MN Renaissance Festival begins this weekend in Shakopee
For the next seven weekends, you can go back in time to the 16th century. The Minnesota Renaissance Festival returns for its 53rd season in Shakopee. It’s the largest renaissance festival in the country with annual attendance of 300,000 people. The festival is open weekends, Saturday and Sunday from Aug. 17 through Sept. 28, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. rain or shine.
Former Metro Transit bus now traveling metal art lab
A nomadic lab is making art available to everyone in the Twin Cities. And it’s not just any art, the WOW Mobile Metal Lab specializes in metal casting. Local sculptor Sara Hanson purchased and renovated a Metro Transit city bus, which is now equipped with 14 workstations. Follow along with the bus locations and events on Instagram @WowMobileMetalLab.
‘Mystery on the Mississippi’ brings theater to Mississippi River
There’s a mystery brewin’ on the Mississippi and it’s taking place at Crosby Farm Regional Park in St. Paul. "Mystery on the Mississippi" is an immersive theatrical experience where the audience gets to walk through the picturesque park while watching a show unfold. This is the ninth year for the popular ‘Mystery on the Mississippi’ show. It’s an hour-long collaboration between Mississippi Park Connection and Fearless Comedy Productions. The shows are on Aug. 16, Sept. 27 and Oct, 12. Tickets are available on the Park Connection website.
Five-course chef’s dinner inside Eagan gas station
A popular dinner series continues to sell out despite its unusual location. El Sazon is located inside the BP gas station on Diffley Road in Eagan. They’re open Tuesday through Saturday and offer takeout, but every few months, they host 50 people in the gas station for a five-course chef’s dinner with mocktail pairings. They call it ‘A Night at the Gas Station.’ Watch their socials for the dates of the next dinner series. Owners Cristian and Karen de Leon have opened a standalone restaurant in Minneapolis and will open a third location in Stillwater this fall.
Maple Grove launches Restaurant Week
This spring, Maple Grove made headlines when they declared themselves the "Restaurant Capitol of Minnesota". The city is owning up to their new title with their first ever restaurant week. Dozens of restaurants will be offering food and drink specials August 12th-18th. FOX 9's Hannah Flood visited Paulie's Restaurant to check out what's on the menu.
Alix Kendall announces retirement from FOX 9 Morning News
Alix Kendall announces her retirement from the FOX 9 Morning News during FOX 9 Good Day on Aug. 12, 2024.
Fmr. Betty Crocker kitchen director dishes on cookbook legacy
Betty Crocker wasn’t a real person, but her persona and popularity has been going strong since the 1920’s. Recently, FOX 9 visited Trillium Woods in Plymouth to meet the Minnesota woman who was often mistaken as Betty, as she had her hands in thousands of recipes. Some of them might still be your family’s favorite! Marcia Copeland worked at General Mills for 35 years. For 14 of those years she was director of the Betty Crocker Kitchen. It was Marcia's job to make sure everything was perfect by time it made it to the box, or your cupboard. Marcia also had her hand in about 12 different Betty Crocker cookbooks over her time. She still has many of them in her own kitchen.
World premiere of 'The Garden' at CTC
An upcoming show at the Children's Theatre is exploring the story of Adam and Eve, giving them an opportunity to tell us their version of events in the Garden of Eden. The world premiere of "The Garden" is coming up August 9th & 10th. Playwright and singer Hannah Bakke joined FOX 9 Good Day to talk about how she came up with the show and what it's been like to work closely with student actors on putting the production together.
Circus Juventas summer show celebrates 30 years
Many of the country’s most talented youth circus artists are wrapping up their summer show in St. Paul this weekend. This years’ show ‘Jangala’ takes audiences to an ancient jungle island shrouded in mystery. There are five shows left: Thursday, August 8 @7pm, Friday, August 9 @7pm, Saturday, August 10 @1pm & 7pm and Sunday, August 11 @1pm. The big top is located at 1270 Montreal Ave., Saint Paul.
PinKU returns inside Eat Street Crossing Food Hall
A favorite Northeast Minneapolis restaurant that closed during the pandemic has returned inside a food hall in the Whittier Neighborhood. Chef John Sugimura has reopened PinKU with Chef Louross Edralin of Staff Meeting. The spot will serve sushi daily, but on Friday and Saturday nights they’ll offer Omakase by Chef Sugimura. This is a special five-course meal at the ten bar seats. Omakase means chef’s choice. Reservations for August sold out in six minutes. Reservations for September will open on Aug. 25 at 6:30 a.m. Eat Street Crossing is located at 2819 Nicollet Ave. S. It’s open seven days a week.
'Coolest thing made in Minnesota' competition launched, nominations open
Minnesota has been home to some incredible inventions and innovations over the years, but which one is the coolest?
'Coolest thing made in Minnesota' nominations open
The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce launched its "Coolest thing made in Minnesota" program, which will take nominations through mid-August before the finalists are announced in September. The winner will then be announced in October.
Go back in time at the Old Time Harvest in Jordan
Fire up the threshers! The Scott/Carver Threshers Association is hosting the 60th Old Time Harvest with a goal of preserving agricultural history by firing up the antique machinery to demonstrate what farm-life was like 100 years ago. The festival runs Aug. 2, 3 and 4 on the grounds across the street from the Scott County Fairgrounds in Jordan. It’s $10 for adults for the whole weekend and free for kids under 12. Each morning starts with a pancake breakfast.
Dino Fest returns to Science Museum of Minnesota
A fan-favorite festival is back at the Science Museum of Minnesota in St. Paul. Dino Fest is happening on Saturday, Aug. 3, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The day will include activities, presentations, performances, and a field jacket opening from a recent dig in Montana. Guests can also go behind the scenes to see the paleo lab. Dino Fest is included with an admission ticket to the science museum.
Chef Yia Vang opens the doors of Vinai
One of the most anticipated restaurant openings of the year is finally here. Vinai is open now in the Sheridan Neighborhood of Northeast Minneapolis. The restaurant will be open Tuesday through Saturday evenings. It’s named after the refugee camp in Thailand where Vang’s parents met and where he was born. The restaurant honors both of his parents by utilizing their recipes and methods of woodfire cooking. It’s located at 1300 2nd St. NE, the former location of Dangerous Man Brewing. Vang is a James Beard Finalist. He also runs Union Hmong Kitchen which has two locations, one in the North Loop and one on West Lake Street. He will also serve Hmong food once again at the Minnesota State Fair.
Chef Yia Vang opens new restaurant Vinai in Minneapolis
FOX 9's Shayne Wells sits down with Chef Yia Vang to chat about his new restaurant Vinai, which opens July 30 serving traditional Hmong food. The restaurant is located at 1300 NE 2nd St. in Minneapolis.
Viral gaming center comes to Roseville
The gaming experience is getting supersized at a new spot in Roseville. Activate Games puts you in the video game using cutting edge technology for interactive gaming. The Mega Grid game is the most well-known after going viral on TikTok. It has touch-sensor floor tiles that create a floor is lava-type game with varying levels of difficulty. It is designed for players over the age of 10, though kids age 4 and up can participate. Activate now has 40 locations worldwide. It’s open now in Roseville at 1955 County Road B2.
Orchestra Hall celebrates 50 years in Minneapolis
Orchestra Hall, the home of the Minnesota Orchestra, is 50 years old. Located on Nicollet Mall, it’s drawn more than 10 million people to downtown. Architect Hugh Hardy designed the venue. It features 114 large cubes that disperse sound throughout the auditorium. Experience the venue with the ‘Summer at Orchestra Hall’ program. It runs through Aug. 10 and the theme is Roaring Twenties.
Tap dance phenoms create musical experience
Nationally acclaimed tap dance artists, along with musicians and a group of talented kids are working on a show that’ll debut Saturday night at the Ames Center in Burnsville. The Storyboard Experience is in its third year and from the Rhythm Street Movement team. It’s an educational week for the students that culminates in the production of a full-length show with original music played live by a seven-piece band. The Storyboard Experience is slated for 7 p.m. at the Ames Center on July 27.
U.S. Home Prices Hit Record in June
Existing home sales data was recently released which shows prices continue to increase. Now, the median sales price in June rose to $427,000, a new record. Patrick Rehkamp, a senior financial writer from 1834, A Division of Old National Bank, joined the FOX 9 Morning News with a closer look at the numbers.