[Messenger] Affordable summer fun in the neighborhood

You don’t have to go far to stay busy this summer

by Tesha M. Christensen

Looking for affordable family fun this summer? There’s so much going on in the neighborhood, you’ll be sure to get lots of use out of your picnic basket.

MUSIC

There are concerts every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday night at Minnehaha Park at 7 p.m. There’s a show for every music lover, from jazz to folk to pop to r&b to rock. Find the complete schedule at www.mplsmusicandmovies.com.

The Third Annual Midtown Global Music Festival will take place on Saturday, July 13, from 2-8 p.m. The event, in partnership with the Minneapolis Aquatennial, will feature a line-up of live music and dance from around the world, performing on two outdoor and one indoor stage throughout the day

There will be Music in the Garden at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 2730 E. 31st St. (behind the East Lake Library) from noon to 1 p.m. on these Sundays: June 8, June 22, July 13, July 27, Aug. 10, and Aug. 24.

MOVIES

Bring a blanket and chairs and watch a movie under the night sky with your neighbors. View Ghostbusters on Wednesday, July 23 at dusk in Sibley Park. See the full schedule of movies at Minneapolis parks at http://www.mplsmusicandmovies.com.

Transition Longfellow hosts regular movie nights on the third Friday of each month at Bethany Lutheran Church (3901 36th Avenue S.) that are appropriate for ages seven and up. A potluck begins at 6:30 pm with the movie starting at 7:15 p.m. No childcare is provided, but toys are available on-site. A free-will offering of $2 is suggested.

FESTIVALS

At this year’s Danish Day on Sunday, June 1 from 10:30 am to 4 pm at the Danish American Center (3030 West River Parkway), hear featured performer "Spider" John Koerner. There will be a Kids Park with arts and crafts projects, and a food court under the big tent. Be sure to check out the exhibit of Søren Kirkegaard. Admission is $4 and a smørrebrød lunch ticket is $12.

Come join your neighbors at an outdoor celebration on Saturday, June 8, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Trinity of Minnehaha Falls (5212 41st Avenue S.). There will be free kids’ games, inflatables, music, food, face painting, and cake walk – all free.

Swedish Heritage Day will be celebrated at Minnehaha Park on Sunday, June 22, 2014 from 10:30 am to 5 p.m. Entertainment includes The Swedish group Bjarv, a Scandinavian quartet of saxophones, the American Swedish Institute & St. Paul Male Choruses, The Svenskarnas Dag Girls Choir, the Vasa Junior Folk Dancers, Twin Cities Swedish Folk Dancers and a lot more. Try authentic Swedish foods such as lutefisk, Svenska sausage, lingonberries, rice pudding, Swedish meatballs, cake brod, and lemon fruit drinks. There will be activities and fun for all ages. See more at http://www.svenskarnasdag.com/.

There will be free canoeing and ice cream at the 10th annual Share the River Gorge event in July from 6pm to 8 pm at West River Parkway and 35th Street.

The Morris and Keewaydin Neighborhood Celebration at Morris Park is slated for July 17 from 6-8 p.m.

Enjoy hot, delicious roasted corn on the cob, family-friendly entertainment, face painting, concessions, music, moon walk, games, and more at neighborhood corn feeds! The concession sales at the Sibley Park cornfeed on Friday, July 25 from 6 to 8 p.m. benefit Sibley Eagles youth sports. The Longfellow Park corn feed will be on Thursday, Aug. 14 from 5:30 to 8 p.m.

The Lake Hiawatha Neighborhood Festival will be held on Wed., Aug. 6 from 5 to 8 p.m. at Lake Hiawatha Park (2701 E. 44th St.). Fun activities for the kids will include pony rides for under 10 years old, face painting, hair painting, games, the moonwalk, and an inflatable water slide. Everyone can enjoy the music, medallion hunt, raffle, free canoe rides on the lake, building a birdhouse, and caricaturist Judy Lieber. The family fitness challenge and talent contest will again take place; please pre-register. Food will be for sale by vendors.

On Sunday, Aug. 10 head over to the Church of St. Albert the Great Social Hall (corner of E. 29th Street at 32nd Ave. S.) for the annual Ice Cream Social on the “plaza” in front of the church. Enjoy live music, ice cream treats from Big Bell Ice Cream, and a bouncy-house from 10:30 am  until around noon. 

BASEBALL

On Sunday afternoons from May to October, local families fill up Bossen Park to watch Liga Hispana de Beisbol (LHDB) players play the game they love. Games start at 10 a.m. and at 2 p.m. each week.

GOLF

Head over to Hiawatha Golf Course for family golf nights. Each Saturday and Sunday after 5 p.m., one child will play for free with a paid adult. The offer is available at all five of the city’s golf courses.

MIDTOWN GLOBAL MARKET

A variety of family fun events are offered at the Midtown Global Market each week. Every other Sunday, enjoy salsa dancing from 10:30 am to 11:30 am. Family Fridays from 5 to 8 pm feature music and free family-friendly activities for all ages every week. Wee Wednesdays showcase free educational programming, fun crafts and great meal deals each Wednesday morning from 10:30 am to 1pm for ages 5 and younger. Dance, experience live puppet theater, learn to cook fun items together in the kitchen, and event pet live animals from the Como Zoo

Midtown Global Market, in partnership with the Minneapolis Aquatennial, will host a Global Smoothie Smackdown on Saturday, July 20 from noon to 2 pm. For a suggested donation of $5, guests will have the chance to sample from a variety of Market vendors, and vote for their favorite concoctions. Proceeds will benefit Horizons Unlimited, the food shelf within the Division of Indian Work.

BINGO

Play bingo on Wednesdays evenings July 9, 16 and 23 from 6 to 9 pm in the Church of St. Albert the Great Social Hall (corner of E. 29th Street at 32nd Ave. S.).  Low cost supper and snack items will be available for purchase, and there’s free popcorn and ice water.

ART CRAWL

Don’t miss the sixth annual LoLa Art Crawl. Smaller and more intimate than many art festivals, the LoLa art crawl will give you a glimpse into the creative workspaces of artisans working on jewelry, glasswork, painting, collage, photography, textiles, pottery, sculpture, and more. The League of Longfellow artists is an artist-organized community dedicated to bringing attention to the treasures of artistic expression created by artists living/working in the greater Longfellow neighborhood of south Minneapolis. This year’s art crawl will take place from 10 am to 5 pm on Aug. 23 and 24, 2014.

CAR SHOW

Check out classic cars on the corner of 48th St. and Chicago Ave. between Elliot and Columbus Aves. on Sunday, June 8 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be a beer garden, jumper for kids, trophies, food and door prizes. The event is sponsored by the Street Kings Car Club and 48chicago Business Alliance.

PUPPET SHOW

Attend a puppet show at Northrup Urban Environmental Learning Center on Sunday, July 27 at 4 p.m. See “The Amazing Cowboat” by Open Eye Theater.

BATS

Interested in nocturnal creatures? Discover the species of bats that call Minnesota home on Aug. 22 from 6 to 8 pm. Build one bat home per household and go for a hike through the Minnehaha Falls. Meet at the Wabun G Picnic Shelter. This program is $30/per household with a maximum of 4 members per family. Register at the Minneapolis Parks web site.

MARTIAL ARTS

Take the family class at Five Elements Martial Arts (3749 Cedar Ave. S.) on Wednesday nights. This class is designed to be an activity and an ongoing practice for the whole family and allows parents and children to spend dedicated time together. Call 612-729-7233 or browse www.femamartialarts.org.

FARMERS MARKET

Listen to live music while you peruse fresh veggie stands at the Midtown Farmers Market at the corner of Lake St. and 23rd Ave. S.

AT THE LIBRARY

Local libraries regularly host Lego® Lab for families. The library has the bricks; all you need to bring is your imagination. No experience necessary. There will also be DUPLOS®, so all ages are welcome. Game On! At Roosevelt: Thursdays, June 12 and July 10, from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m. At Nokomis: Saturdays June 7, July 5, and Aug. 2, 2–4 p.m.

Another fun family event at is Game On! This evening of lawn games will be at: Roosevelt on Thursdays, June 26 and July 31, at 6:30 p.m; Nokomis on Wednesdays June 11 and July 9 from 2-4 p.m.

Game On: Board Games will be at Nokomis on Wednesdays June 11 and July 9 from 2-4 p.m.

Family storytime will be at Nokomis on Fridays, June 6, June 13, June 20, June 27, July 11, July 18, July 25, Aug. 1, Aug. 8 and Aug. 15, at 10:30 a.m. Or go to East Lake on Fridays, June 13, June 20, June 27, July 11, July 18 and July 25, at 10:15 a.m.

WATER FUN

Canoe Diamond Lake with naturalists from Minneapolis Parks on June 12 and 21 from 3 to 6 pm. Learn about the history of Minneapolis lakes and explore Minnesota birds and wildflowers along the shore. Lifejackets will be provided. The class is $15 for residents.

Paddle boards, pedal boats, kayaks and canoes are available at Nokomis.

Free water safety clinics are offered for ages 5-14 at Lake Nokomis, where there are also logrolling classes.

SWIMMING

There are two beaches to choose from at Lake Nokomis and one at Lake Hiawatha. Or, opt to get wet in Minnehaha Creek at Minnehaha Park.

Those who prefer a pool will find one at Longfellow Park, Sibley Park, Hiawatha School Park, Bossen Park, Morris Park and Keewaydin Park. The new zero depth entry pools at Lake Hiawatha Park and the Wabun Picnic Area at Minnehaha Park are quite popular.

LOCK & DAM #1

Take a 30-minute tour at the Lock and Dam #1 at 5000 West River Parkway. It offers a bird's-eye view of the locking procedure and other topics ranging from barge traffic in the transportation network to the Corps 9-foot channel project.

FISHING

Don’t let the lack of poles stop you from fishing this summer. Head over to Powderhorn Park, check out poles from the recreation center, and fish Powderhorn Lake. Or check out the fishing docks Lake Hiawatha or Lake Nokomis.

BICYCLE AND WALKING TRAILS

The Longfellow and Nokomis neighborhood are well known for their bicycling and walking trails. Bring the family on a ride around Lake Nokomis and drop by the new concessions stand, Sandcastle, for ice cream, or hit up one of the two ice cream shops at Cedar and Minnehaha Parkway.

The Grand Rounds Scenic Byway in Longfellow includes paved trails along West River Parkway, connecting to Minnehaha Park. On the north end of the neighborhood, hop onto the Midtown Greenway, a a 5.5-mile long trail along a former railroad corridor that offers barrier-free bicycling from West River Parkway to the Chain of Lakes and beyond.

It’ll be a night to remember if you participate in the 3rd annual Greenway Glow Night Bike Ride on June 14 from 9:01 p.m. to 1 a.m. The event occurs during Northern Spark, the city-wide, all-night arts festival. Ride the giant pedal bear. Enjoy free food and beverages. Earn a glow-in-the-dark t-shirt. The Greenway Glow raises money for the trail; register at http://midtowngreenway.org/.