News from the Downtown Alliance
July 16, 2021
A note from the president

Friends,

It is exciting to see the momentum building with our Welcome Back campaign. If you are following our calendar (which you should), you’ve noticed the embarrassment of riches we have downtown when it comes to events. I was honored to kick off Bands on the Boulevard with the Minnesota History Center this week (I think I'm perhaps not the only one who forgets from time to time that such a spectacular downtown amenity sits just a half mile north of our central business district), and tomorrow we’re expecting upwards of 25,000 people to come out for the Food Truck Festival happening in Union Depot Lot D this year.

In the news this week we were reminded that work continues from Ramsey County and AECOM on RiversEdge. The county is seeking state bonding for public park space to connect downtown to the river. This is such an exciting opportunity not only for downtown but for all of the city, and eager to see it move forward. The Star Tribune also wrote about the prevalence of expanded outdoor seating during the past year and what the future may bring in that regard. As you can imagine, I'm all for it and will continue to work with both our public sector and small business community to make it easier to do business downtown.

One final note, as you plan your trips in and out of downtown in the next six weeks or so the left lanes of I-94 will be under construction in both directions to varying degrees beginning this Sunday evening. You can read more about the details here.

Keep reading to check out our newest video that features Mayor Carter and Afro Deli, and don’t forget to keep tagging your social media posts with #WelcomeBackStPL!

Take care,
Joe

Joe Spencer
President
Saint Paul Downtown Alliance
Welcome back to Afro Deli!
As mayor, he'll never play favorites, but when we asked Mayor Carter what he'd like to film his #WelcomeBackStPL cameo about, he paused for one second before declaring, "chicken fantastic!"

He's certainly not alone in his love for the Afro Deli specialty. If you haven't yet - check out his recent stop in.
#WelcomeBackStPL events & news this week

Imagine how exciting it is to see two or three food trucks parked in downtown, now imagine more than 50 in one place! This Saturday the Food Truck Festival is back in downtown Saint Paul at Union Depot. The event is located in Lot D along Kellogg Boulevard, is free to attend and will also feature live music, yard game tournaments and much more.



Here's a glance at what else is coming up :
 
  • July 20: Bands on the Blvd with Malamanya | MN History Center plaza
  • July 21: Farrell's Extreme Fitness in the Park | Rice Park
  • July 21: D1 Fitness in the Park | Rice Park
  • July 21: Music and the Market | Securian Financial 400 building
  • July 22: The 370 Sets | Osborn370
  • July 22: Lowertown Sounds | Mears Park
  • July 23: Pop Up Music | Securian Financial 400 Building
  • July 25: Ken Takata and Friends Jazz Standards | Pedro Park

Be sure to bookmark WelcomeBackStPL.com - new events are added daily!
Follow #WelcomeBackStPL on social media
Downtown has a lot going on these days and we're not slowing down anytime soon.

Make sure you don't miss anything by following along on each of our channels:
Snap, Tag, Win
All summer the #WelcomeBackStPL statue will move around downtown, making stops at our favorite parks, venues and destinations.

You’re likely to run into it at one of our events, or you may stumble upon it out of the blue. Either way, we want to see your pictures showing off your StPL pride!

  • SNAP a picture with the statue - a selfie, a shot of your dog, or just admiring the scenery, we love them all!
  • TAG us in your post - use #WelcomeBackStPL and @StPLdowntown on your favorite social channel.
  • WIN - each tag gets you entered to win a downtown gift. Winners are selected randomly.
Downtown restaurant and retail options
Stumped for where to order dinner from these days? Or who has a patio to visit?

Have questions?

Banner photo cred : Visit Saint Paul