June 21: Book It to the Parks!

Book It to the Parks!

On Wednesday, June 21, Minneapolis parks will open more than 50 new Little Free Libraries - a gift from The Minneapolis Foundation to local families in honor of Minnesota Public Radio’s 50th anniversary. MPR hosts, local authors, and other guest readers will celebrate by reading children’s books at story times in parks all over the city, from sunrise to sunset on summer’s longest day.

Book donations are welcome – help stock your neighborhood’s newest Little Free Library.

Bring your kids and Book It to the Parks!

Get to Know The Commons!

The Commons is more than just a huge expanse of luxurious grass to run your toes through.  Check out all the programming scheduled for this summer and fall. FUN! :D

 

Daily Amenities – Free and open to the public:   

• Umbrellas – Colorful umbrellas provide shade at amenity areas and within program rooms. 

• Games Cart – A variety of favorite lawn and board games, including Corn Hole, ladder ball, bocce, chess, checkers, Connect Four, etc. Available free of charge, to borrow from our games cart. Opens June 1.

• Reading Cart – Explore best sellers and titles from local publishers as well as daily newspapers, available for use in the park. Make The Commons your stop over lunch to read up on news. Opens June 1. With support from Bond & Devick Wealth Partners.

• Ping Pong – Challenge your friends, family and colleagues to a game. Free paddles and balls available for use in the park. Opens June 1.

• Public Art Installation - Orbacles by MINN_LAB is presented as part of the City of Minneapolis Creative City Challenge. The winning submission by MINN_LAB addresses how climate change affects birdlife in Minnesota, and launches in conjunction with the Northern Spark Festival June 10.

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Series – Free and open to the public

• Kubb Lessons • Hip Hop Dance • Fly Feet HIIT & Run • Silent Disco • Summer Extravaplaza • Spoken Word Workshops • Sing Play Learn – Early Childhood • Film Festival • Mill City Farmers Market • Bike with a Ranger

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Single Events – Free and open to the public

Storytime with Nancy Carlson • Northern Spark • German Student Orchestra Performance • Lit Community Picnic • Storytime with John Coy & Wing Young Huie • Make Music Day Twin Cities • Aquatennial Yoga with CorePower Yoga • Storytime & Sing-A-Long with Trisha Speed Shaskan and Stephen Shaskan

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External Events

Badass Dash - X Games Concerts - Vikings Activations

Northern Spark Launch Party, June 10 at Thresher Square

Northern Spark’s 7th year kicks off with the Launch Party from 7 – 9 pm on Saturday, June 10 at Thresher Square.

Start your adventure with artful food created by 8 amazing local restaurants, beer from Fulton Brewing, a Northern Spark specialty cocktail crafted by Crooked Water Spirits, and musical guests ZULUZULUU! The historic Thresher Square building is just steps from The Commons, Northern Spark’s downtown Minneapolis neighborhood, so as the sun sets at 8:59 pm, you’ll already be in the prime spot for the festival’s opening celebrations.

Featured restaurants: Mercy, Cafe Alma, Eastside, Red Stag Supperclub, French Meadow, Handsome Hog, Silhouette Bakery & Bistro, Cafe Latté

Beverages: Fulton Brewing, Crooked Water Spirits, Barefoot Bubbly, Sociable Cider Werks, Peace Coffee

Tickets are available on Eventbrite: 

$50 Adapt Ticket - Entrance to the Launch Party from 7-9pm along with two hours of hosted libations, the specialty Northern Spark Launch Party cocktail, and a concert by stellar artists ZULUZULUU

$100 Sustain Ticket - Entrance to the Launch Party from 7-9pm along with two hours of hosted libations, the specialty Northern Spark Launch Party cocktail, and a concert by stellar artists ZULUZULUU, plus artistic hors d'oeuvres from 8 local restaurants

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The Launch Party is presented by the Northern Spark Host Committee and is the annual fundraiser for Northern Lights.mn, the producers of the Northern Spark festival. The launch party funds a large portion of Northern Spark activities. 

Scenes from the May 20 Mill City Farmers Market

Sure it was soggy at the May 20 MCFM, but the shoppers who braved the weather did not go home disappointed!

Melanie Ebertz of ArtAndes with Peruvian photographer Humberto Valdivia, who was in town in conjunction with Art-A-Whirl.

Milly the goat!

Statewide Parks Association Recognizes Minneapolis Parks for 20-Year Neighborhood Park Plan

Via a May 18 e-newsletter from the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board:

On May 17, 2017, Michelle Snider, executive director of the Minnesota Recreation and Park Association (MRPA), presented Jayne Miller, superintendent of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB), with a 2016 Award of Excellence. 

Each year, the MRPA recognizes agencies or organizations throughout Minnesota for a range of outstanding achievements, including communications, parks and facilities, programming and events, sponsorships and partnerships, sustainability and volunteer initiatives. 

MPRB was awarded for its 2016 adoption of the 20-Year Neighborhood Park Plan (NPP20), in the Administrative and Management Strategies category. 

"We are thrilled to receive this award," said Superintendent Miller. "It affirms how essential neighborhood parks are to the livability and the vitality of Minneapolis. We hope other park systems can use NPP20 as a model to find ways to fund and carry out much-needed repairs, replacements and updates." 

NPP20 is the MPRB's response to a problem facing heavily used urban park systems across the country: a combination of chronic underfunding and overall aging of neighborhood parks.

MRPA Executive Director Michelle Snider and MPRB Superintendent Miller with the 2016 MRPA Award of ExcellenceA historic agreement between MPRB and the City of Minneapolis, NPP20 was approved as an ordinance in 2016 to accomplish the goal of revitalizing the city’s 160 neighborhood parks for current and future generations of park users. The plan protects current levels of park funding received from city and state sources and provides an additional $11 million annually for 20 years, with those funds dedicated to three areas: park maintenance, rehabilitation and capital investments. 

Just as important, NPP20 addresses disparities within a city that has grown far more racially and ethnically diverse in the past 20 years. An equity ordinance accompanying the NPP20 agreement ensures that funding for rehabilitation and capital investments is prioritized using a set of data-driven criteria that are focused on racial and economic equity. 

About the MRPA

The Minnesota Recreation and Park Association is a professional membership association serving nearly 900 members statewide. Its mission is to improve the quality of life in Minnesota by enhancing the profession of parks, open space, recreation, and leisure services.

Summer Activities at the Hennepin County Government Center South Plaza and Target Field Plaza

Go outside with Hennepin County this summer!

Enjoy these outdoor activities at Hennepin County Government Center South Plaza, 300 S 6th Street (June 1 – August 31):

Tuesdays (12 pm – 1 pm)
Stop by for piano performances each Tuesday throughout the summer during your lunch hour! Through Pianos on Parade program, a partnership between mdc, mpls downtown improvement district & Keys 4/4 Kids, a piano at South Plaza will include programmed musical performances each Tuesday. Grab some food and enjoy a gift of music each week. You never know who will be tickling the ivories!

Wednesdays (11:30 am – 1:30 pm)
Every Wednesday, South Plaza will be transformed into an outdoor recreation room! The space will feature a food truck each week, yard games (bean bags, connect four, etc.), an art card (adult and youth coloring, bubbles, plado, yarn, paper, wasabi tape), a meditation area with colorful blankets and yoga mats there for you to enjoy a brief get-away, and the Pianos on Parade piano if you’d like to play a song or two yourself.

Thursdays (6 am – 6 pm)
Beginning May 5 and running through October, the Downtown Farmers Market will be on site at South Plaza again in 2017. The farmers market moved here during the Nicollet Mall Project, and it provides a great way to bring people together on the South Plaza lawn to browse fresh produce, flowers and more. The farmers market has a wide variety of friendly local vendors that have great products to share.

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Enjoy these outdoor activities at Target Field Station, 335 N 5th Street (June 1 – August 31):

Tuesday trivia nights
Trivia has always been a fun and trendy after work activity! We are bringing trivia outside at Target Field Station on select Tuesdays this summer. Gather a group of colleagues, friends or family and test your knowledge. Questions will be read aloud along with use of the big screen.

Thursday movie nights
On select Thursdays throughout the summer, you can enjoy outdoor movie nights at Target Field Station. Bring a lawn chair or blanket, find a spot on the green grass outside the Twins’ ballpark and enjoy an evening watching a movie under the stars and the downtown skyline.
 
Family events, outdoor fitness & more
Throughout the summer, you’ll be able to enjoy family events like our Most Epic Family Day, fitness classes outdoors on the Target Field Station grass and much more. Our Monday fitness nights in September will coincide with National Yoga Month.

Above the Falls Sports Now Offers a Downtown Historical Recumbent Trike Tour

UPDATE May 24, 2017:

Per Above the Falls Sports: "No longer doing trike tours but we do have a variety of Trident Trikes for sale! Still running kayak tours on the Mississippi! Contact us via email at info@abovethefallssports.com or call us at 612-825-8983!"

Above the Falls Sports, 120 N 3rd Avenue, now offers a Downtown Historical Trike Tour- discover the history of Downtown Minneapolis on a recumbent trike alongside the shores of the Mississippi. From flour mills, to beautifully sculpted parkland, this trip encapsulates what Minneapolis was and what it came to be.

The tour is approximately 3 hours and the cost is $60 per person + tax/optional gratuity.

MPRB Begins the Process of Food Vendor Selection for Water Works

The Water Works project includes a riverfront pavilion where a food vendor will operate

Via a May 17 e-newsletter from the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board:

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) and philanthropic partner, the Minneapolis Parks Foundation (MPF) are excited to request expressions of interest from food vendors seeking to create a food experience for Water Works on the downtown Minneapolis riverfront.

A project of the RiverFirst Initiative, Water Works is a transformational park development project in Mill Ruins Park overlooking St. Anthony Falls. The project includes creation of a new café space built into excavated mill walls with an address on West River Parkway and indoor/outdoor dining spaces.

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) and Minneapolis Parks Foundation (MPF) invite interested food vendors to submit an expression of interest communicating their food concept along with team and financial details. Find more information and the formal Request for Information by visiting MPRB's Business Opportunities page.

The Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul Celebrates David Lynch

Starting Friday, May 26, the Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul celebrates the brilliance and creativity of the singular auteur, David Lynch, with presentations of the new documentary on Lynch’s formative years and early artistic career, DAVID LYNCH: THE ART LIFE.

This screening will be presented as a Double Feature with THE SHORT FILMS OF DAVID LYNCH, a digitally restored collection of six short films crafted by Lynch between 1967-1974, plus a one-minute film from 1995.

40th Anniversary: Eraserhead

Also screening will be the 40th Anniversary DCP restoration of ERASERHEAD, David Lynch’s debut monochrome masterpiece and cult sensation.

What's Happening at the Minnesota Center for Book Arts (MCBA)

Via a May 16 e-newsletter from Minnesota Center for Book Arts:

Northern Spark Community Art Making Party
Saturday, May 20; 6-9pm
MCBA's print studio

Join us as we screen print t-shirts, cut out paper leaves, and fold tiny letterpress books for TransitionNOW!, a Northern Spark project dedicated to sharing ways to reduce your carbon footprint and create a sustainable future.

TransitionNOW! is also looking for 100 people to wear the screenprinted t-shirts on June 10th for Northern Spark. A few shirts will be available on the evening of May 20th for you to screenprint, or you can bring your own pre-washed black or darkly colored t-shirt to print on. To learn more about TransitionNOW! and ways to reduce your carbon footprint, visit the Twin Cities Transition website.

Northern Spark 2017 is a free, all-night art event exploring the effects of climate change through participatory projects in neighborhoods along Metro Transit’s Green Line.

Call for Zines!
MCBA and Twin Cities Zine Fest are seeking submissions for the upcoming Free For All Zine Lounge, which will be featured in the 2017 Book Art Biennial's exhibition programming. Zines can be mailed to Aaron King c/o Boneshaker Books, 2002 23rd Ave S, Minneapolis MN 55404. Submissions are due May 22. The Zine Lounge will be open May 29 thru Aug 13. Donated zines will be added to MCBA's James and Marilynn Alcott Library.

The weather is warming up! Is your family ready for summer?
MCBA is proud to partner with a series of fantastic arts and cultureal centers across the Twin Cities to offer camps and classes for kids and tweens. Have fun experimenting with the book arts, plus dabble in clay, photography, theater, writing, and more! Give your child the opportunity to expand their creativity and experience many different art forms in a fun, hands-on environment.

For a complete listing of summer camps and to register, visit our Youth Camps website. Spots are filling up fast. Reserve yours today!

Join our team!
We are currently accepting applications for a full-time Marketing and Communications Coordinator to create and coordinate our print, digital, and social media communications.

The deadline to apply is next Friday, May 26 at 5pm CST. For a complete position description and to submit your application, please visit our website.

Mill City Summer Opera Tickets On Sale Now - Reserve Early!

The sultry lament of the bandoneon, the thrilling atmosphere, alluring tango dancers, and a wildly acclaimed cast new to Twin Cities opera audiences, will take the stage for Mill City Summer Opera’s 2017 chosen production Maria de Buenos Aires, by famed tango composer, Astor Piazzolla.

The stellar cast and creative team for this year’s production includes the key casting of Colombian soprano Catalina Cuervo in the leading role of Maria. As Maria, Cuervo has performed the role worldwide and is often referred to as the Fiery Soprano. Starring with her is baritone Luis Alejandro Orozco who has been hailed for his vocal and dramatic presence in the signature role of El Payador.

Opening night is Friday, July 14, with additional performances July 16, 18, 19 and 20.

With a ticket to the opera, attendees will be guided through dance instruction by professional tango dancers prior to the performance. After watching the tango performed as part of the opera performance, those that wish may join in the be dance with the cast to the splendid music that compliments the dangerous dance that is the tango.

Doors open at 7:00pm with tango dancing, the show begins at 8:00pm and more tango dancing at 9:30pm.

In light of the Ruins Courtyard’s extensive renovation throughout the Summer of 2017, MCSO is taking the opera across the Stone Arch Bridge for our sixth season. The shift in venue to the Machine Shop, 300 2nd Street SE, is temporary as restoration work continues in the Ruins Courtyard.

Tickets: http://www.millcitysummeropera.org/

Scenes from the May 13 Mill City Farmers Market

Mother's Day was the focus of the May 13 Mill City Farmers Market, and many of them were treated to personal flower containers created by their little ones.

Pam from Prairie Hollow Farm never disappoints when it comes to morel mushrooms!

Superior Switchel is a new vendor for the 2017 season. Melina Lamer crafts her version of this tangy ginger-infused beverage that was popular with farmers in the 19th century.

Milly the goat!

May 19 is Bike to Work Day

May 19 is Bike to Work Day, and all over the city the Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition will have pit stops set up for participating riders. Bike commuters will be greeted with coffee, high-fives, free food, and other giveaways during both the morning and afternoon commute.

Enter the Twin Cities Bike to Work Day Sweepstakes
Pledge to ride to work on Twin Cities Bike to Work Day and be automatically entered for a chance to win some great prizes, including $500 gift cards to Cherry Cycles, Farmstead Bike Shop and Tangletown Bike Shop.

You can also volunteer as a pit stop captain. The Coalition is looking for enthusiastic people to keep the energy alive throughout the morning and afternoon commute. Volunteers receive a free T-shirt! Click here for more info.

May 20 Spokes and Sofas Event is the Perfect Opportunity to Give Away Adult Bikes and Gently Used Furniture

The Downtown Congregations to End Homelessness is sponsoring an event to collect adult bikes and gently used furniture.

Details:

• Donations can be dropped off Saturday, May 20, from 9:00am – 12:00pm

• Plymouth Congregational Church, 1900 Nicollet Avenue

Adult bikes only, please!  

Items not accepted due to size, disposal and/or repair costs:

Refrigerators, freezers, washing machines, air conditioners, gas/electric stoves, dishwashers, water heaters/softeners, damaged/musty/smoky furniture, pianos, organs, plumbing fixtures, storm doors, windows, screens, swing sets, metal bed springs, carpeting, tires, batteries, chemicals.

Wondering if it is in good enough shape to donate? Just ask yourself, “Would I use this myself or give it to a loved one?” If the answer is yes, your donation is definitely welcome and will be greatly appreciated by our neighbors in need.

Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board Announced as Finalist for the 2017 National Gold Medal Awards in Parks and Recreation

Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board to compete for prestigious honor in the park and recreation industry

The American Academy for Park and Recreation Administration (AAPRA), in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), is pleased to announce Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) as a finalist for the 2017 National Gold Medal Awards for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management. Musco Lighting LLC has been a proud sponsor of the Gold Medal Awards program for more than 10 years.

 

Founded in 1965, the Gold Medal Awards program honors communities in the U.S. that demonstrate excellence in parks and recreation through long-range planning, resource management, volunteerism, environmental stewardship, program development, professional development and agency recognition. Applications are separated into seven classes, with five classes based on population, one class for armed forces recreation and one class for state park systems awarded on odd numbered years.

 

The MPRB is a finalist in the Class I category for park agencies serving jurisdictions with a population over 400,000. This is the second consecutive year the MPRB has been named a finalist for the National Gold Medal Award. The MPRB was also named a finalist in 1988 and 1989 and won the award in 1989.

 

Agencies are judged on their ability to address the needs of those they serve through the collective energies of citizens, staff and elected officials. The MPRB joins three other finalists in their class that will compete for grand honors this year.

 

“We’re thrilled to be named a finalist for the National Gold Medal Award once again,” said MPRB Superintendent Jayne Miller. “This honor is a testament to the incredible work our staff puts in every day, as well as the enormous support we receive from the communities we serve.”

 

A panel of five park and recreation professionals reviews and judges all application materials. Judges are chosen for their considerable experience and knowledge in parks and recreation on both the local and national levels. 

 

This year’s finalists will compete for Grand Plaque Award honors this summer, and the seven Grand Plaque recipients will be announced live during the NRPA General Session at the 2017 NRPA Annual Conference in New Orleans, Sept. 26-28, 2017.

 

For more information on the Gold Medal Awards, visit www.nrpa.org/goldmedal or www.aapra.org. (AAPRA), in partnership with the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), is pleased to announce Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) as a finalist for the 2017 National Gold Medal Awards for Excellence in Park and Recreation Management. Musco Lighting LLC has been a proud sponsor of the Gold Medal Awards program for more than 10 years.

 

Founded in 1965, the Gold Medal Awards program honors communities in the U.S. that demonstrate excellence in parks and recreation through long-range planning, resource management, volunteerism, environmental stewardship, program development, professional development and agency recognition. Applications are separated into seven classes, with five classes based on population, one class for armed forces recreation and one class for state park systems awarded on odd numbered years.

 

The MPRB is a finalist in the Class I category for park agencies serving jurisdictions with a population over 400,000. This is the second consecutive year the MPRB has been named a finalist for the National Gold Medal Award. The MPRB was also named a finalist in 1988 and 1989 and won the award in 1989.

 

Agencies are judged on their ability to address the needs of those they serve through the collective energies of citizens, staff and elected officials. The MPRB joins three other finalists in their class that will compete for grand honors this year.

 

“We’re thrilled to be named a finalist for the National Gold Medal Award once again,” said MPRB Superintendent Jayne Miller. “This honor is a testament to the incredible work our staff puts in every day, as well as the enormous support we receive from the communities we serve.”

 

A panel of five park and recreation professionals reviews and judges all application materials. Judges are chosen for their considerable experience and knowledge in parks and recreation on both the local and national levels. 

 

This year’s finalists will compete for Grand Plaque Award honors this summer, and the seven Grand Plaque recipients will be announced live during the NRPA General Session at the 2017 NRPA Annual Conference in New Orleans, Sept. 26-28, 2017.

 

For more information on the Gold Medal Awards, visit www.nrpa.org/goldmedal or www.aapra.org.

Down the Green Line: A Northern Spark preview, Part 1

Via a May 11 e-newsletter from Northern Lights.mn:

It’s the time of year when the sky stays bright a little later each night, reminding us of the summer season ahead. For Northern Spark staff and artists, it’s a time of projection tests, rehearsals, outreach and chocolate restoratives.  

As you begin to consider your journey on the night of June 10th, here’s a linear preview of what’s to be found down the line at Northern Spark.

The Commons
Let’s begin at The Commons, the western-most edge of the festival and downtown Minneapolis’s new green space. At 8:30 pm, Mayor Hodges talks with MINN_LAB artists about ORBACLES, this year’s multi-sensory Creative City Challenge winner. Listen and wander among the lights, sounds and smells of speculative infrastructure for the futures of bird populations in a climate-changed Minnesota.

After the Opening Ceremony, stick around to play in a carnival of climate games; visit the 3rd iteration of the Night Library to outwit overlord robots; watch an interactive superhero action flick from a carbon neutral traffic jam; interact with underground tree networks; marvel at a pearlescent sculpture; paint a mural about water protectors; and take a string survey to draw your opinions on climate change in correlation with others.

We’ve just begun, but maybe you already find yourself with a desire for connection and play. Find the station for Collective Action! - Northern Spark’s festival-wide game of acting together to solve climate change. Make yourself a unique avatar on your phone; wait until you’re called up to the stage and go! Find a Collective Action! station in each festival zone (except East Bank).

And lastly, don’t forget to swing by the Fulton Beer Tent for a sip before heading on your way.  

West Bank
Next stop: West Bank.  Climb the stairs from the Cedar Ave exit and choose right or left. Right takes you to the Southern Theater, where you can hone your debate skills with a sidewalk climate denier; or sit for a spell as 3600 seconds of multimedia movement are performed eight times over the course of the night, prompting the consideration of the vast effects of climate change in relationship to the minutiae of everyday life.

Choose left and travel down Cedar Ave to find pockets of interactive installations throughout the neighborhood. In the plaza in front of May Day Books, find a game arena to play a series of activities linking drought, traditional food ways and feminism. Then cross the street, remove your shoes, walk the carpet and visit a dome of light, sound, and video that challenges progressive discourses on climate change.

Wander down to the Cedar Community Plaza, where--if you arrive by 8:59 pm-- you’ll hear the call to prayer, the traditional end the day of fasting during Ramadan. Take a seat at an interfaith Iftar and storytelling circle to share about your environmental ancestry. Stop off at the Northern Spark Info Tent to grab a recycled water bottle to fill at a Tap Mpls station and continue across the street to find a market of gifted experiences and a ritual / installation that calls us to reflect on the urgency of environmental genocide through the voices of immigrants and people of color.  

Continue to walk and wander all the way to Currie Park to witness the intergenerational building and unbuilding of an aqal, the traditional Somali nomadic home. Weave your way back to the small park behind the Cedar Community Plaza and find a garden, tended by neighbors, growing greenery to blur the borders. Stay for awhile and drink tea with a gathering of Somali elders sharing stories of an ancient nomadic life.

East Bank
Over the mighty Mississippi, near East Bank station, sits the Weisman Art Museum, host to six projects aglow on the grass. Travel a tunnel timeline of rising temperatures constructed by U of M students in the Making Sense of Climate Change class; add your own image to a magic lantern carousel; re-visit the Backyard Phenology trailer that first appeared at Northern Spark 2016 to hear everyone’s stories; weave waste into an epic trash tapestry; and pause under the entrance to WAM to crowdsource some electronic sonatas that chronicle the states of our planet’s evolution from geological to technological.  

Or, if nocturnal birds of prey are more your thing, time your visit to occur in the 11 pm hour to join the meet and greet with owls from the U’s Raptor Center.

Little Africa
Get back on the train and take a load off for a while, traveling down the line into Saint Paul. Exit at Snelling Station and walk 1 block north into Little Africa where Sherburne Ave becomes an outdoor cinema, festive eatery and interactive installation hub. Check out wireless headphones and settle in to watch films about economy, ecology, and environmental justice at the inaugural Little Africa Film Fest. Express your commitment to extricating yourself from petrochemical culture; watch sculptures and paintings animate global warming; join others in a circle where water brings connection, healing and creativity; and take a personal journey towards a tree sapling chosen specifically for you.

Perhaps all this leaves you a little hungry? Fuel up! We’re only half-way through the night. Little Africa’s staple eateries Fasika Ethiopian and Ghebre’s Restaurant will be open all night for necessary nourishment along with neighborhood-related food trucks and tents.

Stay tuned for Journey Down the Green Line Part 2 in the next newsletter. Or, don’t wait for us. Plan your night by reading about all festival projects on our Art and Events page.

We’re Hiring!

We are looking for several individuals to join our Northern Spark 2017 Production team as Production Assistants! Production Assistants work with the Production Coordinator and Producer to support all aspects of outdoor festival production. Read more on our website here, and apply by sending a resume and cover letter to jobs@northern.lights.mn.

Do you have a knack for nighttime photography? We are looking for professional photographers and videographers to join our documentation team to capture images of Northern Spark all night long. Must be able to work in very low-light environments. Read more on our website about the photography or videography calls, and apply by sending an email to photos@northern.lights.mn with an email explaining your interest and a link to your portfolio.

Take Online Survey or Attend May 24 Meeting to Help New Project at Sheridan Memorial Park

Online survey open until May 22; design options will be discussed at May 24 meeting

Sheridan Memorial Park will receive more than $1 million in park improvements in 2018, including a picnic shelter, playground and pathways. Now a new online survey is available for park users (including kids!) to weigh in on a new picnic shelter, playground and other potential additions planned for the new riverfront park.

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board is hosting the second public meeting regarding this project on Wednesday, May 24, 6-8 pm at East Side Neighborhood Services, 1700 2nd St. NE. At the meeting, several design options will be presented and discussed. 

You can also take the online survey.

May 11 is Nice Ride Day!

Nice Ride Day this Thursday, May 11th.

Nice Ride is hosting special promotions at the following locations:
- IDS Center from 11:30am - 1pm and 4pm - 5:30pm
- Coffman Union from 11:30am - 2pm and 4pm - 5:30pm

As part of the promotion for Nice Ride Day, all 30 Minute trips purchased through the official Nice Ride Bike Share App will be only $2.50 for the first half hour. Organizations wishing to give a $6 24-Hour pass to their team members, please contact groupmemberships@niceridemn.org. Subsidized 1-Year Memberships are also available for purchase for your team. More details can be found at www.niceridemn.org/groups.

Additional themed days for riding include: 

- Bike to School Day, May 10

- Twin Cities Bike to Work Day, May 19

- Family Bike to Parks Day, May 27 

Minneapolis Convention Center's New Stormwater System Will Reduce Runoff by 5.4 Million Gallons a Year

Via a May 9 News Release from Meet Minneapolis:

This spring, the Minneapolis Convention Center has begun using its recently installed stormwater storage system, which will keep an estimated 5.4 million gallons of stormwater from running off and into the Mississippi River each year. A series of large rainwater storage pipes buried under the center’s marshalling yard will collect runoff from the building’s roof, with a total storage capacity of 250,000 gallons. The stored water will be used to irrigate the landscaped areas all around the center, becoming the primary source of water for the facility’s irrigation system.  

The system captures water from about 10 acres of the building’s roof and stores it in a network of 10- and 11-foot diameter corrugated steel pipes until it’s needed for irrigation. In addition to reducing stormwater runoff to the river, it also significantly lowers the center’s water costs by reducing the amount of potable water the center has used to irrigate its green spaces in the past.

This major project is a recognition of the importance of the Mississippi River and our lakes to the region. As Minneapolis has embraced the riverfront in recent years as a draw for recreation, visitors and new businesses, the City of Minneapolis and many partners have invested in efforts to reduce the amount of stormwater runoff from properties in the city, which carries pollutants into the storm sewers and into our lakes and river.

This project will further the Minneapolis Convention Center’s efforts to attain United States Green Building Council LEED for Existing Buildings: Operation & Maintenance (EBOM) certification. The rainwater project will help by meeting the LEED credit requirements for Rainwater Management.

To learn more about sustainability initiatives at the Minneapolis Convention Center, visit the center’s website.

ABOUT THE MINNEAPOLIS CONVENTION CENTER

The City-owned Minneapolis Convention Center is the largest indoor, contiguous convention center in the Upper Midwest. The MCC is more than a meeting place. It's more than a show space. It's a building all about building something else…relationships. With nearly 480,000 square feet of trade show space, 87 column-free conference meeting rooms, a 28,000-square-foot ballroom, and an auditorium with superb production and flexible technology options, the facility can handle any event from a small meeting to a large convention or trade show.

May 11 - West River Parkway (Portland to 13th Ave) Closed for Medtronic 1 Mile

West River Parkway (Portland to 13th Ave) will be closed from 6:00pm-8:30pm on Thursday, May 11 - Medtronic 1 Mile. Click here for a course map and additional information on the event.