Located on Hennepin Ave. and Second St. N, Gateway Park extends a welcome greeting to all who visit the City of Lakes. The Gateway Fountain cycles jets of water that are illuminated nightly with rotating, colored lights. This is just one of several fountains beautifying Minneapolis parks.
Contact no:(612) 230-6400
Location:N. 2nd St. and Hennepin Ave. Minneapolis, MN 55401
Learn more here.
What’s are ArtCars? Vehicles wildly decorated by playful artists or homemade by kooky inventors. From a mosaic-covered car to a remote control couch, there’s something Seussian and gleeful about this colorful parade and its creative participants. 2008 will see the 14th year for the Art Car Parade. After seeing these vehicles in motion, you can look up close while they’re parked at Intermedia Arts post-parade. Each winter there’s usually a smaller, fundraising version on ice including art shanties.
Contact no:(612) 871-4444
Location:Lake of the Isles, South Minneapolis, MN
Learn more here.
For nearly 70 years now, this annual festival hosts free parades, water sporting events, block parties, milk carton races, and fireworks. Events happen across Uptown and in downtown Minneapolis, so check the schedule, there’s always fun to be had during this summer festival celebrating our wealth of waterways.
Contact no: (612) 376-7669
Location:Minneapolis, MN
Learn more here.
The old, massive Sears Roebuck building at Lake and Chicago was reclaimed from vacancy and turned into a great, vibrant marketplace with condos above. Making its debut in 2006, the clean and organized market features rows of booths by more than 50 independent local businesses, including many with past or present storefronts around town, like Andy’s Garage and Holy Land Bakery. The crafts, groceries, and restaurant counters highlight the many ethnic cultures of the Twin Cities. Hmong embroidery, Scandinavian baked goods, South American, African, Middle Eastern, Indian-even Tibetan-art, clothing, and food await your sampling pleasure. Midtown Global Market is a feast for the eyes and palate, ready to stimulate the curiosity and tastebuds of kids of all ages with colorful sights and sounds from around the globe. You’ll also find free dance lessons (from salsa to Irish), as well as live music and other family entertainment. It’s worth noting that besides parking (free on the weekends), the Midtown Greenway bike path runs right behind it and the Lightrail stops nearby.
Contact no:(612) 872-4041
Location:920 East Lake Street, Minneapolis, MN 55407
Learn more here.
The first Sunday in May, people of all ages wind their way toward South Minneapolis and start lining up along Bloomington Avenue, between 25th and 34th Streets, congregating near Powderhorn Park. Organized by In The Heart Of The Beast Puppet Theatre, the Mayday festival has been going for more than 30 years now and has a different theme each year, always featuring many world-class giant puppets, bands, dancers, cyclists, dancing stiltwalkers, fantastically costumed creative types, and many smiling community members. The best view of the parade is generally along Bloomington, just follow those paraders to where the route ends at Powderhorn Park. There you’ll find healthy concessions and a performance til dusk with hillside lawn seating.
Contact no:(612) 721-2535
Location: 15th Avenue South and 34th Street East, Minneapolis, MN 55407
Learn more here.
Just a walk over the pedestrian bridge from the Sculpture Garden’s Spoon and Cherry lies Loring Park, where Summer Music and Movies occurs several Monday nights in July and August. The free outdoor entertainment features a great local band playing live at 7pm, before a classic film plays under the stars after sunset. Bring your grandchildren, a blanket or chairs and some snacks, and kick back outdoors with the community for this Monday night summer series 30 years running.
Contact no:(612) 370-4929
Location: 1382 Willow Street, Minneapolis, MN 55403
Learn more here.
If you’d like to believe in magical spooky houses again, take a trip to the House of Balls. This eccentric gallery trips the imagination in many wonderfully weird ways. The ‘balls’ referred to are bowling balls, carved into sculptures and decorating this abode, along with more of Allen Christian’s sculptures made from other found materials. While it claims to be open every night at midnight and other random times and upon request if you call ahead, I have yet to find the door unlocked when just dropping by, but know of folks who have gained entrance. It’s always fun to stop and check, too, because Christian has rigged the outside with some low-tech interactives and the warped view in through the windows emphasizes the magical promise inside. It’s an odd spot, for certain, and right around the corner is Moose and Sadies, a bright, clean cafe with great coffee and cookies.
Contact no:(612) 332-3992
Location:212 Third Avenue, North, Minneapolis, MN 55401
Learn more here.
This multiethnic celebration in downtown St. Paul will take your young ones on a world tour in a day. For a few days each May, the RiverCentre hosts arts, foods, and performances from almost 100 cultural groups! From dance to kickboxing competitions to Croatian music, it’s an atmosphere filled with colorful costumes and flags, where you’ll get to taste the world’s cultures in a way that’s fun and educational.
Contact no:(651) 647-0191
Location:175 West Kellogg Boulevard, St. Paul, MN 55101
Learn more here.
Smaller in scope than the massive St. Paul Art Crawl, the Nordeast’s Art-A-Whirl is an annual event in which this arts district opens its doors for a tour. You can show curious older grandchildren the inner workings of artists’ studios and art galleries centered along 13th Avenue (neighborhood of the delicious Modern Cafe and many art galleries). See art in all mediums being made in this artist’s quarter of Minneapolis, as well as a few live performances. Much of this event is for older grandchildren who can resist fragile pieces within reach!
Contact no:(612) 788-1679
Location:2205 California Street NE # 118, Minneapolis, MN 55418
Learn more here.
Wild Rumpus keeps alive the magic of reading. This is a must-visit shop, even if you don’t want to buy books. A quaint and homey space with an extra kid-sized door, a pair of free-roaming chickens, caged songbirds, two (presumably very patient) cats, and a chinchilla, make this bookstore a friendly menagerie of pages for kids of all ages. Another great touch is the spooky, creaky shack that houses the shelves of ghost stories. Wild Rumpus is known for its live instore events (famous children’s author readings, storytime, and music) and expert staff who can recommend the perfect books to suit your favorite kids’ interests. Plus it’s just fun to hang out in and find new, wondrous books! Visiting this cool shop in Minneapolis’ Linden Hills neighborhood can be combined with a visit to Lake Harriet, just blocks away.
Contact no:(612) 920-5005
Location:2720 West 43rd Street, Minneapolis, MN 55410
Learn more here.
