Tag Archives: Minneapolis

Nene Matey-Keke Wins MAAR 2014 Realtor of the Year Award

Most companies share a common goal of ending the year better than where they started it. RNR Realty International can certainly say they have accomplished that in 2014. The company’s principal broker and owner, Nene Matey-Keke, was recently named the Minneapolis Area Association of REALTORS® (MAAR) 2014 REALTOR® of the Year. Matey-Keke beat out more than 7,500 Twin Cities competitors to receive this prestigious award for his dedication to his clients, involvement in local and national associations, and volunteerism throughout the community.

“I was humbled and appreciative that all of my efforts to gain a better understanding of and to improve both this industry and my business have culminated in this achievement,” said Matey-Keke. “I’ve spent the better half of my lifetime trying to set forth to be the best at what I do, so to be recognized by my peers for something that I’m so passionate about is the greatest honor that I could have received.”

For those who know Matey-Keke, it’s easy to see why MAAR decided to present him with this award. Driven, determined, and dedicated are just a few words that family, friends, colleagues, and affiliates use to describe the hardworking realtor. As proof, Matey-Keke holds a total of 14 different residential and commercial real estate certifications and designations, and more than 25 additional certifications, which cover financial investment, community development, and construction.

Having been in the real estate industry for almost fifteen years, Matey-Keke has been diligent in continually building not only his multiple businesses, but also his personal knowledge as well as his ever-growing professional network, which he does partly by maintaining membership in numerous associations and committees.

At MAAR, Matey-Keke recently completed his appointment to serve on the Board of Directors and has previously been on the Finance Committee, Nominating Committee and the Young Professionals Network. He will continue his involvement with the Global Business Council and Public Affairs Committee.

At the state level, working with the Minnesota Association of REALTORS® (MNAR), Matey-Keke is on the Board of Directors, Executive Committee, Commercial Forms Sub Committee, Governmental Affairs Committee, Minnesota RPAC Board of Trustees, Professional Standards Committee, and is an active participant of the Strategic Planning session. He also was a founding member of the Diversity Committee and served as the 2014 Chairman. During his tenure, he spearheaded a joint partnership between MNAR and Junior Achievement of the Upper Midwest as one way to address the current homeownership disparity. Junior Achievement now incorporates the value of homeownership for all in its curriculum. Matey-Keke’s commitment to improving diversity within the real estate industry has led to his appointment as treasurer of the recently created local chapter of the Asian Real Estate Association of America – Twin Cities (AREAA).

At the national level (National Association of REALTORS®), Matey-Keke is the Federal Political Coordinator assigned to the 5th District under Congressman Keith Ellison. He is also a member of the Global Business and Alliances Committee, Research Committee, and previously served on the Federal Financing and Housing Policy Committee, Diversity Committee, and Housing Opportunity Committee.

In addition to his extensive REALTOR® association involvement, Matey-Keke also dedicates time to developing the commercial and investment aspects of his business, by actively participating in the Minnesota Commercial Association of Realtors (MNCAR) and the Minnesota Real Estate Investment Association (MnREIA), respectively.

One of Matey-Keke’s many areas of focus is the international community. His attention to this particular market contributed greatly to his REALTOR® of the Year victory, as well as to his overall personal success. It was because of his background and interest in travelling and learning more about other cultures that he created RNR Realty to be an international business. He would like to use his recent accomplishment to push the business even farther globally, in order to help increase clients’ opportunities for relocation, purchasing resort or second properties, investment (Commercial and Residential) as well as to help make homeownership accessible to all worldwide.

In fact, it was his own personal struggle to overcome past adversity and a lack of access to information that motivates him to work with underprivileged communities today. Despite his extensive association involvement – not to mention running multiple businesses – Matey-Keke still finds time to teach first time homebuyer classes for various local organizations, including Model Cities, the African Development Center, and Community Action Partnership of Suburban Hennepin (CAPSH). He has also spoken for the Minneapolis Urban League’s “Realizing the American Dream” class, which hits close to home.

“Being the child of two parents who have had tremendous fights to claim and acknowledge their identities, in addition to overcoming lack of access and exposure to mainstream resources, has always driven me to be the best and to take advantage of all the resources that are available to me now,” said Matey-Keke. “Rising from [my upbringing] and charting my own path with little to no guidance within the real estate industry has been difficult, to say the least. That is, until I became involved with the association. Getting more involved with the association has led me to be a better businessman and has increased my opportunities overall. Starting where I did, it’s that much more rewarding to be the first African-American to receive this honor and be recognized for having achieved a certain level of success in this industry to which I have given myself.”

Recently, Matey-Keke has also begun teaching community education classes in neighborhoods around the Twin Cities, on topics ranging from purchasing investment properties to finding the best resort and second property opportunities, locally, nationally and globally.

REALTOR® of the Year award winners are allowed to select a charitable organization to receive a $1,000 donation in their name. Matey-Keke chose MCASA Homes, a Model Cities program that provides affordable homeownership opportunities to low and moderate income families. He selected this program because he has previously worked with Model Cities, and he strongly believes in MCASA’s mission to put homeownership within everyone’s reach.

Nene Matey-Keke, Emily Green, MAAR REALTOR® of the Year

Photo Credit: Minneapolis Area Association of REALTORS®

Emily Green, the 2014 MAAR President and past REALTOR® of the Year award recipient, helped name Matey-Keke as this year’s winner and presented him with the trophy.

“Nene is a REALTOR® who contributes to the community and advocates at a local, state and national level for homeownership opportunities for all,” Green explained. “His service to our industry has been invaluable and we are proud to honor him with the distinguished designation of REALTOR® of the year.”

House Cleaning Facts: Men vs. Women

As homeowners, couples often get into arguments about who does the most cleaning? Often times people want to divide it 50/50 but it’s not always the case. Here are some numbers that finally tell us the truth. Take a look.

So dear reader, after looking at these numbers, would you say you agree? Do you do most of the cleaning or the least? Let us know!

5 Winter Activities to do in Minnesota

Skiing, ice-skating, and snowboarding are all famous activities to do in the winter. But, what else is there to do? Minnesota can be really cold during the winter, (understatement of the year?) and it’s normal to think that there’s not much to do other than sit around and read books. So, for those eager to go out and explore snowy Minnesota here’s a compiled list of 5 Winter Activities to do In Minnesota.

1. Visit the Holidazzle Village

Located in Downtown Minneapolis the Holidazzle starts off on November 28th with a parade, fireworks, lights, and a whole lot of singing. Although the parade only happens, to open up the festivities, the celebration continues. Take a stroll down Nicolette Avenue with family and friends, and you will come across the Holidazzle Village. It’s free of charge, and takes place from November 28th to December 21st. We bet we’ll be “dazzled”!

2. Go to Bentleyville,”Tour of Lights”

A successful and annual event in Duluth, MN. Be ready to be really cold!! Due to the Lake Effect Duluth is always a bit chillier than the Twin Cities.

If you decide to go to Bentleyville (which we totally recommend you do), put on extra layers and be ready to have fun! It takes about an hour to go through all the tour. But, people usually take up more time to stop for hot cocoa and cookies served throughout the tour. There is also the option of getting marshmallows, which you can enjoy over a fire with some hot cider. However, don’t take our word for it! Go, and let us know what you think!

3. Snowmobiling

After doing some research on where to do this, we came up that Ely, MN was one of the best places to go snowmobiling in. The trails seem to be famous, and one of them cross over three state forests! There are several options as to how long you can decide to go. For example, the 170 mile Taconite Trail, or the 80 mile Tomahawk Trail, both of them providing amazing scenic routes. There are other several options to choose from, of course, but those two seem to be the most famous ones.

4. Skijoring and Dog Sledding

What is Skijoring you ask? Well, if you’ve ski or dog sled before, you probably already have a good idea. Basically, Skijoring is skiing while you have a dog pull on you. Almost like a mix of dog sledding and skiing, if you will. There are six different parks at which you can do this at. All of them are under the link provided by the Three Rivers Park District. All six of them have different trails, and distances you can choose from.

5. Participate in the Saint Paul Winter Carnaval

This Carnival takes on a little later in the year. Starting off on January 22nd and resuming on February 1st, the Carnival is filled with family-fun, day-to-day activities. Mostly all taking place in Rice Park, you can expect a day with up to 23 different events all going on throughout the day. So, you can pick and choose whichever you want to go to!

The story behind the St. Paul Winter Carnival stars with a New York journalist describing St.Paul as “another Siberia, unfit for human habitation” during winter. Offended by the journalist’s remark, the Saint Paul Chamber of Commerce decided to prove otherwise, thus the Saint Paul Winter Carnival.

So, dear reader that’s where we end our post. Have you done or are thinking about doing any of these activities? Let us know, and until next time!

Property Searching Tips and Guidelines

If you need to find the perfect home you have envisioned, then you will likely have a fairly good idea of the things you’re looking for. Get your priorities right and focus on making a good plan for your searching efforts. There are a few things you may easily forget while you focus on the bigger picture, so the following tips aim to give you an idea what you can do to make things work out to your advantage.

Setting your priorities

Before you start the search, you will need to make sure you have all things you need to have in your home down on paper, so you can keep track of them during the search. Once you do that, pick the ones you know you will need to have no matter what. Once you start looking you should make sure you keep your priorities tight and with a good list on hand. This will allow you to track things with greater efficiency.

Comparing things

Once you have gone through no less than a dozen homes, you will likely begin to lose track of all the details you may be dealing with. You would do well to keep a chart or checklist of the features you saw in each of the homes you went through for future reference. Once you finish things with the basics, you will need to cover other things such as exterior decorations, natural light, roofs and more. You can use that chart to keep track of the search, so make sure you do so for your future searches if you’re not doing one now.

Home walkthroughs

When you do a tour of a home for your first time, you will likely feel overwhelmed and excited if the place is nice. This will make you less likely to notice any inherent problems the home may have, so keep your eyes open for such even if you’re having fun in the process.

Floor plan and measurements

Make sure you have your furniture well measured and ready to move before you find the right home. You would do well to be ready for this before you start your search just in case, as it will allow you to pack and move fast and without any delays that would set you back financially. Something else you need to do is keep a good floor plan so you can figure out which items will fit well and which will need more work and whether they really need to be moved or not.

About the Author: Heather Roberts is a content writer from London, UK. She lives in Balham, London with her husband and two sons, and loves planning family trips and exploring new places.

Different Thanksgiving Traditions Around the U.S.

1. The Turkey Trot

It’s possible that most of us will be in a food coma after Thanksgiving dinner. Yet, there will be a few ambitious people out there who will want to enjoy a good run before the evening festivities even begin. Lucky for you the Turkey Trot is held nationwide. You have two options to either run the 5K, or if you’re feeling extra sporty you can choose to run the 10K. If you live in the Twin Cities and you’d like to burn those extra calories for the night’s upcoming feasts, then sign up here for Minneapolis or here for St. Paul!

2. Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Now in its 88th year, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade has become one of the most televised and most anticipated events of the holiday season. Held in New York City and attended by more than 3 million people, it is certainly one of the most popular events of the year. Worry not reader, if you can’t make it and join the other 3.5 million people in the Big Apple, there will be over 50 million tuning in to watch the parade on TV alone!

3. Plimoth Plantation (Plymouth, Massachusetts)

Serving as fun way to learn about history, the Plimoth Plantation offers various options from workshops for kids and adults alike to showcase what the 17th century celebrations might have resembled. We think a nice trip down memory lane would be an exciting new Thanksgiving tradition!

4. 6abc Dunkin’ Donuts Thanksgiving Day Parade

Parades are huge during Thanksgiving, both literally and figuratively! The 6abc- Dunkin’ Donuts Thanksgiving Day Parade is the oldest parade in the U.S., and has been widely known to have Disney stars performing in it. Can’t wait to see who’s performing this year!

5. Jamestown Settlement, Virginia

If you’re all about history, you’ll love this place! The Jamestown Settlement has historical reenactments and shows, but also takes time to highlight the importance of the military’s involvement through U.S. history. Not to mention they have exact replicas of the settler’s ships – pretty cool!

6. Volunteering

This is of course a nationwide occurrence. Many philanthropists and do-gooders around the nation celebrate Turkey Day by either donating or volunteering to charities and special causes. If you’re one of them, then we have one more thing to be thankful for this Thanksgiving!

7. Blessing of The Hounds (Aiken, South Carolina)

Aiken’s century long tradition is filled with history – the annual event dates back to almost the 8th century! This tradition gathers hundreds of foxhounds and huntsmen that are all blessed under one priest. It’s definitely different than any tradition we’re familiar with – let us know what you think!

8. Wine County Thanksgiving (Willamette Valley, Oregon)

Are you all about that wine? Then you should definitely take a trip to Oregon! This vineyard opens its doors to families and friends, all gathered to celebrate the completion of another harvest!

9. Uptown Holiday Lighting (Houston, Texas)

Are you a fan of pretty, twinkling lights? Then this is the place for you! This ceremony combines all the Christmas and Thanksgiving sprit in one big event. Fireworks, live music, and an exclusive Santa appearance makes this a great new potential Thanksgiving tradition!

10. The Hollywood Christmas Parade

Want to be starstruck? Then you have to come to this event! This parade takes place the Sunday after Thanksgiving. So after all your Black Friday shopping is done, take a stroll down Hollywood Boulevard in your new outfit and you might get to see some of your favorite singers!

What are your favorite Thanksgiving traditions? We’d be thankful if you share them with us in the comments! Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!

20 Best Cities for Trick or Treating 2014

Housing giant Zillow has done it again, and released it’s 6th annual “Trick or Treating Index”, which ranks the top 20 cities in the US for collecting candy. Ratings are based on where to find the most candy, the safest streets and the least amount of walking between houses. While San Francisco may have stolen the spot for #1, our very own Minneapolis ranked #14, beating out Phoenix, Columbus and Milwaukee! Woohoo! For a deeper look into this madness and breakdown of the hottest neighborhoods, the full article from Zillow can be found here.

20 Best Cities for Trick or Treating

San Francisco 11. Denver
Los Angeles 12. Pittsburg
Chicago 13. Washington
Philadelphia 14. Minneapolis
San Jose 15. Virginia Beach
Honolulu 16. Phoenix
Boston 17. Columbus
Seattle 18. Milwaukee
San Diego 19. Las Vegas
Portland 20. Baltimore

In addition, they even took the guess work out of finding exactly where to go and ranked the hottest neighborhoods within each city. How sweet is that?! So before you and your brood hit the pavement on Halloween, check out the list below for the go to neighborhoods in Minneapolis. Ambitious trick or treaters may even embrace this challenge and try to hit up all five neighborhoods. If that is the case, consider using the route developed by City Pages to ensure you make it to them all before bedtime hits!

Top 5 Neighborhoods in Minneapolis

Linden Hills
Lynnhurst
Cedar-Isles
Fulton
Tangletown

So there you have it readers, a list of the top 20 cities for trick or treating. With Minneapolis weighing in at #14, and a list of the best neighborhoods to hit, we can bet that our pillowcases will be overflowing with treats by the end of the night! Again, for more details check out Zillow’s entire ranking at “20 Best Cities for Trick or Treating“. Happy (almost) Halloween!

Minneapolis Metro Housing Market Shifts to Note in 2nd Half of 2014

This press release was originally published by PRWeb.

Home Destination finds several Minneapolis metro housing market shifts to note in the 2nd half of 2014 after the Department of Numbers and MAAR released recent Twin Cities housing data. Home Destination, a Minneapolis residential realtor with RE/MAX Results, shares the Minneapolis real estate reports and comments on what home buyers and sellers can anticipate till the year’s end.

Minneapolis, Twin Cities Minnesota (PRWEB) July 20, 2014

Minneapolis metro housing market shifts to note in the 2nd half of 2014 from reports released by theDepartment of Numbers, and MAAR reveal critical shifts in the Twin Cities housing market trends.

“Midway through the year, The Twin Cities home sales are beaten by last year’s by almost 10 percent after foul weather dampened the spring housing market season,” says Jenna Thuening, owner of Home Destination. “It is quite impressive that as Minneapolis home prices and listings continue to rise, there’s a positive optimism that the second half of the year will be strong.”

According to a report from the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors for the week ending July 5, three sets of housing data show remarkable improvements.

The number of new real estate listings increased 14.8% to 1,269

Pending home sales improved 17.4% to 1,045

Available housing inventory increased 7.7% to 17,587

Additionally, here are 5 Shitfs in the Twin Cites Housing Market according to Home Destination’s summary of the two reports.

1. Asking Prices Homes Listed In Twin Cities Real Estate Improve

At the halfway point in July 2014, there were approximately 19,056 single-family residential homes and condo dwellings on the market for sale in Minneapolis Minnesota. The median asking price by sellers for these properties ran near $253,525, according to the report. “Since this time last year, the inventory of homes for sale has increased by 33.4%, and the median price has increased by 7.9%.”

2. Uptick in Available Twin Cities Real Estate Listings

June closed with 8,315 new Twin Cities real estate listing added to the market, making it easier for home buyers to find the home they want. If one compares the number of homes available to this time one year ago, housing inventory is up 8.9 percent. With more to choose from, Twin Cities home buyers who hoped to find what they want are pleased. While bidding wars still erupt, buyers have more choices than available in some time.

3. Upswing in Pending Sales of Traditional Homes

New consumer optimism stems from the drop in Twin Cities home foreclosures and short sales, which has weighed down several aspects of the housing market. In June, there was an inspiring up swing of 12 percent in pending sales of traditional homes, which is given credit for helping median home values rise 4.7 percent to $219,000. Overall, however, sales in June were down 2.2 percent to 5,531 sales.

4. Better Clip in the Time It Takes to Successfully Sell a Home

The month of June 2014 saw a drop from 73 days on the housing market till sale in 2013 to 71 days. That is a +2.8% improvement that permits sellers to close the deal and move on to the next home at a better pace. This means that sellers must be prepared to move to another home in less time. This indicator suggests a transition from rapid recovery toward a steady pace that should mean stability.

5. More Homeowners are Above Water With Sufficient Home Equity to Move

Housing data found back in June of 2013 places the median home sale price at $185,000. This June, Twin Cities home sellers’ median home price for a sold home was $191,550, a welcome increase of 3.5%. The average home sold for $223,503 in June 2013 and for $237,404 in June this year, a significant change of +6.2%.

“Yes there’s more inventory, but not in all areas or price points,” stated Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors president Emily Green in the June 11 article titled Twin Cities Has Largest Pool of Homes for Sale in Almost a Year. “This market has been supply-constrained for long enough, but the trend is moving in a positive direction.”

“When talking to prospective clients, most home buyers and sellers seem to be more confident about real estate. The steadiness of the Twin Cities housing market climb upwards seems more trustworthy to many than if we had astonishing highs,” adds Thuening. “Being rated again as one of the top cities to live in the entire U.S makes Minneapolis residents appreciate what we have more.”

Home Destination has been regarded as a competent Twin Cities Realtor for over 15 years. Minneapolis homeowners who are interested in selling a home can call Jenna Thuening for free, no-obligation market analysis at 612-396-7832.

Read the original press release publication on PRWeb.com.

Unique Eats at the Minnesota State Fair

Find the original article here: 8 wacky foods you can eat at the Minnesota State Fair – Travel – TODAY.com.

It’s finally here! Every Minnesotan’s favorite summer activity – aka the Minnesota State Fair – is beginning this week and it lasts all the way through Labor Day. This year, along with some majorly cool concerts and classic carnival rides, there is some CUH-RAZY cuisine that all fairgoers (veterans and newcomers alike) must try. Does chocolate dessert salami sound a little out of your comfort zone? Not to worry. For you less gutsy gastronomes, there are novel dishes that are guaranteed to please, including a bacon-wrapped turkey leg and beer gelato. Now that we know we’ve got your mouth watering, finish reading about more of the fair’s new fare here.

Once you’ve wiped the drool off your keyboard (it’s okay, we understand), let us know: what new dishes are you looking forward to trying at the State Fair this year? What are your favorite standbys? Give us “the dish” in the comments!

Minneapolis Real Estate Market Conditions Heading Into Summer 2014

Minneapolis Real Estate Market Conditions Heading Into Summer 2014 (via PRWeb)

Minneapolis real estate market conditions heading into summer, while mixed, offer a positive outlook for prospective home buyers and seller, according to MAAR’s summary of May’s housing data. Home Destination, a Twin Cities residential Realtor with…

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125 Fun Things to Do in Minnesota this June

Festivals, concerts, and fairs – oh my! From ArtSoup to the Zumbrota Covered Bridge Music & Arts Festival, there’s an event for everyone happening this month. Offering tons of food, music, and good old-fashioned fun, here are some of June’s must-do events in Minnesota (and one in Wisconsin that’s definitely worth the trip).

The events are listed in chronological order. Click the links for more info.

5/30 – 6/7	Lake Fest	Forest Lake
5/31 – 6/7	Hawley Rodeo Fest	Hawley
5/31 – 6/7	I Love Burnsville Week	Burnsville
6/1	Grand Old Day 2014	St. Paul
6/5 – 6/8	Tower Days	Spring Lake Park
6/6 – 6/8	Bullhead Days	Waterville
6/6 – 6/8	Cyrus Days	Cyrus
6/6	Dairy Day Celebration	Hutchinson
6/6 – 6/8	Edina Art Fair	Edina
6/6 – 6/8	Father Hennepin Festival	Champlin
6/6 – 6/7	Nisswa-Stamman Scandinavian Folk Festival	Nisswa
6/6 – 6/8	Pine Island Cheese Festival	Pine Island
6/6 – 6/20	Spring Art Expo	Cook
6/6	Twin Cities Electric Run	St. Paul
6/7 – 6/8	Annual Fountain Trail Days	Fountain
6/7	Art in the Hollow	Swede Hollow Park, St. Paul
6/7	St. Paul Summer Beerfest	St. Paul
6/7	Explore your Parks Day	Lake Elmo
6/7	Frazee Crazy Daze	Frazee
6/7	Greyfest 2014	Shoreview
6/7 – 6/8	June Bloom Wine Event	Great River Road
6/7	OtterJam 2014	Ottertail
6/7	Rhubarb Festival	Lanesboro
6/7	St. Anthony Park Arts Festival	St. Paul
6/8 – 6/15	Buffalo Days	Buffalo
6/8	Lyn Lake Street Festival	Minneapolis
6/9 – 6/15	Hutchinson Jaycee Water Carnival	Hutchinson
6/10 – 6/15	2014 Wizard of Oz Festival	Grand Rapids
6/11 – 6/15	Albertville Friendly City Days	Albertville
6/11	Friends of Ramsey Park Jamboree	Redwood Falls
6/11 – 6/14	Kick’n Up Kountry Music Festival	Karlstad
6/11 – 6/16	Steamboat Days Winona	Winona
6/12 – 8/3	2014 Minnesota Biennial	St. Paul
6/12 – 6/15	50th Annual Tater Daze	Brooklyn Park
6/12 – 6/15	Barnum Spring Fever Days	Barnum
6/12 – 6/15	Mapleton Town & Country Days	Mapleton
6/12 – 6/15	Parktacular Celebration	St. Louis Park
6/13 – 6/15	Cuyuna Lakes Mountain Bike Festival	Crosby
6/13 – 6/18	Foley Fun Days	Foley
6/13 – 6/15	Gammel Dag Fest	Peterson
6/13 – 6/14	Interlaken Heritage Days	Fairmont
6/13 – 6/14	Lake Crystal Duck Days Celebration	Lake Crystal
6/13 – 6/15	Onamia Days	Onamia
6/13 – 6/14	Fergus Falls Summer Fest	Fergus Falls
6/13 – 6/14	Wannigan Days	Taylor Falls
6/13 – 6/14	Winstock Festival	Winsted
6/14	3rd Annual Northeast Ride	Northeast Minneapolis
6/14 – 6/15	Art on the Lake	Excelsior
6/14	Bigfork Wilderness Days	Bigfork
6/14	Finnish-American Summer Festival	Embarrass
6/14	Japanese Garden Festival	Bloomington
6/14	Juneteenth	Minneapolis
6/14	Midsommar Celebration	Minneapolis
6/14	National Get Outdoors Day	Multiple locations
6/14	Northern Spark	Minneapolis
6/14 – 6/22	Perham Turtle Fest	Perham
6/14 – 6/15	Solstice Outdoor Music Festival	Mankato
6/14 – 6/15	Stone Arch Bridge Festival	Minneapolis
6/14	Twin Cities World Refugee Day	St. Paul
6/15	Chocolate, Shakespeare, & Champagne	Winona
6/15	Falls Festival on Foot	Little Falls
6/15	Lanesboro Art in the Park	Lanesboro
6/17 – 6/21	Farmington Dew Days	Farmington
6/17	Fourth Summer Food Fest	Blaine
6/17 – 6/22	Willmar Fest	Willmar
6/18 – 6/19	Faribault Heritage Celebration	Faribault
6/18 – 6/22	Rockin’ Rogers Days	Rogers
6/19 – 6/22	Cottage Grove Strawberry Fest	Cottage Grove
6/19 – 6/22	Dan Patch Days	Savage
6/19 – 6/22	Howard Lake Good Neighbor Days	Howard Lake
6/19 – 6/22	Hennepin County Fair	Corcoran
6/19 – 6/21	June Jubilee Family Fun Day	Wadena
6/19 – 7/4	Manitou Days	White Bear Lake
6/19 – 6/22	Zumbrota Covered Bridge Music & Arts Festival	Zumbrota
6/20 – 6/22	150th Sesquicentennial Celebration of Redwood Falls	Redwood Falls
6/20 – 6/22	Prairie Fest	Long Prairie
6/20	Redwood Falls Community Parade	Redwood Falls
6/20 – 6/29	Rochesterfest	Rochester
6/20 – 6/21	Roseau Scandinavian Festival	Roseau
6/20 – 6/22	Sherburn Holiday Festival	Sherburn
6/21	3rd Annual Summer Party in New Ulm	New Ulm
6/21	50th & Bryant Street Fest	Minneapolis
6/21 – 6/22	Afton Strawberry Fest	Afton
6/21	Freedom Days of Becker	Becker
6/21 – 6/22	GermanFest	St. Paul
6/21 – 6/22	Rock the Garden	Minneapolis
6/21	Solstice Music and Arts Fair	Clearwater
6/21	Walk Around the World International Festival	Rochester
6/23 – 6/28	Plein Air Art and Music Festival	Red Wing
6/25 – 6/29	58th Annual Columbia Heights Jamboree	Columbia Heights
6/25 – 6/28	Norman County Fair	Ada
6/25 – 6/29	Summerfest	Milwaukee, WI
6/26 – 6/29	Cass County Fair	Pine River
6/26	Walker Crazy Days	Walker
6/26 – 6/29	Dawson Riverfest	Dawson
6/26 – 6/28	Earle Brown Days	Brooklyn Center
6/26 – 6/29	Fridley ’49er Days Festival	Fridley
6/26 – 6/28	Jazz Festival	St. Paul
6/26 – 6/29	Riverside Days	Springfield
6/26 – 6/30	Rosefest	Roseville
6/26 – 6/28	Watertower Festival	Pipestone
6/27 – 6/29	Blaine Festival	Blaine
6/27 – 6/29	Browerville Heritage Days	Browerville
6/27 – 6/28	Ethnic Dance Theatre: 40th Anniversary	Minneapolis
6/27 – 6/29	Kaposia Days	St. Paul
6/27 – 6/29	Meadowfest 2014	Grand Meadow
6/27 – 6/28	Melrose Riverfest	Melrose
6/27 – 6/28	Midwest Viking Festival and Scandinavian Hjemkomst Festival	Moorhead
6/27 – 6/29	Pine River Summerfest	Pine River
6/27 – 6/29	Red Lake County Fair	Oklee
6/27	Special Olympics Minnesota Summer Games 5k	Oak Park Heights
6/28	ArtSoup in Elk River	Elk River
6/28	Burwell Art Fair	Minnetonka
6/28	Burwell House Festival	Minnetonka
6/28 – 6/29	Eagan Art Festival	Eagan
6/28 – 7/4	Freedom Days in Apple Valley	Apple Valley
6/28 – 6/30	Paul Bunyan Days	Akeley
6/28	Pet-A-Palooza	St. Paul
6/28	St. Boni Spass-Tagen Fun Days	St. Bonifacius
6/28 – 6/29	Twin Cities Pride Festival	Loring Park, Minneapolis
6/28 – 6/29	Wayzata Art Experience	Wayzata
6/29	MN Food Truck Fair	Uptown Minneapolis
6/29	Svenskarnas Dag	Minnehaha Park
6/29	Vikingland Band Festival	Alexandria
6/30 – 7/6	Military Family Week at the Minnesota Zoo	Apple Valley