The Best Month in the Twin Cities Starts Now

Watch the West Side Shine at Cinco De Mayo

When he joined us on the podcast, fiesta organizer Santino Franco agreed that the West Side of St. Paul on Cinco De Mayo weekend is “one of the best places you can be.” Festivities start on Friday but the centerpiece is Saturday, May 2. Enjoy cultural dancers, world-class food, a celebrated car show, luchadores, and more!

Embrace Community at Mayday

You’ve never seen anything like Mayday in Minneapolis. It is the most unique parade in Minnesota and one of the most life-affirming events in the universe. It got started mere weeks after the official end of the Vietnam War and has turned into a moment for the Powderhorn community to trot out otherworldly puppetry while the neighborhood dethaws and starts off the warm season on a positive note.

Light the Electrolier on Minnesota Statehood Day

Leave it to City Cast contributor Tane Danger to turn a monthly guide into a civics lesson. Monday, May 11, marks the 168th anniversary of Minnesota joining the Union. Celebrating that landmark is the perfect excuse to visit our beautiful Cass Gilbert-designed Capitol building and watch them light a big chandelier that was dubbed the ‘electrolier’ at its unveiling in 1905. They use a remote control to light it, just like they did in olden times!

Drink on a Patio

Peak patio season is criminally short in the Twin Cities. Between highs in the 40s stretching into late April, mosquitos feasting on any exposed skin, and the impending arrival of a Super El Niño, it’s time you maximize every patio-friendly hour you have. Our favorites include Bauhaus, Moscow on the Hill, The Black Hart of Saint Paul, and the 331 Club.

Plan for Whimsy, Stay for Rockin’ at Art-A-Whirl

It’s all hands on deck for hipsters May 15-17 in Northeast Minneapolis. Our producer Tiffany recommends checking out the bevy of pop-ups at Quincy Hall. I tend toward the musical offerings during the weekend including great lineups at Indeed Brewing, Bauhaus, 331 Club, and more. Producer and bike enthusiast Adam wants you to know that you can borrow a bike for free from Recovery Bike Shop. Bring your own lock and helmet if you can!

Stake your Fortune on a Rubber Duck Race

There’s something to enjoy on the Minnehaha Creek year round but they crank the folksy energy up a little higher for the beloved annual Minnehaha Creek Duck Race. On May 2 at 11 a.m. make sure you are at the 12th Avenue Bridge and Minnehaha Parkway for the unique view of hundreds of rubber duckies taking off on a creek. And if you want some skin in the game, you can actually sponsor a duck or flock!

See How the Twin Cities Look on Two Wheels

It’s time to tune up the bike and start cruising. Clear a Tuesday evening and head to Recovery Bike Shop’s DIY night to fix your ten-speed up under the guiding hand of a bike mechanic. If you’re an earlybird who loves pancakes and biking, you are in the Venn diagram that is just perfect for International Bike to Work Day on May 15. Get a short stack, hear some punk rock, and then trade your labor for capital!

See a Notably Great Production of Little Women

Our Executive Producer Anna has seen approximately 2,700 plays at the Guthrie and she lists the current production of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women in her top two! This production has been getting rave reviews and apparently tugs at the heartstrings pretty strongly; Anna and her Santa-looking husband Brant called a number of their friends after the production to connect and discuss the play. And don’t worry about the age of the source material leaving you short on laughter – Anna said the jokes land harder than ever today.

Busses and Light Rail Oh My: Anything worth going to is probably not worth parking at. Marquee events in the Twin Cities bring an unconscionable amount of vehicles to a particular neighborhood and slow everything down. I keep Go-To Passes in the man-purse for me and my two daughters and they love it. It’s a chance to use a ticket, save a little dough, and make it much easier to depart from any event; waiting at a bus stop beats waiting in a parking garage any day.

Say it With Plants: Mother’s Day is the unofficial start of gardening season in the Twin Cities and it’s the perfect chance to visit one of our awesome garden stores. For our Executive Producer Anna, it’s also a sneaky way to eke out a little solo mom time on Mother’s Day weekend. Stuff the little ones into the back of the ride and have your worse half dole out snacks and podcast episodes while mom can walk through the peaceful outdoor aisles at Mother Earth Gardens.

Sports is Best Enjoyed with a Crowd: I’m sure by announcing it I’m jinxing it, but Minnesota sports teams are kicking butt right now! If you’re angling on watching the Frost or the Lynx the place to be is A Bar of Their Own in Seward. If you’re looking for some Minnesota Wild action most any bar will turn the sound on for the post-season but for our money your best bet is Tom Reid’s right by the arena. And if the Wolves are still a going concern at the time of your reading this, there is no better place to take in a game than Falling Knife in Northeast.

Eat More Ice Cream: I’m a year-rounder when it comes to ice cream but in case you aren’t, let me recommend a couple awesome flavors on offer in the Twin Cities. The Salted Caramel Flan Brûlée from Bebe Zito is a favorite for our City Cast contributor Denzel Belin. Make sure you visit Zito’s Uptown location, that’s the only one that carries the Brûlée flavor. Exhausted Parent is the best flavor from Cold Front in St. Paul and if you want to get your hands on the freshest, bestest pumpkin ice cream in the world make tracks to Pumphouse Creamery in South Minneapolis.

• May 5: An Evening with the Greyboy Allstars | Amsterdam Bar and Hall
• May 6: Mac Demarco | First Avenue
• May 10: Lynx Home Opener | Target Center
• May 13: Bring Me the Horizon | Grand Casino Arena
• May 14: Defend Our Friends: Release Party for “ICE OUT” | Turf Club
• May 16: Courtney Barnett | Palace Theatre
• May 20: Baby Keem | The Armory
• May 21-23: Craig Robinson | Acme Comedy Co.
• May 23: Freddie Gibbs | Palace Theatre