If you are an urban dweller, you might think that the epic Minnesota State Fair is the only thing of it's kind. You'd be much mistaken. Just about every county in the state holds their own county fair over the summer, and they kick off in early June with the Hennepin County Fair in Corcoran. County Fairs across the Twin Cities represent all the fun of the fair, less of the walking, all of the tractors, animals and deep fried food, plus things that the Minnesota State Fair doesn't have - demolition derbies and tractor pulls, and extreme bull riding for starters. The county state fair calendar gives you the option of a fair within an hour of the metro almost every summer weekend; until the Minnesota State Fair in late August through Labor Day.
Demolition derbies, thrill rides, farm animals and fried foods all summer long? Yes? Here's the Minnesota County Fair Calendar for your planning pleasure.
June is when the Twin Cities really comes alive after the winter, and we deserve some summer fun and entertainment! Major events like Grand Old Day, Juneteenth, and the Twin Cities Pride Parade and Festival are all on the June calendar, the Stone Arch Bridge festival returns in 2013, plus many more. Start planning your June with this June 2013 Calendar for Minneapolis and St. Paul.
All of the major construction is done, the stations are in place, the majority of the disruption is over and University Avenue looks much as it will once the Central Corridor Light Rail opens - except, of course, for the trains that will run on the line. The remaining tasks include electrical wiring, signalling, finishing the stations, and testing the whole system.
The Central Corridor Light Rail line connects downtown St. Paul to Downtown Minneapolis, via University Avenue and the University of Minnesota campus. Construction began in 2010, and is projected to be finished by 2014.
When will the Central Corridor open? The first train was successfully towed down the tracks in April 2013, but when will the trains be running for real? Sometime in 2014, potentially in the late spring or summer. There is currently no date given, since it depends on results of testing the system, and any tweaks or changes needed.
When the Central Corridor opens, it will be renamed the Green Line. (The Hiawatha Light Rail Line in Minneapolis will officially become the Blue Line). The line is 11 miles long, with 18 stations, and it will take 39 minutes to ride all of the way from downtown St. Paul to downtown Minneapolis. The whole line will cost $957 million, funded by Federal, State and local money.
The latest news, construction updates, and the most current information on opening day can be found on the Central Corridor website.
The first long weekend of the summer - what are you going to do? Here's some events in town, from live music, baseball, fireworks, Memorial Day celebrations, farmer's markets, and more: Memorial Day Weekend Events in Minneapolis and St. Paul.
