Editor’s note: Walk the Talk is Streets.mn’s carefully curated, highly partisan collection of both serious and fun-loving events, community meetings and opportunities for engagement that we think will interest our readers. Email your ideas to Hawken Habig, one of our daily editors, at [email protected].
Grand Old Day, St. Paul – Sunday, June 4
After a hiatus of several years, Grand Old Day is slated to return on Sunday, June 4. Hosted on St. Paul’s Grand Avenue, the annual festival includes a parade, concerts, food, vendors (and more!) throughout the all-day celebration. The day will begin with a fun run at 8:30, followed by the parade at 9:30. A full list of festivities is available here!
Open Streets East Lake – Saturday, June 10, 11 a.m.
Open Streets Minneapolis returns this June with an opening celebration on East Lake Street! During Open Streets, a stretch of the roadway will be closed to vehicle traffic, allowing pedestrians and cyclists to freely traverse. The event will feature a plethora of opportunities to engage with the local community, with vendors, artists and activities lining the street. East Lake is slated to officially open between 2nd and 22nd Avenues beginning at 11 a.m. on June 10. No registration is required, but note that organizers are still searching for volunteers to lend a helping hand.
Minneapolis Community Connections Conference – Saturday, June 10, 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Join public officials and community organizations from across Minneapolis for a constructive get-together at the Community Connections Conference. The event focuses on building connections between Minneapolis’ many diverse communities by highlighting an array of exhibits, performances and other activities. The free conference will be held at the Minneapolis Convention Center in Downtown on Saturday, June 10. Registration is available here – or if you’re feeling especially helpful, consider signing up to become to volunteer!
Summit Avenue Regional Trail, public hearing – Wednesday, May 24, 5:30 p.m.
The Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota, whose board voted to support the proposed Summit Avenue Regional Trail, is urging cyclists and other supporters to turn out on Wednesday, May 24, 5:30 p.m. for a public hearing and then a vote by the St. Paul City Council. “The project may still be years in the making, but now is the time to show up and testify,” says a Bike MN action alert. A crowd is expected, so try to arrive early at City Hall, 15 W. Kellogg Boulevard, St. Paul, third-floor City Council chambers. If you can’t be there, email your councilmember ASAP with your thoughts.
Brews & the Bike Plan – Monday, May 22, 6-8 p.m.
St. Paul recently released an updated draft of its Bicycle Plan — a guide for future bicycle investment in the city — and is continuing its efforts to ensure the plan aligns with the community’s vision. If you want more information on the plan, and want to provide input on its contents, consider joining Sustain St. Paul and St. Paul city planner Jimmy Shoemaker for a presentation and discussion session on May 22 at 6 p.m. at Dual Citizen Brewing. Take the opportunity to get an inside perspective on the plan and give some constructive feedback!
Photo at top courtesy of Fibonacci Blue, under CC BY 2.0.