Neighborhood Highlights

The true measure of success for the North Loop Neighborhood Association is connection—and in 2025, those connections were made thousands of times over.

All that we do is accomplished by an all-volunteer board of directors, an ever-expanding list of volunteers, and increasing numbers of North Loop small businesses, who generously join us in continuing to build and strengthen our great community.

We have also been fortunate to have the support of our great city, and those who work to represent us in everything we do.

Here’s a 2025 snapshot. We’re looking forward to a great 2026!

Community Engagement

The overarching NLNA community engagement goal is simple: connect neighbors to neighbors, neighbors to local businesses, and people from across the city to everything we love about the North Loop. In 2025, we succeeded on all fronts. Here are some highlights:

January – Annual Meeting & After Party
We kicked off the year with a highly successful North Loop Annual Meeting and After Party. Nearly 400 residents and workers gathered at The Underground for an evening of information, conversation, and connection. We held a robust election, heard from city officials, collected feedback, and energized our volunteer teams for the year ahead.

April – Candy Grab
Our annual Candy Grab brought hundreds of kids and family members to North Loop Green. The heart of this event is the collective effort of dozens of neighbors who stuffed thousands of eggs with candy. Filling the North Loop with laughter and joy reminds us how powerful shared moments can be in building community.

August – North Loop Food Truck Fair
Once again the Food Truck Fair delivered an unforgettable summer celebration. With incredible partners, great volunteers, dozens of sponsors, and more than 30 food trucks, approximately 16,000 people gathered to enjoy great food, drinks, and time together on the lawn. While this event requires an enormous amount of work, it remains one of our best opportunities to connect large crowds to the energy and spirit of the North Loop.

August – National Night Out
Our National Night Out celebration featured a pizza picnic, a movie, and popcorn at Target Field Station. Few things feel more communal—or more North Loop—than neighbors sharing a meal and a movie together.

October – Halloween Party 

Despite 30-degree weather, hundreds of people showed up for our annual outdoor Halloween Party at North Loop Green. That kind of turnout says something about Minnesota toughness, but more importantly, it reflects the value these events hold for our community.

In Addition:

• Organized Service Saturday projects each month from April through November, including riverfront maintenance, litter pick-up and an emergency food drive.
• Applied for and was awarded $5,233 from Meet Minneapolis’ first ever Community Events Assistance Program (CEAP) to help fund our neighborhood Food Truck Fair.

Business Engagement

• Managed and facilitated Consultant’s research project of how NLNA can better support NL businesses – including online surveys, small group workshops, 1-1 meetings, community comparisons, case studies and business leadership conversations.
• Provided feedback on Consultant’s key findings, recommendations and final presentation to NLNA Board for approval to create a membership-based business association under the NLNA umbrella organization.
• The BE Committee is working to finalize the business association program, marketing, recruitment and initial launch in 2026. 
• Coordinated four quarterly Business Socials; generously hosted by Underground Music Venue, North Loop Wine & Spirits, Graze & North House.

Communications

• Introduced a new Neighborhood Guide highlighting everything from coffee shops to fitness centers to salons to retailers and restaurants to help visitors and new residents get to know the North Loop.
• The online neighborhood map was overhauled for easier searching and navigation.
• Used our communications platforms to welcome new businesses and highlight notable neighborhood events. 
• Shared neighborhood news through our social media channels (43,000 followers), newsletter (3800 subscribers) and website.

Neighborhood Support

• Provided 200 winter resource kits to Metro Transit police for distribution to unhoused and others in need.
• Continued our third year of partnership with Avivo Village residents working with NL volunteers to pick up over 200 bags of litter, helping keep the NL clean!
• Continued directing the North Loop Organics program, transitioning its management to a NL super volunteer, with the goal of increasing residential building participation and addition of another organics drop-off site.

Safety

• Partnered with Council Member Rainville, several City departments and Washington Ave. bars to secure ride-share zones on Friday and Saturday nights that reduce congestion and increase safety.
• Conducted regular safety walks to monitor and report street light outages.

Planning+Zoning

• Held 10 meetings throughout the year:
  • Heard 23 presentations from developers, business owners, community organizations, and residents on topics ranging from liquor licenses, signage, and the rehabilitation/reuse of existing buildings or space, among others. 
  • Issued 15 letters of support (several with recommendations or conditions) regarding proposed development or projects in the neighborhood.
• Developed and implemented a Planning and Zoning Checklist to help committee members and project developers identify key questions and issues to address during committee deliberations on proposed projects.
• Worked to more formally incorporate safety and livability issues and concerns into the Planning and Zoning Committee’s mission and focus.
• Continued to monitor and comment on the Metropolitan Transit Commission’s plans to extend the Blue Line Light Rail through the neighborhood into the northern suburbs.   
• Worked to obtain business support for adding art to various electrical boxes in the neighborhood – a project which will continue in 2026.

Parks+Public Art

• Won approval and finalized plans with the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board (MPRB) for our new N 3^rd St. neighborhood park. Expect first phase construction to begin in ’26.
• Working with MPRB to start implementing the Friends of the Mississippi plan for improvements in the Bassett Creek area of James I. Rice Park.
• As a result of continued NL volunteer effort to control invasive plant species along the riverbank, NLNA and MPRB can start planning the next phase of the Friends of the Mississippi plan for the riverbank area of the park.
• Planted tulip bulbs in James I. Rice Park.
• Secured a $7500 grant from Hennepin County to plant more trees in 2026 along the river and around the neighborhood.
• Awaiting MPRB approval on James I. Rice Park stewardship agreement.
• Worked with MPRB to have mulch donated and tools provided for Service Saturday event; managed volunteers to spread mulch across playground garden beds.
• Despite a fire destroying our hoses and tools, garden beds were maintained – including arranging for additional boulders to be added, and summer weeding. Tools storage unit was refurbished and ready for new tools for 2026 season.
• Neighborhood trees continued to be monitored and managed to assure we sustain and build on our North Loop tree infrastructure.
• Given the heavy rains this year, it was unnecessary to call upon neighbors, businesses and contracted providers to supplement tree watering as we do in drier years. 
• Continued working with Downtown DID, which manages street trees for the North Loop on behalf of MPRB.
• Continued to strengthen the relationship between NLNA and the NL arts community. Supported promotion of two arts events.