Pride Festival
What: Twin Cities Pride festival
When: Saturday, July 17 and Sunday, July 18, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Where: Loring Park, 1382 Willow St. Minneapolis
Twin Cities Pride returns after skipping a year due to the pandemic. Across Loring Park there will be various LGBTQ+ and BIPOC vendors, food, and music. There will also be free COVID-19 vaccines and prizes for those who get vaccinated at Pride. 2021 marks the 49th Pride festival that’s been held in Minneapolis. Please note there is no Pride March this year nor a Saturday night concert and fireworks.
Outdoor Art Fair
What: Minnehaha Falls Art Fair
When: Friday, July 16, 3-8 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Where: Minnehaha Falls Park, 4801 S. Minnehaha Dr., Minneapolis
Just steps away from the famous Minnehaha Falls will be tons of different arts vendors. The Minnehaha Falls Art Fair will feature a variety of art, spanning from jewelry to pottery to photography. The Minnehaha Falls Art Fair also said that every booth will have at least one item under $30, keeping the art affordable. Along with art there will be performances from bands and dancers.
Food Trucks
What: St. Paul Food Truck Festival
When: Saturday, July 17, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.
Where: Union Depot lot D, 392 E. Kellogg Blvd., St Paul
Make sure to have an empty stomach when you stop by Union Depot for the St. Paul Food Truck Festival. There will be over 50 different food trucks selling almost every food imaginable, including burgers, lobster, gyros, and ice cream. There will also be craft beer, live music, and various activities for the whole family. (Learn more about the new space for the fest here.)
Live Storytelling
What: Mixtape: I forgot how to do this
When: Thursday July 15 through Saturday July 17 at 7 p.m.
Where: The Bakken Museum roof, 3537 Zenith Ave. S., Minneapolis
Join the Wayward Theater Company as they host their first event since the start of the pandemic. Mixtape: I forgot how to do this will feature five true stories told from a variety of storytellers. They also will have music and a live painter at the event, so you can watch art get made in real time. The Wayward Theater Company is an untraditional theater company that seeks to bring art to the audience. Tickets are $22 and you can buy them ahead of time.
Drag Queen Performances
What: Flip Phone XXL
When: Friday July 16 and Saturday July 17, 9 p.m.
Where: First Avenue, 701 N. First Ave., Minneapolis
As a part of Pride weekend, the performance company Flip Phone will be hosting drag queen performances. Both nights will be hosted by Tygra, who also hosts Hot Pink night at the Saloon. On Saturday, the Flip Phone event will feature Symone, the 13th season winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race, along with other locally famous queens such as Sasha Cassadine and Mercedes Iman Diamond. The event is 18-plus, and tickets cost $25 at the door.
Memory Mandalas
What: Midsummer Memory Mandalas
When: Friday evening
Where: Lakewood Cemetery, 3600 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis
The Lakewood Cemetery will be hosting a free art installation from artist Day Schildkret. Over several days, including Friday, Schildkret will be creating a large mandala in the cemetery made out of materials he finds there. People are free to talk, join, and help him create the art. There will also be workshops on Saturday, but they have all sold out.