Mural, Connections Gallery unveiled at Roosevelt

Middle school and high school students collaborate on art projects

“You guys have done so much for Roosevelt,” stated Candida Gonzalez as she presented artists Greta McClain and Claudia Valentine with school t-shirts. “We want you to be teddies forever.” (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)

by Tesha M. Christensen

  

 “Tonight we’re here celebrating two big projects,” said Roosevelt High School’s International Baccalaureate (IB) Coordinator Candida Gonzalez on Wednesday evening, May 28, 2014.

Two pieces of artwork were added at Roosevelt this spring: a mural in the front entryway and the Connections Gallery on the front lawn. The Connections Gallery is still under construction.

EMBODYING THE SCHOOL MOTTO

The mural was created under the leadership of artist Greta McClain and her assistant Claudia Valentino in partnership with school art teachers and students.

The portraits of several students are part of this mixed-media mural that combines paint and mosaic pieces.  Five languages are featured, reflecting the student body and those who worked on the project.

In February, students drew their ideas out on large poster paper. Then, McLain drew up the overall design and students used her drawings to assemble the mosaic parts of the piece. Roosevelt students worked on it on Mondays and Thursdays, Green Central Students on Tuesdays and Sanford students on Wednesdays. Students from Northrup also participated. In April, the drawing was transferred to the wall of the front entryway and the painting began. The mosaic parts, featuring colored tile, dishes, mirrors, marbles and glass pieces, were added next.

“They took the IB learner profile attributes, they imagined what they’d look like, and they put them on the wall,” stated Gonzalez.

Gilles Mally, a junior at Roosevelt High School who is originally from Africa, was honored on May 28 for working on the mural every day till the end of the day.

“Gille embodies our motto at Roosevelt,” stated Gonzalez. “Enter to learn. Leave to serve.”

“It’s my way to help the community,” stated Mally.

Gonzalez noted that when she first viewed the question now above the front doorway -- “How will I impact my world?” -- she started crying. “I think the effect its going to have on students will be noticeable,” stated Gonzalez. “The questions are so thought provoking and really evoke the kind of experiences we want kids to have at Roosevelt.”

“This is how school spaces can change,” agreed Roosevelt art teacher Jaci Smolund.

Lindsay Walz of Creative Hearts is excited about how the mural will bring the neighborhood and school community together more. She pointed out that it sets a vibrant and energetic tone to the school right away when people walk inside.

“I loved the making of it because it pulls people in,” stated muralist McClain. Each person who works on the project then wants to take care of the place and take ownership, she added.

A great part of every mural project she embarks upon is that “there’s something for everyone,” she said. 

The mural at Roosevelt was special for her because she actually stepped back for part of it when she gave birth to her first child. “Leadership rose up. I loved that,” said McClain. 

CONNECTED BY ART

The Connections Gallery installation on the front lawn is a permanent structure with changeable components that Roosevelt, Minneapolis Public Schools and the community can use to make connections through art. Artwork from community members and students will be featured on a rotating basic inside 14 metal frames that are divided into smaller cells of acrylic panels.

The idea for the gallery was sparked by students in 2012. It was created in collaboration with Forecast Public Art and Seward artist Randy Walker (who was selected by students). In addition to a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board and an anonymous donor, 152 community members donated $8,583 through a Kickstarter Campaign.

“I really love the Connections Gallery,” said Walz. “It will enrich the neighborhood and be a source of inspiration for passersby.”

Flynn Piper was one of the third graders from Northrup who came over to Roosevelt one day to work on the mural. “It was fun,” said Piper. “I learned that it is very fun and hard to crack the plates.” (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)

 

Roosevelt health teacher Kari Anderson (left), student Shalaya Love and student Raziel Rayland read a poem composed by students during the unveiling on May 28, 2014. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)

Story published in the July Edition of the Longfellow/Nokomis Messenger.

Winery and cider house to open soon on E. Lake St.

Urban Forage Winery & Cider House part of E. Lake St. renaissance

by Tesha M. Christensen

  

Someday, Jeff and Gita Zietler will run a winery/cidery/meadery on E. Lake St.

They will gather fruit from urban apple trees and raspberry bushes, pick dandelions and lilacs, and intercept useable but not saleable fruit from food co-ops and natural food stores that would otherwise go to waste and ferment it into something delicious.

Someday, they will make tasty beverages that fall in the range between grape wine and beer that rarely ever make it to store shelves. This includes honey mead, dandelion wine, sparkling apple cider and pear champagne. They’ll put them on the shelves and make sure they get the attention they deserve.

Right now, they’re putting in the sweat and tears to make that dream a reality.

STARTING WITH A FORECLOSURE

Last year, the Zietlers bought a foreclosed building at 3016 E. Lake. Gita had seen the building on Lake Street up for sale for almost two years before they took the time to look at it.

Jeff admits he was hesitant to look at a property on E. Lake St. “I lived in Seward in the late 90s and early 00s and at that time hadn't had a very positive impression of E. Lake Street,” he observed.

But now he feels like Lake Street is a really good fit for their business. “Initially it was mostly about the price, but now we feel like a part of something larger -- a renaissance that seems to be taking place on E. Lake between Hiawatha and the river,” said Jeff. “Since we bought it, so many new, innovative businesses have opened in this corridor, and that really confirms that this is the right place to be.  My initial skepticism that this was the right place to build a business is gone.”

When they looked at the structure, the water was shut off and the roof leaked, but overall, the bones of the building were good, and the price was in a range that they could afford. “If it had been selling at the pre-recession price, we might not have even looked at it -- especially given that the street was less vibrant back then than it is now,” said Jeff.

They didn’t expect to have so much in common with their neighbors. “Our business neighbors are a mix of immigrants and long-time Minnesotans, running small businesses similar in scale to what we are planning,” remarked Jeff. “We're a mixed family, so it felt like a comfortable fit in many ways. This is one of the things we love about E. Lake St.: it's pretty unassuming, but there's a lot going on below the surface, good things.”

In the basement of their building is 1,200 square feet with 9-foot ceilings, glass block windows and an antique jail cell. “Not exactly the picture of a winery, but a unique space, large enough to accommodate all of the equipment for a small winery and a nice cool year-round temperature,” said Jeff Zietler. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)

Jeff and Gita Zietler are proud of the work they’ve done to rehab this foreclosured building at 3016 E. Lake St., which included tearing up carpet and linoleum and then redoing the hardwood floors beneath. The building was formerly a hair salon, pawn shop and jewelry store named Diamond Jim’s, among other things. (Photo by Tesha M. Christensen)

INVESTMENT AND SWEAT EQUITY

A landscape architect from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Jeff has done as much of the work on their building as he can.

First was the clean-up. He removed layers of old flooring and refinished the original wood floors, painted and fixed up a myriad of little things. They hired contractors to fix the roof, reconnect the water and fix damage that was the result of the pipes freezing. They discovered that the air conditioning unit didn't work and that the furnace was on its last leg, so they hired a contractor to replace both.

“There was a lot of investment that went into it that partially offset the initial low purchase price, but we still felt like we got a great deal,” said Jeff.

They have rented out the street level as an office for a company that places personal care assistants in people's homes, and the lower level is vacant.  They're in the process of applying for a conditional use permit and parking variance with the city in order to be able to run a business on the lower level. 

Downstairs, they have 1,200 square feet of space waiting for them to fix up. 

Their first piece of professional-grade equipment – a 300 liter Italian-made stainless steel fermenter – arrived in June. The test run was 14 gallons of dandelion and lilac wine. “We don’t have the building finished yet, or the licenses to sell, but I’m ramping up my home winemaking in preparation for going professional,” wrote Jeff in their blog.

HOMEBREWER SINCE COLLEGE

Jeff made his first batch of hard cider while he was a college student at the University of Minnesota 20 years ago. “It wasn't very good, but I kept making batches and over the years started making wines and ciders that people really seemed to enjoy,” stated Jeff. “Gita and I are both pretty avid gardeners and foragers, and I'd make wine from whatever was seasonally available in the area.” 

If their garden had a good year for growing carrots, he would mash them up and make a batch of carrot wine. In the spring he makes dandelion wine. When he notices fruit on the wild mulberry trees that grow almost everywhere, he collects enough to make a batch of mulberry wine. 

“It's all about using what's at hand, and the results are usually surprisingly good,” observed Jeff.

He isn’t trying to outdo California or France or Chile in making a great Cabernet or Sauvignon Blanc.  “Rhubarb and sour cherries and dandelions and carrots and apples grow like weeds in our climate, and make wonderful beverages of their own – and most of them are not commercially available, so I want to be the one to introduce them to the market,” he stated. 

Jeff added, “Foraging is how I've always made wine and cider, and scaling up to production on a commercial scale could be challenging. My vision is that we will be able to work with a number of partners who will pick organic fruit from their own trees or gardens or surplus fruit from consenting landowners, and give it to us in exchange for finished product or a modest payment.” He also hopes to intercept non-saleable fruit and vegetables from local markets that is too aesthetically unappealing to sell at a market, but is still perfectly suitable for juice extraction and fermentation.

HEARTBREAK OVER LAWS

The Zietlers, who live in the Merriam Park neighborhood of St. Paul, have been frustrated by the laws governing wineries. Rural wineries (located on agricultural land of three acres or more) pay 1/10 of the licensing fee of an urban winery, can also produce hard liquor, sell their products on site, and sell samples and drinks by the glass. In contrast, urban wineries pay a much higher licensing fee, but cannot have a taproom or even sell bottles on site.

 “The laws that have loosened up fees and regulations for brewery taprooms and microdistilleries have not yet made it to wineries,” Jeff observed.

Earlier this year, the Zietlers recruited the help of Representative Jim Davnie and Senator Patricia Torres Ray in order to pass new legislation to change that discrepancy. “But the farm wineries came out strong against it, and the bill died in committee,” stated Jeff. “I was kind of heartbroken after that happened.”

But he hasn’t given up. Instead he’s working to gather support from others. “When I try again, I think I'll have the public support that I was lacking last time,” Jeff observed.

KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN TO LAUNCH

The Zietlers plan to launch a Kickstarter campaign in September to raise $20,000 to buy equipment and fermenters. If their permits are approved and the Kickstarter campaign is successful, Urban Forage Winery and Cider House will begin making wine and cider in the winter or spring of 2015. 

Follow their progress at http://urbanforagewinery.com/

As the Green Line opens, resident opinions vary

Some excited for new transportation option, while others worry it won’t be used

By Tesha M. Christensen

As the Green Line opens, local opinions about the new lightrail line vary widely.

Hamline Midway Coalition – District 11 Communications Coordinator Kyle Mianulli is looking forward to riding the Green Line to and from the Midway every day, both for work and pleasure.

 “There is so much vibrancy already here, and it will be interesting to see how this new mode of access will further energize the area,” Mianulli said.

Hamline Midway Coalition Transportation Committee member Stephen Mitrioni is excited to finally see “how this thing is going to work in real life.”

Mitrioni added, “I am also looking forward to it being a huge success and putting all the naysayers to shame.”

 “I don’t know if it will be good or bad for the city,” stated Ryan Wilson, who has owned the UPS Store at University and Hamline for 15 years. “I try to be optimistic, but at the end of the day, this really took a toll on us.”

However, when he looks ahead, Wilson hopes the Green Line is successful. “We want to see this thing succeed now that its here.”

GREATER TRANSPORTATION DIVERSITY

 “University Ave has the potential to be a truly great avenue, and the Green Line is a centerpiece for that transformation,” remarked Hamline-Midway resident Lars D. Christianson, who is a sociology professor at Augsburg University.

According to Mitrioni, the Green Line is one piece of the puzzle. “The best systems are designed with an ‘all of the above’ approach,” he observed. “People will have multiple options to walk, bike, bus, train and yes, even drive your car if you desire.”

He believes that the opening of the lightrail line will be positive for the neighborhood. “The first two years were disruptive, but did not make things too difficult. The neighborhood has done just fine,” Mitrioni said. 

CONCERNS

Chocolat Celeste owner Mary Leonard is concerned that there won’t be enough passengers on the train because of the length of time it will take to travel between the two cities. Wilson also questions whether someone will sit on a train for 60 minutes when he/she could hop in their car and make the trip in 15 to 20 minutes.

The lack of gates at each intersection is also concerning to Leonard. Wilson questions how snow removal will go.

 “There is going to be some adjustment to the flow of traffic with the system,” remarked Mitrioni.

IMPACT ON BUSINESSES

The three years of construction have been tough on the businesses along University Ave.

 “Small businesses have closed and failed because of the lack of customers and access,” said Leonard. Traffic along University decreased from 40,000 cars a day to 10,000.

Mitrioni pointed out that despite the worst economic downturn since the recession, businesses have moved into the neighborhood. “My end of town seems to be being dominated by non-profits,” he said. “Habitat for Humanity, Goodwill and various human service organizations seem to be drawn to my end of University. Density is definitely increasing, as it should.”

The old Snelling Bus Barn Site at the corner of University and Snelling will soon be redeveloped, and the Project for Pride in Living mixed-use affordable housing development will break ground in June.  

However, Wilson questions whether this development is being spurred by the lightrail, and suggests that it was already on its way.

Wilson recalled that initially, the construction was to be done in three one-year sections, with no one area torn up for more than one year. But some businesses, like his, were in the middle of a construction zone for two years. He lost 2,227 customers between 2010 and 2011.

He equates the process to taking your third grader out of school for three years and then putting him back into third grade.

Based on the initial projects from the Met Council, Wilson didn’t think it was going to be as bad as it was, and he feels like he was mislead by people who didn’t have a financial stake in the neighborhood. “There’s no accountability,” remarked Wilson. “I’d like to see someone take responsibility.”

He added, “It had a real financial impact on myself and my family. We paid a real price for this.”

Chocolat Celeste lost $500,000 in sales, and Leonard watched her business be cut in half. Because of the construction, she proactively moved her business from University and Highway 280 to 652 Transfer Rd. and reconstructed her kitchen in October 2010.

Neither Leonard nor Wilson think that the $20,000 forgivable loans offered to businesses along University were sufficient.

Wilson proposes that a fund be set up to help businesses, and wants to see more marketing done to promote businesses on University.

IS THERE ENOUGH PARKING?

In response to the proposal to convert one lane of traffic into bike lanes and parking, Wilson questions it is being done to force cars off the road in an effort to make lightrail more profitable.

Leonard suggests that parking ramps be built to address the need for more parking.

 “Businesses and homeowners should stop expecting the city to provide parking free of charge and the city should stop acting like every project should be driven by parking needs,” said Mitrioni. “The city should just make a declaration: parking your car is your own problem, not ours.”

 “The best remedy, in my opinion, is for people to stop relying so heavily on personal vehicles to get around town,” said Mianulli.

BENEFITS

Leonard believes the Green Line will bring in tourism money, and was a selling point for the SuperBowl in 2018.

“Trains on dedicated rail, like the Green Line, are able to be more consistent and predictable, in terms of service, than buses. I look forward to that consistency and predictability,” said Christianson. Trains are easier to board than buses, especially for those with bikes or wheelchairs. Because there isn’t an exchange of money with a driver, service is faster. And this is a mode of transportation that emits less CO2 per user than cars or buses.

Mianulli predicts that the Green Line will spur an exciting new chapter of prosperity and success, changing the perception of the Midway as merely a thoroughfare between two downtowns to a rich and vibrant destination of its own. “There is a strong sense of environmental responsibility amongst many of the neighbors that live here,” he noted, “and having this slick new form of transportation available will, I think, allow people to make more environmentally conscious choices when it comes to getting around town.”

Living deliberately on a boat

Inspired by Thoreau, Ericsson family ready to sail away on catamaran they’ve spent the last seven years building

by Tesha M. Christensen

What can you build with 150 gallons of epoxy, 700 pounds of fiberglass, some marine plywood and Corecell™ marine foam?

A catamaran.

What can you do with such a boat?

Sail the world and live deliberately, the sort of life that Henry David Thoreau would be pleased with.

That’s precisely what Jeff and Heather Ilse of Ericsson intend to do with their 10-year-old son Ethan. Sometime this summer, their seven-year boat-building project will end and they will sail away on the Meadowhawk, living a life inspired by the author of “Walden.” 

INSPIRED BY THOREAU

It was after reading “Sensible Cruising: The Thoreau Approach” by Don Casey and Lew Hackler that Jeff, who has been sailing since he was a boy, told Heather, “This is what we should be doing.”

While it seemed to her that he’d made the decision overnight, for him sailing was the answer to a larger question he’d been asking for years about the life he wanted to lead.

He was tired of sailing only on the weekend, rushing to get to a beautiful place, spending only a few days there and then rushing back home. He wanted to be able to enjoy the journey. He wanted to stop chasing a collection of material possessions that don’t improve happiness. He didn’t want to spend his time going from day to day working and buying and working and buying. He wanted to see his son more. He didn’t want to miss out on his own life, just for the security of a safe life. “My feelings are stated more eloquently by Thoreau, ‘and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived,’” said Jeff.

LOOKING FORWARD TO...

Jeff, a software designer at Four51, can’t wait to spend so much time outdoors. Ask him what he’s most looking forward to and he’ll tell you he wants to find beautiful places and spend time there. 

Ethan, who will continue to be homeschooled, thinks it’ll be pretty cool to be both outside and at home at the same time.

Heather is excited about being more connected to natural cycles and rhythms. They’ll be able to spend time in the wilderness and also cities. “I like that we’ll get to see a lot of diversity,” Heather stated. “I’m looking forward to seeing a lot of different places.”

They plan to engage in the sort of travel that gives them a chance to be part of the communities they pass through, rather than merely be tourists. “We will go to a port, get to know locals, eat local food and go to fairs,” said Heather. “We’ll immerse ourselves in a community instead of just popping in as tourists.”

“We will travel to an area and live there awhile,” said Jeff.

Learning different languages will be part of their homeschool curriculum.

A SECOND JOB

For the last seven years, Jeff has essentially been working a second job building the catamaran. At the start, he spent long weekends and all of his vacations up in Finland, Minn. where they have relatives. In the fall of 2012, they moved the boat down to the Watergate Marina in St. Paul.

The boat building part has taken longer than either of them foresaw when they began. “Everything takes longer than you think,” observed Heather. Jeff agreed, pointing out that it has taken about double the 25,000 hours the designer estimated.

“Working outside in Minnesota is the biggest challenge I’ve had to deal with,” remarked Jeff. “If I would have had shop space, I bet I would have finished in half the time.”

“You have to want it really bad. Jeff really wants this bad and he is very determined to make this boat and the traveling a reality,” observed Heather about the man she’s known since he was 16 years old.

HOW DO YOU BUILD A BOAT?

“Piece by piece,” according to Jeff. He’s built smaller boats and the past and discovered that building a 34-ft catamaran required the same techniques.

Jeff hadn’t intended to build his own sailboat. Instead he planned to buy one, but when he realized he couldn’t afford to buy what he wanted, he opted to build his own. Catamaran design has advanced so much in the past decade that an older model in his price range didn’t offer what he wanted. In fact, the design he wanted isn’t even available as a production model. Plus, Jeff decided he would feel most confident about taking the boat to parts unknown if he knew exactly how everything had been put together — then he’d be able to recognize any problem and fix it.

After extensive research, Jeff selected a catamaran design by the English designer, Richard Woods.  He opted for this particular design because it offered greater stability. While a monohull will sink if it gets a hole because of the lead in its keel, it is nearly impossibly to sink a catamaran because of the air pockets in the design. He will be doing most of the sailing while Heather and Ethan learn, and so the design had to accommodate that. Seven years of boat building labor has left Jeff feeling little like a sailor anymore, and so he’ll also need time to get back into the swing of things.

FINISHING TOUCHES

As Jeff works on the final touches on the boat, Heather is prepping their home for sale. She’s hoping to find a buyer interested in the permaculture and pollinator-friendly home she’d worked hard to develop, and hoping that perhaps they won’t even have to put it on the market but will find a buyer through word of mouth.

Heather has lined up a friend who will store her large collection of books and ship them back and forth to her. Ethan will bring his Legos, his Kindle and his laptop. “I’m not worried that he’ll break ties with his friends,” noted Heather. They already keep in touch via computer. Because Jeff plans to continue working at his current job while they are sailing, they will never be long without an Internet connection.

THE ADVENTURE

The family hasn’t yet mapped out exactly where they will go on this grand adventure. They’ve been so busy the last few years getting the boat ready, fixing up the house, and shedding their possessions. They do know that some time they summer they will take off and follow the river system. They will go down the Mississippi River to St. Louis and then head back north on the Illinois River to Chicago. From there they’ll traverse Lake Michigan to Lake Superior and winter in Duluth, where they have an apartment lined up.

“Once the boat is in the water, then we’ll know where we want to go,” said Jeff. He’s looking forward to exploring all the parts of Lake Superior they never got to spend enough time at. Ethan is excited about Duluth. Heather daydreams about Australia and New Zealand.

Follow the Ilse family on Twitter (svmeadowhawk) or browse http://zambonidriver.com. 

Story published in the June 2014 edition of the Longfellow/Nokomis Messenger.

[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/.