A group of women watches fireworks burst above the bustling Cedar-Riverside neighborhood during Northern Spark
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Explore these Cultural Districts in Minneapolis & St. Paul

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Fireworks burst above the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood in Minneapolis during Northern Spark / Bobby Rogers, courtesy of Northern Spark and Meet Minneapolis

Explore these Cultural Districts in Minneapolis & St. Paul

By Rachel Yang

Celebrate and savor the Twin Cities’ diversity and heritage at these cultural districts in Minneapolis and St. Paul.

  1. Cedar-Riverside
    Cedar-Riverside

    Flanking downtown Minneapolis, this thriving neighborhood is the city’s hub for East African residents and boasts some of the best Ethiopian and Somali food in the country. It’s also home to premier venues for live comedy, theater, dance and music, plus a handful of neighborhood bars.

  2. Central Avenue
    Central Avenue

    Situated at the edge of the Northeast Minneapolis Arts District, Central Ave. is known for its many restaurants and groceries featuring a wide variety of global flavors. It’s one of the city’s best spots for dining out, and in Northeast Minneapolis you’re never far from a brewery, either.

  3. East Lake
    People biking and walking in front of the Midtown Global Market building

    Visit the Midtown Global Market food hall to try meals from dozens of up-and-coming Minneapolis chefs / Fibonacci Blue

    East Lake

    East Lake St. is a lively South Minneapolis corridor of small shops, galleries, restaurants and businesses sustaining and supporting the city’s many immigrant and artist communities. East Lake is one of the city’s most vibrant centers of cultural pluralism, which is reflected in its specialty stores, cultural centers and community arts spaces.

  4. District del Sol
    Dancers in Cinco de Mayo parade

    Head to the West Side of St. Paul for the city's Cinco de Mayo parade and festival / Visit Saint Paul

    District del Sol

    Home to one of the nation’s largest Cinco de Mayo celebrations along with many Latino-owned restaurants and businesses you can visit year-round, District del Sol prides itself on being St. Paul’s most vibrant Latino neighborhood. Just don’t get lost on your way here; the neighborhood is located on the city’s West Side, which is actually south of downtown.

  5. Midway
    Allianz Field Exterior

    Fans pose for photos with the "United" statue in front of Allianz Field / MLatino Media

    Midway

    Located approximately midway between both downtowns, Midway is home to some of St. Paul’s best live music venues, restaurants and breweries. Take the Green Line light rail to the Snelling Ave. station to enjoy diverse dining options like the Eritrean-Ethiopian-American diner fare at Snelling Café, catch a Minnesota United soccer game at Allianz Field or simply stroll until something catches your eye. 

Keep Exploring Minneapolis-St. Paul

This is just a small taste of what awaits in Minnesota's capital city, St. Paul, and its biggest city, Minneapolis, which stand side by side along the Mississippi River. Take a trip to the Twin Cities to visit major cultural institutions, savor the thriving food scene, explore some of the best parks in the nation and let loose with a night on the town

Rachel Yang

Rachel Yang is a writer and audio producer based in Minneapolis. Follow her on Twitter: @rachelayang.