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 copy editors, at [email protected].
Grand Avenue Neighborhood Stroll — Monday, July 22, 6:30 p.m.
A lot has been happening on St. Paul’s Grand Avenue recently, from street work and safety improvements to building construction and zoning reform. As such, now is a good time to reflect on the history of Grand and understand how and why it is changing. That is why Sustain Saint Paul — an organization focused on affordable and abundant housing, walkability and sustainable development — will be hosting a walking tour on the evening of Monday, July 22, where these topics will be addressed. The tour will begin at Weyerhaeuser Memorial Chapel on the Macalester College campus on Grand (just west of Snelling Avenue) and last about an hour; it will be followed by a social hour at Sencha Tea (unsurprisingly, also on Grand!). More on the walking tour may be found here.
Move Twin Cities Plant-Based Bike Crawl — Sunday, July 28, 10 a.m.
Are you curious about what the Twin Cities has to offer for plant-based eating, but have had no opportunity to go out and try? Then this is the perfect event for you. As part of a fundraising effort for Twin Cities Veg Fest in September, Compassionate Action for Animals (CAA) — a nonprofit devoted to the ethical treatment of animals — will host a Plant-Based Bike Crawl, sampling from several restaurants and local vendors across the cities, providing a unique opportunity to engage with Twin Cities food culture, even for non-vegans (including me, it should be known!). Riders will meet at Reverie Cafe + Bar, and may choose between a 12-mile or 30-mile route, followed by an after-party. Full information on the event, including prices for registration, may be found here.
Move Minnesota: Rock Your Ride — Wednesday, August 7, 6:30 p.m.
Move Minnesota’s now definitively annual fundraising festival returns on August 7! Rock Your Ride is a concert and fundraising party that will feature local artists, hosted at The Hook and Ladder Theater on Minnehaha Avenue in Minneapolis. Tickets are $26 in advance or $32 at the door, with all proceeds going toward Move Minnesota’s many efforts to support sustainable transportation across the state.
Imagine 6th Avenue North — Saturday, August 10, 11 a.m.
Join Our Streets for Imagine 6th Avenue North! The Imagine series combines block party-style festivities and community celebrations (similar to Our Streets’ previous involvement with Open Streets Minneapolis) with advocacy for better streets and neighborhoods. In the case of 6th Avenue, that means restoring the street and rectifying the decision to pave over homes and businesses for the construction of Olson Memorial Highway. The event comes at a time when the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) is seeking to redesign the highway corridor, as the agency considers options that variously utilize fewer general traffic lanes while adding bus and bike lanes and providing wider sidewalks and boulevards. Imagine 6th Avenue North is an opportunity to learn more about the corridor’s history and future potential, and exchange ideas and hopes for what a restored 6th Street could mean for the community.
Gitchi-Gami Trail Annual Ride — Saturday, August 17
The Gitchi-Gami Trail is debatably (yet undoubtedly) one of the best (i.e., the best) state biking trails in Minnesota. And what better way to experience the bike ride along the North Shore than in a big, supportive group? Participants of the Annual Gitchi-Gami Trail Association North Shore Bike Ride (a bit of a mouthful, yes) will gather at Gooseberry Falls State Park on the morning of August 17, with the options to choose among 55-mile, 34-mile and 28-mile routes. Refreshments will be provided at rest stops along the way, and a state park pass will be provided for the day to all registrants. (Although remember that Minnesota state parks are free to enter without a car!) More information on the ride, and the opportunity to register, may be found here.