🎶 What a summer of Music! ☀️💛

A huge THANK YOU to everyone who helped make the Bryant Square Park Concert Series such a big success this year! 🙌

We’re grateful to all of the amazing musicians 🎤🎸, park staff 🌳, South Uptown volunteers ❤️, and concert sponsors who helped bring neighbors together for 15 wonderful evenings of music and community.

Special thanks to our generous sponsors: Bogart’s Doughnut Co., Caffrey’s Deli & Subs, Dusty’s Bar, Mortimers, Moxy Hotel–Uptown, Nico’s Tacos, Nightingale, Pizza Luce, and Wrecktangle Pizza. 🍩🍕🌮🍻

It was a wonderful summer filled with great music, good food, new friends, and community spirit. We can’t wait to do it all again next summer! 🎶🌳❤️

📣 South Uptown Neighborhood Association is seeking Board candidates!

Do you want to get more involved in your community? The South Uptown Neighborhood Association (SUNA) is seeking candidates for its 11-member Board of Directors. 🏡

All South Uptown renters, homeowners, business owners, and property owners age 18+ are members of SUNA and are eligible to run for a two-year Board term.

🗳️ The election will begin September 15 as part of the South Uptown Annual Celebration and Elections.

We are especially interested in recruiting renters and people of color to better reflect the diversity of our neighborhood. We’re also looking for neighbors with skills or interests in fundraising, finance, event organizing, and social media.

Serving on the Board is a fun and rewarding way to meet your neighbors, help shape the future of South Uptown, and give back to your community. ❤️🏘️

👉 Click the link to learn more and complete the Board candidate application form!: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdLmGtAz0TR7SOuReP71hUU4fxo0U0kh69hAGsjbLT-1r-sTw/viewform

Volunteers Needed 🙌

We’re looking for a few more volunteers to help make our end-of-summer potluck at Bryant Square Park a fun and successful community celebration! 🌳🍔🎉

We still need:

• 🔥 1 more grill master (grill preferred!)

• 🍽️ 1–2 food table helpers

• 🎨 1 kids activity helper

• 🧹 2–3 cleanup helpers

Even an hour of your time would make a big difference. It’s a great way to pitch in, meet your neighbors, and help us celebrate the end of summer together! ❤️

If you’re available to help, please email southuptownneighbors@pm.me.

Thank you! 🙏

🍦🎉 Bryant Square Park Ice Cream Social is BACK! 🎉🍦

Join us Wednesday, August 19, from 6:30–8:30 PM for a free evening of food, fun and entertainment for the whole family! 🌭🍔🍦

Enjoy a free meal—hamburger, cheeseburger or hot dog—with chips, lemonade and, of course, ICE CREAM! 😋

There will be tons of fun activities, including:
📸 Photo booth
🎈 Balloon artist
🫧 Bubble artist
🏰 Bounce houses
🎨 Face painting
✨ Airbrush tattoos
🏹 Inflatable archery
🎶 Music

And at 7 PM, don't miss a special live performance of Frozen Jr.! ❄️🎭 The 45-minute performance is sure to be a highlight of the evening.

👋 Want to volunteer? We’re looking for a few volunteers to help make the evening a success. Ideally, we need two volunteers from 6–7 PM and two from 7–8 PM.

Interested in helping out? Contact Jason at jngreen@minneapolisparks.org. 🙌

🚧 Lyndale Avenue Road Work Starts August 18

Heads up, South Uptown! 🚗🚲 Hennepin County will begin pavement preservation work on Lyndale Avenue S. (County Road 22) between 56th and 31st streets starting Tuesday, August 18.

🗓️ August 18–21
🌦️ Weather dependent
🚦 Traffic will be reduced to one lane in one direction at a time, with flaggers alternating northbound and southbound traffic.

If you're traveling on Lyndale during the work, watch for signs and flaggers, slow down, and allow extra time to get through the area. 🚙⏰

Thanks for your patience while this work gets done! 👍

📣 South Uptown Neighborhood Association is seeking Board candidates!

Do you want to get more involved in your community? The South Uptown Neighborhood Association (SUNA) is seeking candidates for its 11-member Board of Directors. 🏡

All South Uptown renters, homeowners, business owners, and property owners age 18+ are members of SUNA and are eligible to run for a two-year Board term.

🗳️ The election will begin September 15 as part of the South Uptown Annual Celebration and Elections.

We are especially interested in recruiting renters and people of color to better reflect the diversity of our neighborhood. We’re also looking for neighbors with skills or interests in fundraising, finance, event organizing, and social media.

Serving on the Board is a fun and rewarding way to meet your neighbors, help shape the future of South Uptown, and give back to your community. ❤️🏘️

👉 Click the link to learn more and complete the Board candidate application form!: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdLmGtAz0TR7SOuReP71hUU4fxo0U0kh69hAGsjbLT-1r-sTw/viewform

1🎨 Help Choose the New South Uptown Logo! 🏘️

Earlier this summer, the South Uptown Neighborhood Association launched a contest to develop a new logo for our organization. We invited neighbors to submit their own designs by July 31, with the winning designer receiving a cash prize. 💰

We received 12 creative logo designs, and now we need the community’s help narrowing down the options! 🙌 We’ve also included our current logo in the poll, since some neighbors suggested that we keep it.

👉 Click the link below and pick your favorite designs by Thursday, August 20:

https://strawpoll.com/Q0Zp7EbaEgM#google_vignette

The South Uptown Board will select the winning design and announce it at the South Uptown Annual Celebration & Elections on September 15. 🎉

A big THANK YOU to everyone who submitted a design—and to everyone who takes the time to vote and help us narrow down the options! ❤️

#SouthUptown #SouthUptownLogo #LogoContest #Minneapolis #NeighborhoodPride #Community

🌳🍂 The City of Minneapolis Fall Tree Sale is now open! 🍂🌳

Looking to add some shade and beauty to your yard? Now's the perfect time! Fall is one of the best seasons to plant a tree, giving roots time to establish before winter and helping trees thrive next spring.

Best of all, Minneapolis residents can purchase select trees for just $30—an incredible bargain for a healthy tree that can provide shade, reduce energy costs, support birds and wildlife, improve air quality, and increase your property's value for years to come. 🌱🏡🐦

The City Trees program has helped Minneapolis residents plant more than 28,000 trees since 2006, making our neighborhoods greener one yard at a time.

🌿 Order your tree today: https://www.minneapolismn.gov/government/programs-initiatives/environmental-programs/city-trees/sale-process/

📚 Little Free Library Update 🏡

Our Little Free Library has a new home! In July, one of South Uptown's Little Free Libraries moved to 1311 W. 31st Street. Be sure to stop by and check it out! Our second library remains at 3300 Bryant Avenue S.

Both libraries will stay at these locations throughout the fall before moving to new homes in early November for the winter season.

Whether you're looking for your next great read or have a book to share, stop by, take a book, and leave a book! 📖💙 Thank you to our wonderful hosts for helping keep these neighborhood treasures available to everyone.

🐬 A Temporary Change for a Beloved Bryant Square Park Landmark 💙

If you've visited Bryant Square Park recently, you may have noticed that our beloved dolphin sculpture is now covered with a tarp. While the sculpture remains structurally sound and poses no safety concerns, some of the beautiful mosaic tiles have loosened and fallen off over the years from the daily love it receives from kids climbing, sitting, and playing on it. ❤️

Rather than allow additional tiles to be lost, South Uptown Neighborhood Association and Bryant Square Park have decided to temporarily cover the dolphin while we determine the best path forward for repairs.

This dolphin has quite a history! It was originally built as a fountain feature in the Bryant Square Park wading pool when the pool was constructed in the early 1970s. Although the fountain stopped working early on, the dolphin remained a favorite feature of the wading pool for nearly 50 years. When the pool was replaced in 2018, South Uptown and the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board saved the dolphin from demolition and placed it into storage.

In 2020, during the height of the pandemic, South Uptown worked with local artist Sharra Frank to transform the concrete dolphin into the vibrant mosaic sculpture you see today. With the help of dedicated community volunteers, the dolphin was given a colorful new life. Sharra—who also designed the stunning mosaic panels on the Bryant Square Park Recreation Center—has graciously agreed to consult on the upcoming repairs.

We're excited to restore this cherished neighborhood landmark and will share more information as repair plans come together. Thank you for your patience as we work to preserve this special piece of Bryant Square Park for future generations! 🐬

🎉🍦 National Night Out is almost here! 🍦🎉

Join your neighbors on Tuesday, August 4 for one of Minneapolis' favorite summer traditions! 🌞 Across South Uptown, blocks will come alive with potlucks, games, music, conversation, and plenty of neighborhood fun. It's the perfect opportunity to meet new neighbors, reconnect with old friends, and celebrate the community we all call home. ❤️

Registered South Uptown block parties:
📍 3300 Aldrich Ave S
📍 3400 Aldrich Ave S
📍 3500 Aldrich Ave S
📍 3200 Colfax Ave S
📍 3500 Colfax Ave S
📍 3400 Fremont Ave S
📍 3300 Hennepin Ave S

Don't see your block? Many organizers welcome neighbors from adjacent blocks to stop by and join the festivities!

🍦 Keep an eye out for the South Uptown Neighborhood Association as we make the rounds with our cooler-on-wheels (it looks like an ice cream truck!), handing out FREE ice cream sandwiches while supplies last and sharing information about SUNA and neighborhood programs.

We can't wait to see you out enjoying a beautiful summer evening with your neighbors!

💦 Bryant Square Park Wading Pool Reopens ☀️

Great news! The Bryant Square Park wading pool reopened on July 20, just in time for another summer heat wave!

We're thrilled the necessary repairs, including replacing the pool's Diamond Bright surface coating, were completed so quickly, allowing families to get back to cooling off and enjoying one of the park's favorite summer amenities.

A big thank you to the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board and the crews who worked hard to complete the repairs, refill the pool, balance the water chemistry, and ensure everything was safe for reopening. Your quick work is greatly appreciated!

Now get out there, beat the heat, and enjoy the rest of the summer at Bryant Square Park! 💙🌊😎

#BryantSquarePark #MinneapolisParks #WadingPool #SummerFun #BeatTheHeat #SouthUptown #Community

🎉🏡 National Night Out is almost here! 🏡🎉

Join your neighbors on Tuesday, August 4 for an evening of food, fun, games, and community! National Night Out is a great opportunity to meet the people who live around you, strengthen neighborhood connections, and help build a safer community. ❤️🤝

⏰ Don't wait! The deadline to register your block event is Tuesday, July 28. Crime Prevention Specialists with the Minneapolis Police Department coordinate National Night Out across the city, including arranging street closures for registered block parties.

Learn more and register your event here: https://www.minneapolismn.gov/government/programs-initiatives/nno/

#NationalNightOut #Minneapolis #SouthUptown #CommunityStrong #KnowYourNeighbors #NeighborhoodConnections #GetInvolved

🚲 Help Shape the Future of 34th Street! 🌳

The City of Minneapolis is kicking off community engagement for the proposed 34th Street Neighborhood Greenway, a nearly four-mile project stretching from Hennepin Avenue to Hiawatha Avenue. Within the South Uptown neighborhood, the project would extend from Hennepin Avenue to Lyndale Avenue.

The Greenway aims to make it safer and easier for people walking, biking, rolling, and driving by improving intersection crossings, calming traffic, discouraging unsafe driving, upgrading pedestrian ramps, and creating a more comfortable bicycle route connecting parks and schools.

Learn more and share your thoughts at these upcoming events:

🎶 Tuesday, July 28 • 7:00 PM
Bryant Square Park (during the outdoor concert)

🏡 Wednesday, August 5 • 7:00 PM
South Uptown Land Use & Transportation Committee Meeting
3501 Aldrich Ave. S., 1st Floor “Living Room"

🔗 Learn more about the project on the City's website: https://www.minneapolismn.gov/government/projects/34th-st-greenway/

Your feedback can help shape this important neighborhood project—we hope to see you there!

🏡🔒 The South Uptown Home Security Grant Program is back 🏡🔒

The South Uptown Home Security Grant Program is back—and thanks to a recent Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP) Plan Modification, it will be available for several more years!

In June, the South Uptown Neighborhood Association added more than $5,000 to the program, helping ensure that neighbors can continue making safety improvements to their homes.

Eligible homeowners can receive up to $500 in matching funds for upgrades such as:
🔸 Exterior lighting
🔸 Stronger locks and doors
🔸 Security cameras and alarm systems

This popular program has already helped many South Uptown residents improve their home security. Funding is limited, so apply today!

👉 Learn more and apply:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1oduEIM7HNT4uyI4aY3WpIus2fEGeapM4lYvLWMOTXv4/viewform?edit_requested=true#responses

💧 South Uptown's Adopt-a-Drain success continues! 💧

Did you know storm drains flow directly into our lakes, creeks, and rivers without treatment? Keeping drains clear of leaves, litter, and debris helps protect our waterways and wildlife.

The good news: South Uptown's drain adoption rate has now reached 45%, matching our neighbors in Lowry Hill East (the Wedge)! 🎉

We're still behind East Bde Maka Ska (80%), but together we can keep closing the gap.

📍 Priority areas still needing adopters:
• Hennepin & Lyndale Avenues
• Girard Ave at 32nd & 33rd St.
• 35th St. at Emerson & Fremont Ave.

Adopting a drain only takes a few minutes and makes a real difference.

Check out the map and adopt a drain today:
https://mn.adopt-a-drain.org/map

🏊‍♂️🐬 Bryant Square Park Wading Pool Update 🐬🏊‍♀️

If you've noticed that the Bryant Square Park wading pool hasn't opened this summer, here's why: while preparing the pool for the season around Memorial Day, Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board staff discovered that the pool's Diamond Bright surface coating was peeling away. This coating helps provide a safe, non-slip surface for children and families using the pool, so repairs were necessary before it could reopen.

The good news is that Park Board staff moved quickly to address the issue and have already contracted with a company to replace the damaged surface. Work is expected to take place over the next few weeks, with the goal of reopening the wading pool in early July.

While the surface needs replacement, the rest of the six-year-old facility—including the pump, filter, and underground piping systems—remains in excellent condition and is expected to provide many more years of service.

Thank you for your patience as these repairs are completed. We look forward to seeing families back at the pool soon!

📚 Little Free Libraries Are Open for Browsing! 📚

South Uptown’s two Little Free Libraries are stocked, open, and ready for neighbors to share a book and discover a new favorite read. Take a book, leave a book, and help keep the shelves full for everyone to enjoy!

Over the past several months, one of our libraries has undergone a major rehabilitation after spending more than a decade out in the elements. Volunteers scraped away old paint, sanded and patched the exterior, and applied a fresh primer to extend the library’s lifespan. Then, a talented volunteer artist transformed it into a true work of art with beautiful woodland-themed designs.

A huge thank you to everyone who helped bring this neighborhood treasure back to life! You can visit the newly restored library at 3300 Bryant Avenue S. through October.

Our second Little Free Library is currently located at 3336 Girard Avenue S. through mid-July before it moves to its new home.

Happy reading, South Uptown! 📖🌳📚

🌿🌸🌼🌷 29th Annual South Uptown Garden Tour 🌷🌼🌸🌿

🌿🌸🌼🌷 29th Annual South Uptown Garden Tour 🌷🌼🌸🌿

Take a stroll through some of South Uptown’s most beautiful gardens during our annual Garden Tour! This two-day walking tour showcases inspiring urban landscapes, creative gardening ideas, and beautiful outdoor spaces throughout the neighborhood.

Whether you're a seasoned gardener, a budding green thumb, or simply enjoy exploring the neighborhood, we’d love to have you join us!

📅 Saturday, June 20 | 10:00 AM–12:00 PM
📍 Meet at Canteen (3255 Bryant Ave S.)

📅 Monday, June 22 | 6:30 PM–8:30 PM
📍 Meet at Gigi’s Cafe (824 W. 36th St.)

🌻 View the Garden Tour route here.

🚧 Utility Upgrades Underway in South Uptown 🚧

CenterPoint Energy is upgrading natural gas infrastructure in several areas of South Uptown this summer and fall to improve the safety and reliability of the gas system.

📍 34th St W to 36th St W — work began in early June and may last up to 25 weeks. Expect lane shifts, sidewalk and bike lane closures, and occasional road closures with signed detours. Some properties may also require meter relocations and service line work.

📍 Aldrich Ave S (27th St W to 32nd St W) — work is expected to begin around June 29 and last about five weeks.

📍 36th St W (Lyndale Ave S to Bryant Ave S) — work is expected to begin in July.

🚦 Residents may notice utility markings, construction crews, temporary street and sidewalk impacts, and other construction activity throughout the project area.

🔗 View project maps, schedules, and additional details at the project website: https://www.centerpointenergy.com/en-us/InYourCommunity/Pages/ConstructionZoneProjectSites/Minneapolis-South-Uptown-and-East-Harriet-Neighborhoods.aspx?sa=mn&au=res