Great little community event at Island Lake Park. It was super hot out yesterday, but still…read morebearable. Plenty of parking at Deluxe Check or the surrounding lots. Attractions: Smallish carnival- most of the rides are for younger kids which is nice for us. Fun Slide, mini cars, spinning dragons etc. Lake Johannah Fire Station open house with lots of freebies, fire tucks, water hoses, education etc. Nice little open house. Parade Vendors Food Vendors Jump Station for the kids- $5 Some of the prices are ridiculous for things. $7 for a lemonade and $3 for a refill. Good turn out. Nice community event.

Fun free event for the whole family...I was there yesterday and they had an AMAZING band playing…read morecalled THE POWER OF 10. I had so much fun dancing! Loses one star from me because of the expensive food truck items and lemonade...also everything is cash only...so bring cash! There is an ATM on the ground but there's a $3 fee!

I love this art fair! It happens every fall in early…read moreSeptember. If you know where Centennial Lakes is (think mini golf, bocce ball, paddle boats) then you know where this art fair is. Even though it is located in upper class Edina it is filled with dozens upon dozens of fairly priced vendors. Let's just say I rarely buy a thing at the Uptown Art Fair but I sure as heck buy several goodies every year at this art fair. It is over for this year (boo) but please be sure to mark your calendar for next year. Buy a corn dog (and some cheese curds!), wander the booths and be glad you read this review!

Whoever set this up has never been to the legit ones in Nuremberg or Berlin. Way too narrow for…read morepeople to shop on both sides while having room for others to pass by in the center; only a couple hot wine vendors with ginormous lines, didn't see any warm pretzels (and those are like every third stall in Germany), and the majority of the crafters sold overpriced junk. So: no heart, no space, no cheer, no festive atmosphere. Just angry hordes jostling to get through. And BTW, if you're going to have too-narrow thoroughfares you need to prohibit strollers and have an area for people to ditch them.

Came here for this years Christmas Market on a slightly warmer than lately Saturday…read more As usual it's a gorgeous setup. The small huts and lights are just so aesthetically pleasing, and fun to walk around and peruse. We haven't had something we disliked food wise. It's all very good. A little spendy, be prepared for State-Fair level prices, but hey it's an event and at least they don't charge you to get in! The mulled wine or Glühwein as it's called is great. if you pick up a mug you can get cheaper refills. I've had the red but didn't get around to getting a cup of the white but I'd still recommend it to people who like sweeter wines. The shops are all really cute and have alot of good products. Think art fair, you can buy art, clothes, knick-knacks, Christmas decorations and more, homemade and super bespoke. We might swing back but if not we'll definitely be there to check it out again next year!

The pro's: A portion of the profits from this event goes towards the upkeep of the Basilica of St…read moreMary. 3 stages of live music and a silent disco. The view of downtown Minneapolis from the Great Clips stage was pretty. Portapotties galore. The con's: The event was only from 5-10:30p yet tickets were $70+ticketing fees-expensive! Food & drinks were pricey too, as they tend to be at festival events. The crowd vibe just wasn't there for what you would expect from a music festival. Most folks seemed interested in roaming about and conversating vs jamming out to the music. A free bus pass was offered for everyone attending the event, but I didn't see a single bus on my 15 min walk back to my hotel. That's not necessarily BBP's fault but you'd think there'd be better coordination of public transportation between event planners and the city. Overall, if you go, you'll probably have some high-priced fun on a beautiful summer day in downtown Minneapolis.

Over the weekend, well Friday and Saturday Evening, I had signed up to Volunteer for the Basilica…read moreBlock Party for the first time ever. Even when I lived around there, and was a member of the church, I avoided the area during the Block Party because of how crazy it got. Parking was crazy, the first night I had a friend drop me off and pick me up, because I didn't want to deal with all of the extra cars on top of the construction that was happening on Hennepin Ave. The second night because of other events that I was attending over the weekend, I parked in the Target Center Ramp Parking. Since no other events were happening, it was only $5 for parking on the weekend, and it was far enough away from all of the busy part of downtown that it made the exit super easy. I volunteered at the Coke Tent 1, which was by the Main Stage. It was so much fun! I could hear the music well and see the acts, along with working. It was 4 tickets for a beverage. At our tent we had Sodas, Lemonades, and Water. People loved the water, they did get a little fussy when they realized we couldn't give them the caps, but most got over it quickly. One gentleman who was there the first night, and came back the second night actually brought a cap with him the next evening. It was kind of funny, but very smart and resourceful on his part. The other volunteers were nice and friendly, and even the main staff that instructed the volunteers what the different tasks were. After this experience, I couldn't believe I waited this long to participate in this event. We got free T-shirts, and the colors were a pretty Teal. I believe they change each year, and I can't wait to see what the color is next year.

What a great venue! I came here to see one of my favorite local bands. It was my first time in…read morehere, and boy did I enjoy myself! The acoustics are great, and there's plenty of room to stand, to dance, or to sit. It's clearly family friendly, and it was full of music lovers of all ages. You can tell that the Cedar Culture Center is really made with its community in mind. In addition to the great concert experience, I had a great time getting my beverage --they have a wonderful concessions area with a great selection of snacks and drinks, including a very respectable selection of non-alcoholic options. The people behind the counter were super nice and helpful as well. It was really easy for me to find street parking as well. I will definitely keep my eyes out for more good shows here.

My 1st time at the Cedar Cultural Center, and I was blown away with a magically beautiful evening…read moreof music with voulouse + bad posture's farewell show. The volunteers were all so kind and friendly. There were snacks, alcohol drinks, and THC drinks available during the show. Seats were unassigned with no bad spot in the entire place. I can't wait to go back for another experience!

Beautiful fall evening to enjoy vendors showcasing their craft beer and wines. Roseville has a…read morebeautiful park system very well manicured and clean. A nice sized crowd turned out and people seemed to be enjoying themselves chatting and mingling. There was a huge band playing some 70's musics with a full horn section. Giant Jenga and the game where you pound a nail into a slab of wood not sure what it is called Hammicker Slamicker or something like that...hahaha by the time I played I had already indulged so forgive my memory. There was a breathalizer on display so you could test how inebriated you may be. I thought this was a great idea. They should be in every drinking establishment out there. He explained that it does not cost the bar a thing to put in and it is affordable for people to use 2.00. Me thinks much better than a DUI. The boys in uniform were right there when you left wishing you a good evening as this was held in a parking lot adjacent to the police station. I got an opportunity to try some beers I would not normally sampled and leaned about some local breweries and wineries. Some I can remember are Lucid, Summit, Big Wood, Barley Johns, Rush River, Burning Brothers, Tin Whiskers, Bent, Mankato Brewing, Insight, Brau Brothers, Sidhe and Granite City. They were all very generous with the pours and happy to speak with you about the product. The wineries that showed up were slim and a bit stingy with the sample amount. So was not a good evening for wine but no shortage of beer. It was a great event with proceeds supporting the local community by providing clean, safe, park facilities for the residents.

For the past 3-6 weeks, my wife has been trying to convince me that we should buy a home in…read moreRoseville, where she works, instead of staying in downtown St Paul. Events like 'Tapped and Uncorked' work in her favor. Tapped and Uncorked was a great way for a couple of Twin City Transplants like ourselves to get up to speed on local microbreweries, wineries, and distilleries. It didn't take us long to discover new, local favorites such as the pumpkin ale created by Tin Whiskers (the secret is in their blend of spices). It was like drinking fall on tap. Everything we tried from Northern Vinyards Winery, in Stillwater, was a hit. This included the house red, house white, and house rose. We also fell in love with Yellow Belly Cider from Sapsucker Farms because its neither too sweet nor too dry. The secret? Minnesota apples? Hmm. Food at the event was provided by food trucks. Our favorite was A Cupcake Social, which made two special cupcakes for the event. I was disappointed when I saw that the Tot Boss food truck was there, but that we didn't see it. Perhaps they didn't make it? The event was well organized. The music was excellent and there was plenty of space to mill around. Had there been seating, more than six tables, and more than two fire pits, we probably would have stayed all night. Instead, we found ourselves wandering home shortly after dark with a bright smile and wine-warmed bellies. Next year, I definitely plan to bring folding chairs and a jacket (based on weather) so that we can spend more time enjoying the samples, the music, and the company. The location of the event is ideal because there is plenty of parking, party area, and access to clean public bathrooms. As a transplant to the Twin Cities from Wisconsin, it might not surprise you that I'd give an event like 'Tapped and Uncorked' five stars. On the other hand, I know how beer tastings should be done... and that this event surpassed my expectations. Given that this is only the event's 2nd year, I expect that it'll only get better in 2016.

Wow! What an impressive sight! I was in the area to see the next door Millennium Gardens, but…read moredecided to extend my visit by walking down the trails. I ended up at the Hilde Amphitheater. There wasn't an event going on at the time, but the facility still really impressed me! Gorgeous piece of architecture, but also a really well maintained lawn and surrounding grounds that looked like it could accommodate a considerable gathering of people. There's a fountain near the memorial plaque, along with some statuary and some cute music makers for people to play with. I was quite enamored by the multicolored mosaic animal statues (I had to snap a photo with each!) near one of the entrances. I noticed a couple of port-a-potties and many trash cans. Also the geese waddling about the grounds were kinda cute. I'll probably look online to see if they're having any upcoming events that interest me, because it'd be cool to show up for a performance!

An absolutely stunning venue. We had never heard of this spot before but visited for an event. It…read morewas incredibly spacious, well maintained, and tucked away. I only wish there was more seating near the stage, but I imagine that was an intentional design choice. Most people brought their own chairs anyway.

My 3 friends and I came here on a Saturday without a reservation. With that being said, I highly…read morerecommend making a reservation!! The employee working was so sweet and accommodating and made sure to find us a table asap. We were so appreciative of her! As for options, I was surprised to see a lot of Christmas items available to paint in mid February. I would've loved to see some spring items or even more bowl/plate options. That is truly my only "complaint". Everything else went great! We chose our 6 colors and our pieces to paint and stayed for a couple house. We were offered refills on our paint and more paint brushed options by the staff which was extra helpful. I highly recommend coming here with a small group! They glazed/finished the pieces by the following week and were very helpful to find all 4 bowls with me at pick up. I'll definitely be back!! Thanks again for the great service :)

Incredible team and an incredible venue! Perfect for a romantic evening, gathering with friends, or…read morecelebrating a birthday! Nicolette was fantastic to collaborate with for our daughter's birthday bash, and she truly went above and beyond to make it memorable! I would definitely suggest this place to everyone!