North Loop Says “Yes!” to Community
More than 400 North Loop residents and business reps packed into The Rabbit Hole for the North Loop Neighborhood Association’s 2026 Annual Meeting on January 28. The theme of the event was “Say Yes,” emphasizing the importance of building community within a neighborhood that is both a residential and entertainment district. Nearly 300 people said “yes” to volunteering for service projects, events and promotional efforts.
“A great neighborhood enjoys wonderful restaurants, coffeehouses, bars, boutiques and architecture,” said NLNA Board Member Scott Woller. “But the foundation of a healthy community is its people. While our density makes North Loop walkable and vibrant, it doesn’t guarantee connection. Saying ‘yes’ to serving your neighborhood and becoming truly invested in our neighbors makes those vital connections.”
Community Feedback
Event attendees used an app to answer survey questions about why they attended the Annual Meeting, their favorite North Loop spots and ideas on how to make the North Loop better. Out of 304 people who responded when asked, 53 percent said it was their first Annual Meeting. Sixty-two percent said they attended to “celebrate the North Loop,” followed by “Not gonna lie, for the swag bags” at 41 percent. “Curious about what it’s all about” came in third at 37 percent (respondents could select up to four reasons for attending).
When asked what keeps them in the North Loop and/or what the strongest part of the North Loop is, walkability was the top answer.
The Word Cloud results to the “What keeps you in the North Loop?” survey question.
Ideas to improve the North Loop ranged from adding a grocery store, resident discount cards, more stop signs and safer crosswalks to more public art and an outdoor skating rink in the winter. The NLNA board will sort through all the great feedback and ideas at its February 25 board meeting.
2026 Board Members Elected
Thirty-three percent of those who attended said they came to vote for new board members. There were seven open board seats this year; five incumbents were re-elected and two new members, Caroline Blackford and Gwen Hollins, were elected to their first terms. NLNA Board President Diane Merrifield, Community Engagement Chair Scott Woller, Parks + Public Art Committee Member Andrew Morse, Treasurer Jeff Vranicar and Secretary Ali Odenthal were all re-elected.
The newly elected 2026 Board of Directors (the full board consists of 11 volunteers; pictured here are those just elected).
North Loop Generosity
More than 1,100 pounds of food and supplies was collected for CES (Community Emergency Service), a Minneapolis food shelf and Meals on Wheels provider serving the community since 1971. There were so many donations that Tess Downey of CES had to return to The Rabbit Hole the next day with a larger truck to fit everything. When she arrived with the donations on Thursday afternoon she texted, “We are already starting to give out some [donations] to neighbors tonight, thank you so much!”
North Loopers were so generous that CES had to come back the next day with a bigger truck to retrieve everything.
North Loop Businesses Contribute
The first 400 attendees received swag bags with coupons and freebies from more than 25 North Loop businesses. In addition, raffle tickets sales raised more than $2500 for NLNA projects for the coming year. Raffle prizes featured themed North Loop experiences, everything from romantic dinners to shopping sprees as well as fitness deals, and beauty/spa treatments.
Volunteers assembled North Loop goodies for 400 swag bags the night before the Annual Meeting.
You Can Say “Yes” Too!
If you weren’t at the Annual Meeting but want to volunteer, send an e-mail to volunteer@northloop.org and tell us what you’re interested in: riverfront beautification, street/sidewalk clean-up, event planning, public art, writing, photography, video production or anything else! And thank you!
By Mary Binkley, NLNA Board Member + Volunteer