Check Out the Uptown Winter Wonderland, Enter Contest to Win Gift Cards

Article by Becky Fillinger, Photos by Spacecrafting

Uptown businesses have come together to form a holiday windows campaign to spread holiday cheer and draw visitors to the neighborhood. There’s also a digital art contest that everyone can enter to win gift cards from local businesses.

The campaign was put together by Love From Uptown, a collaboration of local businesses that believe in the long-term viability of Uptown. Holiday window installations are up in both empty storefronts as well as existing businesses. Participating locations have created a map that makes visiting the area easy to navigate: 

The Uptown Winter Wonderland effort highlights 24 different locations and features unexpected installations at several empty storefronts, including four anchor spaces on the corner of Lake Street and Hennepin Avenue (the former Juut Salon, the Morton Building, and empty second-floor spaces in the Rainbow Building and Seven Points). The empty space on the first floor of the MoZaic East building on Lagoon Avenue also has a floor-to-ceiling installation that features hand-made paper ornament sculptures and twinkle lights. “For the MoZaic Building, we wanted to create something a little more whimsical that plays off of the existing art on the plaza,” explained Michaella Holden of Lucent Blue Events and Design, the creative partner on the project. “We tried to design something unique for each empty space, both as a nod to the artistic roots that this neighborhood has had over the years, as well as to showcase the potential that these spaces have for the future.”

Additional storefronts that put up installations include Peoples Organic, The UPS Store, Orange Theory Fitness, and Barbette, among others.

Chicken and Waffles from Arts + Rec Uptown, photo Becky FillingerFor dining I recommend Arts + Rec Uptown. The venue describes itself as “an art-forward entertainment venue serving a chef-driven menu and expertly crafted cocktails.” I can tell you that the décor is funky and that on a recent Saturday, General Manager Andrew Avila served me delicious chicken and waffles, yogurt parfait and mimosas.

Have brunch and then take a holiday walking tour of Uptown.

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Winter Wonderland Digital Art Contest!

To help spread the word, the public is invited to participate in a digital art contest on social media. Take a photo, create a video, or make a photo-collage of your favorite Uptown Winter Wonderland scene, and enter for your chance to win local gift cards! Submit your entry by December 11 - winners will be announced the week of December 12. More details and complete contest rules can be found at www.lovefromuptown.com.