Friends,

I’m very much looking forward to the Twin Cities Jazz Festival, my favorite festival event of the year. This year’s Jazz Fest is particularly special as we celebrate the retirement of its founder, Steve Heckler. I have had the pleasure of working a lot with Steve and I am so grateful for his dedication to downtown Saint Paul. He’s built an incredible institution over the last 25 years, and on behalf of our downtown community I offer our most sincere thanks.

I’m also excited to check out the new Wakpa Triennial Art Festival from Public Art Saint Paul. There is an opening day celebration this Saturday on Raspberry Island and then art happenings all over town for the next few months. Congratulations to Public Art Saint Paul!

Today I walked past the job fair for Wrestaurant, the new restaurant coming to the old Wild Tymes location next to Palace Theatre, which got me super excited for this new business to open in the coming weeks. With the busy patios at the Loon and AfroDeli and a full calendar of concerts at the Palace, Wrestaurant is going to help make 7th Place even better. Plus, this weekend, Chris Larson will be opening a new temporary gallery space in the former Walgreens space next door to Eclipse Records as part of Wakpa.

Finally, some of you know that last week my son graduated from Como High School (an event held downtown at Roy Wilkins), and this week, he started a new job working downtown. I feel lucky to call this place home, and grateful to this community for helping to raise my kids. Thanks to all of you for your commitment to this wonderful place.

-Joe

The rise of dryland ‘mushing’ in Minnesota

Last Sunday KSTP stopped by Jack and the Pack, which just opened its doors earlier this month on Wabasha at the street level of Wells Fargo Place, to learn more about the growing dryland dog-powered sports community in the Twin Cities that the shop caters to.

Check out the story here and stop by to visit with owner AJ to find out more!

Free Summer Nights in Rice concert series starts Thursday in Rice Park

The Twin Cities Latin Band will kick off the Summer Nights in Rice concert series at 5 p.m. Thursday in downtown Saint Paul’s Rice Park.

Now in its second season, the free series will also feature performances from the International Reggae All-Stars (July 13), the Moonlight Serenaders (July 27), Pete Whitman Quartet (Aug. 10), Natania and Ticket to Brasil (Aug. 24) and Jimmy “Primetime” Smith Blues Band (Sept. 7).

Small Bites Review: With hefty empanadas and juicy arepas, Montebello is a great skyway lunch

Montebello is only open three hours a day.

Thankfully, though, those hours are 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, so if you’re downtown and need lunch, the skyway-level empanada and arepa shop is just what you’re looking for.

The business started as a food truck, a converted school bus that still makes its way to breweries around the Twin Cities. But thanks to the Downtown Alliance’s Grow Downtown program, which provides free short-term leases for vacant storefronts, Montebello opened a casual counter-service restaurant late last year, too.

Minnesota Street Phase 1 reconstruction begins next week

Project update:

Street reconstruction on Minnesota Street from Kellogg Boulevard to 6th Street is slated to begin the week of June 26
Construction work is scheduled to start on the south end of the project at Kellogg Boulevard and proceed north to 6th Street
Throughout construction business access will be maintained on Minnesota Street
During construction, Minnesota Street from Kellogg Boulevard to Sixth Street will be closed. The project will work with property owners and businesses to maintain access, including access to parking ramps.

Learn more about the Minnesota Street reconstruction plans here.

Here's a glance at what's happening downtown this week.

A full look at what's coming up can be found on our event calendar. Check it out!

June 22	Taylor Fest! The Eras Tour Pre-Party	Amsterdam Bar and Hall
June 22	Summer Nights in Rice	Rice Park
June 22	Lowertown Sounds - NUR-D	Mears Park
June 22	Alabama	Xcel Energy Center
June 22	Twin Cities Jazz Pre-Festival shows	MetroNOME, kj's hideaway, across downtown
June 23-24	Twin Cities Jazz Fest - 25th Anniversary	Mears Park, across downtown
June 23	Aquaman - Omnitheatre Movie Night	Science Museum
June 23	Jaws - Drive-in at Union Depot	Union Depot
June 23	Mat Kearney	Fitzgerald Theatre
June 24	International Yoga Day at Union Depot	Union Depot
June 24	Wakpa Triennial Art Festival Opening Reception	Raspberry Island
June 25	Darcy & Jer	Fitzgerald Theatre
June 28-July 3	Saints vs Gwinnett	CHS Field
June 28	Food Truck Wednesdays	Rice Park
June 28	Music on the Cortile: Lazerblade	Landmark Center
June 28	Lowertown Trivia Night	Station 81
June 28	Trevor Hall and The Great In-Between	Palace Theatre

Wakpa Triennial Art Festival kicks off this Saturday

Public Art Saint Paul (PASP) and its organizational partners present the inaugural Wakpa Triennial Art Festival in the Twin Cities from June 24 to September 16, 2023. New public space commissions along with gallery, museum, and alternative space projects, exhibitions, performances, and discussion programs feature more than 110 artists in an explosion of creativity across Saint Paul, Minneapolis, and several nearby cities. Ongoing projects and live programs will lead viewers to places they may not have known before or will see anew through the eyes of artists. Projects are mostly free of charge and publicly accessible. PASP and its partners welcome all to visit and participate.

To celebrate the beginning of the festival all are invited to attend the Opening Day Reception this Saturday at Raspberry Island from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Oyate Hotanin will lead a Round Dance, followed by a set from the Buffalo Weavers, an award-winning local band!

Learn more about the festival and see the summer-long schedule here.

Jazz Fest's 25th Anniversary begins tonight!

One weekend, 15 venues, nearly 100 performances.

Join us for the 25th Twin Cities Jazz Festival, Friday, June 23 & Saturday, June 24, 2023!

The Jazz Fest mainstage is free and open to the public in Mears Park June 23-24. Additional venues throughout downtown will also be hosting performances beginning tonight, Thursday, June 22.

See the full schedule here.

Food Truck Wednesdays - June 28

This summer you'll be able to enjoy lunch and music in Rice Park at Food Truck Wednesdays. Each week will feature multiple different trucks as well as live music.

Mark your calendars and tell your coworkers - on Wednesdays we dine al fresco!

WHAT: Food trucks and live music

WHERE: Rice Park

WHEN: Wednesday June 28

Food trucks from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Eggroll Queen
Plant Bar Café
Beat Eats Food

Music from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m

Follow the Alliance on Instagram to get the latest updates on trucks and musicians.

Are you following the Alliance on Facebook? What about Instagram?

Event season is in full swing! Make sure you're following the Downtown Alliance on social media to stay up to date on all the latest downtown events and news. Plus, we do love giveaways, so you never know when you could end up with tickets, swag or other great downtown prizes.

@StPLdowntown

stpdowntownalliance.org

Have questions?

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