Things To Do

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.

Construction had caused the Uptown Art Fair to be canceled, but then it was moved to Bachman's on Lyndale Avenue in Minneapolis to keep the fair going. FOX 9's Babs Santos has the story.

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.

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.

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, 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.

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.

Magical creatures have joined the sharks, stingrays and tropical fish at Sea Life at Mall of America. Mermaids are back July 18 through Aug. 9. They will appear underwater and offer meet and greets on land on Thursdays, Fridays, Sundays and Mondays from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sea Life is located on Level One East at the Mall of America. The event does require a special mermaid event ticket.

The new development overlooking Target Field is complete and all the penthouse apartments on the 34th floor are spoken for. North Loop Green mixes office space, luxury living, short-term rentals, several new dining options and one acre of green space that will host more than 100 events this summer alone. To check out the list of events follow North Loop Green on social media.

Harvest season is unfolding and visitors to the Arboretum can get involved in the process on Saturdays through Aug. 31. The Arboretum?s farm will have a different theme each weekend including digging up potatoes to harvesting soybeans, corn and grain. The ?Fun at the Arb? will be Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission to the farm is included with general admission to the Arboretum and free for members. July 20 is Pickle Day; July 27 is Potato Dig; Aug. 3 is Honey Harvest & Flowers for Pollinators; Aug. 10 is Sunflower Experience; Aug. 17 is Kernza & Perennial Grains; Aug. 24 is Soybean Harvest; and Aug. 31 is Corn Harvest.

Tour 10 unique Twin Cities metro gardens on Saturday as part of the Hennepin County Master Gardener Volunteer Learning Tour. The event is on Saturday, July 13, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Education is folded into this tour with 100+ Master Gardeners stationed at the featured gardens to answer your questions. Tickets to the tour, purchased in advance are $15 or $20 the day of. Children under 12 are free with a paying adult.

For the last year, work has been ongoing to preserve and restore a historic Minneapolis home. Two local entrepreneurs purchased the Pillsbury Mansion in 2023 and brought in 30 designers to furnish the 10,000 sq ft home. The home will be open for tours from July 12-28, and then the owners will move into the home. For more history on the house and to purchase tickets, visit PillsburyCastle.com