Author: Gillian Holte

The two-week-long PeopleFest! Celebration continued on Sunday, July 31, with a party at Staring Lake Park in Eden Prairie. The PeopleFest! Party included food trucks, a human library and live performances.  PeopleFest! is a “series of free community events and programs to celebrate the unique cultures represented in Eden Prairie.” Groups performing included Harisen Daiko, Tarangini School of Dance, Tamil Sangham, Mexico Azteca, Academy of Young Leaders, and Nrityavidyalaya. Residents were encouraged to pick up a “Guide to Culture, History & Cuisine” at events or to visit the PeopleFest! Website. The book explores the food and history of Eden Prairie.…

The 2022 Air Expo took flight on July 23 and 24 at the Flying Cloud Airport in Eden Prairie. Presented by Wings of the North, the event showcased World War II aircraft, modern planes and military vehicles. Bad weather ended Saturday’s flight schedule early, but the sun was back for Sunday’s events. The expo offered rides on two aircraft from the Yankee Air Museum: the Yankee Lady B-17 and Hairless Joe C-47.

The Preserve Association marked 50 years with a week-long celebration from July 19 to July 24. Events throughout the week included a garden tour, bingo, a pickle ball tournament, a petting zoo (with llamas) and a street dance. The celebration brought in Preserve members and visitors from outside of Eden Prairie. Saturday’s celebration saw dreary weather resulting in rescheduling events during the day, but by night the street dance went on as planned. The sun was back out for Sunday’s beach blast. Parade of the Llamas – Video by Jeff Strate

Eden Prairie residents spent the warm Independence Day holiday celebrating at Round Lake Park. The city’s 4th of July Hometown Celebration was filled with food trucks and music from the Brian Kinney Band and Free & Easy.

The Eden Prairie Noon Rotary Club held its annual Rib Fest fundraiser at the Staring Lake Amphitheater on June 12. The event was held in conjunction with the Minnesota Festival of Jazz on the Prairie. Performances included Just Friends Big Band, Good News Big Band, Bend in the River Big Band, ACME Jazz Company, River City Jazz Orchestra, Genesis Jazz Orchestra, and Jazz on the Prairie Big Band.

Eden Prairie High School 2022 graduates walked across the 3M Arena at Mariucci in Minneapolis on Friday, June 10. Before heading to the stage, graduates took photos and celebrated with their friends at the high school. This year’s EPHS graduating class numbered 729.

Schooner Days rolled back into Eden Prairie this past weekend, providing fun for all ages. Activities at the three-day event, held from June 3-5, included carnival rides, games, bingo, food, and a pickleball tournament. The annual event is the Eden Prairie Lions Club’s biggest fundraiser of the year. Organizers said attendance was good, thanks partly to three fabulous weather days. In fact, the carnival portion of Schooner Days had its best year ever. Crowds were back to levels not seen since the pandemic began. “Lots and lots of smiling faces from people that have been pretty much stay-at-home families for…

Eden Prairie residents gathered in Purgatory Creek Park on May 30 for this year’s Memorial Day Ceremony to honor and remember those who lost their lives in the U.S. Armed Forces. As in years past, people set up chairs around the Eden Prairie Veterans Memorial for the ceremony. It is hosted annually by the Eden Prairie Veterans Memorial Committee, which helped fund the work on the memorial (which was dedicated in 2008) and come up with its design.

The historic Cummins-Phipps-Grill House hosted the 8th annual Farmhouse Market and Vintage Sale on May 6-7. The Eden Prairie Historical Society also gave tours of the house, including the newly finished second floor. All the items for sale had previously been donated to The PROP Shop. “One guy’s trash is another one’s treasure,” said volunteer Rändi Flagstad, who has been with The PROP Shop since its second week of operations. Everything that went unsold will be sent back to The PROP Shop floor or stored for the next vintage sale.

The Eden Prairie High School prom “Moonstruck” was held at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis on May 7. Students took over the Lake Harriet Bandshell Park for prom photos with their friends and family.