For Immediate Release

Minneapolis (April 25, 2019) – In Minneapolis, April showers mean “Purple Rain” will fall as we join Paisley Park in celebrating all things Prince. But there’s much more to this city than one musician. In this Meet Minneapolis leisure travel round-up, here are some of what’s new and happening in Prince’s hometown.

Celebrating Prince
Prince Rogers Nelson was born in Minneapolis and lived here until his death in April 2016. While Minneapolis celebrates the music and life of this international icon regularly, this week contains the biggest collection of Prince-related events and happenings each year:

• The third annual Celebration 2019 event held by Paisley Park includes PRINCE: In Concert on the Big Screen featuring newly remastered and never-before-released audio and video of Prince accompanied live on The Armory stage by an all-star ensemble of musicians who performed alongside the icon throughout his storied career. April 26
• Throughout the week, other Minneapolis sites are holding Prince-related events or visitors can take a self-tour any time of year: Prince’s Minneapolis
• First Ave exhibit opens May 4: Since 1970, First Avenue & 7th St. Entry have been at the heart of the Minneapolis and Minnesota music scene. Hear from the people who were there, the musicians, fans and staff, about how First Avenue became the legendary music club it is today at "First Avenue: Stories of Minnesota’s Mainroom," opening May 4, at the Minnesota History Center in Saint Paul. A media kit with related images is available.
• New Prince sculpture in Farview Park: Esther Osayande’s “Purple Raindrop” stands just over 15 feet tall and is painted in a shade of purple called Purple Reign. This project was created through the City of Minneapolis’ Art in Public Places Program.
• The Minneapolis Insider podcast, sponsored by U.S. Bank, features a behind-the-scenes conversation with two people who knew Prince intimately, Photographer Allen Beaulieu and Writer Neal Karlen: www.minneapolis.org/media/minneapolis-insider-podcast/episode-fifteen/

MSP International Airport Named Best Airport in North America for Third Year
The Airports Council International (ACI) recently named Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) the Best Airport in North America in its size category (25 and 40 million passengers) for 2018 – the third year in a row.

Along with 30 new restaurants in 2019 showing off the area’s eats, MSP is using technology to make traveler’s dining, and lives, easier. The new AtYourGate app allows users to place an order from a participating airport restaurant and have it delivered right to their gate or other listed locations. Or try the Grab app where users pre-order/pre-pay for food from participating restaurants, walk up to the location and walk away with their order without standing in line. Both apps are available for Apple and Android devices.

Stephen King, Other Top Authors Headed to Minneapolis for New Book Festival
Stephen King, Mary Karr, Marlon James, Amy Tan, Natasha Trethewey, Dani Shapiro and about 100 other authors will be featured at Wordplay, a new book festival to be hosted May 11-12 by the Loft Literary Center in the Mill District. The events will open with a sold-out Friday night concert at First Avenue starring the all-author supergroup the Rock Bottom Remainders. The event aims to be the biggest celebration of readers, writers and great books Minnesota has ever seen. More information is available at https://loft.org/wordplay/.

Restaurants Increasing in Number and Notoriety
Recently, the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal reported that over the past 10 years, 1,190 restaurants opened in the city with a net growth of 823 restaurants. Downtown Minneapolis alone had a net growth of 171 restaurants. The culinary scene includes many recent accolades and the city currently boasts three 2019 James Beard Foundation Best Chef Midwest finalists: Chef Ann Kim (Young Joni), Chef Jamie Malone (Eastside) and Chef Christina Nguyen (Hai Hai). Last year’s winner, Chef Gavin Kaysen, is also from Minneapolis.

Nice Ride Season Begins
Nice Ride is ushering in a historic bike riding season with more stations and hubs than ever before and, in just a few weeks, 500 pedal-assist e-bikes. During the 2018 riding season, Nice Ride riders, including visitors, pedaled more than 1,096,565 miles, and have offset up to 800,000 pounds of carbon from entering the atmosphere. Nice Ride has been operating since 2010 in Minneapolis seasonally, and is one of the biggest bike-share programs in the nation.

Skyline Mini Golf Returns to the Walker
Tee up on the Walker Art Center’s outdoor terraces this summer with views overlooking the Minneapolis skyline and try your hand at this popular, one-of-a-kind course featuring 10 unique, artist-designed holes—including two brand-new additions in 2019. Skyline Mini Golf runs May 16 to Sept. 29.

The Vikings Begin at American Swedish Institute
One of the most significant exhibitions ever presented by American Swedish Institute (ASI), The Vikings Begin goes on view May 17 – Oct. 27. This Midwest premiere is an extraordinary new exhibition of early-Viking boat grave artifacts from Sweden’s Uppsala University, on their first tour outside of Scandinavia. Visit ASImn.org for more details.

‘Museum of the Moon’ Lands at Bell Museum
“Museum of the Moon,” by UK artist Luke Jerram, lands in the lobby of the Bell Museum from May 21–June 9. The seven-meter spherical sculpture of Earth’s Moon is a fusion of NASA imagery, simulated moonlight and surround-sound composition created by BAFTA- and Ivor Novello-award winning composer Dan Jones. The installation is part of the Bell’s yearlong commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo moon landing, Year of Apollo: The Moon & Beyond. More details: www.bellmuseum.umn.edu/art/museum-moon/.

Mia Film Series Coincides with ‘Mapping Black Identities’ Exhibit
The Minneapolis Institute of Art (Mia) will present a screening of three recent video works titled “Mapping Black Identities: 3 Films” from May 4 through Sept. 8. Featuring films by Ja’Tovia Gary, Nástio Mosquito and Tabita Rezaire, the works in this series unapologetically confront the legacy of systemic white supremacy by presenting conflicting realities. Shown concurrently with “Mapping Black Identities,” an installation that features 18 artists from the United States, Africa and the greater African Diaspora who champion the multiplicity of Black identity, which will be on display through Summer 2020.

Mall of America® Officially a Certified Autism Center
Mall of America® and Nickelodeon Universe, the seven-acre theme park inside the mall, are now officially recognized as Certified Autism Centers, granted by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards. A first in Minnesota, the certification means that visitors and families with children who have autism and other sensory disorders can enjoy the best possible experience that caters to their needs. To earn the designation, 80 percent or more of the guest-facing staff had to complete the autism sensitivity and awareness training. Among other requirements, sensory guides for each ride to better prepare guests on what to expect when they arrive were created.

For more information about what to see, do and eat in Minneapolis, visit www.minneapolis.org.

###

ABOUT MEET MINNEAPOLIS
Meet Minneapolis is a private, not-for-profit, member-based association. It actively promotes and sells the Minneapolis area as a destination for conventions and meetings, works to maximize the visitor experience and markets the city as a desirable tourist destination to maximize the economic benefit to the greater Minneapolis area. Meet Minneapolis is accredited by the Destination Marketing Accreditation Program (DMAP) of Destinations International.


CONNECT WITH US
Online: www.minneapolis.org and for deals and exclusive experiences: http://go.minneapolis.org
On Facebook: www.facebook.com/meetminneapolis
On Twitter: http://twitter.com/meetminneapolis
On Instagram: www.instagram.com/meetminneapolis
Watch: Here, “Minne” is an understatement


MEDIA CONTACT
Kristen Montag, Meet Minneapolis Senior PR and Communications Manager, 612-767-8038, KristenM@minneapolis.org, @Minneapolis_PR on Twitter

Or email MeetMinneapolisPR@Minneapolis.org