Downtown Neighborhood News and Events

Ice palace

Downtown St. Paul is not only an arts, entertainment, and business hub, but is also home to over 8,000 residents who enjoy living in close proximity to the Mississippi River, Rice and Mears Parks, and the community festivals that inhabit those parks every season. One of St. Paul’s fastest-growing neighborhoods, Lowertown boasts historic buildings, a vibrant arts community, and the popular St. Paul Farmers’ Market. All downtown residents are within minutes of every part of the Twin Cities with easy access provided by I-94 and 35-E as well as most of the bus lines serving the region (and Light Rail Transit coming soon). The neighborhoods are also connected by the skyway system allowing convenient access to restaurants, retail stores, nightlife, theaters, and more. (Description from livemsp.org)

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


MUSIC REVIEW | Brother Ali records the second episode of MN Original and TPT’s " The Lowertown Line"

By Ann Treacy, TC Daily Planet

Photo credit Ann Treacy

Last night I attended the taping of MN Original and TPT’s new series The Lowertown Line, a program that features in-studio concerts and interviews with local musicians. Dessa is the host, although her portion of the program had been recorded earlier, so we didn’t see her last night. Last night’s featured artist was Brother Ali. Apparently tickets for the event were gone within half an hour. (Tickets were free and announced via MN Original’s Facebook page.)

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Hmong Minnesotans celebrate first annual Hmong-American Day in St. Paul

By Elizabeth Thao, TC Daily Planet

More than 400 people gathered on May 12 for the first annual Hmong-American Day celebration in St. Paul. Among those in attendance: community leaders, politicians, distinguished guests, and veterans, as well as families and children. The celebration was hosted by Lao Family Community after the State of Minnesota officially proclaimed May 14 as Hmong American Day. The date was chosen because May 14, 1975 was the day that General Vang Pao fled Laos and made the United States—and Minnesota—the home to hundreds of thousands of Hmong.

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"Aberration of Starlight": Playwright Walter A. Davis gets to the heart of Emily Dickinson

By Dwight Hobbes, Sounding Off On Sound

There aren't a great many male playwrights who do well creating female characters of any dimension. In fact, the list of famous names is fairly short. After William Inge, Tennessee Williams, and August Wilson you have to scratch your head pretty hard to come up with more. Which makes it all the more fascinating that accomplished author Walter A. Davis (The Holocaust Memorial: A Play About Hiroshima, Trim: The Tiger Woods Story) is bringing his work back to the Twin Cities with the premiere of Aberration of Starlight: A Play About Emily Dickinson.

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REVIEW | Rob Delaney, Neko Case and Kelly Hogan combine forces for a very musical Wits at the Fitzgerald Theater

By Kelsey McDonough, TC Daily Planet

Photo courtesy Neko Case

The Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul held yet another sold out Wits production on Friday, May 10. Although this season of Wits (and every season, for that matter) boasts some fantastic lineups, it was hard to say which of its three guest the audience was more excited for this time: internet comedian Rob Delaney or noted solo artist Neko Case (also a big slice of the New Pornographers pie). While Delaney and Case were definitely considered the “big ticket items,” the addition of singer Kelly Hogan was a welcome one.

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Soul of University: Walkability workshop focuses on St. Paul's Frogtown, Summit-University neighborhoods

By John Akre, TC Daily Planet

Placemaking Expert Dr. Katherine Loflin led a Walkability Workshop in St. Paul's Little Mekong neighborhood through a light drizzle on May 8.

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