FREE Family Summer Fun - Twin Cities and Beyond

It's that time of year again! There are so many things to do in our beautiful city over the summer and so many of them are FREE! I need a place to keep track of them all, and a blog post seemed like the natural place to write it all down and SHARE it, too!!

First and foremost, we headed out to our first Movie in the Park last night! We saw E.T.! So fun to see an old classic on the big screen! There are movies in the park EVERY night in Minneapolis. The inflatable mobile screen makes an appearance at a different park each night. Bring your picnic blankets and/or lawn chairs, snacks, drinks, and bug repellent! We tend to go early to appreciate the playgrounds, pools, splash pads or large fields for flying kites! Lots of kids come in pajamas with their pillows for an easy transition to bed once the movie is over.Check out the schedule here:

Minneapolis Movies in the Park 2013

If the movie of the night isn't your thing or it's too late at night for your kiddos, check out the Music in the Park schedule. Music happens every night at the Lake Harriet Band Shell (7:30PM), Mondays at Nicollet Island (7PM), Tuesdays at Father Hennepin Bluffs (7PM), Wednesday-Friday at Minnehaha Falls (7PM), and Tuesdays & Thursdays at Bryant Square (6:30PM):

Minneapolis Music in the Park 2013

Thursday nights you can head on over to see the Twin Cities River Rats waterski show! Find your seat on the banks of the Mississippi right off West River Road just south of Broadway Avenue. Most shows begin at 7pm. Concessions are usually available. Don't forget your camera! We like to go several times over the summer to watch the performance get better and better over the season:

Twin Cities River Rats

Like to DANCE with your music? Attend one of the Nine Nights of Music at the Minnesota History Center in St. Paul - Tuesdays, July 2nd-August 27th. Dance instruction by the Tapestry Folkdance Center begins at 6:30pm. Concerts are from 7-8:30pm. Each night features a different culture and style of music:

Nine Nights of Music

Ordway's Summer Dance Series also offers free dance lessons and live music at Rice Park in St. Paul on Thursdays beginning this week: June 13th-July 25th. Lessons at 5:30pm, Music at 7:15pm. This series has indoor venues in case of rain. Check out the website:

Ordway's Summer Dance Series

Cromulent Shakespeare Company presents free performances of Romeo and Juliet in various parks around Minneapolis and St. Paul every weekend in June. Friday and Saturday shows are at 7pm. Sunday shows are at 2pm:

Shakespeare in the Park

Open Eye Theatre's Driveway Tour offers puppet shows at parks throughout the city (and surrounding suburbs) all summer long. Performance times range from 10am-7pm. They are offering FOUR different shows this summer! Check it out:

Driveway Tour - Puppet Shows

As the summer winds down, Como Park and Conservatory offers free music, lawn games, bounce house & climbing wall on Wednesday nights - August - mid-September from 6-9pm. A number of other free special events are happening at Como Park. Check out the full schedule here:

Como Park Zoo & Conservatory Special Events

Is it raining or too hot to be outside? Check out:

Minneapolis Institute of Art (always free) or
Walker Art Center (free every Thursday night from 5-9pm and first Saturdays from 10am-3pm)

I like to look through the schedules and mark the movies & concerts we might like to see on my calendar. Then I know what's available if we happen to have free time that night.

Have a GREAT summer!