This Saturday, June 27 - #NicestDayEver Giveaway

Help our Nice Ride Minnesota system set a new daily record for the most rides taken this Saturday, June 27, from 9:00am – Noon, during the #NicestDayEver.

Hop on a Nice Ride bike and be part of history! The Minneapolis Foundation and Nice Ride will provide complimentary helmets and 24-hour Nice Ride passes from 9 am to noon at select stations, including one along the riverfront.  Nice Ride staff will be on hand to fit helmets and show first-time users how the bike sharing system works. Bring your friends and enjoy the #NicestDayEver! More information.

Helmets & passes will be provided at these stations:
•Loring Park Station (North side near Harmon Place)
•100 Main St. SE (St. Anthony Main)
•Theodore Wirth Beach (Glenwood Ave.)
•Midtown Greenway & 5th Ave. S
•Lake St. & Knox Ave. S
•Minneapolis Farmers Market (Border Ave. and 3rd Ave. N)

Locate stations with Nice Ride’s online station map.

Neighborhood Walking Group

This is simply an informal gathering of neighbors - the group decides the route.  :)

FREE Bike Helmet Giveaway Saturday June 27 at the Mill City Farmers Market

WHAT: FREE Bike Helmet Giveaway by the American Academy of Neurology

WHERE: Mill City Farmers Market, Minneapolis, across from Guthrie Theater

WHEN: Saturday, June 27, 2015, 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Arrive early as quantities are limited.

Get a FREE bike helmet! The American Academy of Neurology, the world’s largest association of neurologists, and the largest trade association in Minnesota, will give away and fit 1,000 bike helmets on Saturday, June 27, 2015, in an effort to raise awareness of brain safety to help prevent head injuries in Minnesota. The event will take place at the Mill City Farmers Market and starts at 8:00 a.m. Plan on arriving early as quantities are limited!

Week 7 at the 2015 Mill City Farmers Market

For the second Saturday in a row we woke up to rain.  But the weather quickly turned around for the June 20 Market, and it got downright steamy by the time the Mill City Cooks demo started. Good thing Surly Brewing Co was on hand sampling some of their craft brews!

Northern Waters Smokehaus is a new Vendor this year.  Look for a separate post later this week under our Farmers Market blog.

Get ideas on how to use in-season produce from the Meet Your Vegetables team. Look for a separate post later this week under our Farmers Market blog.

Viola blossoms from Seven Songs Organic Farm.  :)

Is it just me, or does it look like there's a giant bread hand coming out of that basket?

Wilber's back! Visit ArtAndes to learn his story, as told by Melanie Ebertz (who happens to be one of my favorite people!).

The goat!

Enter the Mississippi Minute Film Festival

2^ND ANNUAL/MISSISSIPPI MINUTE FILM FESTIVAL RETURNS

60-Second Film Contest: presented by the Minneapolis Riverfront Partnership

Entry Deadline September 15, 2015

WHAT: Create and enter your own One Minute Film about the Mississippi River in Minneapolis.

Show us your vision showcasing an appreciation for—or the future potential of—the urban riverfront in Minneapolis. Make us laugh, make us cry, astound us—inform, energize and inspire—all in 60 seconds!

WHERE: For the competition, the Mississippi River has been divided into four categories:

• River Gorge: Ford Dam to Washington Ave Bridge
• Downtown Riverfront: Washington Ave Bridge to Plymouth Bridge
• River North: Plymouth Bridge to Lowry Bridge
• Upper Harbor: Lowry Bridge to City Border

WHY: To highlight the magic of the Mississippi. Films will be judged by a panel of experts.

Awards premiered and announced at the Partnership’s annual event, the Minneapolis Riverfront Summit, on Monday, October 26, at the Mill City Museum at 6:00 p.m.

CRITERIA: Originality applauded. For full terms and conditions, file formats and “How to Submit”, see www.mississippiminute.org; Facebook: www.facebook.com/minneapolisriverfrontpartnership;

Twitter: www.twitter.com/mpls_riverfront.

Entries must be received ONLINE by end of day, 9/15/15.

WHO: The Minneapolis Riverfront Partnership seeks to raise awareness of the Mississippi River, one of America’s greatest rivers, a natural wonder and a national park. Revitalization has helped reclaim portions of the Minneapolis Riverfront, but much of it is still inaccessible and in places virtually invisible.

AWARDS & JUDGES

Awards will be given in each Category (Best of Category ;) plus a Viewer’s Choice Award and Best of Show Award. Judges to be announced.

Friday, July 31 - Riverfront Fest

Friday, July 31, 2015

5:30 PM to Sunset

Ole Olson Park, 2325 West River Rd, Minneapolis

Sponsored by the Minneapolis Riverfront Partnership, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board and the Minneapolis East Exchange Club.

Join us on the night of the Blue Moon for the third annual Riverfront Fest at Ole Olson Park.  In addition to your favorite local food trucks and craft beer, Wain McFarlane and Dreadlock Cowboy and the Fattenin Frogs will be the featured bands.  New this year is a Boat Ballet on the Mississippi River.

Northern Spark by the Numbers

Via a June 19 Northern Lights.mn e-newsletter:

Thank you to all of our artists, partners, attendees, donors, sponsors, and volunteers. You rock.

Attendees: 53,000
Artists and performers: 110
Projects: 75
 Organizational partners: 31
 Hours trending on Twitter: 25 hours, 50 minutes
 Hours at #1 in Minneapolis on Twitter: 11
Facebook views during the week of the festival: 62,000
Instagram likes: 1,270
Website page views: 238,792
Unique website visitors: 84,162
Nice Ride trips: Over 1,500, setting a new one-day record for Sunday
Metro Transit free rides: 2314
Food trucks: 18
Website crashes: 50 billion times. (Sorry about that.)
Pancakes served: 500
Prairie Vespers served: 372

We look forward to seeing you next year, June 11, 2016, at dusk.

Northern Spark is free for everyone to attend, but we rely on you for support to make it happen. We still need your help to meet our goal for individual giving before the end of the fiscal year, June 30. If you enjoyed Northern Spark, please contribute generously.

UPDATE - Bridge 9 Closure Postponed to Monday, June 22

Via a June 18 City of Minneapolis e-newsletter:

The Bridge 9 portion of the Dinkytown Greenway will be closed Monday, June 22 from 12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Bridge 9, which carries the Dinkytown Greenway over the Mississippi River, will be closed to all bicycle and pedestrian traffic during this time for work on the bridge. The nearby 10th Ave and Washington Ave bridges over the Mississippi River will remain open to bicycle and pedestrian traffic.

This is a rescheduling of the closure originally scheduled for Friday, June 19. Bridge 9 will remain open to bicycle and pedestrian traffic tomorrow.

See the bicycle and pedestrian detour page for bicycle and pedestrian detour information throughout city.

The Northeast Farmers Market is Exanding to Thursdays at The Grain Belt Apartments

Northeast Minneapolis Farmers Market at The Grain Belt
July 9th – September 24th
Thursdays, 4:00pm – 7:00pm

(MINNEAPOLIS – June 18, 2015) Celebrate our new expansion and the community spirit of the Northeast Farmers Market on a Thursday evening!

The Northeast Minneapolis Farmers Market is pleased to announce the opening of a new weekday market at The Grain Belt Apartments.

In addition to the Saturday market, we will bring a variety of vendors to this new location every Thursday from 4pm-7pm, July 9th through September 24th. Enjoy the same great live music while visiting with new friends and familiar faces. We’ll bring you fresh, locally grown produce, flowers, baked goods, jam, specialty foods, cold treats, a food truck and more.

**********************

Northeast Farmers Market at The Grain Belt

Thursdays, 4:00pm-7:00pm
 July 9th – September 24th, 2015
 1215 Marshall Street NE    
Minneapolis, MN 55413
http://www.northeastmarket.org/
http://www.thegrainbeltmpls.com/

Road Closures for June 20-21 Stone Arch Bridge Festival

Via a June 18 Minneapolis Park and Rec Board e-newsletter:

The following parkways will be temporarily closed June 20-21:
 
June 20 - Stone Arch Bridge Festival - 9:00am to 10:00pm
SE Main Street from Merriam Street to 6th Avenue.
3rd Ave from 2nd Street to SE Main St. (Access for Residents)
6th Ave from 2nd Street to Stone Arch Bridge (Access for Residents)
 
June 21 - Stone Arch Bridge Festival - 9:00am to  9:00pm
SE Main Street from Hennepin Ave to 6th Avenue
Merriam Ave (Bridge)
3rd Ave from 2nd Street to SE Main St. (Access for Residents)
6th Ave from 2nd Street to Stone Arch Bridge (Access for Residents)

CenterPoint Energy Project Status Update for Downtown Minneapolis

MN Limited, LLC. and Michels Corporation, two authorized CenterPoint Energy contractors, will continue installing natural gas pipeline in the following locations:

Hennepin Avenue, from Washington Avenue N. to 2nd Street N.:
•Crews continue to install pipe along the east sidewalk of Hennepin Avenue.
•Crews will be working 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. from Monday to Friday for the next two weeks.
•No parking is allowed along northbound Hennepin Avenue. The bike lane and sidewalk are also closed.  
•Please anticipate intermittent lane closures for eastbound and westbound Washington Avenue N. traffic.

2nd Street S., from 3rd Avenue S. to MacPhail Center for Music:
•Crews continue to work eastwards in this area.
•Parking lots and ramps remain accessible.

2nd Street S., from 5th Avenue S. to Portland Avenue S.:
•From Monday, June 22nd to Friday, June 26th, this road will be closed.
•Local businesses and parking ramps will remain open.

At the intersection of 2nd Street S. and 9th Avenue S.:
•This intersection will be closed until approximately Friday, June 19th.
•Access to businesses will remain open.

At the intersection of 2nd Street S. and 11th Avenue S.:
•Crews are working west of this intersection  
•The intersection is open and restored.

MPRB's Annual 4th of July Celebration

Celebrate the 4th of July during Minneapolis Red, White and Boom, a two-day celebration hosted by the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. The event, held along the downtown Minneapolis Riverfront, features live music, great food, fun activities for the whole family, and the grand finale – fireworks!

On July 4, Father Hennepin Bluff Park will offer FREE family activities in the Family Fun Zone from 6 pm to 9:30 pm. Activities include balloon twisters, caricature artists, hair painters and face painters. Live music will be playing at Mill Ruins Park and Father Hennepin Park from 6 pm to 10 pm. The Red, White and Boom Celebration closes with a spectacular fireworks display along the Riverfront at 10 pm.

Hot Dam 5K

Friday, July 3, 6:30 pm Register

There’s still time to register for the Hot Dam 5K! Take in the beautiful view of the Minneapolis skyline as you enjoy a walk or run on the most scenic course in Minneapolis, which includes Historic Main Street and the Stone Arch Bridge.

Funds raised will benefit the firework fund for future Red, White and Boom Celebrations in Minneapolis. After Party includes outdoor concert by Chris Koza followed by the outdoor film “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory”. Pre-registration is open through Tuesday, June 30, 2015.

NEW DATE: Cynthia Froid Group Ice Cream Social Moved to July 15

NOTE:  The Ice Cream Social originally scheduled for June 17 has been move to July 15.

Thank you to Cynthia Froid and staff for the hosting this fun event!

Participate in the July 4 Great Mississippi River Photo Shoot

Great Mississippi River Photo Shoot

Take a picture anytime between sunrise and sunset on July 4th, 2015 to enter the Great Mississippi River Photo Shoot.

A general description of the photo, the location, and who took the photo should be sent to irishvoyageur@aol.com and will be used to create a composite of river photos from Lake Itasca to the Gulf.

Here's a collection of photos taken by multiple photographers along the length of the Mississippi River on February 1, 2015:

Bridge 9 Portion of Dinkytown Greenway Closed on Friday, June 19

Via a June 15 City of Minneapolis e-newsletter:

The Bridge 9 portion of the Dinkytown Greenway will be closed Friday, June 19 from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Bridge 9, which carries the Dinkytown Greenway over the Mississippi River, will be closed to all bicycle and pedestrian traffic during this time for work on the bridge.

The 10th Ave and Washington Ave bridges over the Mississippi River will remain open to bicycle and pedestrian traffic.

See the bicycle and pedestrian detour page for bicycle and pedestrian detour information throughout city.

Week 6 at the 2015 Mill City Farmers Market

Road construction and early morning drizzle will never keep seasoned MCFM shoppers away.  The June 13 Market was no exception. 

SunShare Community Solar was the Community Booth. Look for a separate post about this organization later this week on our Farmers Market blog.

Stone's Throw Urban Farm always has some words of wisdom to share.  :)

That's one serious Market basket!  Thank You to these lovely ladies for sharing their beautiful smiles.

This little gal was proud to show off a $2 Market Token.  Her parents stopped by the info booth to learn about the Power of Produce (POP) program, which is the planning stage and future dates are TBA (sign up for the Mill City Beet e-newsletter to stay in the know!).  Per MCFM Executive Director, Martha Archer, the goal is to offer it weekly, but that is dependent on sponsor funding. We hope it comes to fruition, as it's a great way to get kids involved with the Market, and is of no cost to their parents.

My ears perked up when I overheard a discussion on how Prohibition Kombucha from Verdant Tea can be used in cocktails, so I picked up a bottle of "The Sicilian" to try in Gin & Tonics. It's flavored with rosemary, lemon and orange blossom.

These fuzzy little babies always look like they're smiling.  Don't you just want to snuggle them?

Dave caught this bird in mid-squawk.

Any way they're displayed, radishes are a thing of beauty.

Breakfast is served!

New from Barkley's Bistro - Hopvale & Cheddar Buttons.  Happy hour for Fido.

Potter Adam Gruetzmacher debuted at the June 13 Market. Look for a separate post about his work later this week on our Farmers Market blog.

The goat!

RiverQuest: ride the riverfront!

Date: Saturday, June 27

(Registration closes on Monday, June 22nd!)

It’s the time of the year to gather a few good friends and spend a summer’s afternoon getting to know the Mississippi! Join RiverQuest, a two-wheeled team scavenger hunt up and down the Minneapolis riverfront! Explore the famed Mississippi both on and off the beaten path, and dive headlong into its past, present and future.

Through a unique series of clues, each team will explore key points along the riverfront and capture their completed tasks via Instagram (using #RiverQuest2015). At each of several stops along the way, it will be up to you and your team to fulfill the challenge laid out for you.

Full details & registration...

Map Your Route! Northern Spark is This Saturday Dusk 'til Dawn!

Via a June 11 e-newsletter from Northern Spark and Northern Lights.mn:

Visit our new mobile-friendly website northernspark.org, click on the Art and Events tab to view all the 2015 projects and events. See something you like? Just click "Add to My Night" to save your to-do list. (Reminder: we are not updating the 2014 Northern Spark app this year. The mobile site allows us to make updates quickly as needed.)

The 6 zones on our maps page show you where all the action is for artist projects, food trucks, Northern Spark Information and Merch Tents, and restrooms. Read below for a possible route, but we encourage you to chose your own adventure!

Minneapolis Riverfront Partnership's Second Annual Mississippi Minute Film Festival

Sitting within blocks of thousands of Minneapolis workers, residents and visitors is one of the greatest natural wonders in the world: the Mississippi River. And too many people don’t realize it’s there.

The Minneapolis Riverfront Partnership invites you to make the invisible visible using the engaging medium of film. Create a vision that tugs at heartstrings or makes people laugh, that showcases an appreciation for – or the future potential of – the riverfront in Minneapolis.  Most important, inform, energize, and inspire our citizenry to action -­ all in 60 seconds!

The contest formally launches on Monday, June 15, and the film submission deadline is 5:00pm September 15.  The screening and awards ceremony will be held Monday, October 26, 2015.

Click here for details.

Cynthia Froid Group to host June 17 Izzy's Ice Cream Social in Gold Medal Park

Thank you to Cynthia Froid and staff for the hosting this fun event!