As far as I can remember, I have loved street festivals. Growing up in NYC I recall always being…read morepleasantly surprised while walking down a street with no specific intention to check out a street fair but would love the pleasant surprise of bumping into one. I loved the array of food, clothes, music, people. and whatever else would be available at these fairs because I always have fond memories of walking for blocks and blocks of city streets just taking it all in. As I got older I began to seek them out on my own. The NYC Bastille Fair was one of my favorites. Now that I am in Minnesota, I checked out the Bastille Day Block Party and although the size was limited they sure packed a lot into this block! Live performances, fries, ice cream, beer galore, food trucks, wine tasting vendors and more. I came curious and left happier and full. It is definitely a nice summer event to check out if you have the time! -After all, it's only once a year.

Any art fair without a cover automatically gets five stars. Plus this particular one is massive,…read more second biggest to Minnesota state fair. It's also by lake of the Isles / up town area, which one can argue is the nicest part of town. Modern art is often a minimalist canvas that I'm supposed to draw meaning- 99% of the time, I don't get it. The Art here is easier to consume. Nothing to interpret for the most part. It's less snooty. Also food truck are present here and there. The fair also has food and drink give aways - it's a great way to spend your August - folks soon enough Winter is coming!

I love art. Stopped…read moreby to check out some art & get some inspiration!!! In the past I feel like the uptown art fair was much bigger & crowded. I went on the first day (Friday) and there was a lot of empty space on Hennepin. The fair did extend down a street going closer down to the lake. Friday was gloomy & had rain in the forecast, might be the reason people didn't come out. Back to the art. Seen a lot of dope pieces by a lot of dope artist from all over the US. It was amazing to see the things people come up with. Hopefully someday I'll be able to afford a nice 2k-3k piece. This year they had a really cool vendor, Studio Ink (Hallmark) where you could pick out greeting cards, fill them out, address them & they send them out! I love writing to people. Not as popular these days. Glad they are attempting to make a comeback. Indeed brewery was the drink vendor for this years event. They had 3 or 4 options to offer. I'm not wild about wheat juice (beer) but it's uptown, bars & restaurants everywhere which is nice. They also had a few familiar food trucks like Fro Yo Soul- Yum.

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.

I always look forward to the Edina Art Fair because I know that I'm going to see quality artwork,…read morepottery, glassware, and other crafts. Only top quality artists are selected to display their work and it is one of the top rated craft and art fairs in the Twin Cities. I always find work that is creative and unique when I visit. Whether you actually buy something (which I frequently do), or whether you are just browsing for the fun of it, it's time well spent. The Edina Art Fair also has an ever increasing variety of foods they offer. They are now concentrated in one area, which makes it even easier to see what they have to offer. Pro Tips: 1. If you can, come when it opens on Friday at noon. The crowds are much less and the street parking is much easier. If you cannot do that, I recommend coming at 10 am, when they open on Saturday and Sunday to beat the rush. It's much easier and enjoyable to see the exhibits without the crush of people. 2. If you are looking for inexpensive snacks or drinks, go into the Holiday Gas Station, which is located in the food area. For example, you can buy any size fountain drink for a dollar vs. much more expensive and smaller drink options than are available from the vendors.

Always a great time at the Edina Art Fair. There are so many talents artists showcasing their…read moretalent. This year I racked up and upgraded my kitchen. I bought a cutting board from Kindler Woodworks, olive oil from Coccinella and a knife from Vivront. Until next year!

OVERALL: a super fun festival and I'm glad I ran into it! I was on my way to Costco when I saw it…read moreacross the street so we had to stop by. EXPERIENCE: There were so many different food vendors, activities, and a main stage. It was fun to just walk around and look at everything. FOOD: We got the pork belly, sticky rice, and spring rolls. The spring rolls were nice and fresh and had chicken and shrimp unlike the usual the pork and shrimp. The pork belly was perfectly crispy and delicious. I wish I had some soy sauce for the sticky rice but it was all good. DRINKS: We got the Thai Tea, taro, and the Thai coffee. All were pretty tasty! SERVICE: Lines weren't too long and we got food quickly. PRICE: Drinks were $7 each, and the food was $26 for all!

Thai Street Food celebrates Thai culture. This year the Festival was held at the West End Festival…read moreSite instead of the Wat Promwochirayan. Lots of easy parking nearby and lots of thing to do, see and enjoy! Lots of excellent foods! Two fun filled days for this free festival. We enjoyed live performances, the parade, watching the kids in the free bounce house, show cars, and the FOOD!

They have to be doing a good job this festival is the best in the state! Keep up the great work…read moreyall.

Wanted to play pull tabs for your association at Wild Boar in Hopkins was told 15 minutes for…read moreshift change 1 hour later still waiting... attitudes and service was horrible!! Very disappointed

While not a huge fan of live music, I accepted an invitation to go with some friends to this year's…read moreRTG at the Walker Art Center. My expectations were low, but it turned out to be a great time--Im very glad I was convinced to go. As I mentioned, Im not a music guru... But I like to think of RTG as an "event." Several local bands play, but to me, it's more about the atmosphere and comraderie. The venue is beautiful and situated in such a fashion that you can sit on the hill next to the Walker and look down on the stage--with the downtown skyline in the background. There are also a number of vendors and food trucks such as the Barrio taco truck and some of the best corn dogs Ive ever tasted. Of course, if you are a drinker you can partake in plenty of local Summit beers. So even if you arent familiar with some of the bands, I highly recommened experiencing this event at least once. The only drawback to this particular event is the price. Thankfully, my ticket was donated to me... But typically, the tickets are expensive. If you combine that with parking ($10) and food, you can expect to spend around $80 or more for the entire outing. I should also mention that the photography policy is confusing. The website is a little ambiguous about the types of cameras they allow. Thankfully, they let me in with my D3100 but they made me promise not to shoot video. Id check with security before bringing an SLR.

I have to say, this year was better than last. Better…read morelineup, better organization, more food. Some complaints if I may, and feel free to add your own opinions here. This is Yelp afterall! 1. Rules. They were conflicting. Facebook said bring a cooler. Get there and it says now outside food. What the F is the cooler for then? Make sure everybody is on the same page re: the rules before they show up for work at this event. We brought water and were told we couldn't have it. Then later, we were told we could. Too bad I had already guzzled it and had to piss. Same applies for the umbrella rule. It was 90 degrees and no shade. We are pale ass minnesotans. let us have an umbrella to block the shade. Makes me angry when I see other people were allowed in with an umbrella. 2. Food. Can I just say that Vincent must have the best burger in town if the burger at RTG was any indication? Wicked good. Seriously. I was happy to see Holy Land in the lineup this year. I was upset to see that there were two lines. One to order (shorter) and one to pickup (much much longer). No receipt, so when you go to pick up, dude asks you what you had. Seriously? I just waited 45 minutes for a fucking gyro (what else is there to do really?) and you have no idea what I ordered, so I have to tell you again. How many people stood in the pickup line w/o paying and just said give me one of everything and got it? Silly Silly Silly. Once I got my Gyro, I was tempted to stand in line for the bathroom because by the time you get to the front, you would be ready to shit it out. You can still hear the music and chat with your neighbors while in line, which makes it moderately ok. Conversation ranged from how stupid Holy Land is for not being able to manage with one line to how stupid Holy Land is for not being able to manage with one line. That and how there will never be peace in the Middle East with such a lack of logic...) I could have driven to Central ave and back and gotten my shit quicker. 3. Beverage. Just beer. Really? Oh wait, there was water for a buck (not a bad deal, actually. No hidden prices there) and watery lemonade for $6. I waited in line for what turned out to be a $6 lemonade. The sign said Lemonade $3. Refills any size. I ordered, thinking it was 3 bucks. Dude said: "That'll be six bucks to break the ice." I said: "Hard work breaking that ice, huh?" but paid anyway, because the lady needed something to drink since beer doesn't sit with her. Bourbon yes, vodka yes. Beer no. RTG, can you please allow better selections for drinks, better preparedness on message, and better vendor organization for a better experience next year?