Boom Island-Nicollet Island Bridge Repairs Open House, October 6

Originally built as a railroad bridge in 1890, the Boom Island-Nicollet Island Bridge was acquired by the MPRB in the 1970s and installed in its current location in the early 1980s.

Via a September 16 e-newsletter from Minneapolis Park and Rec Board:

Public invited to review plan to repair bridge between Boom Island Park and Nicollet Island

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) will host an Open House for the Boom Island-Nicollet Island Bridge Repairs project on Thursday, Oct. 6, 6-7:30 pm at MPRB headquarters, 2117 West River Road.

The public is encouraged to attend to learn more and provide input regarding bridge repairs and improvements planned as part of the project, which will provide structural stability for the 126-year-old bridge and improve its overall usability.

At the meeting, closure and detour information and decking and railing options for bridge repairs will be available for public review. All are welcome to attend this public meeting to ask questions and share ideas, comments and concerns.
 
Public Meeting
Date: Oct. 6, 2016
Time: 6-7:30 pm
Location: MPRB Headquarters
Address: 2117 West River Road
Topic: Overview of a project that will repair the Boom Island-Nicollet Island Bridge.

Project Website

MPRB Requests Your Feedback on the 2016 Music & Movies in the Parks Season

Via a September 15 e-newsletter from the Minneapolis Park and Rec Board:

2016 Music & Movies in the Parks Complete!

Thank you for a wonderful 2016 season of our Music and Movies in the Parks series!  We truly hope you enjoyed your experience in the parks with us over the summer and will continue to support the program by coming to the shows in the future.

We are asking for one final favor as we wrap up the season.  We are always looking to improve the program, and we're asking you to spare a few moments to fill out our survey.  In doing so, you give us information on ways we can make the 2017 season even better.  Thank you in advance for taking the time to answer our questions!

Survey Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WKYY5ZG

Thank you once again for an enjoyable summer in our Minneapolis Parks!  Check out our Facebook page for more pictures.

YogaFit Offers Free Yoga to Striking Allina Nurses Now thru October 31

Nurses are amazing people who take great pride to care for people, most of whom they don’t even know. YogaFit would like to return the care by taking care of the nurses now. In an effort to help the nurses who are on strike, YogaFit is providing unlimited free yoga classes to all the nurses on strike from today until October 31st.

We have four locations in the metro area – Linden Hills, Loring Park, Northeast Minneapolis and Excelsior. To get started on the free classes, please email Ashok Dhariwal at ashok@mspyoga.com. To learn more about YogaFit, our locations, and our class formats please visit www.yogafitstudios.com.  We have classes for all levels of experience.

Fall Colors Segway Tours run thru November 30

Take in the best fall colors on a Segway Tour! The Minneapolis Magical History Tour runs through November 30. The tour office is located at 125 Main Street SE.  952-888-9200 Facebook

Back by Popular Demand: Preservation Alliance to Host Two Photography Walking Tours

(ST. PAUL, MN – September 13, 2016) Old building and photography enthusiasts have two new opportunities to tour historic neighborhoods while honing artistic skills. The Preservation Alliance of Minnesota (PAM) is excited to host a pair of smartphone photography tours this fall, both of which debuted in the spring of 2016.

Mill District Smartphone Photography Tour
Wednesday, September 28th
5:00pm-8:00pm
A-Mill Artist Lofts
Registration: $25

This evening tour begins at the old/new A Mill Artist Lofts with an introductory drink and presentation by professional photographer Eric Mueller. Mueller goes beyond filters, teaching how to capture the built and natural environment of the neighborhood. 

Art history and architecture professor Kristin Anderson will lead us up Main Street to share historical and architectural context of the area. Participants can employ new photography techniques along this tour as we stop at notable buildings. The tour finishes on the Stone Arch Bridge. PAM is bringing back this tour after its sold-out first run in May.

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Stillwater and Lift Bridge Brewery Tour
Thursday, September 29th
5:30pm-8:00pm
Pioneer Park
Registration: $25, includes flight of beer at Lift Bridge Brewing Co. 

PAM’s second Stillwater tour of 2016 will start at Pioneer Park overlooking downtown. Instagrammer extraordinaire Emily Falkenberg will share favorite photography techniques, and local history buff Sally Erickson will guide the group through the North Hill neighborhood, stopping at the Warden’s House, Lowell Inn, and Isaac Staples Sawmill.

The group will loop back to Pioneer Park and take a sojourn over to the critically acclaimed Lift Bridge Brewing Co. Here, we will enjoy a flight of beer and take a tour of their beautiful beer lab. Beer is included in registration cost.

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These classes are hosted by the Preservation Alliance of Minnesota (PAM), a statewide nonprofit organization that leads and inspires people to connect to valued places in their communities. Whether it’s an old home or storefront on the corner, a rural community’s old high school, or an urban neighborhood’s long-retired factory, PAM works to preserve and protect the bond felt by community members toward these places, the memories such places represent, and the distinct characteristics they display. 

This project has been financed in part with funds provided by the State of Minnesota from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund through the Minnesota Historical Society.

Thursday Musical Announces 2016-2017 Season of Thursday Morning Artist Series and Home Programs

Via a September 12 Press Release from Thursday Musical:

MINNEAPOLIS/ST PAUL - Thursday Musical announces its 125^th season for the Thursday Morning Artist Series, including Living Concert Notes with MPR announcer Steve Staruch and composer David Evan Thomas, and the Home Programs.
 
HOME PROGRAMS
 
A time-honored tradition, the Home Programs are the heart of the organization’s membership community. Members of Thursday Musical on October 20, 2016 and April 20, 2017 will open their homes for a total of six programs to season subscribers/members for an intimate, “salon-style” concert experience. Programs will feature several returning performing members and two Thursday Musical debuts by pianist Otto Loehrke (Oct. 20) and mezzo-soprano April Hansen (Apr. 20). Please see thursdaymusical.org/home-programs for a complete schedule.

THURSDAY MORNING ARTIST SERIES

The Thursday Morning Artist Series has been presented since 1892 on Thursdays. It is the organization’s longest-running recital and chamber music series with a legacy of featuring some of the most talented classical musicians in Minnesota. Programs are currently being held at 10:30 a.m. in the acoustically impressive Antonello Hall at MacPhail Center for Music, Minneapolis. Complimentary coffee and donuts are provided in the lobby starting at 10:00 am served by members of Thursday Musical. Detailed program information will be announced throughout the season.
 
Kicking off the season is a free concert on October 6 including a preconcert reception at 9:30 am with Living Concerts Notes hosted by Guest Moderator MPR announcer Steve Staurch.

On the program will be Amy Morris, flute and Mary Goetz, piano performing Malagigi the Sorcerer by Venezuelan-born composer Efrain Amaya and Tango Etude by Astor Piazzolla; the Başgöze – Pinto Piano Duo (Susana Pinto, piano and Pinar Başgöze, piano) will perform works by Brazilian composers Ernesto Nazareth, Zequinha de Abre and Francisco Mignone; and clarinet trio (Janet Greene, Pat O'Keefe, and Nina Olsen) will be performing Eight Bagatelles by local composer Sarah Miller who has been teaching composition and piano at MacPhail Center for Music, Minneapolis,for seventeen years. 

Tickets and Memberships
 
Concert Memberships for the 2016-17 concert season are now available to renewing and new subscribers. Thursday Musical continues its legacy of providing outstanding concert programming at affordable prices. Subscribers can access 12 Thursday Morning Artist Series concerts and 4 Home Programs for under $8 each ($95 general\$85 seniors). (Note: Home Programs are only available to season subscribers.) Subscriptions can be purchased online, by phone or in person at any Thursday Morning Artist Series concert. 
 
Individual tickets for the Thursday Morning Artist Series can be purchased at the door for $15. All concerts are open seating and take place at MacPhail Center for Music, 501 S 2nd Street. For more information, call (612) 333-0313 or visit thursdaymusical.org/membership.

All concerts are at 10:30 AM.

See full Press Release

Welcome Claudia Kittock to the Mill City Times Team!

Publishers note: Claudia will be covering the local non-profit scene for Mill City Times.

My name is Claudia Kittock and my husband and I have lived in Downtown Minneapolis for 8 years. We are avid lovers of ALL things in our neighborhood and are truly blessed to live here.

Our move to downtown was planned for years of raising our children in a small town.  We knew we wanted to move to this neighborhood and be part of downtown living.  What we didn’t know was how vibrant this experience would be and continues to be.  We also didn’t know anything about how caught up we would become in the formation of our neighborhood.

I have been in education all of my adult life, and have a Ph.D. in child psychology from the University of Minnesota. While working as a college professor and raising our two children, I felt the pull to do more, to be involved with volunteering, and to give back some of the blessings I have had in my life.

We moved here during the first year of our youngest son’s college career, which meant that I was simultaneously experiencing the newness of more time for me, and the experience of living in this neighborhood.  Within a short period of time, I found myself immersed in volunteering, and particularly any experience having to do with children, and specifically children who faced challenges in their lives.

After 4 years of commuting two hours a day, I had the chance to take early retirement, and I grabbed it.  I loved my job, but I was excited for new challenges and new activities, and I found myself with seemingly endless time to commit to volunteering. As a lifelong child psychologist, with great listening skills, I decided to devote my first year to attending meetings and listening and learning. I found an inexhaustible supply of ways to get involved.

My goal in this column/blog is to share what I learn while listening.  I want to tell the reader what I know, share needs, and, as in the past, be prepared to be stunned at the generosity and heart of this community.  Every time I tell a story of need, someone responds, and I am overwhelmed with gratitude and awe of the heart of this community.

I have a list of things to write about, but I live to learn more.  Please feel free to contact me with things I don’t know and with ideas you know about that I need to explore.  My role in life right now is to listen, to learn, and to share!

Claudia Kittock can be reached at claudia@millcitymedia.org

New Season Underway for Mill City Emanuel Singers

The Mill City Emanuel Singers are back!  We began rehearsal on Saturday, September 10th at MacPhail. There were many singers who returned and several new singers.  It was a wonderful rehearsal with introductions and singing together . . . and we sounded pretty good, too!  Remember, you are welcome ANY time and we are blessed every time you can attend. Our schedule for the first five weeks of practice is as follows:

September 17     MacPhail Center for Music     2:00-3:30

September 24     Mill City Museum                  2:00-3:30

October 1            MacPhail Center for Music     2:00-3:30

October 8            Mill City Museum                  2:00-3:30

October 15          MacPhail Center for Music    2:00-3:30

There are at least 2 performances, with more to come.  The first is on Sunday, September 25, directed by JD in a massed choir, singing Hold On. You can read about it at  http://concertacrossamerica.org/ or at https://www.facebook.com/events/281769912173312/. We have also been asked to be part of a massed choir for an event on Ending Street Homelessness in Minneapolis on Sunday, November 13th. 

It was an exciting start!  Our goal is to need a BIGGER room.  Please invite your friends and neighbors.  Give them the 'JD challenge".  Come once, and if you can resist us after that, it is all good, but I am betting you won't be able to resist the attraction of this experience.  If you have any questions, suggestions, and/or any help, please contact Claudia Kittock at cjkittock@gmail.com

Scenes from the September 10 Mill City Farmers Market

September 10 was Hunger Solutions Day at the Mill City Farmers Market. Food access for all is key to Mill City Farmers Market's mission of nourishing the community. Staff from Hunger Solution Minnesota were on hand with information on their programs. Hunger Solutions is a comprehensive hunger relief organization that works to end hunger in Minnesota. The organization was created in 2001, as a result of the merger between Minnesota Food Bank Network and Minnesota Food Shelf Association.

The theme of Market Chef Jenny Breen's Mill City Cooks demo was Cooking on a SNAP Budget, during which she provided suggestions on how to incorporate healthy ingredients into nutritious, economical and tasty meals. The Curried Chick Peas with Autumn Vegetables recipe she prepared costs less that $3 per serving. 

YogaFit Studios Northeast conducted a donation-based outdoor class from 9a-10a.

Rosemary in cookies? That's right, and it's a wonderful thing! I'm just thankful there were only 6 in the package or I would have snacked myself into a shortbread stupor...

The info booth is always hoppin'.

Sunflowers! Immediately put a smile on your face, don't they?

A child's body language as to when they no longer want to carry something...

Rug shopping at Art Andes.

Milly the goat!

Don't Skip The Commercials!

Event at Commons Park will feature the very best of the best local ads

There was a time when Minneapolis-based ads were known as “Minneapolis Cute”—an affectionate term coined by judges at national advertising shows in the 1980s referring to the fresh, new and unique style produced by up-and-coming agencies in the Twin Cities area. It was a time when Minneapolis was not yet known for producing hit commercials but began showcasing its creativity one spot at a time.

Read more, event details…

RSVP on Facebook…

Doug Spong remembers it well. The founder of The Doug Spong Co. is in his 35th year in the advertising business, and he recalls back in the 1980s and 1990s how local agencies began making names for themselves and the creative community as a whole with their wit, humor and philosophy on advertising.

Back then, Minneapolis agencies were making their name. Now, they’re maintaining their reputation as a national power.

“Most Minnesotans have no idea how large and robust the creative economy is in Minneapolis,” Spong said. “There are roughly 50,000 talented professionals who make their living in the commercial arts. Minneapolis ranks among the Top 7 creative markets in the U.S. and boasts some of the most award-winning agencies in the world.

To help celebrate our booming local creative industry, the Minneapolis Downtown Council in partnership with AdFed MN and Intersections: The Downtown 2025 Plan Downtown Experience Committee are hosting Northbest: Ads of Minnesota on Thursday, September 22 at The Commons. The event is free and open to the public, will include food trucks and beverages on hand, and will showcase the very best of the best in the local creative community.

Beginning at 8 pm, a 60-minute highlight reel of locally-produced advertisements will provide a look at some of the nationally- and internationally-recognized commercials that were born right here in the Minneapolis area.

There were 138 advertisements submitted for this event by 19 different creative agencies, and of that group a curation committee comprised of Spong, Sue Crolick, Nancy Rice and Steve Wehrenberg selected roughly an hour’s worth—27 individual ads—of the very best commercials to be part of Northbest.

“There are global brands that bring their advertising creative needs to Minneapolis agencies, including leading automotive brands such as Subaru, fast-casual restaurants like Arby’s, retail work for Target and a host of local and regional brands that are Minnesota favorites,” Spong said. “See for yourself the inspiring ideas and creative execution that stir a love affair between consumers and brands.”

Our local creative community and its overall reputation has been built up by workers at ad agencies, design studios, PR firms, digital shops, production houses plus countless freelance writers, designers, art directors, animators, video editors, broadcast producers, print producers, digital producers and more.

Periscope, one of the local creative agencies here in the Minneapolis area, designed the Northbest and came up with naming ideas for the event. Periscope, very involved with AdFed and a supporter of the local energy within the creative community, was excited to join in on the action.

“I think most people will be surprised at the amazing work that has been created right here in their own back yard,” Periscope business development manager Brittany Hestad said. “Great advertising has been here for 50-plus years. The general public will be proud to see this.”

With so many successful local businesses in the Minneapolis area, the creative industry has a strong foundation to build upon.

“The creative community of Minneapolis is extremely strategic and business-minded,” Hestad said. “We have 17 of the Fortune 500 companies here. It’s the heart of retail. Being exposed to that business enables us to root our creativity in solutions, helping to solve real business problems. We are a vibrant community—it’s a tight network that continues to grow.”

Spong originally brainstormed this event two years ago and has seen it come to life. Now, on September 22, he’ll be on hand as our local creative community is recognized for its hard work and continued excellence.

“Someone will have to wipe the smile of anticipation off my face the moment the reel starts in The Commons,” Spong said. “Having already viewed and curated the 27 pieces of creative work, I will be watching the faces of the crowd to see their reaction to our city’s creative product.”

Read more, event details…

RSVP on Facebook…

Reprinted with permission from the Minneapolis Downtown Council

Mississippi Minute film festival deadline extended!

Film Entry Deadline EXTENDED: Films Accepted Until Sept. 19, 9 a.m.

You have just two more weekends!

The entry deadline for this year’s Mississippi Minute Film Festival has been extended until 9 a.m., Monday Sept. 19. This is your chance to create a film that inspires, tug at heartstrings or makes people laugh about the mighty Mississippi winding through the Twin Cities.  Partnering this year with the National Park Service in honor of the their Centennial, films can be about any of the full 72-mile stretch of the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area corridor between Dayton and Hastings. The only catch – films must be 60 seconds or less!

Start filming – more information at www.mississippiminute.org.

AWARDS:

• People’s Choice Prize, Season Pass to the National Parks (donated by the National Park Service)
• Best of Show Prize, Private tour of the St. Anthony Falls Lock and Dam #1 (donated by the National Park Service)
• Youth Prize, four canoe trips on the Mississippi River, provided by Wilderness Inquiry
• Winner Certificates for each river category

CRITERIA:

Originality applauded.  For entry information, forms, and “How to Submit,” see www.mississippiminute.org;

FILM PREMIERE:

Films premiered and awards announced at the Minneapolis Riverfront Partnership’s annual event, the Minneapolis Riverfront Summit, on Monday, Oct. 24, at Mill City Museum at 6 p.m. City Council Representative Jacob Frey will be the main speaker.

Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition Expanding to Serve Pedestrians

Via a September 8 Press Release from the Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition:

Minneapolis, MN--The Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition will be expanding its mission to include walking and pedestrian work. Walking and biking in our city makes it stronger and an even better place to live, work, and play. Biking and walking are both fun, healthy, clean, equitable, and efficient ways to get around and are growing rapidly in popularity in Minneapolis.

“I am so excited to be a part of the Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition during this amazing time,” said LaTrisha Vetaw, Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition Board President. “This expansion aligns with the Coalition’s goal to reach out to and serve communities of color. I see this change as a big win for the communities I serve daily and all the citizens of Minneapolis who currently bike and walk, or that will soon be biking and walking.”

The Coalition has worked side-by-side with pedestrian voices on many policy and on-the-ground projects around the city. This change will formalize work the Coalition has been doing already to support walkability through Complete Streets, Open Streets, Safe Routes to School, and more. Walking and biking are increasingly popular in Minneapolis, but there are still far too many unsafe and uncomfortable streets and too many people hit and killed or injured. The Coalition will work to bring forward the voices and perspectives of people walking and in wheelchairs to make streets safer and better for everyone.

“I admire the work the Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition does towards making streets safer, in both incremental, concrete ways, and by shaping policy as they help elected and appointed officials understand the needs and vulnerabilities of people outside cars.” said Julia Curran, a walking advocate and member of the Minneapolis Pedestrian Alliance. “I'm thrilled that they're expanding their circle to include all of us who walk in Minneapolis.”

The Coalition will be taking time to engage with stakeholders over the coming months before defining the specifics of a new mission, vision, name, and initial priorities for pedestrian work in 2017.

The Minneapolis Bicycle Coalition, which formed in 2009, has grown into one of the most influential advocacy organizations in Minneapolis, uniting a network of more than 12,000 people and 1,300 volunteers. The Coalition organizes Open Streets Minneapolis events, which will attract more than 70,000 people this year to walk, bike, and play in car-free streets for a weekend day.

Parkway Closures for Saturday, September 10

The following roads will be temporarily closed Saturday, September 10, from 9:00am - 1:00pm for the Mill City Suds Run:

- SE Main St from Hennepin Ave to SE 6th Ave
- West River Parkway from Plymouth Ave to Portland Ave N 
- Stone Arch and Plymouth Bridges

More info on the race: http://www.millcitysudsrun.com/

A complete list of current and upcoming parkway closures is available online.

The Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul presents The Beatles: Eight Days A Week - The Touring Years

Next week the Film Society of Minneapolis St. Paul presents THE BEATLES: EIGHT DAYS A WEEK - THE TOURING YEARS with a special International Premiere event screening on Thursday, September 15 at 7:00pm and for a week-long run starting Friday, September 16 at the Film Society’s St. Anthony Main Theatre.

Academy Award-winning director Ron Howard's new documentary is a behind-the-scenes look at The Beatles’ early years. Exclusively in theaters, each showing includes The Beatles’ newly restored and remastered 35mm concert footage from their iconic Shea Stadium performance in 1965 — the 30 minute HD concert follows the film.

Apply to Serve on Scherer Bros Site Parcel 'D' Development Community Advisory Committee (CAC)

An application to participate on the Community Advisory Committee for the Parcel 'D' development at the Scherer site is now available. Applications are due Oct. 20, 2016 and appointments will be made by Nov. 1, 2016. 

The Scherer site contains 11 acres of riverfront land that will be developed with both parkland and commercial elements to help offset operating costs. The former lumberyard, located just north of the Plymouth Avenue Bridge along the Northeast Minneapolis riverfront, was purchased by the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board in 2010. Parcel D occupies the northeast corner of the site.

A private development team will be engaged to undertake the design, construction, operation and management of the Parcel ‘D’ portion of the former Scherer Bros. site. The goal of the development is for it to serve as an activator for the future Hall’s Island Park and a way of connecting local businesses and organizations to the park and riverfront. For more information, please see a site concept plan and visit the project page. 

Scherer Bros Parcel 'D' CAC Application

What is a CAC? 

Community Advisory Committees provide volunteer opportunities for stakeholders to share insight and resources and serve to build and sustain relationships between the community, partner agencies, and the MPRB. Members of the CAC are expected to represent the views of regional park users and to work collaboratively with each other and the public to provide comprehensive recommendations to the Board about the project. 

Responsibilities of CAC members

Through this process, CAC members are expected to become knowledgeable about the project and its scope, understand and represent the park and recreation needs of the community and park visitors and act as community liaisons for the project. Members will participate in public CAC meetings, advise MPRB staff and consultants throughout the planning process, and recommend to the Board of Commissioners a preferred concept plan for development of Parcel ‘D’. 

MPRB Promise

The MPRB will work with the CAC and stakeholders for advice and innovation in formulating solutions and incorporate recommendations to the maximum extent possible. 

Time Commitment

The total time commitment for CAC members is estimated at 20-40 hours. Meetings will occur in the evenings from November 2016 through May 2017. The CAC will have five official CAC meetings about two hours each. 

Appointment Process 

All completed CAC applications will be forwarded to all the appointers. Applicants may be contacted directly by an appointer to discuss the project and interest. All those who apply will be contacted if they are appointed.

Read More

MPD ACTION ALERT - Motor Vehicle Theft - Case No. 16-316481

CASE SUMMARY:

Incident Location: 0001** Portland AV S

Date and Time:  8/29/2016 3:00:00 PM - 8/30/2016 12:00:00 PM

Primary Offenses:  Motor Vehicle Theft

Public Information: Officer were dispatched to the above location on a motor vehicle theft. V1 was notified by OT1 that her vehicle was in white bear lake. V1 wasnt aware her vehicle was missing. V1 was given a blue card.

REC: Pending investigation. ...

Arrested Parties, if any (name - age / Address AptNo City, State Zip):

NOTE: Any persons arrested in this incident were not necessarily charged with the listed offenses. Use the link provided below for a more complete explanation of the format of these alerts if anything is unclear.

=================================================

NOTE: Asterisks (**) indicate that a street address has been masked, and the incident took place on the “100 block” ,e.g., 0041** Stevens AV S took place on the 4100 block of Stevens Av S. We do not include the full address of incident locations in order to preserve the privacy of victims.

Update From Friends of the Mill District

Mill City Emanuel Singers

The Mill City Emanuel Singers, sponsored by the Friends of the Mill District are about to being another season.  Everyone is invited to come and sing.  Rehearsals are open to all and directed by the talented musician JD Steele, and the accompanist, Fred Steele. 

Rehearsals for the Mill City Emanuel Singers begin on September 10 and will continue every Saturday through October 15, from 2-3:30 p.m. Most rehearsals will be at MacPhail for the first 6 weeks of rehearsal, but an announcement will be made about the site of each rehearsal.  The second group of rehearsals will again be on Saturday afternoons from 2-3:30, November 12-December 17.  All of these rehearsals will be held at the Guthrie.  The last session of rehearsals for this season will be on April 8-May 27. There are several performances that are in the planning stages. All will be announced as soon as the plans have solidified.  

Do you enjoy singing?  Are you looking for a community project?  I dare each of you to attend 1 rehearsal. You will be hooked!  For more information, please contact Claudia Kittock at cjkittock@gmail.com.

Yoga in Gold Medal Park

The wonderfully successful summer yoga in the park program had the last session on September 3rd.  Over 160 people have participated, with an average attendance of 28. Each session was led by a volunteer teacher. They asked to be part of this program and we are so very grateful that they did.

Plans are being made for the 2017 season, and we hope you can participate. Please keep this program in your plans for next summer. It is a wonderful way to exercise with your neighbors in a gorgeous setting. Thank you for making this program such a rousing success.

Scenes from the September 3 Mill City Farmers Market

September 3 was Back To School Day at the Mill City Farmers Market.  It's always fun to see so many kids at the Market - I applaud all parents, grandparents, aunties, uncles and others who bring their little ones.

Lorenzo LopezRocha of American Sustainable Organics grows rare and exotic peppers, tomatoes, corn and other items on farmland in Marine on St. Croix. His impressive display at the September 3 Market included the aptly named Tom Thumb popping corn.  This sample in his hand is a fully developed cob.

Mi Ae Lipe signed copies of her latest book, Bounty from the Box: The CSA Farm Cookbook, a guide to over 90 fruits, vegetables, and herbs grown by community-supported agriculture (CSA) farms across North America. It includes over 360 diverse, delicious recipes and comprehensive cooking information on each crop.

You know fall is around the corner when you see a basket of decorative gourds, and ornamental cabbage starts showing up in the bouquets...

Yum! Our neighbor Doug enjoyed BBQ Pork Hash from the griddle masters of Black Cat Natural Foods.

Manu Gallur of Green Stick Army is on a mission to encourage trash pick-up activities and education to clean up downtown Minneapolis.  He introduced shoppers to his handy gadget at the September 3 Market.  Look for a separate post later this week on our Farmers Market blog.

The kids from Urban Roots are back! Check out their website to learn about the great things this organization is doing. Their fundraising event, Get to Know Your Urban Roots, is September 15 at Harriet Island Pavilion in St. Paul.

Anna Metcalfe is a talented ceramist and frequent MCFM art vendor.  She will be speaking at the September 14 American Craft Library Salon Series: Pottery, Pollinators and Public Engagement event.

Below, Chefs Nettie Colón (left) and Beth Jones (right) pictured with MCFM Executive Director Martha Archer as they start amassing ingredients for the feast being served at the September 11 Harvest Social.

Beth's son agreed to be my "hand model" for the Sonny's ice cream shot.

Below is Jill Colella, Editor of Ingredient Magazine and Butternut Magazine. These publications for kids are made in Minnesota and distributed around the world, bringing food literacy to children and tweens.

Ames Farm added Honeycrisp and Early Gold apples AND pears to this week's offerings. :)

Oh no - an abandoned baby cuke! :(

Oops - no Milly the Goat this week - the Train shed was so packed I couldn't even get close enough for a shot (but that's a good thing!).

Going Global, Going Local: Milkweed Books

Story and photos by Julie Craven

Daniel Slager, Publisher and CEO of Milkweed Editions

According to Dan Slager, you can have it both ways. His plans for Milkweed Editions, where he is publisher and CEO, are to go both local and global: the local aspect includes a new retail space on the street level of Washington Avenue. Globally, they will continue to be a publisher of English content on a website with international reach.

The space at Open Book where Milkweed Books will be located was a bookstore years ago, but it was perhaps before its time. When Slager and his team began polling other publishers and bookstores about what makes a successful bookstore concept, themes began to emerge. Three features consistently made the list: coffee, food service and an event space. The event space helps to create a public dialogue and build community. That line up makes the Open Book building tailor made for an independent bookstore. The architect for the Milkweed Books project was Christian Dean, who also designed the Humboldt Lofts. The retail designer was Martha Dayton. Slager is excited about the collaboration. His prediction? “This is going to be beautiful and welcoming space.”

Open Book was originally three separate buildings that were connected when the founding partners launched the cooperative in 2000.  The founding organizations were the Minnesota Council for Book Arts, The Loft Literary Center and Milkweed Editions. One of the remnants of the original buildings is the ghost advertising on what was an exterior wall in Milkweed Editions offices on the third floor. Slager added, “Open Book is the largest literary book center in America and it's an incredible story. It was a $10 million investment in 2000 to purchase and renovate the three buildings and approximately 175,000 visitors came to Open Book last year, so we are an asset to the neighborhood, to Minneapolis and to the region - there's really nothing else like it.”

Milkweed Editions was founded here 36 years ago. “We embrace our Minnesota roots and a tradition of publishing in the region.” There are three great, independent book publishers in Minneapolis:  Milkweed Editions, Graywolf Press and Coffee House Press. That attracted Slager and his family to make the move to Minneapolis in 2005 from New York where he had been an editor at Harcourt Publishing.

What it means to be a book publisher has changed according to Slager. “Books used to be limited by access. In 2016, that's all changed. We will publish 18 new editions this year from authors all over the United States, China and Portugal. Many of these are a debut and emerging writers - we were known for a long time for that part of our mission. We publish approximately one third each, poetry, fiction and nonfiction.”

Hosting book launch events is just one of the programming items in the works for the new space.  Look for more events at the new bookstore, where about one quarter of the books will be Milkweed Edition publications. The balance will be selections published by houses from across America.

Milkweed offices will remain on the third floor and the eight employees will rotate through the bookstore. “We are committed to the neighborhood," Dan said. "Knowledgeable staff who build relationships make us better publishers.” The independent bookstores all over Minnesota are a tribute to keeping it local. “It's important to remember, Slager emphasized, that for a nonprofit every dollar goes back into publishing more great books.”

They recently launched a Kickstarter campaign to help complete the project.​ Learn more about their mission, the store and great rewards for supporters (including lifetime memberships at the store). We'll keep you posted on the official Grand Opening details.

Location: 1011 Washington Avenue South

Website: https://milkweed.org/

Julie Craven can be reached at julie@millcitymedia.org

Tickets Available for the 2016 Mill City Farmers Market Harvest Social, Sept 11

The 2016 Mill City Farmers Market Harvest Social is Sunday, September 11. This annual event is a celebration of healthy foods and local farmers.

Kevin Kling, noted playwright, storyteller and popular commentator on NPR All Things Considered and Simone Perrin, vocalist, accordionista, actress and composer who has been featured on A Prairie Home Companion will be honoring the National Park Service 100th Anniversary with an exclusive and memorable performance featuring the Mississippi River.

Talented and entertaining auctioneer, Karen Sorbo, returns to conduct the live auction.

Enjoy abundant farm-to-table appetizers and signature cocktails in the historic Mill City Museum train shed.

Proceeds from the annual fundraiser support the Market's mission “to inspire and nurture a healthy community by building a local, sustainable, and organic food economy in a vibrant educational marketplace.” Funds raised also benefit their educational programming. Learn about these initiatives here: 2016 MCFM Programming Report.

Funds raised during the Annual Benefit are also used to for a mini grant program, Fund a Need, which supports the farmers of the MCFM.  In 2015, 12 grants totaling over $20,600 were awarded, and 7 grants  for over $13,800 have already beem awarded in 2016.  Read about the 2015 Farmer Grants here.

Click here to buy tickets online, or stop by the info booth at Mill City Farmers Market - open tomorrow, September 3, between 8:00am and 1:00pm.