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Bringing holiday cheer back downtown
There’s no replacement for Holidazzle this year, so the Downtown Council hopes a new shopping experience can bring people into the heart of the city.
MINNEAPOLIS — The shops and events that brought people to Downtown Minneapolis during the holiday season have changed.
COVID has emptied storefronts and office spaces, but even before then, Holidazzle moved on from its parade route.
Adam Duininck is two weeks into the job as mpls downtown council’s President and CEO, but he has big hopes.
“I’m a farm kid out by a Willmar but I have fond memories of coming downtown,” he said. “I remember coming to Dayton’s myself and seeing Santa with my family.”
The days of the Department Store Santa faded away and Holidazzle had its own metamorphosis. Starting in 1992 it brought a lot of shoppers downtown. It later moved to Loring Park as a marketplace, but the council canceled it this year due to funding and leadership changes.
“There’s been a debate about whether we should do it on Nicollet or do it in Loring Park, and I think Loring Park has served a purpose,” said Duininck. “And maybe there’s a way to do it there, too, and create some energy. But this is really the heart of the downtown business district.”
This year, they’re concentrating holiday efforts on Holidays on Nicollet, a weeks-long experience that includes holiday window displays, entertainment and shopping.
Duininck wouldn’t describe the 70-plus vendors and four holiday pop-ups as a replacement. They have had the event in the past, but never this scale.
“We want to continue to build,” he said.
“I know people miss the parade,” said Jessie Witte of AudreyRose Vintage, who sells at one of the holiday pop-ups. “But it’s really nice to see efforts are actually being made. You can like visually see it in the store fronts.”
Mizrrain Lias owns FX Store Minnesota, a shoe and apparel store in the IDS Crystal Court.
“It helped to recover the town,” said Lias. “People come to buy things and they buy from another store, and they also visit my shop as well.”
For more information on Holidays on Nicollet, visit the mpls downtown council website.
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The wellness program welcomed people to tour the space on World AIDS day.
MINNEAPOLIS — The Aliveness Project opened up a Thrive clinic and pharmacy on Sunday, which is World AIDS Day.
“The Aliveness Project is about helping people living with and at risk for HIV, live long and healthy lives,” said Aliveness Project Executive Director Matt Toburen.
Toburen said construction started eight months ago but the project has been in the works for two years.
“We’re really excited to have an inclusive space and an inclusive clinic pharmacy,” Toburen said. “Anyone from the community can feel welcomed … they’re not going to be stigmatized or turned away for who they are and who they love.”
Toburen said having an onsite pharmacy is important because some patients won’t pick up their prescribed medication after their appointment.
He said this type of clinic and pharmacy is needed in Minnesota.
“We’re failing the community, and people are falling through the cracks, people who are at risk of HIV are falling through the cracks, and so we’ve created the Thrive Clinic Pharmacy in order to end HIV in Minnesota,” he said. “In our neighboring states of Wisconsin, and Illinois, and Iowa, they’re seeing decreased HIV infections.”
According to the Minnesota Department of Health an HIV outbreak was declared in Hennepin and Ramsey counties in 2020, and in the Duluth area in 2021.
MDH reported 324 people were diagnosed with HIV last year, and 207 people have been diagnosed in Minnesota this year.
“We have to do something bold because it’s unacceptable,” Toburen said.
He said there are a number of factors that contributed to the outbreak like healthcare disparities, lack of protection, and lack of sexual healthcare. He also said the outbreaks have been tied to encampments and intravenous drug use.
Toburen said the center can be a one-stop shop for people to seek medical care, food, and other resources.
He said the pharmacy will also offer PrEP and PEP.
“PrEP is a medication that when taken regularly can prevent someone from contracting HIV. PEP is something that is post-exposure prophylactic, often used in the medical setting… kind of like the morning after pill, that when there is an exposure, when taken withing 72 hours can prevent contracting HIV,” he said.
Toburen said rapid access to these medications is really important for their effectiveness. Paying for these medications can be another barrier this pharmacy will work to address.
He’s also excited to see how the clinicians and pharmacists will work together as a team to help their patients.
“This can be really groundbreaking when it comes to work on gender medicine and hormone treatments and being able to modify and… adjust medications and treatments and working with the pharmacist whose working in collaboration with that provider,” he said.
Toburen said the clinic is open. Prospective patients can schedule an appointment online or stop by the Aliveness Project.
He said the pharmacy will open in early 2025. The pharmacy will also be available to people who need other medications.
The New York Sirens beat the Minnesota Frost 4-3 in overtime on Sunday night at the Xcel Energy Center.
ST PAUL, Minnesota — The Minnesota Frost are back for a new season with a new name and ready to defend their Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) title. However, the season opener started with a loss as the Frost fell to the New York Sirens 4-3 in overtime on Sunday night at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.
Despite the loss, the Frost’s season opener was also a chance to celebrate the team’s success earlier in the year after their PWHL inaugural season Walter Cup Championship. Prior to the puck dropping, the Frost held a banner raising ceremony. Fans were also able to take pictures with the Walter Cup on the concourse during the game.
Renee Olsen-Gravelle of Barnum came out to the game with her family, including her granddaughter Finley Ziegler, 4.
“We wanted her to see that this is pretty special,” said Olsen-Gravelle, who attended four games last season.
While talking to her granddaughter, Olsen-Gravelle said, “When you’re big, you can come here and do this.”
Fourth and fifth graders who play for the Andover Huskies also have high hopes for their future.
“I think some day I’ll be on the PWHL hockey team,” said Sophie Marinello, a fourth grader from Andover.
Teammate Kensley Kent said she felt the same way.
“It’s great to be able to see women’s sports finally getting some of the prime time that they deserve,” said Samantha Caffentzis of Cottage Grove. “We played sports forever and it’s nice to be able to come up and see the little kids that are here that could actually be out there one day.”
Just 19 seconds into overtime, Sirens’ forward Alex Carpenter scored the winning goal.
Up next, Minnesota plays at Boston on Wed. Dec. 4.
Initial information suggests the person’s family tracked their location after they were unable to contact them since last night, said the MPD.
MINNEAPOLIS — The Minneapolis Police Department is investigating after a person was found dead in what the police describe as an “apparent homicide.”
MPD officers responded to a report of an unresponsive person on the ground on the 3300 block of 10 Avenue South shortly after 12:30 p.m., according to a release from the department.
Initial information suggests the person’s family tracked their location after they were unable to contact them since last night, said the MPD.
The person was 25-years-old, according to the release, which also said the medical examiner confirmed they had been shot at least once.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
