News

News

This spring #OnNicollet – May 5, 2020

For the health and safety of downtown workers, residents and visitors, we have postponed all on-site Mpls DID #OnNicollet programming through the month of June.

The Minneapolis Farmers Market has delayed their May opening of the downtown market on Thursdays until more customer traffic returns. Read more about their plans in the StarTribune.

While we’re not able to be on the street, #OnNicollet is featuring virtual offerings of some of our programs, including the Nicollet Makers Market. The Covid-19 pandemic is hitting small arts-based businesses hard, so we hope you will support our makers by shopping online until they can return to downtown.

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DID’s Nicollet Mall work laudedFinance & Commerce, October 31, 2019

By at least one measure, the street performers, festivals and farmers markets held in Minneapolis’ Nicollet Mall rank among the best such events in North America.

The International Downtown Association, a network of 2,500 downtown management organizations primarily in the United States and Canada, has recognized Minneapolis’ Downtown Improvement District with a Downtown Achievement Pinnacle Award for its efforts to activate Nicollet Avenue. Programming organized by Mpls DID, as it is known, since 2018 includes Theater in the Round performances, the Downtown Street Art Festival and Nicollet Makers Market as well as day-to-day performances by street musicians.

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IDA Awards Top Industry Honor to Mpls Downtown Improvement District for Nicollet Activation – October 29, 2019

During its 65th Annual Conference and Tradeshow in Baltimore, MD, the International Downtown Association (IDA) recognized the Mpls Downtown Improvement District (DID) with the Downtown Achievement Pinnacle Award for its work and initiatives related to activation work along Nicollet in downtown Minneapolis.

Each year, IDA recognizes outstanding projects as winners of the Downtown Achievement Awards which identify improvements to urban centers by dedicated organizations around the globe. The industry’s highest recognition, the Pinnacle Award, represents the most creative and inspiring innovations in urban place management. Activating Nicollet-A Street for All won in the category of Achievement Awards for Events and Programming.

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This Week #OnNicollet – October 9, 2019

Shop the final Makers Market of the season this Wednesday, October 9th. It’s your last opportunity of the year to check out the locally designed and handmade goods from more than 20 artists at the Nicollet Makers Market.

Join us on Nicollet between 6th and 7th streets this Wednesday, October 9 from 10:30a2:30p for this unique downtown shopping experience. Enjoy the last of our fair weather and connect directly with the craft artisans that have put their time and talents into bring a wide-range of fine home goods, personal care items and artwork to the street.

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Enjoy The Arrival Of Fall #OnNicollet – September 24, 2019

Need a new book bag? What about a fresh bit of bling for your fall wardrobe?

Sadie Frith of Dead Serious Designs has new screen-printed shirt designs she is excited to unveil. Dead Serious is a design label and custom clothing line specializing in screen printing, merch, buttons, stickers, and more. Each of their custom designs is hand pulled and printed, so the quality of the ink measures up to the quality of the art.

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This Week #OnNicollet – August 13, 2019

Street Art Festival kicks off August 15-17. Mpls Downtown Improvement District and Hennepin Theatre Trust are pleased to present the first annual Downtown Minneapolis Street Art Festival – the new signature downtown art experience for residents and visitors that celebrates street art in all its forms. Join us for an inclusive, vibrant and unforgettable experience in the heart of downtown Mpls.

This free festival brings together artists from the worlds of visual, performing, craft, and food arts and unleashes them together for the first time onto the streets of downtown for all to enjoy. Festival-goers will relish in several arts-centered experiences, including a two-block long series of chalk art installations, a short film showcase, live performances, outdoor craft market, food and beverage, and more #OnNicollet and Hennepin.

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This Week #OnNicollet – August 6, 2019

National Night Out Kick-Off returns to Nicollet Tuesday, August 6

Stop by the Mpls Downtown Improvement District Pop-Up Office at Gaviidae Common for our 6th annual National Night Out (NNO) Kick-Off event.

City and county officials  will be on hand as we foster constructive engagement between the community and law enforcement focused on neighborhood safety. Enjoy free treats, Street Show performances, and lawn games before finding out where your neighborhood NNO event will take place later in the evening. Stop by from 3-5p to join the fun! It’s sure to be a great day #OnNicollet.

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This Week #OnNicollet – July 19, 2019

Street Show provides a soundtrack to summer in downtown Minneapolis.
Since 2017, Street Show has embraced the challenge of building a stronger culture of downtown street performance. This year since May, more than 30 performers have provided 150 hours of Street Shows #OnNicollet—from music of every genre to performance painting to well-intentioned advice (with a twist), these local artists are changing your downtown experience for the better.

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This Week #OnNicollet – June 25, 2019

Lauren Strom loves the motto “If you have the power to make someone happy, do it.” And if you take one look at her work, you’ll know she lives by it.

After receiving a visual art degree in St. Petersburg, Florida, Lauren returned to her home state of Minnesota. After moving to the Minneapolis Arts District, Strom set up shop at the Casket Arts Building. It was here that she honed in on her colorful, bold pieces, designed to spread a little sunshine. From quirky, hand-painted artifacts of joy to sassy and inspiring empowerment prints, it’s nearly impossible to walk by Strom’s eye-catching collections.

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This Week #OnNicollet – June 17, 2019

Why wait until X Games to get your skate on? Skate with all stars Dashawn Jordan, Nicole Hause, and Yuto Horigome, and watch talented athletes perform from 11a-2p #OnNicollet between 9th and 10th streets this Friday, June 21. 

Hang out with the folks from Cal Surf, Familia, and 3rd Lair, grab a lunch from local food trucks, and enjoy the vibe of DJ Mike 2600. Try out your best moves for Aquajam, the Aquatennial favorite coming in July on some of this year’s featured obstacles. Bring your board and get ready as Minneapolis hosts the X Games Aug 1-4.

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This Week #OnNicollet – June 3, 2019

Get out of your cubicle and find inspiration in a short groundbreaking performance taking place at the Nicollet Theater in the Round on Thursday, June 6 at 12p.

BareBones Puppet Theater collaborates with multimedia artist Lauren Korynta on a work about the environmental impacts of plastic on our oceans. Repurposing garbage to construct fantastical large-scale puppets, BareBones offers a beautiful and compelling story about “our diabolical love affair with plastic.”

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This Week #OnNicollet – May 20, 2019

Get your game on at our 2nd annual spring activity showcase Wednesday, May 22 (11a1p) between 6th and 7th streets. Play a pick-up basketball game on the Minnesota Lynx short court, enjoy a free ice cream, and hang with Prowl.

Catch a special appearance by local stilters Chicks on Sticks and enjoy street games and arts activities as you sample some of the summer fun in store for you #OnNicollet.

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Coming in May #OnNicollet

Get inspired by groundbreaking performances taking place over the lunch hour the first Thursday of each month throughout the summer. Programs begin at noon in the Nicollet Theater in the Round and last 30–60 minutes.
Taiko artists Enzo Daiko kick-off the series on May 2nd with live brush painting from artist Bob Schmitt, followed by a new butoh-inspired short dance work from choreographer Micah Chermak.

Beyond the Box is a collaboration with Minnesota Fringe and Vibrant & Safe Downtown that brings new commissions by local performance innovators to downtown this summer.

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Events #OnNicollet – week of April 1st, 2019

Tip-off Tailgate is a free, fun, family celebration taking place between 8th and 12th street #OnNicollet Friday, April 5 through Monday, April 8, Come for a free ride on the 90-foot ferris wheel, snap a trophy selfie, and enjoy entertainment on the Main Stage each evening at 11th Street.

Festivities conclude Monday evening with a special performance by neo soul favorites Fitz & the Tantrums at 6p, championship game coverage on the big screen starting at 8p and a postgame viewing party at 10:30p, including the NABC trophy presentation.

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Events #OnNicollet – week of January 21st, 2019

Nicollet Mall takes center stage next week as The Great Northern festival presents Matt and Kim in a free outdoor, evening concert. The duo known for infectious, beat-driven anthems and explosive live shows headlines the event Thursday, January 31, from 4:30-9:30p between 9th and 11th streets on Nicollet. Before the music kicks-off at 6:30p, join us for a little taste of summer in the winter. Partnering restaurants will open their patios for the evening and we’ll have outdoor games and activities. This is one event you won’t want to miss!

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Join us at Jingle Bell Junction!

Jingle Bell Junction is a free holiday pop-up event at 6th Street and Nicollet that offers downtown fun for all ages. Get a behind the scenes look at downtown art inside the Traveling Museum, enjoy a Street Show, and challenge your friends in ladder ball, Connect Four or chess. Stop by on a Thursday or Friday night in December to participate in live metal casting and create your own souvenir. Catch the exciting new holiday light show and take in the scene as the lights of Nicollet pulse to a musical soundtrack—all while you await your bus or free sleigh ride to Holidazzle in Loring Park.

Thursdays-Sundays, November 23 through December 23
#OnNicollet at 6th Street
Thursdays/Fridays 5:30-9p
Saturdays 12-9p
Sundays 12-5:30p

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Performances Beyond the Box: Nicollet Activation by Vibrant & Safe Downtown and Minnesota Fringe

An exciting new collaboration between Vibrant & Safe Downtown and Minnesota Fringe will culminate in public, weekday outdoor performances during summer 2019 on Nicollet under the new Nimbus sculpture in front of the Minneapolis Central Library. The sculpture, created by artist Tristan Al-Haddad, was commissioned by the City of Minneapolis as an extension of the Nicollet redesign, and is scheduled to be installed by November. For the new program, dubbed Beyond the Box, Vibrant & Safe Downtown (V&S) and Minnesota Fringe (Fringe)  will incubate four artists/companies by facilitating Mentee/Mentor relationships and providing support to develop skills for public performance in non-traditional theater spaces. Performances will be free, open to the public, and take place May–August, 2019.

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Events #OnNicollet – week of October 30, 2018

Does Minneapolis have mystical energy? Was there really a mummy found on Nicollet? What are some of the area’s strangest places and most bizarre stories? Get the low down on Nicollet’s mysterious and storied past from urban geographer Bill Lindeke on our free Weird Nicollet GO Tour. New this month, the Weird Nicollet and Nicollet Design tours join the Nicollet Art and Architecture tours (launched early in 2018) to offer four distinct and engaging takes on our unique city. GO Tours are free, self-guided walking tours available on your computer through Sound Cloud or on your smart phone on the IZI.travel app.

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Mpls Big Build wins IDA Downtown Achievement Award recognizing Excellence in Urban Planning

The Mpls Big Build received an International Downtown Association Downtown Achievement Award of Excellence and was accepted by the Mpls Downtown Improvement District in San Antonio on October 25. The campaign used print, electronic, social media, multimedia and on-the-street efforts to help raise awareness about $2 billion worth of construction projects over the past three years. It informed the public about updates and timelines while showcasing how these projects will help transform downtown in the years to come. Nicollet was a major part of the campaign and yielded notable signs featuring the Mary Tyler Moore statue and the slogan “We’re going to make it after all” as well as ones focused on construction, trees, lighting, art and more. The Mpls Big Build was a collaborative effort between the mpls downtown council, Mpls DID and Meet Minneapolis.

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Events #OnNicollet – week of October 3, 2018

Enjoy more opportunities to shop Nicollet downtown with weekly Makers Markets this fall. Join us Wednesdays, October 3, 10 and 17 from 10:30a–2:30p between 6th and 8th streets. Among this week’s makers, Noble Soap returns with their all natural, vegan and sustainable hand and body soaps and lip balms. Simplicity and quality are core values at Noble Soap. Their beautiful soaps are free of added colors and fragrance oils, relying instead on essential oils and other natural ingredients like lavender, eucalyptus, cedar wood, lemon grass, and ginger.

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Via Star Tribune: The Mpls DID says downtown streets are more vibrant if the city encourages entertainers and pays some of them. 

Street performers are getting a little respect now that the DID (the nonprofit funded by commercial property owners to make the downtown cleaner, safer and more welcoming) is paying dozens of buskers to perform. The DID says streets will be more vibrant if the city encourages entertainers rather than shooing them away.

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Events #OnNicollet – week of September 17, 2018

Street Eats continues this week with the arrival of Roots to Rise, North Minneapolis’ premier 100% plant-based food business. Their locally-sourced, homemade, vegan and vegetarian offerings join Nibbles McCart (hot dogs), Bakery Box (baked goods), and Tumbleweed Coffee on Nicollet between 6th and 7th streets lunchtimes this week. Make Nicollet your September lunchtime hot spot and enjoy great food options, priority table seating, outdoor games and live performances. And keep an eye on the @MplsDID social media feeds for a special announcement later this week!

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Events #OnNicollet – week of September 10, 2018

Don’t miss a week of free performances on Nicollet as zAmya Theater Project presents Second Chance all week. Second Chance is a new play by playwright Carlyle Brown that explores what a second chance looks like for people experiencing homelessness. Stop by Tuesday-Thursday from 12-1 pm and on Friday from 5-6 pm. We also have Street Eats featuring a variety of Minneapolis street foods taking place this week and next, Monday through Friday, from 11 am-2 pm between 6th and 7th streets. Also, remember the Nicollet Makers Market is open each Wednesday (10:30 am-2:30 pm) September 12 through October 10.

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Events #OnNicollet – week of August 27, 2018

Hip hop and R&B band iLLism has been a highlight in the Minneapolis music scene over the last couple years. Their high-energy, multi-generational sound and all original music is taking over downtown again this Wednesday, August 29 at 6p at the Nicollet Theater in the Round outside the Mpls Central Library. Plus, don’t miss out on Popping in at the Pop-Up to learn more about the DID Greening & Public Realm Awards and vote for your favorites this Tuesday from 2-6 pm.

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Events #OnNicollet – week of August 20, 2018

Now hitting its mid-season stride, the Nicollet Makers Market is back this week with a new slate of vendors (and some returning favorites) to bring local and handmade goods to the downtown retail scene. Plus, enjoy the Light Up The Night Car Show this Saturday on Nicollet from 6-10 pm, and looking ahead to the end of August get ready for a free hip hop show on August 29 at 6 pm at the Nicollet Theater in the Round.

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Events #OnNicollet – week of August 13, 2018

Don’t miss out on the Heart and Soul Drum Academy this Thursday, August 16 from 4:30-5:30 pm at the Nicollet Theater in the Round. They’ll present a free showcase of West African-style drum and dance right outside the Minneapolis Central Library. Also this week, you can win a $25 gift certificate for the Makers Market if you stop by the DID Pop-Up Satellite Office from 2-6 pm on Tuesday. And don’t miss out on Storytime at the Nicollet Reading Room outside the YWCA from 10 am-11 am on Thursday.

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 Events #OnNicollet – week of July 30, 2018

What comes to mind when you picture a vibrant street? Stop by and check out a Street Show performance and enjoy great local musical performances #OnNicollet on Wednesdays through Fridays. Also this week, enjoy free outdoor yoga at Xcel Energy Plaza courtesy of the Douglas Dayton YMCA (Wednesday, 12 pm) and our weekly Tuesday open house at the DID pop-up satellite office (2-6 pm). Plus, don’t miss the National Night Out Kickoff Event next Tuesday, August 7 from 3-5 pm.

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Events #OnNicollet – week of July 23, 2018

This week On Nicollet, stop by the DID Pop-Up Satellite Office on Tuesday from 2-6 pm fro games, free popcorn and lemonade, and to find out what’s going on here #OnNicollet this summer. Also, the Nicollet Makers Market returns Wednesday from 10:30 am-2:30 pm between 6th and 8th streets, the Minneapolis Central Library’s Bike Librarians will be out and about on Wednesday, and Really Spicy Opera has a performance at the Nicollet Theater in the Round on Thursday from 4:30-5:30 pm.

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Events #OnNicollet – week of July 16, 2018

Great events are happening on Nicollet including Really Spicy Opera Singalong taking place July 19 from 4:30-5:30 pm, the DID Tuesday Open House at the DID pop-in satellite office, Aquatennial events including JB Hudson Family Fun Fest, International Day of Music at Orchestra Hall, and more!

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zAmya Theater Project #OnNicollet

zAmya Theater Project, the community-based theater that builds understanding and connection between people with and without experience in homelessness, didn’t let the rain stop them from finishing off their spring season of performance #OnNicollet this past Tuesday.

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Nicollet Makers Market Vendor Spotlight

Wholly Beautiful nourishes natural beauty with wholesome materials

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Nicollet Makers Market Vendor Spotlight

Julie Meyer works function and style into local leather.

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Events #OnNicollet – week of June 4, 2018

Summer is in full swing on Nicollet and there are some great free activities this week including a concert with Prairie Fire Lady Choir with Leah Lemm, YMCA noontime yoga, StoryTime at the Nicollet Reading Room, Streetshow performances and more.

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Things to do around Super Bowl Live on Nicollet

Nicollet has long been downtown’s core shopping and entertainment artery. Its comprehensive remodel has enhanced the experience for visitors, workers and the area’s growing residential population.

With motor vehicles restricted to buses and taxis, this mile-long, go-to pedestrian oasis is lined by bar and restaurant sidewalk seating, art, bountiful greenery and many shopping options.

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City leaders, downtown business community to celebrate new Nicollet Mall

November 3, 2017 – A celebration for the new Nicollet Mall featuring remarks by Mayor Betsy Hodges, City Council members and Steve Cramer, president and CEO of the mpls downtown council/Downtown Improvement District, among other project stakeholders.

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Nicollet Mall Substantially Complete – Really!

October 6, 2017 – Great news for downtown workers, residents and visitors, the Nicollet renovation is almost complete. Streets and sidewalks are finished, planting continues and light masts are being installed. By November, all trees will be planted, furniture out, lights will be on and most of the new and restored artwork installed. Nicollet sidewalk cafes have been open throughout the summer and will stay open throughout the patio season.

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Two Four Tuesdays coming to Nicollet this fall

September 8, 2017 – As Nicollet renovations wrap up, Mpls Downtown Improvement District (MDID) is partnering with businesses along Nicollet to offer food and drink specials on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month during September and October including pop-up street activities like craft markets, live entertainers and more.

News release

Seventy-five percent of intersections now open on Nicollet

August 8, 2017 – Seventy-five percent of Nicollet intersections are now back to normal traffic flow with the opening this week of 6th and 7th Streets. Third and 9th Streets opened last week and the remaining intersections at 4th, 8th and 10th will be ready by Labor Day.

News release

Nicollet team prepares to plant trees

June 9, 2017 – Nearly twenty of the almost 240 trees destined for the Nicollet renovation have arrived at Peavey Plaza and will be planted in the following weeks starting at the south end of Nicollet.

News release