Music Mover and Shaker: Grant Meachum, Director, Live at Orchestra Hall, Minnesota Orchestra

Article by Becky Fillinger

Grant Meachum Photo:Scott StrebleGrant Meachum is the Director of Live at Orchestra Hall - innovative programming that combines symphony orchestra with - well, many different artists and art forms. We talked to him about how he plans his collaborations, what’s on tap for the summer and his wish list for the perfect collaboration.

Q:  What do you have planned for the Live at Orchestra Hall during the outdoor summer season?

A:  The summer season is particularly exciting in that it really defies the question of what is “Live at Orchestra Hall” and what is “Classical.” I’ve worked alongside our programming team – including the Orchestra’s Artistic Advisory Committee and our Creative Partner for Summer Programs Jon Kimura Parker – to create programs that engage musically and visually. Some of the most exciting projects are collaborations between the Orchestra and In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre and BRKFST Dance Company. Both organizations are offering a new visual and movement-based work to accompany music from the classical repertoire. There is so much great art being created in the Twin Cities, and it’s so gratifying to find ways for the Orchestra to work with these artists.

Q:  You've been Director, Live at Orchestra Hall, for over seven years. What changes have you witnessed in your tenure?

Dessa with the OrchestraA:  The biggest change has been the broadening of the idea of what kind of music a symphony orchestra can and should offer. I’ll use the Orchestra’s ongoing collaboration with Dessa as an example. Ten years ago, the idea of an Orchestra performing with a hip hop artist would have been viewed as an anomaly by some and sacrilegious by others.

Having an artistic partner like Sarah Hicks (principal conductor of Live at Orchestra Hall) and an open-minded and nimble orchestra like the Minnesota Orchestra has allowed us to explore new ideas like this. As long as music is well written and performed in a way that highlights the virtuosity of the Minnesota Orchestra, then the sky is truly the limit as to what kind of guest artist you might see at an orchestral Pops show in the future.

Q:  Your collaborative programming is outstanding, including guests such as Dessa, as you mentioned, Cloud Cult, Dan Wilson, Charles Lazarus and The Steeles. Do you have free reign to program collaborations with your 'wish list' of guests?

A:  Sarah Hicks and I definitely have a wish list of guest artists (*cough* Lizzo *cough cough*) A big part of our programming process at the Minnesota Orchestra involves discussions of new ideas with internal stakeholders – notably the musicians and my colleagues in marketing. We are so fortunate to work with an open-minded orchestra like this – if we can make a compelling case as to why someone would be a worthwhile collaboration, we usually get enthusiastic support in pursuing this wish list.

Q:  So many people are envious of your job. How did you train for such an interesting position?  

A:  Like many people working in artistic administration, my path to this job is anything but linear. My employment history has included positions with the Yale School of Music, Boston Lyric Opera, Hartford (CT) Symphony Orchestra, and Dispeker Artists (managing opera singers – my very favorite kind of musician to befriend). I gained important skills at all of these jobs, but writ large the one thread that has tied everything together in leading me here is the recognition that the relationship between artist and administrator goes both ways. Talented musicians sharing their art is the reason that my job exists, and I consider it a personal calling to find avenues and resources to lift up the art and artists whose work I believe in.

Salsa del Soul will be one of the performances during the July 16 A Day to Celebrate Music event.

Q:  What is on the drawing board for the rest of the year?

A:  The summer season is a very “hands on” time of year. The Minnesota Orchestra’s International Day of Music is on July 16, and it’s a day that will find me bouncing between four stages over a course of 12 hours to assist our guest artists, staff, and volunteers in welcoming thousands of guests to Orchestra Hall. But I will also make sure there is time to step back and plan out how I can approach those projects on our “wish list” as we look to programming future seasons.

Q:  Thank you so much for providing innovative musical programming to our community. How may we follow your news? 

A:  Check out the Minnesota Orchestra on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. You can read about all of the exiting things the Minnesota Orchestra is working on!

Anatomy of a Murder (Mystery)

Article by Becky Fillinger

There’s lots of chatter about the upcoming outdoor murder mystery, Mystery on the Mississippi: St. Anthony Falls which will play out on the Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam in June and July. We talked to co-creators Tim Wick and Duck Washington about what to expect during the immersive performances. Pull out your vintage 60s clothing, get your questions ready and help solve the mystery!

Q:  How did the collaboration between the Mississippi Park Connection, the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area and Fearless Comedy Productions come about?  

Tim - I have been friends with one of the rangers from the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area for some time. She was working on enrichment programs for the park and got in touch with me about doing something more theatrical. Mississippi Park Connection has been hosting excursions on the Jonathan Padelford for a few years and they wondered if we could put together a show. I had been creating some murder mysteries for a lodge in Wisconsin and suggested a murder mystery. 

After that, we just had to figure out how to create a show that was going to work with an audience in a confined space for two hours that also managed to educate the audience about the history of the river at the same time. It was a lot of work to come up with a format that worked, but the end result was really pleasing and got great feedback from the audience.

Tim Wick

Duck - I know one of the main focuses of the Mississippi Park Connection was to try to get people to connect with the river in some way. One of the reasons we were contacted was to provide an opportunity for both regular patrons to connect with it and also attract some patrons that might not spend as much time on the river. Since that first year in 2017 we have done something with the parks every summer. Tim has been the primary producer on all of those shows, co-writing them with Eric Thompson. I have been the director of all the shows and have played a pivotal role in also helping design its functionality in such unusual performance spaces.

Duck Washington

Q:  I understand the program has morphed from a boat performance to a Zoom performance during the pandemic to a walking tour at St. Anthony Falls this summer. What was the inspiration to continue tinkering with the program? 

Tim - The inspiration, more than anything, was necessity. The pandemic made it impossible to do an in-person show in 2020, but we still wanted to do something so we wrote a show that could take place online.

This year, in-person performances are possible but we all felt it might be too soon to put 100 people back on a boat together, so the Park Service and Mississippi Park Connection asked us if we would be interested in doing the show on the lock instead. We were really interested in the new challenge. We had to write the show completely differently than the shows we'd created for the Paddelford, and that was a very exciting problem. We're still working through some of the problems but the end result should be really interesting and fun.

Duck - You want to always be retaining and advancing the work you've built on. It has been a hard couple of years, but I feel it is still really important to connect the members of our community to the resources the park system provides. You don't want them to just forget about the river for two to three years.

2019 photo of the Fearless Comedy Productions cast and crew (costumes unrelated to the current Murder on the Mississippi production).

Q:  What's the plot line of this murder mystery? Is it completely fictional? Will attendees learn history of the area during the production? How should an attendee prepare in advance of the show?

Tim - The audience will be asked to solve a murder that took place when the Upper St. Anthonly Lock originally opened in 1963. We've tried to focus our shows on specific eras in the history of the river. When we were on the Paddelford, for instance, we began with the gangster era of the 1920's. Then we looked at WWII and the post-Civil War periods. All of those time periods had different interesting things happening on the river and we used those historical events to inspire our writing.

I don't want to give too much away, but the audience will meet a member of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers who built and maintained the lock until it was shut down in 2015 and recently handed over to the Park Service. He will be asking the audience to help him solve a mystery. The audience will meet people who were working on and near the lock in 1963 and will need to figure out which one of them is the killer.

This show is completely fictional. In other productions, we've pulled characters from history, but the original opening of the lock didn't provide a lot of interesting subjects - so we created our own. We used the reasons for the creation of the lock along with changes that were happening along the river, like the movement of the flour mills out of downtown Minneapolis, and environmental concerns that have always been part of development on the river. 

We always hope that while the audience is trying to solve the mystery, they will learn something - so there is a lot of history about the dam, the lock, and the local area included in the show.

Attendees don't need to do anything to prepare, but should be aware the audience will be moving around the lock during the show and will be invited to interact with the characters to solve the mystery. The lock is handicapped accessible, so those with mobility impairments will be able to enjoy the performance.

Duck - While nothing is really required of our audiences, often we have had patrons come dressed up for the period. Those that wish to should feel welcome to dress in their favorite early 60's stylings. We will do some travelling through time but they can do it in style.

Q:  What are the dates of the production?  

Tim - Performance dates and times are:

June 24 / June 25 / July 15 / July 16

Because these are walking groups, each performance will be in front of a small group so tickets are very limited. Get tickets here. We encourage people to pick them up as soon as possible!

Q:  Do you see other collaborations happening in the future? I sure hope so!

Tim - We hope to be working with the Park Service and Mississippi Park Connection for many years to come! We already had been developing our next script for the Padelford when the pandemic hit and are excited to get back to that show someday soon.

Duck - I feel like we have had a strong collaboration over the past five years. The parks and the audiences have seemed happy with what we have put together, and it has definitely felt like a success on our end. Who knows what future possibilities there may be? Maybe we will do another show on the Jonathan Paddleford, maybe we will do mystery via canoe trip (I just made that up!). Anyhow, there are lots of possibilities. 

Q:  How may we follow your news?  

Tim - You can follow Fearless Comedy Productions on Facebook and our website. The Mississippi Park Connection is on Facebook. The Mississippi National River and Recreation Area is also on Facebook.

Celebrate Excellence: Dr. Jean O’Brien

Article by Becky Fillinger

Dr. Jean O’Brien

Our neighbor, Dr. Jean O’Brien, lived on Nicollet Island for 28 years; the last two years in Northeast a block away from the river. She is a celebrated professor of history at the University of Minnesota, with Distinguished McKnight University Professorship status. Did you know she was recently elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences? This prestigious organization was founded in 1780, during the American Revolution, by John Adams, John Hancock and 60 other scholar-patriots who understood that a new republic would require institutions and leaders able to gather and share knowledge and advance learning in service to the public good. It’s a big deal! We talked to Dr. O’Brien about the award, the global explosion of indigenous studies, and how she gives back to the next generations of scholars.

Q:  Congratulations on your recent election to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, a national award. David Oxtoby, President of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, said the award winners “excel in ways that excite us and inspire us at a time when recognizing excellence, commending expertise and working toward the common good is absolutely essential to realizing a better future.” Please tell us your thoughts on how studying and amplifying history and Indigenous studies leads us to a better future. 

A:  Studying history helps explain why the world around us looks like it does and what we can do to make the world a better place. Knowing something about how the past has produced the present allows us to better understand the circumstances and lives of peoples, cultures, countries, and more. History at its best teaches empathy and understanding and the tools for making a better future. And as I always tell my students, "U.S. history IS Indian/Indigenous history." One cannot possibly understand the U.S. right now without knowing about the long history of Indigenous people and the struggles Indigenous people have faced within the structure of settler colonialism that produced the U.S. But as importantly, knowing something of Indigenous history helps explain our status as sovereign nations and vibrant peoples in the present looking to the future.

Q:  Will there be an award ceremony at the University and may the public attend? 

A:  There was a nice acknowledgement of faculty and staff awards at the May meeting of the Board of Regents that I was thrilled to attend. There will be what I understand is an elaborate inauguration ceremony at the AAA&S headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts in spring 2023 with all of the inductees for 2022. There is a backlog of inductees because of the COVID pandemic: that induction will happen first, in the fall.

Q:  You’ve mentored 31 Ph.D. students – another major career accomplishment. Did you realize when you started your teaching career in 1989 the potential impact you would have on so many other people?   

A:  I had no idea I would be so heavily involved in mentoring Ph.D. students when I started teaching at the UMN. It is one of my very favorite things about my job and I'm especially thrilled at the exponential growth in Indigenous graduate students in our programs. I currently advise fourteen more graduate students, ten of whom are Indigenous: we have at least three dozen Indigenous studies graduate students and we are well known internationally for our work in graduate education in the field. Our students are doing amazing things in the academy across the US and Canada and in institutions such as the Minnesota Historical Society. I also could never have imagined participating in the co-founding of the Native American and Indigenous Studies Association, now the most significant professional association in global Indigenous studies. I organized our first official meeting of NAISA at the UMN in 2009.

Q:  Bemidji State University has a new program focusing on environmentalism through an Indigenous lens, New Bemidji State degree draws on Indigenous practices to teach 21st century sustainability | MPR News. Do you see Indigenous studies continuing to develop in ways we perhaps can’t see today?   

A:  Indigenous studies is exploding in significance right now, and the field is incredibly far-reaching. Environmental studies is a vital component of our field and is growing dramatically. Indigenous people have a lot to teach the world about sustainability, food sovereignty, and creating the conditions of survival for the planet. But Indigenous studies reaches across virtually every field you can think of, well beyond the humanities and social sciences to law, medicine, and the hard sciences.

Q:  When you're not lecturing, writing, mentoring and inspiring others  - what do you like to do in your downtime? 

A:  My husband and I love to travel. He is an economist working in international trade, and I'm able to follow him around to lots of places, especially Spain and Latin America. I love to read, walk, tend to my container garden, and I love to cook.

Storm Over Mississippi River by Ric Rosow

Submitted by Ric Rosow

The storm moved in early on the evening of May 30th, first with high winds, then menacing storm clouds and then rain in the distance moving this way. I went out to photograph from the balcony. The first photograph is early in shooting the storm. The clouds look ominous and the rain had not yet appeared in the horizon. The second photograph was taken not long after the first. The clouds are menacing and rain appears in the horizon. Nature changes the landscape rapidly.

See more of my work @ricrosowphotography and Tres Leches Art Gallery.

.

.

June 4th at the Mill City Farmers Market

Our shopping basket from the June 4th Mill City Farmers Market.

Atacama Catering is a family business specializing in South American food. Their empanadas (available both hot to enjoy at the Market and cold to take home) are incredible, and they also sell salsas and bakery items. Atacama is a monthly vendor, and their next date at the MCFM is July 16th.

I'm sure I wasn't the only one who was excited for the first tomatoes of the year!

The U of M College of Design conducted a shopper survey and gathered feedback on how people react to less than perfect looking produce.  

It's always fun to see Chef Beth Jones in the demo booth.

Saturday Morning Workouts with Basecamp Fitness at Water Works Park

Submitted by Doug Verdier

This past Saturday morning found a group of folks engaged in a High Intensity Functional Training (HIFT) Workout on the grassy plaza of Water Works Park. Basecamp Fitness North Loop provided equipment and instruction, which gave participants a full-body workout designed to tone, define and add muscle mass. Perfect weather and a slight breeze were most welcome. The photos below show some of the activities during the session. 

Future outdoor classes are scheduled Saturdays throughout the summer months from 10-11am (except June 11 and June 18). For more information, call 612-870-8080 or email northloopmn@basecampfitness.com.

The colored squares  provide agility training.

The park’s inclined ramp provides a perfect space for a quick jog between other activities.

All done, all smiles! Great workout everyone - see you next week!

Rhythmically Speaking's The Cohort 2022 runs August 11-13 at the Southern Theater

Rhythmically Speaking (RS) recently announced The Cohort 2022 will run August 11-13 at the Southern Theater.

The Cohort 2022 will feature new works by local dance artists Erinn Liebhard (RS Artistic Director) and Rae Charles (RS Company Member), and remounted works by visitors Kathleen Doherty (Halifax, NS Canada) and Laura Ann Smyth (Los Angeles, CA). Liebhard’s new work An Opening is a musing on the synergy of keeping it together and breaking apart, and Charles’ new piece Learning to Understand uses the metaphor of falling in love to explore how we come to understand ourselves and one another. Visitor Kathleen Doherty is remounting her work BASS-line, which takes inspiration from how prominent basslines within music influence movement choices, rhythmic timing and shapes in the dancers’ bodies, and visitor Laura Ann Smyth is setting her work Character A/Musings, using the jazz idiom to consider the way in which we invent and reinvent ourselves throughout our lifetime.

In addition to these four choreographers, The Cohort 2022 includes a group of ten local dancers who will perform all four pieces on the show. The cast includes company dancers Nieya Amezquita, Rae Charles, Doug Hooker, Sara Karimi, RS Artistic Director Erinn Liebhard, Kelli Miles, Javan Mngrezzo, Jake Nehrbass, Kathleen Pender and Betsy Schaefer-Roob

Since being founded in 2008, Rhythmically Speaking has presented 98 original and remounted works, and engaged 350+ artists and thousands of audience members.

May 2022 State of the Downtown Market from Cynthia Froid Group

Downtown real estate market update from Cynthia Froid Group:

4th Street Reconstruction Project Update - June 3

4th Street Reconstruction Project Overview

The City of Minneapolis is reconstructing 4th St. between 2nd Ave. N and 4th Ave. S in downtown Minneapolis. The reconstruction will include wider sidewalks, improved crossings, a new bi-directional off-street bike path on the north side of the street, lighting, trees, and planting beds. Construction is underway and is expected to be complete by the end of 2022.

What's Happening Next Week?

Roadway reconstruction continues on 4th St. between 2nd Ave. N and Hennepin Ave. Fourth St. is currently closed to vehicle traffic between 1st Ave. N and Hennepin Ave. Local access is being maintained between 2nd Ave. N and 1st Ave. N.

• Concrete, curb and gutter, and concrete pavement construction will occur on the south side of the roadway between 2nd Ave. N and 1st Ave. N.
• Starting next week, crews will begin sidewalk construction work along the south side of the roadway between 1st Ave. and Hennepin Ave. Pedestrian access will be maintained.
• Lane restrictions at the 1st Ave. intersection continues for roadway paving work.
• Crews will be conducting minor concrete repairs between Hennepin Ave. and 4th Ave. S.

*Please note that the construction schedules are subject to change due to weather and other unforeseen circumstances.

What to expect during construction?

• During roadway construction, 4th St. will be closed to through traffic between 2nd Ave. N and Hennepin Ave. Local access will be maintained from 2nd Ave. N and 1st Ave. N. 
• Pedestrian access will be maintained throughout construction. Be aware of your surroundings when walking on the sidewalk and biking in the roadway. 
• Expect additional noise, dust, and vibration as crews complete work.

Upcoming Events

4th Street Weekly Stakeholder Meeting

Weekly project newsletters are sent out weekly and virtual stakeholder meetings occur bi-weekly. Join us at the next stakeholder meeting to get project updates, talk with project staff and get your questions/concerns answered.

Upcoming Stakeholder Meetings:

June 17, 9-9:30 a.m.

July 8, 9-9:30 a.m.

Teams Meeting: Click here to join the meeting

Stay connected

There are multiple ways to get information including email updates and ongoing stakeholder meetings. Visit the project website for more information and to sign up for project updates: www.minneapolismn.gov/government/projects/fourth-st-n-and-s/  

Provide questions, comments or concerns on the interactive map: https://zan.mysocialpinpoint.com/4thstreetreconstruction

Email the project team: info@4thstmpls.com

Contact the project hotline: 612-412-9774

Pizza Luce alleyway completed and reopened.

Grading for bike trail 1st Avenue N to Hennepin Avenue.

It’s all Downtown! Full Summer of Activities, Classes and Events Planned at Downtown Minneapolis Parks

Water Works during a recent summer event. Photo courtesy of Minneapolis Parks Foundation

Free daily activities, weekly classes, concerts, movies and more happening this summer at The Commons and Water Works

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board is hosting a new array of daily activities, weekly classes, music, movies and events happening all summer long at two new Downtown parks, The Commons and Water Works.

The new programming is part of an effort to welcome people back to Downtown after the pandemic and showcase two of the newest attractions in the Minneapolis park system. The Commons is located at 425 Portland Ave. S and Water Works is located at 425 West River Parkway.

Complete details and the full schedule: minneapolisparks.org/downtown.

Musical performace during the 2021 Owamni Falling Water Festival at Water Works

* * * MUSIC * * * 

Hip Hop, Folk, Rock, Bluegrass, Classical and much more! The Downtown Parks summer concert season runs Memorial Day through Labor Day. All concerts are offered free of charge.

The Commons: Every Thursday at 5 pm

Water Works: 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month at 7 pm

* * * MOVIES * * * 

Enjoy a movie on the big screen under the stars Memorial Day through Labor Day. All movies are offered free of charge and start 15 minutes after sunset. Minneapolis Sunset Calendar

The Commons: Every Wednesday night presented by the Minneapolis Downtown Council.

Water Works: Twin Cities Black Film Festival Screenings on June 10, July 1.

Summer activities at The Commons

* * * FREE DAILY ACIVITIES * * * 

All activities are free and do not require registration. Drop in and enjoy!

The Commons: All activities offered Monday-Friday, 11 am-5 pm

Frisbee Golf

Lawn and Table Games View Game Inventory

Water Works:

Outdoor Exploration Kits: Every day, 9am-9pm

Lock and Dam Tours: Every day, 11am-2pm

Junior Rangers: Every day, 11am-2pm

Lawn and Table Games: Every day, 9am-9pm View Game Inventory

.

Performances at Water Works

The Downtown Parks summer performance series partners with local artists to bring unique offerings to Water Works from Memorial Day to Labor Day. All performances are offered free of charge.

.

- Opera under the Stars: Monday, June 6 and Monday, July 4 at 7 pm

- MacPhail Faculty Concert: Saturday, July 9, 5:30 pm

- MacPhail KidsFest!: Saturday, June 11, 10 am

- Nanilo Sings: Monday, July 11, 7 pm

- Opera on the Lake (at the river): Monday, July 18, 7 pm

- MacPhail Sing Along: Thursday, August 11, 6:30 pm

.

Weekly Classes at Water Works

All classes are free and don’t require registration unless otherwise noted.

Yoga Fika Fridays: Every other Friday*, 7:30-8 am
*Class scheduled May 13, May 27, June 17, June 24, July 8, July 22, Aug. 5, Aug. 19, Sept. 2

Naturalist Discovery Station: Fridays, 11:30 am-12:30 pm

High Intensity Functional Training: Saturdays*, 10-11 am
(No class June 11 or June 18)

Vinyasa Flow Yoga:  Sundays*, 10-11 am
(No class June 19)

Summer Chess in the Park: Wednesdays, 6:30-7:30 pm
Session 1: June 8-July 13
Session 2: July 20-August 24

REGISTER HERE 

* * * FOOD * * *

The Commons hosts a rotating fleet of food trucks for lunch every weekday along 5th Avenue S.

Water Works hosts Owamni, an award-winning restaurant serving modern Indigenous cuisine out of the second floor of Water Works Pavilion. Visit the Owamni website for hours and reservations, or try for a patio table, which are available for walk-ins.

Owamni also offers local craft beer from a cart on the Water Works patio.

Nonprofit Leader: Kateri Routh, Executive Director, Great River Greening

Article by Becky Fillinger

Kateri RouthDo you know about Great River Greening? They’re a nonprofit devoted to engaging individuals and communities in on-the-ground work that improves our land and waters. Kateri Routh was recently appointed as Executive Director – we talked to her about the organization’s goals, success stories and how anyone can help. Keep reading – there’s even an upcoming opportunity for you to meet up with her at Lake Monster Brewing Company for a one on one discussion.

Q:  Congratulations on your Executive Director appointment. Great River Greening is in its 27th year having restored 22,000 acres at 400 sites across Minnesota. Your website states that "we bring people together to steward their own land and water." How do you select projects for 'community-based restoration' in a state with such vast water and land resources?

A:  Each year we connect with our numerous partners (cities, counties, state agencies) to determine together which habitats are in need of our restoration support. Our projects often last for multiple years as the work we do often takes time and needs to be done in phases to be successful. As we don’t own any of the land we restore, it’s very much a partnership, with Great River Greening offering our science-based best practices, our ecologists’ expertise, and our long history of improving Minnesota’s land and water. And of course, one of the best parts is bringing community volunteers onto our restoration sites to help get the work done and build a stronger connection with their local outdoors.

Volunteers of all ages helped in Garlough Park in West St. Paul

Q:  Please tell us some recent success stories.

A:  We just kicked off a multi-year project in West Saint Paul’s Marthaler Park, which is used as a teaching forest for Garlough Environmental Magnet Elementary School. Over 100 volunteers came out to chop buckthorn and plant native trees, grasses, and flowers to start the restoration work. The focus of this project is to enhance and restore native habitats along the river to River Greenway Trail. This will benefit the regional ecology, including pollinators, and the many community members who use this park and trial.

Another interesting project is farther north in Minnesota at Pillager Point. Our work at Pillager Point (2 hours and 20 minutes north west of the metro) is unique in that it includes an archaeological survey which was conducted last year. The results were shared recently to the Pillager City Council. The survey documented sensitive areas which will guide our restoration and ensure we don’t disturb critical soil and the thousand years’ worth of history it holds. The archeologist will be pursing further surveys and potential designation with the National Register of Historic Places. Great River Greening will be ensuring restoration back to its historic vegetation of oak savanna.

Q:  Great River Greening promotes environmental equity. Please tell us more about that concept.

A:  Great River Greening believes that Minnesota’s natural areas should be accessible to all. From public parks to expansive wildlife habitat to healthy lakes and rivers, our work ensures that people experience the benefits that nature offers. We acknowledge that communities of color, indigenous peoples, and low-income communities continue to lack access to clean water and greenspaces. Great River Greening is committed to making inclusivity and equity core components of our work. We are dedicated to focusing on underserved communities, educating and raising awareness, and reducing barriers to access while continuing toward our mission of inspiration, engagement, and leadership in the conservation and caring of our land and water. Currently, we are in the planning and funding stages for a project in Saint Paul’s Frogtown neighborhood, working to improve a wonderful neighborhood park through invasive species removal, native plantings, and hands-on support from neighbors.

Q:  You're an avid birder. What's some of your favorite places to bird in the Twin Cities? Do you have a bird on your bucket list?  

A: I love birding as locally as possible. My favorite is my backyard! I’ve seen a White-winged Crossbill, Red-tailed Hawk, Swainson’s Thrush, Common Redpolls, many Black Capped Chickadees, Blue Jays, Northern Cardinals, House Finches, Gold Finches, and Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, and this spring a Tennessee Warbler. Planting native plants in my backyard has helped a lot to welcome birds. I also love Crosby Farm Regional Park in Saint Paul and Bass Ponds, a part of Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, two sites Great River Greening has done restoration work in the past. The bird on my bucket list this summer is an American Bittern, a heron that camouflages very well by pointing its head and neck straight up.

Ready to get to work!

Q:  Are there opportunities for volunteers?

A:  Absolutely. We have many volunteer events in spring and fall, the best times for the planting and invasive species removal required at most of our sites. This summer we also have pollinator identification field days in July and August, including training in advance. All our opportunities are posted online.

Q:  Will there be a party to celebrate your appointment? Is it open to everyone?

A:  Yes, there is a meet-and-greet on June 15th at Lake Monster Brewing Company in Saint Paul from 4:30 to 6:30 pm. All are welcome! I’d love to talk with folks in the community about Great River Greening and our work going forward.

Q:  How may we follow your news?

We are on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Twitter. Folks can also sign up on our website to receive our monthly newsletter. Thank you so much!

Remembering the Minneapolis Auditorium

Article by Michael Rainville, Jr.

Where the Minneapolis Convention Center stands today was a venue that dominated the event scene in this city for more than sixty years. The Minneapolis Auditorium hosted many gatherings, from circuses and concerts to political rallies and hockey games. This grand building, now lost to time, was a significant cultural hub for the Twin Cities.

Photo of the auditorium's Grant Street side taken in 1935

The city’s first “Minneapolis Auditorium” was built in 1905 on Nicollet Avenue and 11th Street. In 1924, that venue changed its name to the Lyceum Theater, and many decades later was torn down to make way for Orchestra Hall. The city would not be without an “Auditorium” for very long, however. In 1927, the new Minneapolis Auditorium opened up shop at 1301 2nd Avenue South with its main entrance on 3rd Street. The highlight of the June 1st, 1927 grand opening was the unveiling of a Kimball pipe organ known as the “Voice of Minneapolis.” It was the fourth largest pipe organ in the world at the time, consisting of 10,000 handcrafted pipes, and weighed over thirty tons. Now, it is sitting in storage at the current Convention Center waiting to be put back together.

Once construction was completed, the Auditorium cost over three million dollars, or almost forty-five million after inflation. The concrete stadium seating in the balcony could hold 4,160 people, the floor held 5,687, and the stage held 698 for a total of 10,545. The ceiling was eighty feet tall and was sloped, even though the outside roof was pitched, to give it more of an arena feel. The building itself was constructed with 3.25 million bricks, 15,000 yards of concrete, and 5,000 tons of steel. Etched into the side of the Grant Street entrance, the Minneapolis Auditorium read “builded for a community knit together by common needs with a common devotion directing its common life.” While not very common anymore, “builded” was past tense for “build” back in the day.

Photo of a car show from 1935

In 1947, Ben Berger and Morris Chalfen needed a home court for their newly acquired professional basketball franchise. With help from Sid Hartman, they recruited former DeLaSalle High School head coach and former head coach of St. Thomas College, John Kundla, and shortly after, they acquired the legendary George Mikan. The new Minneapolis Lakers would call the Auditorium home along with The Armory just a few blocks away.

Elvis signing autographs at the Auditorium, 1956

Elvis and his band on stage in 1956

Jefferon Airplane poster from 1970Perhaps the Auditorium events most people have fond memories of are the many concerts. The acts who performed there the most were Johnny Cash at six times, Jefferson Airplane coming in at four times, and Ray Charles, The Moody Blues, and four others at three times each.

The most notorious concert to have taken place here was Elvis on May 13th, 1956. People were excited and the expected crowd number for the combined shows in Minneapolis and St. Paul was set at 25,000. Earlier in the day, Elvis and his band played a show at the St. Paul Auditorium to a crowd of 2,000 fans and about 4,000 showed up in Minneapolis that evening. Local film and music critic Bill Diehl posed the question, “Do you wonder why flops No. 2 in St. Paul and No. 3 in Minneapolis happened? Oh, they’ll blame the weather and Mother’s Day and anything else. We’ve been asking around, though, and I’ll tell you one big reason: Moms and Dads had seen you on TV and didn’t like your unnecessary bump-and-grind routine. Why, Elvis, do you resort to your ‘Pelvis Presley’ routine? You’d better drop it before more and more people drop you.”

The critics didn’t have a fun time, but the fans went crazy. A crowd of mostly women had the times of their lives and Elvis even stayed into the night signing autographs for them.

In August of 1964, a grand re-opening ceremony took place. The now christened Minneapolis Auditorium and Convention Center now included an auditorium-arena, convention hall, and exhibition hall. The building would continue to host numerous events from high school basketball finals to car shows, and continued bringing in all-star music acts like Aretha Franklin, Simon and Garfunkel, Jimi Hendrix Experience, and The Doors all in 1968. Unlike Elvis, local critics were fond of The Doors performance. I’m sure it helped that Jim Morrison always had a Hamm’s cracked open on stage that night, too. Later in 1972, the building manager began refusing to allow hard rock groups to perform at the auditorium, because of a Black Sabbath concert at the St. Paul Civic Center earlier that year when many windows were smashed out during the chaotic concert.

The Auditoriums hockey layout, 1967

The Auditoriums basketball layout, 1968

Photo of the Auditorium taken in 1968 from 211 E Grant Street.

As the City of Minneapolis was growing, so did the need for a larger facility to host conventions and large events. Lead by Alice Rainville, the first woman to be president of the Minneapolis City Council, planning efforts began in the 1980s for an upgrade to the convention and tourism industry in the city. The final nail in the Minneapolis Auditorium coffin came in 1989 when the Grammar Research Association of Minnesota Media, Austin-Rochester chapter (GRAMMAR) wrote a letter to the Minneapolis City Council requesting that the message on the façade of the Grant Street entrance be changed from “builded” to “built,” or tear down the complex completely. Okay, maybe that didn’t happen, but 1989 was the last year it stood until it made way for the new and current Minneapolis Convention Center, the largest convention center in the Midwest and a big reason why we get national events like the MLB Allstar Game, X-Games, Super Bowl, and NCAA Men’s and Women’s Final Four basketball tournaments.

-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -   

About Michael Rainville, Jr.

A 6th generation Minneapolitan, Michael Rainville Jr. received his B.A. in History from the University of St. Thomas, and is currently enrolled in their M.A. in Art History and Certificate in Museum Studies programs. Michael is also a historic interpreter and guide at Historic Fort Snelling at Bdote and a lead guide at Mobile Entertainment LLC, giving Segway tours of the Minneapolis riverfront for 7+ years. Contact: mrainvillejr@comcast.net. Click here for an interactive map of Michael's past articles.

Pianos on Parade Returns Today, June 1

Pianos on Parade presented by PNC Bank is back!

Pianos painted by local artists and youth organizations will be available for the public to play or attend scheduled performances through June 30. Pianos are available to play 8 am-5 pm daily, and weekly performances take place Thursdays at 12-1 pm.

The program aligns with PNC’s Grow Up Great initiative, which highlights how the arts can enhance early childhood education experiences. PNC worked with the YWCA to design a piano painted by Pre-K kids in the YWCA program. The piano will be located at YWCA Minneapolis on Nicollet.

Pianos on Parade presented by PNC Bank artist collaborations this summer also include FAIR School, Art Buddies, and individual local artists.

Piano locations include: 222 Hennepin, Aloft Minneapolis, AT&T Tower, Basilica of St. Mary, Canopy by Hilton Minneapolis, Capella Tower, City Center, The Commons, The Dayton’s Project, Finnegan’s/Kraus Anderson, First Avenue, The Hennepin, Hennepin County Government Center South Plaza, Hilton Minneapolis, IDS Center, MacPhail Center for Music, Minneapolis Convention Center, RBC Gateway, The Nordic Plaza, Renaissance Minneapolis Hotel—The Depot, RiverPlace/Wilde Café, Stone Arch Bridge, Twin Cities Pride Festival and YWCA Minneapolis.

Pianos on Parade presented by PNC Bank is produced by the mpls downtown council in partnership with Keys 4/4 Kids. For more information on Pianos on Parade and a full schedule of performances, visit www.mplsdowntown.com/pianos.

Minneapolis Parks Foundation's Walk & Talk Series

Article by Becky Fillinger

Jennifer DownhamDo you enjoy learning more about the gorgeous park system we have in Minneapolis? Do you like walking with friends? If yes, you are a prime candidate for the innovative Walk & Talk Series by the Minneapolis Parks Foundation. We spoke to Jennifer Downham, Chief Development Officer, about the program and different ways to participate.

Q:  Please tell us more about the Minneapolis Parks Foundation Walk & Talk Series.

A:  Walk & Talks are small casually-curated leisurely walks in Minneapolis parks. We started these walks in 2018 as a way to bring together park supporters (these are first offered to donors of the Parks Foundation, and then to the general public) and share insights into various park histories, current park efforts, hidden gems, etc. During the pandemic we created a one-page "download and go" version of each walk for everyone to access and do on their own. We also began creating a digital "story map" version that offers more images and supplemental narrative. These DIY editions have been very popular! If there are any audiophiles or recording engineers out there that would like to help us record the walks, we would love to eventually include audio.

Q:  I know there is a "walk and talk therapy" that is part of the eco-psychotherapy umbrella - which combines outdoor activity with psychotherapy. While not a mental health offering per se, does the Foundation also promote the mental health benefits of the Walk and Talks program?

A:  One Minneapolis Parks Foundation "guiding themes" is community health and well-being. It has been more widely understood recently that being outside and close to nature brings numerous health benefits. Our Walk & Talks are our small attempt to encourage healthy habits and support bringing community together, all part of mental health.

Q:  How many programs are planned for this year? Do you foresee programs like this in the colder months too?

A:  Currently we are doing four walks per year, in the summer months. We did Farview Park to the Mississippi Overlook at 26th Avenue N in May. June is Hall's Island. July is Lake Nokomis Park and August will be North Commons Park. 

We did add a winter walk this February as an extension of our Next Generation of Parks series. Ambreen Tariq hosted a group along the Mississippi at North Mississippi Regional Park talking about the social and emotional health of getting outside, specifically through a BIPOC lens. And, again, given the success of that walk, we are planning to sprinkle in walks in other seasons going forward.

Q:  How do we register for the program? 

A:  There are a few ways to enjoy Walk and Talks:

1. Become a Parks Foundation donor and you will receive email invitations to register. 

2. Join the Parks Foundation mailing list and you will receive updates on when new walks are available. 

3. Keep an eye on our Walk & Talk page. The download-and-go and StoryMaps are always available. 

Q:  You have sponsors for the program - congratulations! How did you approach them to be part of the program?

A:  Like most sponsorship programs, it's about relationships and overlapping missions and goals. Growing support happens gradually and with a consistent and quality product or experience. And, don't forget to offer the opportunity! 

Q:  How may we follow your news?

A:  Join the Parks Foundation mailing list and you will receive a monthly enews! 

We are also trending on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

MacPhail's Spotlight Series Presents 1,000 Years of Sacred Songs, June 15th at The Basilica of Saint Mary

JUNE 9 UPDATE: MacPhail Center for Music has announced this June 15 Spotlight concert at the Basilica will now be a free community concert.

1,000 Years of Sacred Songs will premiere at the Basilica of Saint Mary, Wednesday, June 15th at 7:30 p.m.

MacPhail Center for Music takes their audience on a journey in time with the next iteration of the Spotlight Series: 1,000 years of Sacred Songs. A collaboration between MacPhail Center for Music and the Basilica of St. Mary, this performance will feature the Basilica’s choir and director Teri Larson. The program showcases an arc of a thousand years from the earliest installments of the Gregorian Chant to contemporary repertoire, also exemplifying the evolution of harmony, melody, rhythm, and counterpoint. With the works of Hildegard von Bingen, Alice Parker, and Jocelyn Hagen, 1,000 years of Sacred Songs uphold the women composers and their works, that against all odds, firmly made their mark on the music world in an otherwise male-dominated field.

The program will be performed by MacPhail teaching artists Andrea Leap, Miryana Moteva and special guest artist Ivory Doublette, another trio of women leaving their mark on the Minnesota music community and the world.

Tickets are available for purchase at macphail.org.

Today We Honor Those Who Selflessly Gave Their Lives

Remembering and honoring all military members who have died while serving in United States armed forces.

Meet American Hazelnut Co, Jabà Noodles and PaChia Blooms - New Vendors at the 2022 Mill City Farmers Market

Our shopping basket from the May 28 Mill City Farmers Market.

American Hazelnut Company, Jabà Noodles and PaChia Blooms made their debut at the May 28 Mill City Farmers Market. Three very welcome additions!

American Hazelnut Company is a collaborative of hazelnut growers in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois. You'll find hazelnut oil, roasted hazelnuts, flour and seasoned hazelnuts in convenient snack packs. They're next Market date is June 11th.

Jabà Noodles is a Taiwanese street food company. Their cold noodle dishes are composed of authentic Taiwanese noodles (wheat or gluten free) with fresh local julienned veggies and your choice of tofu, chicken or pork, plus other toppings. They also sell jars of chili oil and fried shallots (oh so crispy and sweet!). Jabà Noodles will be back at the Market on July 2nd.

PaChia Blooms offers a variety of beautiful, ethical and minimalistic handmade products including bath bombs, bath salts and candles. Of the many scents offers, we chose Dreamy Sea and Twilight Forest candles with wood wicks. Their next Market date is August 6th.

The Power of Produce program has returned after a 2-year pandemic hiatus. On the final Saturday of each month, kids can receive $2 to shop the market when they sample the veggie of the month.

Happy to see Maazah return to the Market. All three versions are terrific, but I'm addicted to the aioli!

Burning River Farm is back, so fresh arugula is officially back in my diet.

See Fred Golchin of French Nugget Company for all things lavender.

There's no resisting the lush display of flowers and plants from Green Earth Growers!

West River Parkway Closes Between 4th Ave N and Portland on June 1

Parkway updates from the Minneapolis Park and Rec Board:

West River Parkway is scheduled to close between 4th Avenue N and Portland Avenue on Wednesday, June 1 for a project that will bring power to the plaza in front of Water Works for food trucks and other vendors. Trails and the Stone Arch Bridge parking lot will remain open.

REMINDER: West River Parkway is scheduled to close between 4th Avenue N and Portland Avenue from Tuesday, July 5 to Tuesday, July 17 for work related to the reconstruction of the 3rd Avenue Bridge by the Minnesota Department of Transportation. During this closure, the Stone Arch Bridge parking lot will remain open and trails will close during the week and reopen on weekends. Visit Hwy 65/3rd Avenue Bridge Reconstruction website for details on that project.

4th Street Reconstruction Project Update - May 27

4th Street Reconstruction Project Overview

The City of Minneapolis is reconstructing 4th St. between 2nd Ave. N and 4th Ave. S in downtown Minneapolis. The reconstruction will include wider sidewalks, improved crossings, a new bi-directional off-street bike path on the north side of the street, lighting, trees, and planting beds. Construction is underway and is expected to be complete by the end of 2022.

What's Happening Next Week?

Roadway reconstruction continues on 4th St. between 2nd Ave. N and Hennepin Ave. Fourth St. is currently closed to vehicle traffic between 1st Ave. N and Hennepin Ave. Local access is being maintained between 2nd Ave. N and 1st Ave. N.

• Crews have completed reconstruction of the north half of the roadway between 2nd Ave. N and 1st Ave. N. Local access is now switched to the north side of the roadway as crews complete concrete street paving along the south half of the roadway.
• Construction at the 1st Ave. N intersection continues as crews pave the roadway.
• Crews will be completing roadway and sidewalk construction between 1st Ave. N and Hennepin Ave.

*Please note that the construction schedules are subject to change due to weather and other unforeseen circumstances.

What to expect during construction?

• During roadway construction, 4th St. will be closed to through traffic between 2nd Ave. N and Hennepin Ave. Local access will be maintained from 2nd Ave. N and 1st Ave. N. 
• Pedestrian access will be maintained throughout construction. Be aware of your surroundings when walking on the sidewalk and biking in the roadway. 
• Expect additional noise, dust, and vibration as crews complete work.

Upcoming Events

4th Street Weekly Stakeholder Meeting

Weekly project newsletters are sent out weekly and virtual stakeholder meetings occur bi-weekly. Join us at the next stakeholder meeting to get project updates, talk with project staff and get your questions/concerns answered.

Upcoming Stakeholder Meetings:

June 3rd: 9-9:30 a.m.

June 17th: 9-9:30 a.m.

Teams Meeting: Click here to join the meeting

Stay connected

There are multiple ways to get information including email updates and ongoing stakeholder meetings. Visit the project website for more information and to sign up for project updates: www.minneapolismn.gov/government/projects/fourth-st-n-and-s/  

Provide questions, comments or concerns on the interactive map: https://zan.mysocialpinpoint.com/4thstreetreconstruction

Email the project team: info@4thstmpls.com

Contact the project hotline: 612-412-9774

Concrete pouring between 1st Avenue N and Hennepin Avenue

Hennepin Avenue Downtown Reconstruction Project - May 26 Update

Hennepin Avenue Downtown Reconstruction Project

Hennepin Ave. will be reconstructed between 12th Street and Washington Avenue. The City will reconstruct the pavement from building face to building face, including improvements to public and private utility infrastructure, and improved space for pedestrians, bicycles, transit, and vehicles.

Latest Project News

Concrete Pavement continues to be poured this past week between 5th and 7th Streets.  Additional lanes are being reconstructed in the 7th Street intersection as well.

Lane and partial intersection closures will continue

On Phase II north of 5th St, the planter rail installation has begun. 

What's Coming Up

The last portion of the 7th Street intersection will get poured next week to allow an additional lane of traffic through the intersection. Preparations are being made for the LRT shutdown at 5th St with pavement removals and conduit work in anticipation for the weekend concrete paving work.

Local access to the 5th-6th driveways will change next week with entrance and exit to 6th St.

Single lane traffic will remain at 7th through next week as well.

For more information see attached update. Hennepin_Update_Vol93.pdf

Contact Info

For more information on this project contact: 

Project email: hennepinCM@minneapolismn.gov

Phone: 612-255-4049

Website: www.hennepindowntown.com