Memorial Day weekend marks the unofficial start to summer—with long weekends, festivals, concerts, and fireworks through Labor Day. The MSR has compiled a weekly list of fun activities for foodies, stargazers, art and music lovers, and outdoor enthusiasts to enjoy over the summer.
The Last Dragon Movie Screening
June 1 – 7:00 p.m.
The Capri Theater
2027 West Broadway, Minneapolis
Join The Capri to relive Berry Gordy’s 1985 martial arts fantasy, where a young New York City man (Taimak) tries to reach the final level of kung fu mastery while fighting to overcome his evil foe (Julius Carry, III) and attempting to save a beautiful singer. Featuring the late Minneapolis Sound legend Vanity. Northside residents get in for free. Others can buy tickets at bit.ly/LastDragonScreening.
Tune into Summer with Walker|West
June 1 – 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Walker|West Music Academy
650 Marshall Avenue, St. Paul
Tune in for a virtual reality tour of the future Walker|West Music Academy. Thanks to partnerships that include Wilder Foundation and Model Cities, Walker|West has secured a new home for its music learning community. Have some fun and explore the beautiful areas that will become Walker|West studios, practice rooms, and more. This is a free, in-person event for all ages. For more info, visit bit.ly/WalkerWestSummer.
Edina Art Fair
June 2 – 4
50th and France, Edina
Launched in 1966, the Edina Art Fair has been ranked 1st in Minnesota and 32nd out of the Top 100 Fine Art Fairs by the “Art Fair Source Book.” Close to 300,000 visitors attend this three-day festival each year. For more info, visit www.50thandfrance.com/art-fair.
Art in the Hollow
June 3 – 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Swede Hollow Park
688 Minnehaha Avenue East, St. Paul
Join us at the beautiful Swede Hollow Park for Art in the Hollow, “best-hidden art festival in Minnesota!” The festival will have over 100 artists, plein air painting workshop, and more For more info, visit www.artinthehollow.org.
Train Days
June 3 – 4
The Union Depot
214 Fourth Street East, St. Paul
Join us for a free celebration of trains and transportation! Train Days will include train equipment tours, a vendor marketplace, model trains, concessions, Steam Locomotive photography exhibit, family-friendly activities and more! For more info, visit www.uniondepot.org/traindays.
The Purple Day
June 3 – 12-7 pm
1301 N. 10th Ave., Minneapolis
The Purple Day is back at Phyllis Wheatley Field for its third consecutive year to celebrate the legacy of the Purple One, Prince. The field was chosen because it is a historical site where Prince used to perform annually for free. Since the death of our beloved hometown talent Prince, N Love Promotions has hosted The Purple Day in his honor. Enjoy special guest performances, food trucks and community resources. This year, community awards will be given to local painters. Free. For more info, go here.
Taste of Canterbury – BBQ & Bourbon
June 3 – 5:00 p.m.
Canterbury Park
1100 Canterbury Road, Shakopee
Upgrade your racing experience with our special “Taste of Canterbury” event series, transporting you to the taste of BBQ and Bourbon sponsored by Maker’s Mark and Jim Beam! This themed entertainment experience will show what Canterbury’s kitchen can bring to the table, with specialty food, cocktails, and pairings during an evening packed with themed fun and live racing action. The event includes live racing admission, samplings of Bourbon Craft Cocktails, two drink tickets for our selection of Bourbon-based cocktails for the full bar, as well as access to the appetizer pairings throughout the evening! Entertainment will be provided between live racing. For more info, visit bit.ly/CanterburyBBQBourbon.
NorthSide We Outside Community Car Show
June 3 – 3-6 p.m.
1250 West Broadway Ave., Minneapolis (rear parking lot of Minneapolis Public Schools Davis Center)
Northside We Outside, an initiative of the West Broadway Livability Coalitions with a focus on family events, is hosting a community car show. The event takes place in the West Broadway Corridor in North Minneapolis and aims to promote community spirit, connections, and safety. Besides cars, attendees can enjoy music, vendors, resources, and more. For more info, visit fb.me/e/2VV4U6WyS
Wenso Ashby Music Presents: “House of Jazz”
June 3 – 5:00 – 8:00 p.m.
The Capri Theater
2027 West Broadway, Minneapolis
This 5th Annual Celebration of Black Music Month includes performances by J. Michelle Caldwell, Zsamé Morgan, Keith Nance and Duane Smith. It is designed to create a vibe similar to the feeling one might get from the music of Chaka Khan, Sade and Grover Washington, Jr. For more info, visit bit.ly/WensoAshbyHOJ
Black To Nature: Sky Me To the Moon
June 3 – 7-9 pm
Carl Kroening Nature Center
North Mississippi Regional Park
4900 Mississippi Ct., Minneapolis
This all-ages, free event is billed as a full moon hike along the Mississippi River. Beneath the canopy of dusk, participants will explore the woods, the prairie, and how a day’s end changes these spaces. Hikers will also sit by the fire and make s’mores. A naturalist and local artists will tell us moon stories from Indigenous and Black cultural traditions and experiences. This is a family-friendly event open to all. The event holds space for all who identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or people of color. For more info, go here.
Black Heritage in Racing Collection
June 4 – July 5 (Tuesdays through Saturdays)
Young Quinlan Building
81 South Ninth Street, Minneapolis
Did you know Black jockeys and horsemen dominated the sport of Thoroughbred racing, from the first Kentucky Derby in 1875 through 1903, right before the Jim Crow era pushed them out? In fact, 15 of the first 28 Derby winners were ridden by Black jockeys. This exhibit, on loan from the Kentucky Derby Museum, is brought to Minneapolis by the LTL International Leadership Institute. Join in for talks about African American history, culture, readings, and music in the salon atmosphere of the historic Young Quinlan Building. For more info, visit bit.ly/BlackKentuckyDerby.
Ain’t Misbehavin
Through June 4
The Capri Theater
2027 West Broadway, Minneapolis
Under local legends Austene Van and Sanford Moore as director and music director respectively, “Ain’t Misbehavin’” brings the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s and 1930s to life. Join five of the Twin Cities’ hottest vocalists on a journey through the timeless music of Thomas “Fats” Waller. For more info, visit stagenorthmpls.org.
Lowry At Night: Dinner at The Park
June 6 – 5:30 – 8:00 p.m.
Lowry Nature Center
7025 Nature Center Drive, Victoria
Join the people who run the Lowry Nature Center at Carver Park Reserve in Carver County for an evening picnic to welcome summer. They will have lawn games, fire pits, marshmallows, and music. For more info, visit bit.ly/LowryDinnerAtPark.
Tales from the Northside: Stories of the Minneapolis Sound
June 7 – 6:00 – 10:00 p.m.
The Capri Theater
2027 West Broadway, Minneapolis
This community fundraising event benefits the Minneapolis Sound Museum. “Tales from The Northside: Stories of the Minneapolis Sound” will feature oral histories of the people who helped build what would become known as the Minneapolis Sound.
The Minneapolis Sound Museum will explore the rich legacy of the musicians and bands who contributed to the legendary Minneapolis Sound. The space will include not only a museum, but also a recording studio, event space, and a retail shop, at a permanent location in Minneapolis. For more info, visit bit.ly/TalesfromNorthside.
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