On September 28, 2024, Nicollet Avenue came alive with Nicollet Open Streets, a two-mile celebration of our main street, with pop-up activities, live music, and fresh food and drinks. The street was closed to cars, transforming Nicollet Avenue into a pedestrian-friendly haven where people walked, biked, and explored all that Lyndale and Kingfield’s main street had to offer.
This year’s event was a huge success, with thousands of attendees coming together to enjoy food, music, art, and activities for all ages. From food trucks offering global flavors to live performances from local musicians, Nicollet Open Streets 2024 was a true reflection of the vibrant Minneapolis community.
Event Highlights
The day was packed with exciting activities. Over three dozen local businesses and artisans showcased their goods, offering everything from handcrafted jewelry to fresh produce. Families enjoyed games and interactive art installations, while fitness enthusiasts joined pop-up classes, obstacle courses, and even a live baseball game! Stages along Nicollet Avenue featured live music, dance performances and dance participation, spoken word, and even an open mic of “dad-jokes”. Thanks to Butter Bakery Cafe, Driftwood Char Bar, Hola Arepa, Kruse Markit, Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board, Nighthawks, Ramen Kazama & Blaisdell YMCA, Roadrunner Records, and Valerie’s Taqueria for hosting stages!
Visitors also had the chance to Get Out the Vote and discover many neighborhood nonprofit organizations. Many people enjoyed beer courtesy of Run for Beer 5k scavenger hunt (and kids completed the Kids Dash and enjoyed their root beer float rewards at Sebastian Joe’s Kingfield Social).
Nicollet Open Streets also featured a world of delicious food from our many local businesses. Thank you to Cocina Latina, Kyatchi, TokiDoki Burger, Ichigo Tokyo Crepe, Valerie’s Taqueria, Thai Curry, Finer Meats, Bucheron, Kruse Markit, La Casa Market, Butter Bakery Cafe, The Lowbrow, and Revival for moving your chefs street-side so the community could both see (and taste!) what you have to offer! Additionally, there were over a dozen visiting food trucks allowing the community to sample foods from Jamaica, Japan, Vietnam, and other exciting locations.
A Heartfelt Thank You to Our Event Supporters
A special thank you goes out to the community members, businesses, and organizations that helped make Nicollet Open Streets 2024 possible!
- 53 volunteers alongside the Lyndale Neighborhood Association staff and board members worked tirelessly during the event to block intersections, create fun for eventgoers, and set up and clean up after the event.
- Lyndale PTO, Scouting America Troop 187, and MN Adult & Teen Challenge for coordinating groups to volunteer throughout the event.
- Lake Country School and the LNA Environment Committee supervised the two compost stations and ensured that food waste was disposed of correctly.
- The City of Minneapolis for partnering with us and financially supporting this event.
Until Next Year!
Nicollet Open Streets 2024 was a testament to the vibrancy of our community. We are so grateful to everyone who attended, volunteered, and supported this event. Your energy and enthusiasm made it a day to remember!
We look forward to doing it all over again next year. Keep an eye out for updates, and thank you again for helping make Nicollet Open Streets 2024 an unforgettable day of fun, music, and magic!
