🎙️ Policy meets improv, local music legends, and infinite hot dogs

Around Town This Week

Happy Fourth of July week, y'all! It's a short work week for many of us, and there's no shortage of ways to spend the extra free time around town. Here's some of the standout events you should check out:

• City Hall, but funny: The Theater of Public Policy is back tomorrow night continuing its mission of making civic conversations fun. Following a conversation between Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and City Council President Elliott Payne about how they keep things running during a federal occupation, where the City Council and the Mayor’s Office intersect on the issues, and what the future holds for Minneapolis, some of the funniest improvisers in the city will put together scenes made up on-the-spot and inspired by the discussion. [Grenada Theater]
• Enjoy local food and local music: This coming weekend is the Taste of Minnesota festival. The music lineup is STACKED with local legends this year – head to Nicollet Mall and Washington Avenue on Friday from 4 to 10 p.m. to see Poliça, Dillinger Four, and Bad Bad Hats tear it up. There will also be tons of great food vendors lining the streets. The festival is free to attend, but you need to reserve a ticket to get in. [Taste of Minnesota]
• Gobble some glizzies: Hot take – I couldn't care less about fireworks on the Fourth of July. I'm here for the hot dogs! And the hottest hot dog event in town this weekend is the Hot Dog Eating Contest and Super Parking Lot Party at Meteor. Watch in awe (or participate yourself) as local athletes compete in speed eating and the "Bike Bite" challenge, where competitors must take a bite out of a hotdog hanging from a string while riding a bike. It all goes down this Saturday 12 to 6 p.m., with free hot dogs all day and free admission. If you buy drink tickets in advance, you get a free extra drink ticket. [Meteor]

Staffing under scrutiny: A judge threatened to hold Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey in contempt of court over the city's failure to meet minimum police staffing levels. The city is facing litigation from the Upper Midwest Law Center, a conservative legal advocacy organization that is representing four Minneapolis residents who are pushing for the city to staff the legally mandated minimum number of police officers. The Minneapolis Police Department currently employs 638 officers, and the city charter requires 731 officers. [MPR News]

Purple reboot: After receiving some rough reviews on the world premiere in Minneapolis, the "Purple Rain" musical has brought in new creative leadership to overhaul the show. With a new director calling the shots and a new playwright working up a fresh script, "Purple Rain" is targeting a Broadway opening in Spring of 2027. [Star Tribune]

Live and local: We recorded our first live podcast! Tune into today's episode to hear about the state of small independent venues in the Twin Cities (spoiler: we need more of them), how more small businesses could breathe some life back into both Nicollet Mall and Uptown, and why bands aren't allowed to grill meat in the green room of Pilllar Forum anymore. [🎧 City Cast Twin Cities]

How was your swim? Researchers from the University of St. Thomas and the University of Minnesota want to hear what you think of the water quality after swimming in local lakes. Water quality in urban lakes has gotten measurably better in the past 20 years, but there hasn't been as much research on consumer perceptions of water quality. Next time you take a dip in one of the Twin Cities' 17 lakes, you can rate the water quality 0-10 by texting a phone number on a sign at the beach. [Sahan Journal]

Higher taxes (maybe): To pay for new park amenities and staffing costs, the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board will be making a case to the Board of Estimation and Taxation for a higher property tax increase than the city is currently recommending. If the higher tax levy is not granted, staff say the MPRB will face a $3.3 million budget gap. The Board of Estimation and Taxation will make a final decision in September. [MinnPost]

Monday, June 29

• 🀄 The Proud Loon Rambler Mahjong | Bad Weather
• 🎼 Kate Beahen and Friends Sing Broadway and More | Crooners Supper Club
• 🎸 Anders Osborne | Dakota
• 🎶 MFB Night Crew Pride Show | MetroNOME Brewery
• 🆓 Open Jam / Open Mic | Minnesota Music Cafe
• 😂 Variety Open Mic | Camp Bar

Tuesday, June 30

• 🎙️ The Future of Minneapolis with Mayor Frey & Council President Payne | Granada Theater (feat. Sean McPherson on pre-show!)
• 🎤 NPR Tiny Desk Contest on the Road | Fine Line
• ⚾ St. Paul Saints vs. Buffalo Bisons | CHS Field
• 😂 The Doctors of Comedy | Sisyphus Brewing
• 🎸 Music on the Lawn: Joyann Parker | Macalester College
• 🆓 Milkweed Presents Sean Hill | Open Book
• 🎹 Haley Reinhart | Dakota

• Weekend Manager at Minnesota Museum of American Art | $24 – $26 per hour (PT)
• Administrative Assistant at Danger Boat Productions | $25k – $30k per year (PT)
• Internship: Forestry at Hennepin County | $22.50 – $26.21 per hour
• Musical Theater Instructors Needed at Mayer Arts | $28 – $50 per hour (PT)
• Director of Mission Delivery at Make-A-Wish Minnesota | $83k – $90k per year