Don’t get me wrong. I love the State Fair. My family has been reusing the same Sweet Martha’s cookie bucket to hold hot glue gun sticks for 23 years—that’s loyalty. But between the crowds, the heat, coordinating a Southwest Transit park-and-ride just to get there, and somehow ending up watching a live animal give birth as a scheduled activity, it can all become a lot. The Uptown Art Fair is a reminder that not every great Minnesota summer tradition has to involve standing in line. Some are slower. A little prettier. The kind of afternoon where you leave with something you didn’t even know you were looking for.
Uptown Association
Picture this: a Saturday morning in August. Lake of the Isles sparkling beside you, coffee in hand, nowhere you have to be. Nearly 200 artists line the paths around the lake with work you’ll want to bring home. We all have that friend we’ve been saying “we should get together soon” for months. Consider this your reason. Wander through the art, grab a coffee, take the long way around the lake, and spend a few hours catching up. Some Saturdays don’t need much more than that.
Because this is one of those outings where getting dressed is part of the experience, let’s talk about the outfit. This isn’t a State Fair look. No athletic shorts, no fanny pack, no sneakers you’re willing to sacrifice to funnel cake dust. But it’s not a dinner reservation either. Think linen separates, wide-leg trousers with a fitted tank, or a breezy midi dress. Bring a woven tote—you’ll probably leave with something worth carrying home. Comfortable sandals you’ve already broken in. Simple gold jewelry. The kind of outfit that makes someone ask where you’re headed before you even make it to the car.
Everyone’s Pinterest board is full of color, texture, vintage finds, and handmade pieces with character. Yet somehow we keep buying the same beige linen throw blankets from Target. Remember when Big moved into that apartment with absolutely everything beige in “Sex and the City”? We’ve been living in that apartment for the last decade. The artists at this fair are offering the way out.
Uptown Association
There is something satisfying about buying directly from the person who made what you’re bringing home. When someone asks about the earrings you’re wearing or the painting hanging in your living room, you don’t say, “Thanks, I found it on Wayfair.” You get to tell the story of the artist you met on a walk around Lake of the Isles. That’s the difference between owning something and owning a story.
Summer weekends have a way of filling up, but this one is worth making room for. The Uptown Art Fair runs Aug. 7-9, and if you can, go Friday afternoon between 1 and 7 p.m. The crowds are lighter, the evening light settles over the lake, and the artists still have time to talk about their work. Admission is free. Bring a tote, a little cash for smaller vendors, and whoever you’ve been meaning to catch up with.
