Big ticket summer events in Minneapolis

Minneapolis has a lot to shout about this summer.

There are big ticket events happening that will attract thousands to the Twin Cities including the Gymnastics Olympic Trials and the 40th anniversary of ‘Purple Rain,’ Minneapolis’ native Prince’s groundbreaking movie.

There is also a plethora of new dining options making it an All-Around Best Summer in Minneapolis.

Here are some of the reasons to put Minneapolis on your summer itinerary.

Events

Minneapolis will be the final stop on the journey to the Olympic Games Paris 2024 when it hosts the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Gymnastics, and becomes “Gymnastics City USA 2024.” It brings together four of the sport’s most prestigious events over the course of nine days in June. Target Center hosts the country’s best artistic gymnasts June 27 – 30 as they vie for a spot on the U.S. Olympic Team. Reigning Olympic All-Around Gold Medalist Suni Lee, who hails from the Twin Cities, and Simone Biles are expected to compete.

Prior to that, beginning June 22, the Minneapolis Convention Center will be the site of the USA Gymnastics Championships; the USAG National Congress and Trade Show; and the USA Gymnastics for All National Championships & Gymfest.

Minneapolis celebrates the 40th anniversary of “Purple Rain,” the film made by local icon Prince with Paisley Park’s annual Celebration 2024, June 20-24. It features The Revolution at First Avenue on June 21 and 22, a special high-definition “Purple Rain” movie screening, other concerts, panel discussions, new exhibits at Paisley Park and more. Year-round, fans can explore Prince’s Minneapolis, and plan ahead: the world premiere stage adaptation will happen in Minneapolis in spring 2025.

After a $32.5 million renovation and expansion, Minneapolis American Indian Center, one of the oldest Indian centers in the country, will reopen May 1 with a grand opening parade, open house and pow wow. The institution is a centerpiece of Native American food, art, health programs, youth activities and commerce, including Gatherings Cafe.

Taste of Minnesota returns to Nicollet in downtown Minneapolis July 6 and 7 with multiple music stages, and a two-day smorgasbord of food. Tickets are free to jam with headliners Martina McBride and The Wallflowers on July 6 and Morris Day & the Time and Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis on July 7.

50^th Anniversary of Prairie Home Companion: July 13, First Avenue celebrates this anniversary of the long-time public radio show that started and was based at the historic Fitzgerald Theater.

Dining + Drinking

Diane’s Place, a Hmong American restaurant by James Beard Best Pastry Chef finalist Diane Moua, opened in Northeast Minneapolis’ Food Building this month, bringing together the chef’s pastry talents and the comfort foods of her heritage.

Bûcheron, which translates to “lumberjack” in French, features French-American cuisine by Adam Ritter, a chef with multiple Michelin-star restaurants on his resume, as well as working at Minneapolis Spoon and Stable and leading menu development at Demi, a James Beard Best New restaurant finalist.

Owamni, the James Beard Foundation Best New Restaurant 2022, welcomes the Wakpa Bar May 1 (Wakpa is Dakota for river). The new lower-level outdoor bar serves beer, wine and indigenous food next to the Mississippi River.

Dario, featuring a dozen handmade pastas made fresh daily in a dedicated pasta room, opened recently in the North Loop neighborhood with Instagrammable décor in tropical colors and a Christian Bale in “American Psycho” portrait you have to see.

Chef Louross Edralin, known from his appearance on “Hell’s Kitchen” season 4 and most recently seen in Las Vegas, is opening Staff Meeting May 4 at Eat Street Crossing, a year-old food hall on “Eat Street” (Nicollet) in south Minneapolis.

Chilango Mex-Tex opened this month in the Beach Club Residences across from Bde Maka Ska, Minneapolis’ largest lake. Yucatan raised, Mexican-born Chef Jorge Guzman (a James Beard Best Chef Midwest finalist) coined the phrase “Mex-Tex” to describe his Mexican-forward version of “Tex-Mex” that’s totally unique to this spot.

SunBean Coffee opened steps from Minnehaha Falls Regional Park as a place to experience and support community, and they give back 3% of profits to support accessible and affordable mental healthcare. This Black-owned shop features a signature SunBar.

Klassics Kitchen + Cocktails and C.R.E.A.M. Café, also Black-owned and operated in the Mill District by the proprietors of Soul Bowl, offer everything from Barista-brewed coffee drinks and flights and shaken teas to a wide variety of breakfast, lunch and dinner options daily, plus a weekly Sunday brunch.

Yo Monday Café debuted April 15 as a Monday night concept at Kado no Mise in Minneapolis’ trendy North Loop, where you can experience Edomae sushi (Wednesday-Sunday), Kaiseki (Tuesday), a Japanese whisky bar (Gori Gori Peku) and Japanese-Italian cuisine (Sanjusan) all in one location.

A Bar of Their Own opened this spring in the Seward neighborhood of South Minneapolis to exclusively show and promote all women’s sports, all the time.

Berlin has European-inspired jazz club vibes with music programming to match in the North Loop neighborhood. Cocktails, wine and beer, paired with a variety of seafood plates, desserts and more are served.

In addition, summertime in Minneapolis is synonymous with civic, art and music festivals, and this year is no exception with the Stone Arch Festival, Aquatennial, Twin Cities Pride and the return of the Basilica Block Party (at its new location on Boom Island). For more information on the Minneapolis Cultural Districts, visit here.

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