Over 1,800 Events and Activities Scheduled for Downtown This Summer!

Summer is kicking off and downtown Minneapolis will be hoppin' with a jam-packed events schedule!

Now through September 30, there are more than 1,800 events and activities taking place downtown including professional sports, theatre, concerts, performances, outdoor movies, markets, and more. Downtown Thursdays are presented by Target and the Pohlad family, and supporting sponsors include 614 Company, City Center (Ryan Companies), Delta Airlines, Hempel Cos., Meet Minneapolis, Nic on Fifth (Weidner Apartment Homes), Piedmont Office Realty Trust (U.S. Bancorp Center), and SERVPRO/Team Clemente. 

Last year, downtown welcomed more event attendees (9.75 million) than in 2019 (9.6 million). More employees are spending time in the office as well, filling skyway lines and patios. That, coupled with a dynamic and full event schedule that includes sports, major concerts, performances, and more will make downtown a busy and vibrant destination this summer.

“This summer, we’ll host more than 1,800 events as we welcome you downtown,” said Adam Duininck, President & CEO of the mpls downtown council. “There is something for everybody. Take in a show, catch a Lynx or Twins game, make a reservation at a James Beard-recognized restaurant, and plan your work week around the weekly offerings you’ll find on Nicollet every Tuesday through Thursday.”

Tuesdays through Thursdays are the busiest in-office workdays, and we are bookending those days with weekly opportunities to connect downtown, including:

• Tuesdays: Nicollet xChange: Sustainability marketplace. Includes Jonesnyourbones BBQ food cart, food trucks, exchanges (fashion, home goods, sporting goods, media, books), café-style music, and more. 11:30am–1:30pm on Nicollet between 8th & 9th Streets

• Wednesdays: Go Outside with Hennepin County summer sessions over lunch hours, outdoor movies/music and the Mpls Park Market at The Commons, and food trucks on 8th and Nicollet 

• Thursdays: Downtown Thursdays: Themed activities each week from 11:30am–1:30pm along with food, music, giveaways, promotions from local restaurants and businesses, and more on Nicollet. Take advantage of the downtown parking promotion (FREE Plaza Parking Ramp from 7am–7pm with voucher), free co-working space availability, Nicollet pedestrian experience, and more. Plus, you won’t want to miss the ‘Beyond the Box’ performances at 5th and Nicollet. Click here for a full list of Downtown Thursdays promotions, including: 

• Food: Cardigan Donuts, Hen House Eatery, Mother Clucker’s Pizza, On the Rox, Roxy’s Cabaret, The Local, The Nicollet Diner

• Beverages: AC Hotel Downtown Minneapolis, Corner Coffee, Planet Smoothie, Umbra, Vitality Roasting

• Work/Parking: Life Time Work, Expansive Workspace, free parking at Plaza Parking Ramp

• Retail: Bad Axe Throwing, Bonobos, Haskell’s Minneapolis, Marquette Hotel 

A full schedule of downtown events is available at mplsdowntown.com. Don’t miss out on the fun festivities this summer, including major events such as: 

• Pianos on Parade presented by PNC Bank  — June 1–30
• Music in the Park — June through August
  • At The Commons (Wednesdays at 12pm and Thursdays at 7pm) 
  • At Water Works Park & Pavilion (Mondays at 7pm) 
• Movies in the Park  through August at the Commons on Wednesday nights at dusk
• Go Outside with Hennepin County:  Movie Nights and Fitness Classes at Target Field Station, and lunchtime activities at Government Center South Plaza
• 15 major concerts including 8 evenings at downtown’s major stadiums:
  • Morgan Wallen (June 20–21), Metallica (Aug 16 & 18), Zach Bryan (Aug 24) at U.S. Bank Stadium
  • Foo Fighters (July 28), Green Day & The Smashing Pumpkins (Aug 17), Def Leppard and Journey (Aug 19) at Target Field
  • 7 concerts at Target Center
• 14 total days of festivals including:
  • Stone Arch Festival (June 15–16)
  • Twin Cities Pride (June 29–30)
  • Taste of Minnesota (July 6–7)
  • International Day of Music (July 15)
  • Aquatennial (July 24–27)
  • Loring Park Art Festival (July 27–28)
  • Downtown Minneapolis Street Art Festival (August 10–11) 

• 51 Twins games at Target Field
• 16 Lynx games at Target Center       
• 3 Vikings games at U.S. Bank Stadium 
• 32 performances of Broadway shows at The Orpheum:
  • MJ (May 14–26)
  • Back to the Future (September 10–22)
• 30+ performances of “It’s Not the Heat, It’s the Stupidity; 2 Hot, 2 Stupid”  at Brave New Workshop (June 1 – August 3) 
• 100+ performances of shows at The Guthrie:
  • History Plays (now through May 25)
  • Skeleton Crew (now through June 9)
  • Little Shop of Horrors (June 22 – August 18)
• 400+ live concerts and performances  at First Avenue, The Armory, The Fillmore, Dakota, Minnesota Orchestra and more
• Patio happy hour specials
• 150+ Street Show performances

“A critical part of what makes downtown special are the incredible events taking place here and the converging experiences taking place in our city’s core,” said Meghan Gustafson, Senior Director of Community Impact, mpls downtown council. “Our goal is whether you live, work, or play here in downtown, you will find fun, engaging experiences for lunchtime getaways from the office, on your way to or from a game, or as you head to our incredible restaurant scene. Enjoy all that downtown has to offer this summer.”

Overall, there are more than 450 restaurants and retail shops open downtown, and each week there are new ways to enjoy all that downtown has to offer.

There is a wide variety of markets and places to stroll and browse each week in downtown including: 

• Daily: Minneapolis Farmer’s Market – Lyndale Avenue, open 6am–1pm 
• Tuesdays: Nicollet xChange (food, exchanges, café-style music, and more), 11:30am–1:30pm, music at Peavey Plaza (12– 1pm) 
• Wednesdays: Food Trucks on Nicollet between 8th and 9th Streets
• Thursdays: Downtown Thursdays (food, music, giveaways, and more), 11:30am–1:30pm, music at Peavey Plaza (12–1pm), and Beyond the Box performances on select Thursdays (12-1pm) 
• Saturdays: Mill City Farmer’s Market, 8am–1pm  

The mpls downtown calendar includes upcoming events and can help you plan your next visit. Check out the calendar, and enjoy interactive guides, patio/happy hour ideas, and more at www.mplsdowntown.com/events.

Get Involved! Plus, share your experiences on social media tagging #mymplsdt, and look for downtown giveaways including tickets, gift cards, and experiences on the @mplsdowntown Instagram account.