BIRDWATCHING, FISH FACTS, AND PADDLING ADVENTURES: -- DISCOVER WHAT MAKES MINNESOTA COME ALIVE.
Endless Exploration
One of the things I loved as a child was exploring at our family cabin. I would hop in the canoe or paddle boat, and take off across the lake to make up some adventure. Sometimes I was alone, sometimes I was with friends, but these excursions would take up hours of the day with little need for adult input. Laughing, asking questions, and continually wanting to absorb new things seem to be a part of a young person’s DNA. Now, exploring for me has turned into more of a wish list of goals and trips I hope to accomplish. Few I have been blessed to achieve, many have changed priority, and there are those that I might never experience. Despite the outcome, I am still motivated. It's refreshing to hear that there is still a good portion of people who have created their own version of a wish list. One friend wanted to visit 50 countries by age fifty. One had a childhood dream of learning to play the violin and was seeking to enroll in lessons.
We're hoping this issue inspires you.
Andrew Vick, one of our amazing photographers, who lives locally here in Edina, shares his family’s joy for adventure on Minnehaha Creek. It’s something simple and free right at our fingertips, and if you haven’t had the pleasure of floating, it’s something you might want to try!
We connected with Great Lakes Aquarium this summer to learn what’s new in their neck of the woods. This is an educational, family-friendly spot to check out on a summer road trip, or you can even make a day of it. Packed with everything fun about the Great Lakes, the exhibits are both entertaining and educational.
Birdwatching can be a fascinating and simple way to explore nature. Personally, I use the Merlin app on my phone to pick up and analyze all of the bird calls around me. There are some pretty fun and surprising varieties that pop up!
Escaping to a beautiful, foreign destination can always spark adventure. Whether you book it on your own or have a professional travel planner put it together, exploring the south of France may be in your near future.
Finally, we have added some positive life habits from trainer Jen Cohen that you might want to incorporate into your daily routine.
"Not all those who wander are lost." — J.R.R. Tolkien
July 2026
PUBLISHER
Alexandra Patty | alexandra.patty@citylifestyle.com
EDITOR
Sarah Knieff | sarah.knieff@citylifestyle.com
PUBLICATION DIRECTOR
Susan Shannon | susan.shannon@citylifestyle.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Susan Lanier-Graham, Kali Kasprzyk, Sarah Knieff, Marshall Zweig
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Susan Lanier-Graham, Janie Jones, Andrew Vick
Corporate Team
CEO Steven Schowengerdt
President Matthew Perry
COO David Stetler
CRO Jamie Pentz
CoS Janeane Thompson
AD DESIGNER Mary Albers
LAYOUT DESIGNER Kelsi Southard
QUALITY CONTROL SPECIALIST Marina Campbell
ALEXANDRA PATTY, PUBLISHER @EDINA_LIFESTYLE
Bringing Back the Grandfather Fish
The
city scene
WHERE NEIGHBORS CAN SEE AND BE SEEN
6th Annual Edina Shark Tank took place in April at the Edina Country Club.
Veterans Invited to Join Edina’s July 4 Festivities
Edina veterans are invited to take part in this year’s Independence Day festivities with a complimentary dinner hosted by the City of Edina’s 4th of July Committee and sponsored by Peoples Organic at Southdale Center. The dinner begins at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, July 3, and includes a special briefing for veterans participating in the July 4 parade. The event is free for Edina veterans and one guest. Advance registration is required, with space limited to 80 guests. Edina.gov.
Now Open: Vivid Home
Now open at the Galleria in Edina, Vivid Home brings elevated interior design and curated home décor to the Twin Cities. Founded by designer Danielle Loven, the boutique blends modern sophistication with timeless comfort through furnishings, lighting, art and accessories sourced from around the world. Alongside its retail offerings, the studio also provides full-service interior design, architecture, styling and custom furnishings for homes across the region. vividhomempls.com.
Rivian Opens First Minnesota Showroom in Edina
Electric vehicle maker Rivian has opened its first Minnesota showroom at Galleria Edina, marking the brand’s entry into the Twin Cities market. The new “experience center” invites visitors to explore the company’s electric trucks and SUVs in a hands-on, retailstyle setting rather than a traditional dealership. Guests can view materials, learn about design options and connect with staff in an interactive environment focused on education and discovery. Test drives are available by appointment. rivian.com.
Ask Susan
Susan:
Consistency builds wealth — but only when your strategy still aligns with your goals, lifestyle, and life stage. If you’re second-guessing your financial direction, it may be your approach — and your advisor — that needs to change. The right advisor evolves with you, not simply manages your money the same way year after year.
Ask yourself: “Am I sticking with this strategy because it’s working … or because change feels uncomfortable?”
Snap the QR code below for my follow-up video discussing questions to ask yourself and your advisor to see if you and your current plan are still aligned with your financial future. And what to do if they are heading in opposing directions.
Susan Stiles is the Founder / CEO of Stiles Financial Services; an independent, fee-based, private wealth management financial advisory firm, specializing in families that have complex portfolio, wealth management and estate planning needs. We also advise companies on their retirement benefit plans and corporate cash management. Send “AskSusan” questions to: AskSusan@stilesfinancial.com.
952.988.0452
BRINGING BACK THE GRANDFATHER FISH
Great Lakes Aquarium’s ambitious sturgeon restoration project is helping revive an ancient species in the St. Louis River Estuary
ARTICLE BY SARAH KNIEFF
Along the shores of the St. Louis River Estuary in Duluth, something remarkable is happening behind the scenes at Great Lakes Aquarium. Inside a specialized stream-side rearing trailer filled with cold river water, thousands of tiny lake sturgeon eggs are beginning a journey that conservationists hope will help restore one of Minnesota’s most iconic native species.
sturgeon
For Executive Director Jay T. Walker, the project represents far more than fish restoration. It is the realization of decades of vision, collaboration, and commitment to the Great Lakes ecosystem.
“It’s a real, really exciting program,” Walker says. “To see us having a tangible effect on the ecosystem — the work we’re doing is helping bring the species back.”
Lake sturgeon, or Acipenser fulvescens, are often called living fossils. The prehistoric fish have existed for more than 150 million years, surviving since the age of dinosaurs. Once abundant throughout the Great Lakes region, they were nearly wiped out in the early 1900s because of overfishing, pollution, and habitat destruction. In Minnesota, the species is now listed as a Species of Special Concern.
For decades, agencies and Tribal organizations have worked to rebuild sturgeon populations in the St. Louis River, Lake Superior’s largest tributary. Despite progress, populations remain below long-term recovery goals. Great Lakes Aquarium is now stepping into a new role in that restoration effort through a major sturgeon
rearing and public education initiative developed in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa.
The project began with a practical challenge: finding additional capacity to raise juvenile sturgeon for stocking efforts. Walker says the aquarium initially planned to rear about 2,000 fish for the DNR. Then the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approached the aquarium with an unexpected opportunity.
“They had another rearing trailer that they were unable to use because it was too big for where they could put it,” Walker explains.
The trailer — essentially a mobile hatchery equipped with tanks and flow-through water systems — can rear up to 3,500 fish at a time. That meant the aquarium could support not only Minnesota DNR stocking efforts, but also additional fish for the Fond du Lac Band’s restoration work.
Walker was determined to make it happen.
“I was kind of like, ‘I’m gonna make a d*mn spot,’” he says with a laugh.
“To see us having a tangible effect on the ecosystem — the work we’re doing is helping bring the species back.”
Fortunately, the aquarium already pulls water directly from the St. Louis River Estuary for cooling systems, making the site ideal for the project. By using local estuary water, the young sturgeon can imprint on the chemistry of their home waters — a critical factor that may help them return to the river to spawn as adults decades later.
This spring marked a major milestone. The trailer is now operational, and the aquarium recently received its first batch of sturgeon eggs.
“We just picked up eggs this week, so there’s eggs actually in the trailer currently,” Walker says. “Our first phase has been going really well.”
If conditions continue successfully, the eggs will hatch into tiny fish within days.
By fall, those sturgeon could grow to nearly seven inches long before being released into the river system.
The restoration effort is about much more than science. Because Great Lakes Aquarium is a public-facing institution, the organization wanted visitors to witness and understand the conservation work firsthand.
Plans are already underway for a new 1,300-square-foot exhibit gallery connected to the aquarium. The exhibit will focus on the restoration of the St. Louis River Estuary, the life cycle of lake sturgeon, and the species’ deep cultural significance to Indigenous communities.
In Ojibwe, lake sturgeon are known as “Name,” often translated as “grandfather fish” or “kingfish.”
“It’s a very important fish,” Walker says. “There’s some just fascinating stories that go along with this species.”
The aquarium is working with representatives from the Fond du Lac Band to help shape the storytelling and educational experience within the exhibit, ensuring Indigenous voices remain central to the project.
The exhibit’s centerpiece will eventually feature live juvenile sturgeon from the rearing program itself. Beginning in 2027, visitors will be able to observe some of the young fish before they are released into the wild.
The aquarium plans to keep select fish for an additional year before stocking them, dramatically improving survival rates.
“When they grow for another year and stock, their survival rate goes way up,” Walker explains. “They’ll be so big that there’s no predator that could really take them out.”
Construction on the new addition is expected to begin this summer, with the building portion completed later this year. The exhibit itself is projected to open in fall 2027.
The entire initiative represents roughly a $1.5 million investment, supported in part through Minnesota Legacy funding and the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources.
For Walker, who recently celebrated 27 years with the aquarium, the project carries profound personal meaning.
“I was here when we started,” he says. “Thinking of what people hoped this facility would become, and now we’re in a place where we can actually get some of those visions into reality — it just brings me a lot of joy.”
That joy extends beyond the aquarium walls. Every young sturgeon released into the St. Louis River represents another step toward rebuilding a healthier ecosystem, restoring biodiversity, and reconnecting communities to a species that once defined the Great Lakes watershed.
And for visitors walking through the future exhibit gallery, the project offers something equally important: a chance to witness conservation in action, right in their own backyard.
HOW MINNEHAHA CREEK SHAPED ANDREW VICK’S VISION OF FAMILY, CULTURE AND CONNECTION
THE FLOAT HOME
For award-winning Edina photographer Andrew Vick, Minnehaha Creek is more than a scenic backdrop. It is a current running through nearly every part of his life — family, work, creativity, history and home.
From the windows of his new Nordicinspired studio space, Vick watches kayaks drift by in summer and sees smoke curling from backyard saunas in winter. Children pull sleds across frozen paths where neighbors once paddled canoes months earlier. Parents gather at makeshift swimming holes. Strangers become friends somewhere between a rope swing and a floating cooler of shared snacks.
To Vick, the creek is not simply water winding through the city. It is a living thread of community and memory, one that has quietly shaped the rhythm of life in Edina for generations.
ARTICLE
BY SARAH KNIEFF | PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANDREW VICK
“Life along the creek feels like a Hallmark movie mixed with Huck Finn and a little bit of Neverland,” Vick says. “It takes you somewhere. It takes you home or away. It reminds people how to slow down and connect again.”
That idea of connection is at the center of Vick Studios’ next chapter. After years of dreaming, planning and working with the City of Edina, Vick is bringing his studio home through a newly completed accessory dwelling unit, or ADU, tucked near Minnehaha Creek. But for Vick, the project is about far more than architecture or remote work. It is about building a life rooted in purpose, family and cultural identity.
The studio itself reflects those values. Inspired by Scandinavian design traditions and Vick’s own Norwegian heritage, the space draws deeply from water, nature and Nordic hospitality. Even the family name carries meaning. The original spelling, “VIK,” translates to “bay of water” in Norwegian — a connection Vick says feels impossible to ignore living beside the creek.
“We took that to heart,” he says. “This space is inspired by our family origins, by water, by travel and by the feeling of gathering people together.”
Inside the studio, guests will be welcomed with handmade wool socks to wear as slippers, warm drinks and thoughtfully prepared snacks in a full kitchen designed for lingering conversation. Materials and inspiration have been sourced from Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark, with details influenced by travels visiting Nordic studios and returning to the family farm for creative inspiration.
Vick describes bringing home paint chips, textures, décor ideas and even inspiration for a grass roof accent. Every design choice tells part of a larger story — one grounded in heritage and the natural landscape surrounding the creek.
“I want people to walk in and feel curious,” he says. “Curious about the culture, curious about the creek and curious about how to make their house a home through finished art on their walls.”
That sense of home extends far beyond the studio walls. Much of what Vick loves most about Minnehaha Creek centers on the way it gathers people together.
During the summer, neighborhood group texts light up with what Vick jokingly calls the “bat signal.” Parents rally kids toward the water after long hot afternoons. Someone brings tubes. Someone else drags over kayaks. Another family stocks a floating cooler. Soon, neighbors are floating downstream together while children jump from rafts and count turtles along the banks.
“We share photos of blue herons, turtles laying eggs, kids trying their first cold plunge or somebody grilling by the water,” Vick says. “There’s always this invitation to adventure.”
One neighborhood tradition involves birthday floats stretching from Lake Minnetonka toward Edina and beyond. Participants bring whatever floats — kayaks, tubes, canoes — while music drifts across the water and strangers wave from backyards along the route.
“At times we’ve traded a dip in somebody’s hot tub for a beer,” Vick laughs. “You just meet people differently on the creek: it’s a mindset.”
That “hop-on, hop-off” culture is part of what makes Minnehaha Creek feel unique. Though the waterway flows through suburban neighborhoods often associated with shopping districts and busy family schedules, Vick believes the creek reveals something more timeless underneath.
Historically, rivers connected communities long before roads did. They carried trade, stories and people. Minnehaha Creek itself played a role in the development of Edina, helping power the historic grist mill that once operated near today’s 50th and France area. Vick’s own home still contains traces of that history, including an old flour bin connected to the milling days of the community.
“There’s something deeply human about waterways,” Vick says. “At our core, people want adventure,
connection and community. The creek checks all of those boxes.”
The seasons only deepen that connection.
In winter, when much of Minnesota retreats indoors, the creek transforms again. Backyards once divided by fences suddenly become shared backyard landscapes. Neighbors create skating rinks, light ice lanterns, walk their dogs and carve Nordic ski trails through the snow. Children build sledding jumps while adults gather around fires or text each other asking who cleared the latest cold-plunge hole in the ice.
“Winter almost becomes more social,” Vick says. “The creek connects people in a completely different way.”
That closeness to family is one of the driving reasons Vick brought his studio home after two decades in business.
“When I started photography 20 years ago, success meant having a studio on Main Street,” he says. “Now the dream looks different. The dream is being connected to community and being fully present.”
From his artist loft, Vick can work while watching life unfold outside his windows — boats drifting by, children exploring, neighbors gathering. Even when deadlines keep him inside editing photos, he says the creek keeps him connected to the people and moments that matter most.
His sons have become increasingly curious about the work happening around them, often asking who is visiting the studio or reaching for a camera while he tests lighting setups. Vick hopes the new space becomes a place where family and creativity naturally overlap rather than compete.
“The boys are getting to experience what dad does in a different way,” he says. “That’s important to me and makes my heart come alive.”
The studio will also host intimate gatherings that continue the creek’s spirit of connection. Plans include chef-led dinners with wine pairings, educational photography workshops for children and small creative events designed to bring people together around storytelling and shared experience.
In many ways, Vick sees the project as an extension of the creek itself: a gathering place where strangers become neighbors and where slowing down matters more than rushing toward a destination.
“There’s a difference between a walk and a stroll,” he says. “A walk is about getting somewhere. A stroll is about who you’re with. The creek invites people to stroll through life again.”
And perhaps that is why Minnehaha Creek continues to mean so much to the people who live alongside it. It is not simply recreation. It is memory-making. It is history meeting the present. It is children discovering wonder while parents rediscover it too.
For Vick, bringing his studio home beside the creek feels less like starting over and more like returning to something essential — family, heritage and the simple beauty of gathering together near the water.
“This place reminds us how to be human again,” he says. “And I think people are craving that now more than ever.”
vickstudios.com
A TASTE OF CREEK LIFE:
Tips for Experiencing Minnehaha Creek
This Summer
• Check Minnehaha Creek water flow reports before heading out to determine whether conditions are better for tubing or kayaking.
• Popular float stretches include routes from Lake Minnetonka toward Edina and from Edina toward Minnehaha Falls.
• Waterproof bags and carabiners are essential for securing phones, towels and snacks
• Bring water shoes, sunscreen and a floating cooler for longer outings.
• Look for public creek access points and portages throughout St. Louis Park and Edina. Creekside Park is a renovated launch close to Hoigards for boat rental.
• Don’t rush the experience — the creek is best enjoyed as a slow stroll, not a race.
• Watch for wildlife including turtles, blue herons and ducks along the route.
• River Tubes can be purchased at Settergren’s of Linden Hills.
Birdwatching Made Simple
EXPERT TIPS TO MAKE BACKYARD BIRDING A FASCINATING AND PEACEFUL PART OF YOUR LIFE.
ARTICLE BY MARSHALL ZWEIG | PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED
Thinking of putting up a bird feeder? You’re not alone. Backyard birding is the second most popular hobby in the U.S.—right behind gardening. Bob Gors of Wild Birds Unlimited in Macomb, MI, shares expert tips to help you get started—and get results.
START WITH THE RIGHT SETUP
If you’re new to bird feeding, don’t overcomplicate it. Bob recommends starting with a tray feeder, either pole-mounted or hung. “It’s accessible to the widest range of birds,” he says, “and it lets you experiment with different seed blends.”
Before setting up, take a look at your yard. Birds prefer to feed near trees or shrubs where they can perch and scan for predators. “If your yard is wide open, it’s going to be harder to attract them,” Bob notes.
Quick Tip: Place your feeder about 15 feet from trees or shrubs to give birds a safe place to wait their turn.
CHOOSE THE RIGHT SEED—AND SKIP THE FILLERS
Not all bird seed is created equal. Bob advises avoiding blends with fillers like milo, wheat, or oats. “Those are agricultural leftovers. Most birds won’t eat them.”
Each Wild Birds Unlimited store owner customizes their seed blends, based on the birds in each store’s specific area. Their blends contain no fillers—just high-quality ingredients birds actually eat. They’re available in no-mess varieties—no shells, no waste. “With standard seed, up to 40% of the weight of the bag is shells,” Bob says. “No-mess is 100 percent pure bird food.”
Quick Tip: Choose fresh, unscented, unflavored seed. Birds don’t need additives—just what they’d eat in nature. Check the ingredients on the bag: sunflower should be the first ingredient—since it’s the seed most birds love.
KEEP UNWANTED GUESTS AWAY
Squirrels causing trouble? Try safflower seed. “It tastes bitter to squirrels but attracts cardinals, grosbeaks, titmice, nuthatches and chickadees,” Bob says. Hot pepper blends also work— birds can’t taste the heat, but mammals can.
To deter large birds like starlings, Bob recommends using a cage around tube feeders to limit access. Tube feeders with small perches help discourage bigger birds. For tidier feeding, seed cylinders—compressed seed—are a great low-mess option.
Quick Tip: “Start simple,” Bob advises. “Watch what’s happening in your yard, then adjust as needed.” Unlike loose seed, cylinders make the birds work harder—and give you longer-lasting views of the birds.
WHY BIRD WATCHING STICKS
Bob says many customers started birding during the pandemic—and never stopped. “They looked out the window and realized something was there,” he says. It’s remained part of their lives: one couple told Bob they still start every morning on the porch with coffee and birdsong. “It became a ritual that many people now cherish,” Bob says.
For expert help making bird watching your ritual, stop by Wild Birds Unlimited in your area or visit wbu.com.
escape to France
A LEISURELY BARGE CRUISE ALONG FRANCE’S CANAL DU MIDI OFFERS A QUIET LUXURY ESCAPE
THE SOUTH
of
There is something a bit magical about the South of France. It conjures images of rolling hills set along the Mediterranean, vast vineyards and olive trees swaying in the breezes. The images come to life when you book a luxury barge cruise with European Waterways ( EuropeanWaterways.com). It offers the perfect opportunity to experience the region’s slow pace.
Canal du Midi is a 330-year-old canal that runs from the Mediterranean coast inland through the famous Languedoc wine region. This is an opportunity for a true escape from everyday life.
WHAT IS A BARGE CRUISE?
Barges, originally used to shuttle goods along the inner waterways throughout
Europe, are now floating hotels. European Waterways operates b arges from April to October.
One of three boats to traverse Canal du Midi, Enchanté is an “ultra-deluxe” converted barge with four cabins for up to eight passengers. Each suite on Enchanté features an ensuite bathroom. All suites are on the lower level, while the salon,
CONTINUED >
dining room, open kitchen and sun deck are above. The rooms are comfortable and quiet, the staff accommodating and the pace of the barge allows you to slow down and unwind. In fact, the barge moves slowly along the canal, giving passengers a chance to stroll along or ride one of the onboard bicycles.
THE BARGING EXPERIENCE
The barging experience is not anything like other cruises. With only eight passengers (although some boats have the capacity for 10 to 20 passengers), it provides a quiet escape.
Each day, you cruise slowly along the canal, going a total distance of about 50 miles over one week. The day’s leisurely routine begins with a sit-down breakfast and specially prepared dishes from the chef. You either cruise in the morning and take a short excursion in the afternoon, or vice versa.
Lunch is a gourmet 3-course meal paired with local wines. Dinner is a beautiful production with appetizers, main course, cheese course and dessert. Again, everything is paired with both a white and red wine.
EXCURSIONS ALONG THE WAY
Throughout the cruise, there are small stops along the way. This area of France is filled with gourmet delights and history, and you have a chance to explore both during your cruise.
You’ll visit l’Oulibo, a high-end olive oil producer growing Lucques olives. Enjoy a tasting of the oils and the olives, and pick up a few to take home. Another day, you’ll taste local balsamic vinegar. This is a real treat and a unique experience sampling a variety of flavors.
During the barge cruise, you’ll have a chance to visit three of what may be the most beautiful towns in France: Minerve, Lagrasse and Carcassonne. Lagrasse is an artisan town surrounding an 8th-century Benedictine Abbey. Minerve is home to a 12th-century Cathar fort with spectacular views. Carcassonne is a medieval fortified city with 52 watchtowers and portcullis.
There is also an excursion to Narbonne, once a Roman capital. There, you’ll have a chance to wander through Les Halles de Narbonne—the indoor food market—with the chef, picking out items for him to prepare once back onboard Enchanté.
European Waterways offers the ideal escape to the South of France and other destinations across Europe.
ARTICLE BY KALI KASPRZYK
PHOTOGRAPHY BY JANIE JONES
MAKEUP BY MIKAYLA CRANE
The 10% Target Mindset
Jen Cohen ON THE PRACTICE OF ASKING FOR WHAT YOU WANT
Winnipeg in the winter, and a 17-year-old waits 45 minutes in the cold for Keanu Reeves. Her fingers are numb. She is not there for an autograph. She is there to ask him to appear in her audition tape for MuchMusic, Canada’s MTV. When he finally agrees, she writes her number on a gum wrapper with a borrowed lip liner.
He calls days later.
That 17-year-old was Jen Cohen — fitness expert, host of the Habits & Hustle podcast, and best-selling author. She has built a career on the premise her frostbitten afternoon proved. She calls the practice the 10% Target: 10 attempts at whatever you want most in life.
The premise is simple. Most people never make one attempt. Almost nobody makes two. The math works in favor of the person who keeps going.
The top-rated Habits & Hustle podcast has logged hundreds of conversations with high performers and the people who study what the body does to the mind. Her TEDx talk, The Secret to Getting Anything You Want in Life, has traveled widely inside Fortune 500 sales-training rooms. On the Share the Lifestyle podcast, Cohen sits down to share the working rules that are the foundation of her latest book, Bigger, Better, Bolder.
“You have to be the CEO of your own life.”
FEATURING JEN COHEN
Discover the full 10% Target Mindset framework.
1 2
MAKE TEN ATTEMPTS
The door opens, or another door does. The unmade attempt and the refused one leave you in the same place — except one of them teaches you something.
STACK THE DECK
Cohen frames her habits as a wager: How do I stack the deck so I win more than I lose? The workout happens first, and the food decisions follow. The email follow-up gets sent, and the answer arrives. The choices compound in a single direction.
3
DISCIPLINE IS A PRACTICED SKILL, NOT AN INHERITANCE
No one is born with it. The people who look disciplined are running a routine they have rehearsed long enough that it no longer feels like effort. The reps are the skill. Miss them, and the skill fades, the same as any other.
4
SELF-TALK ONLY WORKS WHEN THE BODY BACKS IT UP
Confidence does not arrive by repeating the word. It arrives after the body has done the thing — the workout finished, the cold walk endured, the email sent. The mind takes its cues from what the body proves it can do. Talk follows action, not the other way around.
5
NEVER MISS A MONDAY
The first decision sets the slope of the rest. Skip the Monday workout, and the rest of the week tends to follow. Hold the line on Monday, and the slope tilts the other way.
Empowering Safe Swimmers
JULY 2026
events
A SELECTION OF UPCOMING LOCAL EVENTS
JULY 3RD - 4TH
Taste of Minnesota
Nicollet Mall & Washington Ave
Minnesota’s favorite summer tradition returns with a weekend packed full of local flavor, live music and community fun in downtown Minneapolis. Taste of Minnesota brings together crave-worthy eats, Minnesota-made vendors, family-friendly entertainment and performances from homegrown artists for a lively celebration of everything that makes the North Star State shine. tasteofmn.com
JULY 4TH
Fourth of July Parade
City Hall | 10:00 AM
The Edina Fourth of July Parade is back and ready for fun in the sun. The route begins on Eden Avenue behind city hall, 4801 W. 50th Street, and travels down West 50th Street, ending at Halifax Avenue in downtown Edina. edinaparade.org.
JULY 4TH
Fourth of July Fireworks
Rosland Park
Sponsored by Explore Edina, Independence Day fireworks will be held near dusk at Rosland Park. The First John Philip Sousa Memorial Band will perform at 8:30 p.m. The fireworks will follow. edinaparade.org
JULY 10TH - 12TH
Bastille Weekend
50th and France
Celebrate Bastille Day all weekend long with a French inspired fashion show, local eats, live music and a Paris flea market. 50thandfrance.com.
JULY 16TH
International Day of Music
Orchestra Hall | 12:00 PM
Celebrate the universal language of music at the Minnesota Orchestra’s International Day of Music, a lively, family-friendly festival filled with performances from local and global artists across multiple stages. From orchestral favorites and cultural performances to interactive activities and community experiences, the free event transforms Orchestra Hall into an all-day celebration of creativity, connection and sound. minnesotaorchestra.org
JULY 23RD - 26TH
Crazy Days Sales
50th and France
Shop crazy sales throughout the 50th and France district at participating retailers. Check out 50thandfrance.com for a full list of stores.
