Summertime Fun In Minneapolis Parks
The following free activities in our parks are mentioned in a June 28 Southwest Journal article by Katherine Lymn, May Tobar and Brent Renneke as suggestions for outdoor summertime fun:
SUMMERTIME FUN
Photo by Robb Long
(Left) Erin Stauffer, 5, and Kristen, 4, head down to Lake Calhoun with their dad Mark (not pictured) to fish at least twice a week.
Run around the lake. Perhaps the cheapest, simplest source of entertainment in the summer is outdoor exercise. Lake Harriet offers an uninterrupted view of water with its 2.75-mile walking and running loop. Runners of all skill level are welcome, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board spokeswoman Dawn Sommers said.
“It’s pretty impressive that we have people that are hardcore — they run, they train, they do triathlons — and then we have people that are just starting to jog as part of a new routine,” she said.
Groups often meet at the lake for weekly exercise, she said; those who enjoy working out in the company of others might find Lake Harriet to be a good fit. “There’s certainly a lot of folks that team up and motivate each other,” Sommers said.
While the park is fully staffed during open hours, Sommers stressed that personal responsibility is just as important to park-goers’ safety. Weekend afternoons are especially busy, which make them dangerous for children in strollers, Sommers warned. And while regular park attendees have rules and regulations ingrained in them, new visitors are not as aware or alert. Sommers urged caution and patience on the trails in these cases.
“They’re so in awe,” she said, “They’re not paying attention.”
When: 6 a.m.–10 p.m. daily
Where: 43rd Street West & East Lake Harriet Parkway
Cost: Free
Do some urban angling. Quality fishing often takes people away from the metro area, but one lake within Minneapolis offers a great supply of fish that can be caught from the shoreline.
Cedar Lake has 169 acres of open water that is home to a number of bass, northern pike, sunfish and occasionally walleye, according to Sybil Smith’s “Twin Cities Fishing Guide.”
Shore fishing is possible along the majority of the west side of the lake where water depths are fairly deep. A fishing dock and a launch for a canoe or kayak are also located along the west side of Cedar Lake.
For the best spot to throw your line, weedy areas near the shore and under lily pads are great places to find fish like bass and northern pike, according to Smith.
When: 7 a.m.–10 p.m.
Where: Cedar Lake Parkway and Basswood Road
Cost: Free
Catch a concert at the Lake Harriet Bandshell. One of the more beautiful places to watch a concert in Minneapolis features nightly performances and has no admission fee.
With sailboats afloat in the clear waters of Lake Harriet as a backdrop, the Lake Harriet Bandshell plays host to daily performances all summer, through the beginning of September.
The Bandshell features performances from a number of musical genres with big band, orchestra, rock, pop and even a Simon and Garfunkel tribute band.
Seating for the Bandshell varies depending on how you plan to spend time during the concert. If attendees would like to sit closer to the stage, there are plenty of park benches arranged in rows. For families planning to have a picnic during the show, there is a patio area immediately behind the benches and plenty of open grass to lay a blanket down and still have a great view of the concert.
During select summer dates, the Bandshell plays host to “Music and Movie Nights” where along with musical performances, a movie will also be shown on a large screen put up on the Bandshell. Sommers said the experience makes for a great night.
When: 7:30 p.m Monday–Saturday; 2 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Sundays
Where: 1300 W. 42nd St., northwest corner of Lake Harriet
Cost: Free