Loring Park Neighborhood News and Events

The Loring Park neighborhood is a bicyclist & pedestrian paradise with easy access to bicycle trails, a 15 minute walk to the downtown and uptown areas, and excellent public transportation. 

The neighborhood's character, history, architecture, location, park, and green space are the top most important features that make Loring Park a "Livable Place" according to a community survey taken in preparation for the future. 

Ensuring an active social & cultural life, the neighborhood is dotted with a wide range of ethnic restaurants, entertainment, retail shops, businesses, and six of the cities' largest and most historic churches, The Woman's Club of Minneapolis, MCTC College, Metropolitan State University, Dunwoody Institute, University of St. Thomas-Minneapolis Campus, and the Walker Art Center & Sculpture Garden, and within a short walking distance the Minneapolis Art Institute, the theater district, and Orchestra Hall. 

The neighborhood crowning jewel is Loring Park, connected to Nicollet Mall by the Loring Greenway. It is the neighborhood's focal point for many festivals, films & concerts, recreational & community building activities, and offering a delightful place to take a stroll around the lake & beautiful gardens, and most recently a dog park.

(Description from livemsp.org

For detailed demographic information, see the neighborhood profile from Minnesota Compass

In hog heaven at Market BBQ

The Market is more than a barbecue joint, it’s a place of worship.

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MUSIC | The Current's 7th Birthday Party at First Avenue: Saturday night

Photos by Meredith Westin

Seven years ago, it looked like 89.3 The Current was about to become the little radio station that could. With the dawn of 2012, it's clear that The Current has become a veritable powerhouse in the Twin Cities music scene. By releasing coveted tickets to MPR members before the general public, it's a wonder that there are still fans that haven't yet joined the ever-growing flock of individuals contributing to public radio in efforts to gain (or attempt to) access what have become member-exclusive shows. No exception to this members-only phenomenon, The Current's 7th Birthday Party sold out in a matter of minutes—even with the two-night split between eight treasured local acts. Finding a ticket to either show became a game of visiting The Depot and begging for a ticket (usually to no avail) or taking chances with Craigslist sellers who often resell tickets at exorbitant prices. And while there are a few kind-and-fair-hearted sellers willing to resell their tickets at face-value ("It's public radio! Why would I want to make a profit?"), it's clear that snagging entry to this birthday party was like winning a Golden Ticket.

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MUSIC | Best New Bands of 2011 at First Avenue: A local mix

Photos by Jeff Rutherford

Greetings Daily Planet readers, I am Lindsay LaBarre. I’m a sixteen-year-old concert blogger/music fan and I hail from the beautiful habitat that is suburbia. I am the creator and sole member of a concert blog entitled My Mom Is My Concert Buddy. If you know anything about me from my blog, you know that I’m always glued to the barrier and always insanely early. But this time I got to last last Wednesday night's Best New Bands show at First Avenue after the doors opened and I sat in the balcony. It was actually pretty nice though. Up there, it’s like a whole new world (a dazzling place I never knew … ). It’s an extremely advantageous spot for creeping on people, and I actually got to talk to my mom during the show for once. I’m not converted to be a balcony frequenter, but I think I’ll hang out there a bit more often. Plus, the newly-implemented-for-this-show members area was pretty fab.

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FRIDAY PICK | The Current celebrates its 7th birthday at First Avenue

Seventh birthday parties usually consist of store-bought cake, cheap party favors, Disney princess themes, and seven year olds. The Current's seventh birthday party will (probably) not include anything of the like, it being at First Avenue in front of an 18-plus crowd and all. Tonight's lineup includes Tapes 'n Tapes, Dead Man Winter, Low, and Night Moves; with Haley Bonar, Sims, Suicide Commandos, and Polica playing a second show on Saturday.

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WEDNESDAY PICK | First Avenue's Best New Bands of 2011

Bloodnstuff, photo credit Emily Utne

It's the best-new-bands time again; Radio K and City Pages are making it something of a tradition. The seven bands that wooed Minneapolis/St.Paul in 2011?

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