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Editor
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Claudia Kittock
Columnist / Non-Profits
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Small Business Reporter
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Michael Rainville Jr.
History Columnist
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Doug Verdier
River Matters

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Thanks to our community partners, whose support makes Mill City Times possible:

MILL CITY FARMERS MARKET

With over 100 local farmers, food makers and artists, MCFM strives to build a local, sustainable and organic food economy in a vibrant, educational marketplace.

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HENNEPIN HISTORY MUSEUM

Hennepin History Museum is your history, your museum. We preserve and share the diverse stories of Hennepin County, MN. Come visit!

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MEET MINNEAPOLIS

Maximizing the visitor experience of Minneapolis for the economic benefit of our community, making Minneapolis the destination of choice among travelers.

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MSP FILM SOCIETY

Promoting the art of film as a medium that fosters cross-cultural understanding, education, entertainment, and exploration.

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GREAT RIVER COALITION

Enhancing the Minneapolis riverfront environment—for people and pollinators.

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Event Archives
Event Archives

Thursday
Jul192018

July 19, 2018, Thursday - Twin Cities River Rats Aquatennial Show

The 2018 Twin Cities River Rats shows are scheduled for 7pm Thursday nights through August, and take place at 1628 West River Road (between the Plymouth and Broadway bridges). These are free events!

The Twin Cities Rivers Rats describe their show as an aquatic Broadway musical featuring multiple water ski acts choreographed to music and built around a theme. Facebook

Show Schedule:

6:30pm – Development show: Our members under the age of 18 and our new members get the opportunity to perform for the crowd before jumping into the “big” show.

7:00pm – The Big Show! The ski show is a 1 hour long themed-show. In between daring and beautiful acts on water, a storyline unfolds. We encourage audience participation and love applause!

8:00pm – Photos! Photo opportunities with the cast of the show, visit with the skiers, and even take a ride in our “triple-rig” boat (for a price!)

Upcoming Shows:
July 20 - Aquatennial Show
July 25 - Wednesday Night Show
August 2 - Thursday Night Show
Thursday
Jul192018

July 19, 2018, Thursday - Cracked Pavement Opening Night at Gamut Gallery

Time:  7-11pm, $10

Location: Gamut Gallery, 717 South 10th Street

Cracked Pavement Opening Night 

Featuring sounds from DJ Slamdunkapher, a pizza truck, and raffle prizes.
Coinciding with X-games weekend. $5 or free with Gallery Membership

Featured artists:
Aaron Christensen, Alex Sveda, Ben Petersen, Dylan Strait, Haydn Alexndr, Kevin Horn, Jamie Owens, Jeremy Lindvig, Jeremiah Munn, Max Mateikis, Oskar Barrett and more.

Curated by Jamie Owens

Driven by a handful of small skate shops, a plethora of independent skateboard films, thrilling private indoor ramps, and most importantly, packs of friends, the Twin Cities skateboarding community is convincing in its sincerity and unapologetic for its candidness. The obstacles that keep the Minnesota skateboarding scene somewhat unknown are the same factors that spur an earnest, DIY-forward, creative community.

With the X-Games once again taking Minneapolis by storm, it is important to recognize the traditionally remote nature of Twin Cities skateboarding. In contrast to coastal metros, Minneapolis and St. Paul rarely receive branding dollars, billboards, or national ad campaigns. Aside from the few local skate shop owners and the occasional sponsored skater, in the Twin Cities, the skating industry can appear almost as a mirage, vicariously felt through Instagram feeds and the pages of Thrasher Magazine.

It is easy to understand why the Twin Cities does not receive more widespread acclaim in the skating world. For at least four months out of the year, a slippery, frigid, white fluff carpets the city streets. Due to the inevitable clockwork of freezing and thawing in cold weather, many acclaimed skate spots are no longer feasible because of ever cracking pavement, with the ones remaining skatable arguably less than ideal. Thanks to geographic destiny, any Twin Cities-based curious skaters or companies would have to cross the Dakotas, Illinois, or Wisconsin to reach refuge from the snow. The likely reason for the current outsider interest in Minneapolis is due to a controversial building of the US Bank Stadium, which muddles the excitement around national attention. When it comes to skateboarding in the Twin Cities, nothing is easy, but no skater will ever tell you that.

Cracked Pavement is an exhibition featuring a mere handful of the independent creative minds cultivated within the skateboard scene. Dylan Strait preserves grotesque 80s skate punk traditions, creating line intensive ink-wash illustrations of decaying faces, empty beer cans, and rotting flesh. Kevin Horn utilizes an in-depth understanding of capturing light, shadow and motion, bringing a commercial industry skill set and fine art nuance to skateboard photography. Jeremy Lindvig recalls skateboards of his youth by painstakingly restoring vintage decks through countless hours of repairing wood and layered silk screening. Many different mediums, methods and means are used to produce the artwork exhibited, all speaking to and celebrating the vibrancy of the Twin Cities skateboarding community.

Thursday
Jul192018

July 19, 2018, Thursday - St. Anthony Falls Laboratory Tour

For anyone who has traversed the Stone Arch Bridge and wondered, "What is that place?" - here's your chance to find out first hand! Public tours will be part of the St. Anthony Falls Laboratory (SAFL) 80 year celebration. Below are the tour dates, registration links, and a description of what to expect.

Tours of the St. Anthony Falls Laboratory:
Thursday, July 19, 3:00 PM
Thursday, August 16, 3:00 PM
Thursday, September 20, 3:00 PM
Thursday, October 18, 3:00PM

The St. Anthony Falls Laboratory (SAFL), through which the Mississippi River runs, is an interdisciplinary fluid mechanics research and educational facility of the College of Science and Engineering at the UMN. These public tours through this historic facility will showcase the experimental facilities and research projects.

Once registered, you will receive an email a day or two prior to the scheduled tour with details of where to meet your tour group. There is no cost to attend, but donations are welcomed through this link (suggested donation of $5 per participant).

Preparing for the tour:

- Please wear closed-toe shoes - no flip flops or sandals. Be prepared to stand and walk for the duration of the tour (1+ hour). SAFL does have an elevator to assist those with some mobility restrictions - please list that concern when you sign up for a tour.
- Parking is reserved for SAFL personnel only (unless you require a handicap space). Off-site parking options include:
    - Garage: 212 SE 2nd Avenue
    - Lot: 200 University Avenue SE
    - Metered street parking is available along SE Main Street, portions of SE 3rd Avenue, and 2nd Street SE
    - Bike racks are available

NOTE: Are you interested in touring the SAFL but are unavailable for the listed public tour dates/times? Please provide your contact information and you will be contacted with other potential tour dates/times throughout Summer/Fall 2018.

Thursday
Jul192018

July 19, 2018, Thursday - X Games Minneapolis 2018 (thru July 22)

X Games returns to its new summer home, and one of the greatest stadiums in North America — U.S. Bank Stadium. Tickets: XGames.com/Tickets. #XGames Minneapolis 2018 will be action-packed with the world's best skateboard, BMX, Moto X and Flat Track athletes. It will include globally-renowned music artists — KaskadeBrother AliIce Cube, and Zedd! All musical performances will take place at The Armory, 500 South 6th Street.

SCHEDULE

Thursday, July 19
5:00 PM Pacifico Skateboard Vert Qualifier
9:00 PM Pacifico Skateboard Vert Final
10:15 PM Pacifico BMX Vert Final
.
Friday, July 20
12:00 PM SoFi Women's Skateboard Street Qualifier
1:00 PM Fruit of the Loom BMX Dirt Qualifier
2:45 PM Monster Energy Men's Skateboard Street Qualifier
4:00 PM Next X Skateboard Park Final
4:30 PM Next X Skateboard Street Final
5:00 PM Women's BMX Park Demo
5:30 PM BMX Street Final
6:30 PM Dave Mirra's BMX Park Best Trick Final
7:45 PM Moto X QuarterPipe High Air Final
8:45 PM The Real Cost BMX Big Air Final
9:45 PM Moto X Freestyle Final
11:00 PM Kaskade
.
Saturday, July 21
12:00 PM LifeProof Moto X Step Up
1:30 PM Toyota Men's Skateboard Park Final
3:45 PM SoFi Women's Skateboard Street Final
6:00 PM Fruit of the Loom BMX Dirt Final
7:15 PM Moto X Best Whip Final
7:45 PM Monster Energy Moto X Best Trick Final
8:30 PM The Real Cost Skateboard Big Air Final
10:30 PM Brother Ali
11:30 PM Ice Cube
.
Sunday, July 22
10:30 AM Harley-Davidson Hooligan Racing Round One and Semi Final
11:30 AM Harley-Davidson Flat Track Racing & Harley Hooligan Racing Final
1:00 PM Women's Skateboard Park Final
2:15 PM Monster Energy Men's Skateboard Street Final
3:30 PM Toyota Men's BMX Park Final
5:30 PM Zedd 
Thursday
Jul192018

July 19, 2018, Thursday - Mill City Summer Opera: Carmen at Mill City Museum

Mill City Summer Opera presents: Carmen

Mill City Museum  July 13 – 24

Ticket info

Experience the opera like never before! Mill City Summer Opera is one of the world’s premier opera companies and brings in an audience from all different walks of life. They hope to see you at this year's performance of Carmen!

Among the most famous and performed of all operas, Carmen is a riveting story of love, lust, betrayal, jealousy and murder. Set in 1830s Seville, the gypsy girl Carmen seduces soldier Don José away from his post and his beloved Micaëla. After luring him to join her and a clan of smugglers, Carmen turns her attention toward the swaggering bullfighter Escamillo. Carmen's fate is met in the final act when she meets the madly jealous Don José outside of the arena. The outdoor ruins of the Mill City Opera offer a magical setting to experience this iconic masterpiece. Music by Georges Bizet and libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy. These tickets go quickly, so don’t delay.

Additional dates: July 20, 22, 24

Thursday
Jul192018

July 19, 2018, Thursday - Downtown Minneapolis Riverfront Walking Tour with Preserve Minneapolis

Time: 6:00pm

Location: Tour meets at Main Street SE and Third Avenue SE

Tickets

Minneapolis's history as the flour milling capital of the world is well-known...but here's your chance to explore that history in real depth. We'll walk both sides of the downtown Minneapolis riverfront, and explore historic buildings, structures, and landscapes as well as new developments along the river.

We’ll visit and learn about Saint Anthony Falls and its lock and dam, the Saint Anthony Main complex, the Stone Arch Bridge, the Guthrie Theater, Main Street SE and West River Parkway, the Water Power and Mill Ruins parks, and the east- and west-side milling districts and remaining historic buildings, including the Pillsbury A Mill and the Mill City Museum. Discover how the city and its riverfront have evolved over the past 165 years—and continue to do so.

This tour walks about 2 miles and is not ADA accessible.

Tour guide Aaron Rubenstein is a historic preservationist and architectural historian. He is the program director at Historic Saint Paul, a nonprofit organization that uses and advocates for preservation as a community development tool - primarily in under-resourced neighborhoods. Aaron has lived in Minneapolis most of his life and loves giving tours - to help people understand and really see our built and natural environment.

Thursday
Jul192018

July 19, 2018, Thursday - Hello Gorgeous! A Cabaret Evening Featuring the Music of Barbra Streisand at Nicollet Island Inn

Time:   7:30 PM

Location: Nicollet Island Inn, 95 Merriam Street

Hello Gorgeous!  A Cabaret Evening Featuring The Music of Barbra Streisand

Join us on Thursday, July 19 for a cabaret show featuring the music of Barbra Streisand! Melody Mendis, whose popular Barbra Streisand show has wowed audiences across the Twin Cities, will treat the Nicollet Island Inn crowd to an intimate evening of classic songs and classic cocktails. The evening begins at 7:30pm and admission tickets are only $20.

A full bar will be available during the performance and pre-show dinner reservations are available in the main dining room -  if you want to make an evening of it. To make your reservations, please contact the Nicollet Island Inn Events Dept. at 612-465-0637 or E-mail us at events@nicolletislandinn.com. Then grab some friends and get ready for an evening of drinks, humor and Babs!

 

 

Wednesday
Jul182018

July 18, 2018, Wednesday - Cedar Riverside Community Traveling Basketball Car Wash Fundraiser

Time: 1pm - 5pm

Location: Mixed Blood Theatre Company, 1501 S 4th Street 

Cedar Riverside Community Traveling Basketball Car Wash Fundraiser

Fundraiser Car Wash to support the efforts of our Cedar Riverside Community Traveling Basketball (CRCTB) program which serves over 200 youth (boys and girls grades 2-12) in the Cedar Riverside neighborhood.

The Warriors Elite team has been invited to play in the Las Vegas Classic the last week in July and they need to raise money for lodging, food & fees.

Suggest donations $7 for cars & $10 for larger vehicles. T-shirts & concessions will be available for those who just want to stop by to support. You can also donate online.

Thank you to Mixed Blood for their support!

Wednesday
Jul182018

July 18, 2018, Wednesday - "Oh, the PLACES you'll GO!" Art Opening at The Mill Yard at Stonebridge

The Mill Yard presents a new show, Oh, the Places You’ll Go!, showcasing local artists. Dr. Seuss’ “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” is an upbeat, humorous and inspirational ode to life and the places it takes us. For many, these ‘places’ are geographical locations. For some, these ‘places’ are not physical at all. Rather, they may be social, emotional, spiritual ‘rooms’ to which we retreat to rest and relax, ponder, ask questions or be inspired. You're invited to come, be inspired, prodded, reminded, and encouraged just as Dr. Seuss encourages and inspires us in his book.

At The Mill Yard opening reception, local chef Jessi Peine's food truck, Peeps Hot Box, will be parked out front selling world street foods inspired by seasonal ingredients. Andrew Zimmern of Food Network said, "Peeps Hot Box is one of the best food trucks I've ever eaten at anywhere in the country." All attendees will receive an Izzy Buck to help satisfy your sweet tooth. Plus, the Misfits Coffee truck will be here too!

Facebook, Twitter, Contact: TheMillYard.Stonebridge@gmail.com

GALLERY AND ARTIST DETAILS:

Jim Dryden
The New House
Jim Dryden, a native of North Dakota, is a painter and sculptor. His work frequently deals with themes of partnership, connectedness and intimacy. He is a graduate of the Minneapolis College of Art and Design, a founding member of Form + Content Gallery, and a member artist of Traffic Zone Center for Visual Art. The pieces Jim has selected for The Mill Yard are specifically about time and place. 
“From the autobiographical series Love|Hate, these paintings represent a timeline of the places I come from, have been to, and hope to go. A farm in North Dakota, a white, clapboard, country church, a pink sand beach on Lake Superior, a secluded fish pond, a new home still in the dream stages. These are the times and places that connect me to my past, future, family, and community.” 
Jim’s art is represented in numerous collections including the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, the University of Minnesota Tretter Collection, Walker Art Center, the Weisman Art Museum. Web site: http://www.jimdryden.net/
.
Margaret Grill
The Old Neighborhood Thanked HerMargaret Grill is a visual artist inspired by place, a sense of home, and landscape. She has worked as a visual artist for more than 10 years and exhibited with a diverse group of galleries and venues. In her own words she is “inspired by process, specifically the fluid, flexible, and messy process of painting. My initial inspiration is worked out through a repetitive progression of drawing, collage, and washes using water-soluble oils. Layering media allows me to illustrate complex ideas into a visual language. This process is then evident in my finished work, as the layers of paint appear in varying degrees of transparency, an effect that speaks to passing time, flux, and my hand as an artist. As a painter, I capture the change I see in the landscape, as I feel it allows me to better understand my place in the world. Change can be beautiful, exciting, unexpected and disconcerting.” 
She has selected art for The Mill Yard with the hope it inspires viewers to observe their own landscapes and ask questions about the changes they see. Web site:  mgrillpainting.com
.
Kevin Peters
Spring BloomKevin Peters Fine Art was born out of the conclusion that adding beauty to this world is indeed a worthwhile, venerable pursuit. Kevin began as a hobbyist landscape painter while living in southern Cambodia, but capturing what the eye sees and putting it on canvas quickly began to lose his interest. He wanted to begin “painting things not of this world...deeper things...things of the heart, soul, and, mind”. This desire, along with months of self-study, gave birth to Kevin’s signature abstract painting style. The Minneapolis-based artist has selected pieces for The Mill Yard that are created to represent the essence of the innermost “happy place,” sometimes called the soul.
 
“My hope is that each of these pieces fills you with a sense of tranquility and happiness, reminding you to take the time to go to your happy place... which may not be a literal place at all!”
Email: kevinpeters.fineart@gmail.com
.
Jane Weis
Valley FarmJane Weis began her 25-year painting career with watercolor, then acrylic, and now oil and pastel. She has engaged in a range of artistic mediums including woodcut printing, designing and building furniture, cabinet making and museum archival framing. She considers herself a Midwestern regional artist and says, “much of my art is born from my affection for the rolling hills and deciduous trees of the Midwest.” Jane loves to travel for the excitement of new food, people, enormous cities, small towns, landscapes, vineyards and nature. And, “I love to come home.  To feel the peace and familiarity of coming home brings a unique joy to me.” The pieces she has selected for The Mill Yard are paintings and pastels of her rural landscapes, farmscapes, and sky paintings from Minnesota, Nebraska, Colorado and Maine. “All beautiful places.”  Web site:  janeweispaintings.com
.
Sara Zhang
In Kitchen #1
‘By day,’ Sara Zhang is a NASA scientist in Washington, DC; however, she has been drawing and painting since she was a teenager in Shanghai, China, where she was born and raised.  Sara is primarily a self-taught artist, but travels the world for business and pleasure to study the work of ‘masters.’ With a trained mind and eye she analyzes what makes a work of art truly great, and then launches into the hard work of honing her creative skills.  Soft pastel is Sara’s preferred medium because it gives her the flexibility to express the fleeting moments she finds in everyday life.  The pieces specifically painted for The Mill Yard “Oh the Places You’ll Go” exhibit are of everyday kitchen scenes.
“I don’t think I am alone in feeling the kitchen is a favored room at home… In these little vignettes, I hope to evoke memories of tastes, smells, sounds, conversations and more; memories of when we connected with each other; memories of laughter and love.” Email: saraqzhang@gmail.com
.
Tia Keo
Tia Keo has spent much of her life exploring the intersections of art, craft, design and architecture. Growing-up with architect father, David Salmela, meant she developed an artistic approach to engaging with the world from a young age. After graduating with a degree in architecture, she and her husband co-founded Silvercocoon as a means to work on creative projects across disciplines. Several years later she launched her laser cut jewelry collection under the Silvercocoon label with a solo-trunk show in the Walker Art Center shop. In 2017 she received a MN State Arts Board Grant to help her expand her jewelry practice into metal. The grant became a catalyst for creating new metal jewelry, expanding into metal sculpture, and for developing a daily watercolor practice that has exceeded 400 days. A solo exhibition “Three Sixty Five” will feature all the work she generated across disciplines in the span of a year at the American Swedish Institute from June 30 to August 5, 2018.  Web sites:  silvercocoon.com  &  tiakeoart.com
.
The Mill Yard at Stonebridge Lofts

The Mill City. Residents celebrate our area’s industrial heritage of the mighty Mississippi River and the mills. Today, what we see are the most recognizable Minneapolis landmarks. However, this is only part of the story. Rail lines were key to Minneapolis’ growth, and were particularly integral to the Mill District, bringing in wheat and timber and shipping out flour and lumber. We also honor the history of the mills, the reason for the rail yard’s existence. The Mill Yard aims to be both a gathering place for art and artists and a conduit by which art can be shared with and disseminated into the wider community. 

The Mill Yard at Stonebridge Lofts thanks Luke Kleckner, Condo Development and Sales, for his generous sponsorship.

Wednesday
Jul182018

July 18, 2018, Wednesday - Torchlight 5K

Time: 7:30pm

Torchlight 5K

Hennepin Avenue, from the Basilica of Saint Mary to the Mississippi Riverfront

Whether you are a dedicated runner or just someone who jogs from the couch to the fridge, the Life Time Torchlight 5k in Minneapolis is the fun run for everyone! Grab your family, friends and running shoes because the Torchlight 5k starts with a bang and ends with a brew. That’s right, Life Time Fitness’ legendary post-race party features musical entertainment and complimentary refreshments. Then take the NEW shuttle bus system back to the start area. It’s the party of the year that just happens to start with a run!

The Torchlight 5k starts near the historic Basilica of Saint Mary and follows the Aquatennial’s CenterPoint Energy Torchlight Parade route. The course offers up close views of the Guthrie, Gold Medal Park, the Mighty Mississippi, Stone Arch Bridge and St. Anthony Main. Sign up today at www.torchlight5k.com.

Follow along for updates on Facebook or on Twitter by following @Torchlight5k and using the hashtag #Torchlight5K.

Wednesday
Jul182018

July 18, 2018, Wednesday - Talk of the Stacks at Central Library

Time: Doors open at 6:15:00pm; program begins at 7:00pm

Location: Central Library, Pohlad Hall, 300 Nicollet Mall

Talk of the Stacks is a free reading series exploring contemporary literature and culture, held at the Minneapolis Central Library. The series is unified by its commitment to connecting our leading authors with a community of readers at the Library. Programs are free and open to the public. Seating is first come, first served. Programs begin at 7 pm. Doors open at 6:15 pm. Books are available for sale and signing. Signing follows lecture.

Tayari Jones is the author of the novels Leaving Atlanta, The Untelling, Silver Sparrow, and An American Marriage. Her writing has appeared in Tin House, The Believer, and The New York Times. An American Marriage, which was named a 2018 Oprah's Book Club pick, has been called, "A tense and timely love story packed with brave questions about race and class." Jones currently serves on the MFA faculty at Rutgers-Newark. She is also a visiting fellow at the Black Mountain Institute at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

Wednesday
Jul182018

July 18, 2018, Wednesday - Aquatennial Events (thru July 21)

Click here for all 2018 Aquatennial events listing

July 18, 2018, Wednesday - Aquatennial Events (thru July 21)

This year’s annual celebration showcases many events, including (but not limited to): 

Twin Cities River Rats Ski Show West River Road between Plymouth and Broadway

Thursday, July 19, 7pm and Friday, July 20, 7pm

Join the Twin Cities River Rats for a humorous, family-friendly water ski show on the Mississippi River. Watch high-flying stunts, fast-paced barefooting, graceful swivel skiing and even human pyramids courtesy of the talented Twin Cities River Rats crew. Bring beach towels or lawn chairs and enjoy this free water ski show for the whole family along the banks of the Mississippi River – located just south of the Broadway Bridge. This year’s theme will be Welcome to R.A.T.S Academy! 

Aquatennial Skyline Fest  Boom Island, 724 Sibley Street NE

Saturday, July 21, 11am - 5pm

Skyline Festival is the biggest paddle sport race in Minneapolis! This is the place to be in Minneapolis. Skyline Festival is a big “ocean style” race with a good Midwest city feel. This year SUP Minneapolis is adding to the ohana by partnering with the Aquatennial. The Skyline Festival is a jam-packed day filled with tons of fun for everyone young and old. This festival has a race for everyone including a 5K Open race for any and all who want to test themselves on a board, a 10K for more experienced racers and a 200M Fastest Paddler race presented by iDol Surf. In addition to the paddleboarding there will be SUP Yoga, Board Demo Zone, great food, delicious beer, tons of local merchant tents and a raffle with great prizes. Register at the link below today and make sure to tell your friends and family because this is a day you and they will not want to miss!

Wilderness Inquiry Canoe Rides Boom Island, 724 Sibley Street NE

Saturday, July 21, 11 am -- 5 pm

Free voyageur canoeing and paddling instruction as part of the Aquatennial Skyline Fest is open to people of all abilities, including people with disabilities. Experienced Wilderness Inquiry guides will provide all equipment needed, ensuring a safe and fun experience for all.

National Parks Service Picnic and Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock Tours/Open House Upper Saint Anthony Falls Lock and Dam, 1 Portland Avenue

Saturday, July 21, 11am - 5pm

Check out the falls during Minneapolis' Aquatennial celebration! Take in the sights and sounds of this beautiful location as the St. Paul District of the US Army Corps of Engineers St. Paul District and the National Park Service are joined by other federal agencies including the U.S. Coast Guard and its Auxiliary to talk about the site's history and water safety, and learn how each of the organizations' missions benefit the area.

Ambassador Organization Queen of the Lakes Coronation Ted Mann Concert Hall, West Bank

Saturday, July 21, 4pm – 6pm

The Coronation of the Aquatennial Ambassadors will be held at the Ted Mann Concert Hall on the West Bank of the University of Minnesota where the 2018 Queen of the Lakes, Aquatennial Princesses, Commodore and Captains will be announced. The program plans are all in place, and it will be another entertaining event! Tickets can be purchased through University of Minnesota Ticket Office at 612-624-2345.

AquaJam Best Trick Guthrie Theater, 818 Second St., parking lot

Saturday, July 21, 6pm - 8 pm

An Aquatennial classic event is back! Join us for AquaJam, a legacy event that was a popular Aquatennial destination during the 1980s. This year’s event is taking place at the Guthrie Theater’s parking lot, equidistant from the Target Fireworks/pre-fireworks festivities and X Games at U.S. Bank Stadium. Stop by this free event and watch local skateboarders take part in a Best Trick Contest on new obstacles! AquaJam is presented by Fulton Beer and Familia Skateshop.

Aquatennial Pre-Fireworks Events West River Parkway near Portland Avenue

Saturday, July 21, 6pm – 10pm

Join the fun for the Aquatennial Pre-Fireworks events leading up to the Target Fireworks at 10 pm. Stop by for music, food and more as you await one of the nation’s top five annual fireworks shows. The fun includes live music, a kids zone, food trucks and more!

Target Fireworks Show Along the Mississippi River in Downtown Minneapolis

Saturday, July 21, 10pm

Join the Minneapolis Aquatennial in celebrating another year of with the Target Fireworks, considered one of the top five annual fireworks displays in the nation. Get there early! Prime space fills up pretty quickly at this beloved event along West River Parkway and on the Stone Arch Bridge. Bring sunscreen for the afternoon and bug spray for the evening. The best spots are between Gold Medal Park and the Third Avenue Bridge on West River Parkway. While you’re there: Enjoy a show, tour or walk on the Endless Bridge at the Guthrie Theater, learn about Minneapolis’ history at the Mill City Museum, enjoy a morning at the Mill City Farmers Market or a leisurely afternoon at Gold Medal Park. Stop by Stone Arch Bridge and check out the skyline view from the Mississippi River. And tune into Go 96.3 and enjoy the simulcast of music set to the Target Fireworks display.

Wednesday
Jul182018

July 18, 2018, Wednesday - Creekside Pollinator Tour with Minneapolis Parks Foundation

Time: 8a - 10a

Creekside Pollinator Tour

New for 2018, the Minneapolis Parks Foundation’s Walk & Talk series is a small group exploration of Minneapolis parks, curated with our supporters in mind.

You’ll bee busy discovering something new on this Walk & Talk featuring environmental educator MaryLynn Pulscher. She’ll share how Minneapolis Parks supports pollinators at many different scales, including the creation of bee habitat and flowering lawns, research partnerships with the University of Minnesota Bee Lab, pollinator habitat mapping, and how best practices are incorporated into master planning and maintenance processes. You’ll start and end at one of the city’s most stunning and pollinator-friendly places – Longfellow Gardens. In between, you’ll meander along Minnehaha Creek to Lake Hiawatha and back.

YOUR GUIDE: MaryLynn Pulscher, Supervisor for Environmental Education, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board

ACTIVITY LEVEL: Easy 2.5-mile roundtrip walk on mostly paved trail

Tuesday
Jul172018

July 17, 2018, Tuesday - Mill City Farmers Market Night Market at The Commons

Mill City Night Market

Time: 4:00pm to 8:00pm

Location: The Commons, 425 Portland Avenue S

Mill City Farmers Market Night Market

This will be an ongoing event through Tuesday, September 25.

Pick up farm fresh, organic produce and local artisan foods for an easy weeknight meal. Prepared food vendors will be cooking up seasonal recipes all evening, so come hungry, stay, listen to live music and have a picnic supper in The Commons!

PROGRAMS

At our Tuesday Night Market we will continue to offer “can do” cooking and wellness activities and live entertainment, such as

NOTE - Monitor MCFM's Facebook for any weather-related cancellation updates!

Tuesday
Jul172018

July 17, 2018, Tuesday - Mill City Summer Opera: Carmen at Mill City Museum

Mill City Summer Opera presents: Carmen

Mill City Museum  July 13 – 24

Ticket info

Experience the opera like never before! Mill City Summer Opera is one of the world’s premier opera companies and brings in an audience from all different walks of life. They hope to see you at this year's performance of Carmen!

Among the most famous and performed of all operas, Carmen is a riveting story of love, lust, betrayal, jealousy and murder. Set in 1830s Seville, the gypsy girl Carmen seduces soldier Don José away from his post and his beloved Micaëla. After luring him to join her and a clan of smugglers, Carmen turns her attention toward the swaggering bullfighter Escamillo. Carmen's fate is met in the final act when she meets the madly jealous Don José outside of the arena. The outdoor ruins of the Mill City Opera offer a magical setting to experience this iconic masterpiece. Music by Georges Bizet and libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy. These tickets go quickly, so don’t delay.

Additional dates: July 19, 20, 22, 24

Monday
Jul162018

July 16, 2018, Monday - Music in the Park at Nicollet Island

Time: 7:00pm

Location: Nicollet Island Park

Tonights entertainment: (See website to verify any programming changes.)

What to bring: Blanket or chair, sunblock and bugspray, picnic basket.

Reminders: Watch our facebook or twitter page for weather cancellations of the evening festivities. Post photos of you enjoying the concerts on the facebook page. Support the artists by picking up a CD or other merchandise.

Music & Movies in The Parks is produced by the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board. Enjoy more than 250 FREE concerts and movies in Minneapolis parks this summer!

Monday
Jul162018

July 16, 2018, Monday - U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Public Meeting at Mill City Museum

Public Meeting 

Even before the Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock in downtown Minneapolis was closed to halt the spread of invasive carp in 2015, many questioned the cost of maintaining the locks and dams in the Minneapolis-St. Paul Mississippi River gorge. 

Despite the precipitous decline of commercial navigation and lock use north of Fort Snelling, taxpayers spend approximately $2.4 million (according to the Star Tribune) to maintain the upper three locks and navigation channel.

Now, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is conducting a study to take a closer look at what to do with all of this underutilized infrastructure. 

The Corps' disposition study for the Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock, the Lower St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam and Lock and Dam #1 (a.k.a. the Ford Lock and Dam) is a key part of this investigation. In a nutshell, they're trying to determine if it makes sense for the U.S. government to continue to own and/or operate this infrastructure, and if not, what entity would or could take on its ownership and maintenance.

The Corps' St. Paul office is hosting a public meeting about the disposition study July 16, 6-8 p.m. at the Mill City Museum, 704 Second Street S. The purpose of the meeting is to help inform the public about the study, the properties owned by the Corps, and the potential process of transferring or selling them.

The study will also be a chance for the agency to document concerns or issues related to the properties' potential disposal or transfer, and for interested parties who would like to own the infrastructures and associated riverfront land to step forward. Corps staff also plan to meet with organizational stakeholders, including Friends of the Mississippi River (FMR), later that week. 

Competing visions

There is both a lot at stake and a lot of stakeholders in this process. Several groups see the disposition study as the first big step towards achieving their riverfront visions. 

A proposal to repurpose the Upper St. Anthony Falls lock as a world-class destination visitor and interpretive center in downtown Minneapolis has been put forth by the Friends of the Lock & Dam. Meanwhile, American Rivers has launched a "Restore the Gorge" campaign to remove the Lower St. Anthony Falls and Ford dams and return the rapids that historically provided exceptional fish spawning habitat.

Add to these the groups who advocate for continued use of dams for hydropower, and paddlers and rowers who use the impounded river for flatwater recreation, and we can count on a variety of opinions being expressed at upcoming meetings.

Next steps

After the July meetings, the Corps expects to complete an environmental assessment of its potential options. They will invite the public to comment in mid- to late 2019. 

Sunday
Jul152018

July 15, 2018, Sunday - NEXT Festival 2018 at the Ritz Theatre (thru July 28)

The NEXT Festival is Theater Latté Da’s New Work Festival showcasing new works that stretch the boundaries of musical storytelling. Each show in the Festival receives public performances providing audience members the opportunity to get in on the ground floor of the creative process. Following each performance is an in-depth conversation with the playwrights, composers, and lyricists. Be a part of Theater Latté Da’s commitment to the next generation of the Great American Musical.

NEXT Festival 2018

TO LET GO AND FALL
Sunday, July 15 at 2:00 pm
Monday, July 16 at 7:30 pm

GUN AND POWDER
Friday, July 20 at 7:30 pm
Monday, July 23 at 7:30 pm

7 SHOT SWING
Thursday, July 26 at 7:30 pm
Saturday, July 28 at 7:30 pm

PANSY
Thursday, July 26 at 9:30 pm
Saturday, July 28 at 9:30 pm 

Sunday
Jul152018

July 15, 2018, Sunday - Twin Cities World Refugee Day at Loring Park

Time: Noon to 6:00pm

Location: Loring Park 

Twin Cities World Refugee Day

Immerses attendees in an artistic, culinary, and social experience that expands intercultural understanding by building human connections, and improving knowledge of immigrant and refugee issues. Local organizations dedicated to providing opportunities and improving the quality of life for immigrant and refugee communities will be onsite.

Sunday
Jul152018

July 15, 2018, Sunday - Disasters of the Riverfront Tour at the Mill City Museum

Time: 1:00pm

Location: Mill City Museum, 704 South 2nd Street

Disasters of the Riverfront Tour

Take a guided walking tour of the St. Anthony Falls milling district and learn about some of the most tragic disasters in Minnesota history. Hear the stories of fires, floods, explosions, collapses, and other natural and human-created calamities. Visitors will learn about the Eastman Tunnel Collapse in 1869, the Great Conflagration of 1893, bridge collapses in 1859 and 2007, numerous fires, and massive landscape changes that shaped the Twin Cities.

This tour includes about 1.5 miles of moderately paced walking on uneven surfaces. Please call ahead to make arrangements for guests with limited mobility.

Future dates: August 26, September 23