dance and its roots.” A variety of dance styles -- from African, Latin, and Tap, to Step, Breaking, Popping and Locking -- will be celebrated by the best choreographers in the Twin Cities. Attendees are encouraged to come early to enjoy tasty island-style food from the award-winning West Indies Soul Food Restaurant.
Intermedia Arts, 2822 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis
7 pm; $12 - $15
Stone Arch Bridge Festival, June 13 - 15
Enjoy local art, delicious food from vendors, live music, and the beautiful riverfront location. Over 250 artists will perform on three performances stages, with plenty of family art activities for the kids, as well. The Pop Art: Car Show or Polaris Motorcycle and Off-Road gallery may make for a fun Father's Day outing for Dad!
Minneapolis Riverfront, Historic Main Street, and Father Hennepin Park, Minneapolis
Go here for a schedule of events.
ASI Midsommar Celebration, June 14
The Midsommar Celebration is a real crowd-pleaser, featuring family-friendly activities, the raising of the Midsummer pole, traditional dancing, music and more. The food includes herring plates, Swedish-style hot dogs, and ice cream. Go here for more information, and here to download the schedule of events.
American Swedish Institute, 2600 Park Ave., Minneapolis
10 am to 5 pm; $5 - $10
Green Line Opening Weekend, June 14
Starting June 14, 10 am, it’s all systems go for the long-awaited Green Line kick off! The celebrations will be plentiful, as stations along the Green Line will be full of festivities. Rides will be free on any Metro Transit service Saturday and Sunday, June 14 & 15.
From the website:
The Main Events:
“Union Depot: After the 9 a.m. official ribbon cutting, will be a full day of live music programmed by The Current, a gallery of Lowertown artists, a display of finalists from the Green Line commemorative poster contest, along with Union Depot tours and historical information. The event site will be a connecting point for private events happening in and around Lowertown. Organized by the Metropolitan Council.
Target Field Station: "Catch a Taste of the Warehouse District"– See TC Bear from the Twins, participate in interactive games with the Timberwolves and Lynx, and taste samples from Warehouse District/North Loop restaurants. A full day of live music is planned, programmed by 96.3 K-TWIN, along with family activities. Organized by Metro Transit.”
In addition to the main events above, there will be tons of festivities in the community, from West Bank Station to Central Station. Go here for a list of all the happenings.
Black Dog Lowertown Block Party, June 14
Lowertown may be one end of the Green Line, but it’s just the beginning of the launch festivities! Black Dog Lowertown’s block party will feature art, food, drink and more. Enjoy like music from: Orkestar Bez Ime, Zacc Harris Group, Person & The People, Salsa Del Sol, Pete Hennig Group, and the Maurice Jacox band. Go here for more info.
308 E. Prince St., Saint Paul
2 pm – 9 pm
The Juneteenth Festival is an annual cultural celebration that observes the June 19th 1865 proclamation of the abolition of slavery in Texas (a full two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation became official January 1, 1863). This year’s festival includes a continental breakfast, Underground Railroad Re-Enactment, free paddling down the Mississippi River, storytelling with Vusumizi Zulu and Mahmoud El-Kati, live music and more. Festival partners MLK Tennis Buffs and USTA Northern are providing interactive tennis fun and prizes. Go here for the breakdown of activities and scheduling info.
North Mississippi Regional Park, 5114 North Mississippi Drive, Minneapolis
Starting at 10 am
2014 Twin Cities World Refugee Day, June 14
Twin Cities World Refugee Day Celebration is an annual festival held each year in June that celebrates the diverse stories and journeys of the more than 100,000 refugees in the Twin Cities, as well as refugees around the world. Enjoy local food, performances, children's activities, artisan fair and much more.
Wellstone Center, Saint Paul
12 pm - 5 pm
Free and open to the public.
Loring Park Acoustic Music Festival, June 14
Summer and acoustic sounds go hand-in-hand. The Loring Acoustic festival will feature a number of local acoustic artists, including Mikkel Beckmen and Steve Kaul, The High 48s, The Wild Goose Chase Cloggers, The New Riverside Ramblers and many more. The event is sponsored by MPRB/Loring Park, Citizen for a Loring Park Community, KFAI, Minneapolis Parks and Recreation and a host of others. Go here to see a full list of the musical line up.
Call 612-874-9002 for more info or email loveloring [at] gmail [dot] com
Noon – 8 pm; Free
Deutsche Tage (German Days), June 14-15
Germanic-American Institute, 301 Summit Avenue, Saint Paul
Do you enjoy authentic German food, music and festivities? If so, come on out to what is billed as the “Great German Get-together” at the Germanic-American Institute. The two-day festival includes a 5K run, dance party, and all day activities both Saturday and Sunday.
Go here for a full list of activities.
The Little Mekong Night Market, June 14
The first in a series of markets (other dates: July 5, July 26, August 16, and September 6), these late-night gatherings mix the allure of fresh food with live performance, culture, local art and tunes spun by DJ Kool Akiem.
Stage Schedule:
6:00: Hong De Kung Fu – Dragon Dancers
6:30: Lao Drummers
7:00: Tou Saiko Lee & GDawg
7:30: Center for Hmong Arts & Talent Youth Leadership Group
8:00: Floortribe
8:30: Still Hot “Tseem Kub” JAM SESSION
9:30: Film Screening
400 block of University Ave between Mai Village Restaurant and Little Szechuan Restaurant, near to the intersection of University Ave and Western Ave.
5 pm – 10 pm
Another fun event for night-lovers presents itself at Northern Spark, which returns from Saint Paul to Minneapolis this year. Thousands of attendees are expected to congregate around the city to enjoy the all-night arts festival, now in its fourth year. Come explore the dusk to dawn beauty of the urban landscape with the magic of art on giant video projections and temporary installations in the streets, plus glowing cyclists and much more! Various locations in Minneapolis will be lit up with art sites, including the Midtown Greenway (see Greenway Glow below). Gohere to view the many art site locations.
9: 01 pm - 5:26 am (Dusk until dawn); Free
Greenway Glow Night Bike Ride, Jun 14
The night-time fun rolls on with the 3rd annual Greenway Glow at the Midtown Greenway! Greenway Glow, taking place during Northern Spark, is a night-time bike ride that helps raise funds for the Midtown Greenway while enjoying free food, beverages and prizes and bike camaraderie. The Glow Ride runs from 9:01 pm - 1:00 am, with a post-ride "AfterGlow" party starting at 11:00 pm on the patio of the Sheraton Midtown.
Registration for the Glow bike ride is $30 ($20 for current Midtown Greenway Coalition members). Glow ride participants are being asked to register by Noon June 14. Go here to sign up for the bike ride, and go here to volunteer for the event and get a free glow-in-the-dark T-shirt, glow light and more.
Northern Spark art sites will be lit up between Hiawatha and Hennepin avenues.
Midtown Greenway Coalition, 2834 10th Avenue, Minneapolis
9 pm - 1 am
How will you spend this busy Father’s Day weekend? Add your voice to this story with the #tcdpic hashtag, and check back over the weekend to see your tweet, photo or post added to our weekend Storify.
Coverage of issues and events that affect Central Corridor neighborhoods and communities is funded in part by a grant from Central Corridor Funders Collaborative.
