Cities South - June 2023

SHINING BRIGHT

THE MINNESOTA AURORA FC IS READY TO LIGHT UP THE FIELD FOR A SECOND SEASON

More doctors ready to go.

Ready with more doctors. Set with more specialty services and orthopedic urgent care locations open 8 — 8 daily. Go for more of what you need to keep your body moving. No referral or appointment necessary. TCOmn.com

Convenient online scheduling now available.

JUNE/JULY 2023

“Well, I ain’t gonna work today / Just wanna sit around and play / Gonna hit balls off the dock / Kick back in my flip-flops ... ” —Beers and Sunshine by Darius Rucker, July 15 headliner of the Lakefront Music Festival

DEPARTMENTS

10 — Natural Connections

12 — The Coffee Guy

14 — Pursuing a Passion

FEATURES

16 — Working in Harmony

20 — Shining Bright

The

TASTEMAKERS

28 — Casual Luxury Gary’s Supper Club wants to be your spot for date night—or any night.

Photo: Visit Lakeville

Elsa Litecky inspires the next generation of naturalists.

The owner of Gus Dean Coffee roasts beans to make the perfect cup.

Lakeville author Loretta Ellsworth remains persistent in her writing practice.

Volunteers make the Lakefront Music Fest successful for concertgoers and the community.

Minnesota Aurora FC is ready to light up the field for a second season.

PAN-O-PROG

The Byes Photo

Your Care. Your Choice.

We are a community of care – dedicated to you.

As the Twin Cities’ largest and most experienced cancer treatment provider, we know that treating cancer calls for more than compassion. It means giving our patients access to more than 100 cancer care experts, evidence-based treatment paths, close-to-home locations and comprehensive services to support the whole person.

Our compassionate team works tirelessly towards one common goal –fighting cancer. mnoncology.com

FROM THE EDITOR

Maybe I’m doing summer wrong, but I haven’t experienced “the lazy days of summer” since having kids. When they were young, there was nothing lazy about any day as I struggled to keep up with busy little legs, and now that our family has entered the big kid years, we’re running in different directions, chasing all the summer camps we can cram into 12 weeks. Our “unstructured” summer days fly by pursuing passions like biking, camping, boating and gardening.

It feels like there’s so much to do in these few short months, and I don’t want to miss a moment. That desire to capture the best of summer is what inspired this issue of the magazine. If you’re looking for some ideas, turn to our features on the Minnesota Aurora, who play at Viking Lakes in Eagan (page 20) and local outdoor music (page 16). Our On the Town section on page 25 contains a rundown of local Fourth of July festivities that stretch from late June through mid-July.

While you’re out there having all that fun, make sure to snap a few photos for our first-ever photo contest, Focus on Cities South. We’ll start collecting entries in July (turn to page 7 for details).

If you need me, I’ll be searching for a lazy afternoon to lie on a beach with an enormous container of cold brew reading a book. Happy summer!

Photo: Chris Emeott

LIZ POTASEK —

South Metro Kitchen Design experts for over 23 years.

FOCUS ON CITIES SOUTH

THROUGHOUT ITS PAGES,

the Cities South Magazine Collection showcases the communities of Apple Valley, Eagan, Lakeville and Prior Lake in a multitude of ways, and one of our favorite methods is through our annual photo contest—Focus on Cities South. Photographers of all abilities are encouraged to share their images through which they’ve captured fresh and artistic angles of our beloved communities.

This year, the photo contest will be open during July and August at citiessouthmags.com.

After the contest closes, photos are carefully reviewed and voted on by members of our editorial and art departments. (Runners-up and honorable

mentions are selected as the number and quality of photos allow.) Subject matter, photo quality and reflection of the community are all taken under review. Winners, runners up and honorable mentions in the categories listed below receive consideration for photo placement in an upcoming issue of the Cities South Magazine Collection and on our website and social media pages.

—Editorial Staff

Photo Contest Rules and Details

» Submissions are accepted at citiessouthmags.com between July 1–August 31.

» Entrants must live, work or attend school in Apple Valley, Eagan, Lakeville or Prior Lake.

» Entrants may submit up to five photos, with no more than three in any category.

» Photos should be taken in Apple Valley, Eagan, Lakeville or Prior Lake.

» Generally, photos should have been taken within a year of the submission date.

» Readers are invited to vote online for their favorite photo submissions in the Readers’ Choice category between September 15–September 30.

Photo: Mark Dobelmann

A dramatic storm cloud spotted from Sky Hill Park in Eagan by Mark Dobelmann.

Stories for Relaxing Summer Days

Summer is finally here, and with that comes permission to relax in a hammock or at the cabin with some fantastic reads. The following titles contain some necessary ingredients for your summer reading list: a lovable robot dentist, drama at the community pool and an apocalyptic thriller that reads like a Hollywood blockbuster.

Notes on Your Sudden Disappearance

by Alison Espach

Teenagers Sally and her older sister Kathy have been enjoying a summer at the pool trying to catch the attention of Billy, an older lifeguard. Billy has been an object of fascination for both of the girls for years, but this summer, an unlikely event with Sally causes him to start dating Kathy. However, tragedy soon strikes, leaving Sally and Billy’s lives forever connected. Spanning 15 years, this is both a heartbreaking and humorous novel with extremely believable characters.

Set My Heart to Five

by Simon Stephenson

It’s the year 2054, and Jared, a human-like bot, is working as a dentist in Michigan. At a screening of a classic movie, he begins to experience emotions, which is dangerous for a bot. In an effort to elude authorities and to perhaps write a screenplay, Jared heads west to Hollywood. Fans of Klara and the Sun and Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine will not want to miss this hilarious tale of an adventure that explores what it means to be human.

Aurora

by David Koepp

A large solar storm has knocked out power through much of the world. Thom, an eccentric Silicon Valley CEO, has been prepping for this day for years. He plans to bring his family to an extremely wellequipped bunker in the desert. However, his plans don’t go quite as intended. Koepp, a screenwriter whose credits include Jurassic Park, Panic Room and Mission Impossible, has written a very fast-paced and exciting novel.

Erin Holl is the adult services librarian at Galaxie Library in Apple Valley. Read more at dakotacounty.us/library.

TASTE Start the Day with Hope

The third Twin Cities location of Hope Breakfast Bar recently opened in Eagan, complete with a family-friendly menu designed to cater to its new neighborhood and a dining room with garage doors to bring the outdoors in. A wide selection of coffee drinks, bubble teas, creative cocktails, waffles, plus Hope Breakfast Bar’s

signature Pillow Pancakes (made with buttermilk and sourdough yeast for extra loft), are menu highlights. “We want our restaurants to feel more like a collection than a chain,” says owner and chef Brian Ingram, who co-owns The Gnome Craft Pub and The Apostle Supper Clubs, in addition to Hope Breakfast Bars, with Sarah Ingram. Hope’s mission runs deeper than a desire to bring delicious breakfast to hungry patrons. The restaurant donates 3 percent of all sales to neighbors in need. —Liz Potasek

Hope Breakfast Bar, 1012 Diffley Road, Eagan; hopebreakfast.com @hopebreakfastbar

Photo: Hope Breakfast Bar

Wake Up Call

Need an extra caffeine and flavor boost to perk up? Gus Dean, also known as “The Coffee Guy” (page 12), adds Coco-Cola to his Mocha Java Cold Brew. “Mocha Java has a rich coffee flavor, a natural sweetness and notes of dark chocolate that blend well with most ingredients,” Dean says, adding that the brew, made from Ethiopian and Sumatran beans, is the perfect foundation for cold brew drinks. —LP

Coke and Cold Brew

Makes 1

» 1 part Coca-Cola

» 1 part Mocha Java Cold Brew concentrate

» ice

Directions:

Pour equal parts Coca-Cola and cold brew in a glass filled with ice. Enjoy!

Photo: Chris Emeott

Natural Connections

By Hanna

ELSA LITECKY has enjoyed the beauty of the natural world since she could start climbing tree stumps. That early passion inspired her career as a naturalist—with a long-term plan to conduct research in northern Minnesota. But she quickly fell in love with connecting people to nature. “It was my third year in [as a naturalist], and I needed to develop more skills so that I could be more marketable and also so I could be a better teacher,” Litecky says. “So I started looking at ways to do it.”

Litecky began by making blog posts and YouTube videos as EcoElsa to educate people about nature. “I was both researching how to better do the skills I was doing but also sharing the knowledge that I already had with other people,” she says. “I love connecting people to nature. That’s kind of what got me into being a naturalist instead of heading up north and doing research.”

As her online presence grew, she received an immense amount of positive feedback and a push for classes. From there, she had to choose between her role as a traditional naturalist or taking nature education full time. Litecky took the leap to turn EcoElsa into a career.

“Basically, my job is to help connect people to the outdoors, and I do this through games and activities, especially with younger kids, but I also do this through hikes and guided tours,” says Litecky, who offers classes through the Lakeville and Prior Lake parks and recreation departments, as well as others throughout the Twin Cities. “Most of my time is spent outdoors in the field teaching and finding ways of making that material more accessible to people. I love it, and I'm really glad I found it.”

Litecky believes that there is something outdoors for everyone, and that

Elsa Litecky inspires the next generation of naturalists.

McDaniels

Elsa Litecky

is why the motto for EcoElsa is: Teach Anything Outdoors.

“Learning nature helps connect us to the world more. It helps us learn about ourselves more—and when we do this, we have a better understanding of how to protect these things,” she says. “Whether it’s our local park or it’s our environment on a larger scale with the choices we make.”

Connecting to nature also has broader personal and societal benefits. Spending time in nature improves both mental and physical health, Litecky says, and studying nature can lead to scientific breakthroughs that benefit humans through biomimicry. “This all, in turn, can make the world a better place,” Litecky says.

Litecky describes EcoElsa’s classes as multidisciplinary fun-ducation. “We develop activities that are not only fun and help people connect to nature, but also allow people to learn about other subjects, like history, engineering or art, for example, while practicing soft skills like teamwork, communication and problem solving,” says Litecky, who has developed more than 30 classes in the past five years.

Each class has several core activities, but Litecky also builds in opportunities for children to pursue their own curiosity by voting for their next activity. “Our Outdoor Survival Camps always cover getting lost safety and guidelines, shelter building, fire making, water filtering and orienteering,” she says. “Then we have several additional activities, like basic first aid, edible and poisonous plants, knot tying or wildlife tracking that the kids then vote on to pick what we will do next.”

Her current plan for EcoElsa is to polish up her curriculum and create a scholarship program for people to attend her classes because learning about nature is for everyone, she says.

When Litecky is not teaching, she spends her time outdoors, hiking, reading or just exploring. “One of the benefits of EcoElsa is I am always getting to explore new parks,” she says.

EcoElsa; ecoelsa.com; EcoElsa @ecoelsa; @ElsaLitecky

Visit citiessouthmags.com to discover Litecky's favorite parks in Apple Valley, Eagan, Lakeville and Prior Lake.

Photos: Elsa Litecky

The Coffee Guy

The owner of Gus Dean Coffee roasts

beans to make the perfect cup.

By Zoe Deal

EAGAN ENTREPRENEUR Gus Dean recalls his mother’s coffee-making ritual in vivid detail. The vibrant red coffee grinder. The sound of the beans crunching. The scent of a fresh pot of coffee.

Dean grew up in the Bahamas, where coffee was a “white tablecloth deal,” reserved for special people and occasions.“To me, it’s about process and the things you remember as a kid—seeing and hearing the beans, the grinder, smelling the coffee—that’s some of my earliest memories of coffee and knowing that it was being made for somebody special,” Dean says.

It’s a fitting origin story for a man who

now calls himself “the coffee guy.” Upon developing a taste for coffee in adulthood, Dean spent years roasting his own beans (a way to avoid the all-too-common bitter, over-roasted beans) before launching Gus Dean Coffee in May 2019. Now, he’s looking to make a name for himself as a purveyor of fresh-roasted, ethically sourced coffee beans, cold brew concentrate and (as of this summer) ready-to-drink canned cold brew—made with love, to be enjoyed in community.

“It doesn’t need to be complicated; it doesn’t need to be the most expensive … there’s a lot of care that can be put into roasting good quality beans,” Dean says.

“And, the most important part that I always tell people is: ‘It’s you. You could have the finest roaster, the best quality water, but at the end of the day, you’re the magic that makes it happen.’”

The loyal following Dean has built over the years has as much to do with ingenious blends and seasonal flavors as it does with Dean himself—and his smiling caricature on every bag. Just one example: In his first month of business, Dean drove 45 minutes one way to hand deliver a bag of beans, then spent another hour on the customer’s porch enjoying conversation before heading home.

While he’s since realized such an

Photo: Ryan Stopera

Gus Dean

excursion isn’t profitable, he would probably do it again. It’s all part of his mission to make coffee fun. While he now has a team of part-time staff assisting with packaging and delivery, he still creates the roasting profiles and develops the blends—and includes a personal note with every order.

“That’s my way of connecting,” Dean says. “Over time, you get to know people … in the summertime, when [customers are] sitting outside relaxing, I’m able to wave and say hello. We meet, and we talk and that’s the way I want the business to continue to grow.”

While he now drinks coffee daily, he remains rooted in his family’s belief that coffee should be enjoyed in community and as fresh as possible. In Dean’s perfect world (and maybe someday), customers could order beans online while he’s roasting and get a bag of warm beans delivered to their doorsteps.

“That would be like the best, right?” Dean says. “That’s the type of freshness, uniqueness and fun we want to have with coffee.”

Gus Dean Coffee is available to order online at gusdeancoffee.com, with local delivery available for the Twin Cities Metro.

Gus Dean Coffee; gusdeancoffee@gmail.com; gusdeancoffee.com

Gus Dean Coffee @gusdeancoffee

“The most important part that I always tell people is: ‘It’s you. You could have the finest roaster, the best quality water, but at the end of the day, you’re the magic that makes it happen.’”

Gus Dean

ARTS & CULTURE

Pursuing a Passion Lakeville author

Loretta

By Kristie Smith

THE BRILLIANT MAGIC of a picture book can gleefully guide children to new places, challenge young minds through the complex world around them and introduce readers to new friends as they travel along together page by page— and Lakeville author Loretta Ellsworth’s newest story, Tangle-Knot, manages to do all of those things.

Tangle-Knot is the tale of a willful little girl named Fia who refuses to brush her hair. The whimsical Fia thinks her hair, bird’s nest and all, is just perfect. “She’s developing her sense of self,” Ellsworth says of the story. “She’s very confident, more confident than I ever was, and I think that’s something that can resonate with young readers.”

The story itself comes out of the author’s own experience. “I have several granddaughters,” Ellsworth says. “They all have tangle hair.”

Her first picture book for 4- to 8-yearolds evolved during the pandemic at a time she says she was struggling to write and decided to put her pen to a genre she hadn’t tried before—helped along by the FaceTime visits she kept with her grandkids. “It started to be an overthe-top book, but as I revised, a motherdaughter story evolved,” Ellsworth says. “It’s obviously a little silly but based on acceptance of who we are. Though it’s dedicated to my granddaughters, a lot of boys have tangle knots, too.”

Ellsworth, who was born in Iowa, has been writing since she was a young

Photos: Chris Emeott

Ellsworth remains persistent in her writing practice.

Loretta Ellsworth reads her new book to her granddaughters, Ella Brownell (4) and Harper Brownell (2).

child. Her childhood diary contained gems like “Had Girl Scouts today and watched Bonanza.” Yet, it was that writing habit that propelled her to seek out a master of fine arts degree in writing from Hamline University and led to her career as a published author.

Ellsworth wrote her first novel, The Shrouding Woman, while working as a Spanish teacher and raising four children. The book is about a young girl’s experience of losing her mother and learning to heal with the help of an ancient practice called shrouding. “When I first started writing The Shrouding Woman, I thought it was going to be an adult novel,” she says. “But this young person kept coming through.”

Ellsworth’s book Stars Over Clear Lake, a tale of love and loss in a rural Iowa town, takes readers from World War II to the POW camps of Iowa and the role of music and the town’s beloved dance hall. “It goes back and forth between a teenage love story and an adult decades later and takes place in part at Surf Ballroom, where my parents actually met,” Ellsworth says.

Ellsworth and her husband moved to Lakeville in 1986 when their youngest child was a year old, and Ellsworth’s contributions to literacy in Lakeville go well beyond her own books. She’s the founder and chairperson of One Book, One Lakeville, a community read event that’s entering its 16th year. A new book is highlighted each year, along with a discussion with the book’s author.

When she’s not writing or reading whatever she can get her hands on, Ellsworth judges for the Minnesota Book Awards and belongs to writing groups to help stay connected to her work. “Persistence is key if you want to make yourself write,” Ellsworth says, noting that persistence is one trait she has in common with her latest main character. “You have to be stubborn enough. Maybe that’s what Fia has is part of me in her.”

Find Tangle-Knot in stores and online on June 6. Join Ellsworth for a reading of Tangle-Knot at 10:30 a.m. June 10 at the Heritage Library (20085 Heritage Dr., Lakeville; dakotacounty.us/library). lorettaellsworth.com

Succeed

WORKING IN HARMONY

Volunteers make the Lakefront Music Fest successful for concertgoers and the community.

Written by Liz Potasek

Photo: Lakefront Music Fest

Brad Paisley performed at the 10th annual Lakefront Music Fest in 2019.

In its 14th year, the Lakefront Music Fest has become an annual summer tradition in Prior Lake. Featuring two nights of music—one rock ‘n’ roll and one country—and big names—past performers include Brad Paisley, Sammy Hagar and Styx—the concert is more than just a summer music festival, it’s a labor of love put on by the Rotary Club of Prior Lake. It’s successful thanks to the help of hundreds of community volunteers, and it raises thousands of dollars to support local nonprofit organizations, schools and other Rotary Club initiatives.

This year’s event features headliners Darius Rucker on July 14 and Lynyrd Skynryd on July 15. When the musical acts take the stage this July, it’ll represent the culmination of about 18 months of work, starting with the talent search that began about a year and a half before the show and finishing with five days of physical labor, converting a city park to a music venue, and two days of cleanup to transform concert venue back into beautiful city park. Last year, there were 1,800 volunteers helping out throughout the weekend, says Michelle Jirik, Lakefront Music Fest event director and Rotary Club member.

The festival comes together thanks to a steering committee of 15 Prior Lake Rotary Club members who meet monthly year-round and 14 different committees led by 28 co-chairs. In addition to the Rotary Club members who volunteer their time for the event, community members and groups from local nonprofit organizations help out at the event. Last year, the Rotary Club presented checks totalling more than $82,000 to 33 volunteer groups that helped out at the event. “It’s a great way to see so many people come together and give back,” says Doug Gesme, the event production chair, who is in charge of making sure everything from the stage to the portable toilets are where they should be.

The very first talk of the music festival began in 2007, when Rotary Club members Dave Card and Shaun Naya started batting around ideas for a new fundraiser. Inspired by their own love of music, they landed on the idea of a music festival, and, in 2008, they started researching music festivals. The first Lakefront Music Fest launched on July 10, 2010, as a jazz and blues event. “The vibe is the sun and the music,” Card says, noting that the first year had decent attendance.

But the festival continued to evolve. A few years later, the Rotary Club made the decision to offer two nights of music and fell into the country night/rock night formula that has proved successful for the past decade. Five years ago, Card worked with other members to develop a VIP lounge, which offers access to the front of the stage, catered food options and a private bar among other perks. This year, the $225/night VIP tickets were the first to sell out. “It’s kind of like having kids,” Card says of watching Lakefront Music Fest over the years. “You create something in the beginning, but lots of people have influence over the outcome.”

Lakefront Music Fest; July 14–15; Lakefront Park, 5000 Kop Parkway SE, Prior Lake; lakefrontmusicfest.com

At press time, a few tickets remained for the Friday Night PIT Pass and general admission on Friday and Saturday, but the fest typically sells out in advance.

Rotary Club of Prior Lake; priorlakerotary.org

Photo: Lakefront Music Fest

SOUNDS OF SUMMER

Here’s a sampling of more live music coming to local parks and performance venues in June and July. Check websites for the complete lineups:

Caponi Art Park

1220 Diffley Road, Eagan; caponiartpark.org

This outdoor sculpture park offers a variety of musical experiences.

June 18: Minnesota Sinfonia

July 14–23: Theatre 55 presents A Chorus Line

Eagan Market Fest

1501 Central Parkway, Eagan; cityofeagan.com

Pick up produce from local farmers, finds from local makers and dinner, plus enjoy live music. Summer markets are 4–8 p.m. Wednesdays

June 7–August 30.

June 7: Matt Yetter and Good Morning Bedlam

June 14: Comes a

Time and Moonlight Serenaders Big Band

June 21: The Stand Ups

June 28: Bluedog

July 12: AJ Spoff and Rockin’ Hollywoods

July 19: Costello & Hipps and The 22nd Row

July 26: Lee Engele & Friends

Live at the Lake

19720 Juno Trail, Lakeville; lakevillemn.gov

The new bandshell at Caperson Park is home to a weekly summer music series. Pick up dinner from food trucks. Free concerts are scheduled for 6–8 p.m. Wednesdays

June 21–August 30.

June 21: Mick Sterling presents A Billy Joel State of Mind

June 28: Drums of Navarone

July 5: The Look

July 12: Lakeville Area

Community Band

July 19: Chad Johnson Music

July 26: Ballet Royale Minnesota, Socaholix

Music in Kelley Park

6855 Fortino St., Apple Valley; avartsfoundation.org

The Apple Valley Arts Foundation celebrates the 25th anniversary of its popular summer music series with free concerts 6:30–8:30 p.m. Fridays.

June 16: Salsa del Soul

June 23: The Alex Rossi Band

June 30: Michael Monroe

July 7: Dakota Valley Symphony: Movie Magic

July 14: Lori Dokken presents I Am Women Hear Me Roar!

July 21: Hitchville

July 28: J.D. Steele and The MacPhail Community Youth Choir

Mystic Amphitheater and Showroom

2400 Mystic Lake Blvd., Prior Lake; mysticlake.com

It’s no secret that Mystic Lake attracts big names year round in both its indoor showroom and its outdoor amphitheater.

3 Doors Down performs June 24 in the Mystic Showroom.

Prior Lake Music in the Park

5000 Kop Parkway SE, Prior Lake; priorlakemn.gov

Food trucks will be onsite at this free outdoor concert.

June 9: Mitchell Hall and The Tennessee Trio

Wild Nights

13000 Zoo Blvd., Apple Valley; mnzoo.org

The Minnesota Zoo stays open late for the 21 and older crowd with three stages of live music. Tickets are sold for individual nights, and ticket packages are also available. Join the fun from 6–10 p.m. Thursdays through September 14. Here’s the music line-up:

June 8: Maria Isa, Malamanya and others.

June 22: Chastity Brown, FenixDion and others.

July 6: The Cactus Blossoms, Barbaro and others.

July 20: Joyann Parker Band, Corey Media & Brothers and others.

Photo: Lakefront Music Fest

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SHINIING BRIGHT

Photo: Minnesota Aurora FC

THE MINNESOTA AURORA FC

IS READY TO LIGHT UP THE FIELD FOR A SECOND SEASON.

Written by Jody Carey

After an impressive debut season, Minnesota Aurora FC is the hottest ticket in town, with 6,000 soccer fans cheering them on at Twin Cities Orthopedic (TCO) Stadium in Eagan.

Excitement is high for the hometown preprofessional women’s soccer team made up of local athletes and recruits from across the country. The team started with an undefeated first season in 2022 and set the bar high with a bid to the league championship.

With familiar names taking the field under the leadership of returning head coach Nicole Lukic, soccer fans are ready for another actionpacked summer. Season two is underway, and the energy is back.

But the team had big support from the community even before its first kickoff. Before the inaugural season, founders sought financial contributions through a community ownership drive to get the team started. Raising financial support totaling $1 million from 3,000 community owners didn’t take long. With only a three-month window, Aurora founders never expected to sell out. “We are incredibly grateful for a lot of media coverage in Minnesota and across the country,” says Aurora’s board president, Andrea Yoch. “People were really excited to buy shares in our team.”

Community ownership is unique for any sport in the United States, especially for women’s soccer. Returning Aurora goalkeeper and Minnetonka native Olivia Graupmann says the community support makes a big difference.

“Before we even played a game, before we even stepped on the field, we had over 3,000 people excited to support Aurora,” she says.

That support strengthens the sport of women’s soccer in Minnesota. Not only does the team give younger soccer players something to strive for, it also provides

opportunities for elite soccer players to build their skills.

Playing in a preprofessional league close to home means former Minnesota Gopher and last year’s Aurora team captain—Makenzie Langdok’s—career continues.

Playing in front of 1,300 fans was normal but 6,000 was a new experience. “I remember the first game was a little bit overwhelming for all of us,” she says. “Nobody had played in front of that many people.”

The Aurora are a part of the USL W League started in May 2022 with 44 teams across the country. The second season sees an expansion of 21 teams after a successful first season. Grounded by a strong mission, the league strives to use women’s soccer as a force for societal good by creating a national platform to increase opportunity, gender equity and career development.

The league encourages women to stay engaged in sports at all levels. Graupmann adds that in addition to offering strong competition, the league “supports women who want to be in sports, work in sports, and support ventures on and off the field by making sports more equitable and diverse.”

As players, coaches or sports administrators, the league opens doors for women athletes. Wayzata native Morgan Turner was the first Aurora player to sign a professional contract joining SCU Torreense in Portugal after the 2022 season. Beyond playing, coaching at high levels is an avenue many Aurora players are now considering.

“Having a hometown team makes it more accessible for players,” says Aurora center-forward Maya Hansen, who has an eye on playing professionally. More local athletes will aspire to reach the next level because they don’t have to travel far to play.

Another advantage is that as a

Photo: xxxxxxxxx

preprofessional league, athletes can compete at a higher level and work toward playing professionally without risking their college eligibility.

Many of the Aurora players also coach junior teams across the Metro. Langdok’s under-15 team attended almost every Aurora game, sat in the front row and cheered on their coach. Experiencing soccer at higher levels empowers young athletes to set their goals high. “It’s awesome seeing so many young girls come out with their teams waving posters,” Graupmann says. “It is very, very cool.”

Hansen, who was raised in Burnsville, says the games are a regular social outing for family and friends living in the south Metro. “It’s not uncommon for my parents to arrive at the stadium before I do,” Hansen says. Tailgating before the game adds to the excitement at TCO.

Community connection is a big part of the team and a pillar of the league. Players are looking forward to community engagements this summer.

One of Aurora’s community initiatives is to foster relationships with local LGBTQ+ organizations. Limited-edition Pride merchandise is expected to sell out again this year. Last year, 100 percent of the profits from the Pride merchandise went directly to Minnesota nonprofit Reclaim, which aims to increase access to mental healthcare for queer and transgender youth.

The community is enthusiastically behind the newest team in town, with Aurora merchandise worn with pride and restaurants offering shuttle services to games. And the players love it, too. Interacting with the fans at Autograph Ally is a highlight for everyone. After the game, kids can meet the players. Langdok says they enjoy it so much, “We could stay there for hours,” she says.

Minnesota Aurora FC; mnaurora.com

Minnesota Aurora FC @mnaurorafc @mnaurorafc

Photos: Minnesota Vikings (Top); MN Aurora (Bottom)

Minnesota native Mackenzie Langdok, the 2022 team captain, returns this season.

JOIN THE CHEERING SECTION

Regular Season Home Games

7 p.m. May 24 vs. Rochester FC

7 p.m. May 31 vs. RKC Soccer Club

7 p.m. June 7 vs. Chicago Dutch Lions

7 p.m. June 14 vs. Green Bay Glory

7 p.m. June 17 vs. Bavarian United

4 p.m. July 1 vs. Chicago City SC

Location/Parking

TCO Stadium in Eagan. Parking is available in the TCO Performance Center parking ramp, 2600 Vikings Circle, Eagan, and a gravel lot east of the stadium.

Tickets

• Club Tickets: $40 season ticket, $45 single game

• Reserved Seating: $23 season ticket, $25 single game

• General Admission: $12 season ticket, $14 single game

• Children 3 and younger are free

What to Expect

Gates open an hour before kickoff. Games have 90-minute playing time, with 15 minutes for halftime. Full concessions and alcoholic beverages are available. Outside food/drink and chairs are not allowed.

Since 1986 we have been serving students from Kindergarten through 8th grade. We offer a rigorous curriculum in a safe environment with no hidden agenda, building leaders with a heart to serve their community.

Christian Heritage Academy 7320 175th St. W., Lakeville 952.953.4155 chacademy.com

Family owned and operated for over 40 years. Lakeville Dental is dedicated to providing you with the highest quality, most comfortable dental care available. We want our patients to have a healthy and beautiful smile that lasts a lifetime and are committed to making every experience as welcoming and comfortable as possible.

Lakeville Dental Associates 20171 Icenic Trail, Lakeville 952.469.3300

lakevilledental.com

FOURTH OF JULY FESTIVITIES

FROM BOAT PARADES TO CLASSIC CAR CRUISES and carnival rides to live music, there’s plenty to do at these community festivals.

Freedom Days, Apple Valley

June 30–July 4

The 57th annual Apple Valley Freedom Days promises several days of fun events leading up to July 4, including a classic car cruise, carnival and fireworks show on the Fourth of July. Find a complete event list at avfreedomdays.com

Eagan’s July 4th Fun Fest, Eagan

July 2–4

This festival with more than 50 years of history offers fun for all ages with a parade, live music, carnival and fireworks. New this year: Some events will take place at Viking Lakes on July 2. Visit eaganfunfest.org for a complete calendar.

Annual Boat Parade, Prior Lake

July 4

The annual Fourth of July Boat Parade starts just outside the docks by Charlie’s on Prior (in Upper Prior Lake), where participants’ boats are judged from 1–1:30 p.m. Then a sheriff’s boat leads the parade contestants under the Highway 21 bridge to Lower Prior Lake and through the channel past Sand Point Beach. Fireworks are launched from Sand Point Beach at 10:15 p.m.

Pan-O-Prog, Lakeville

July 4–16

Lakeville’s Panorama of Progress, or PanO-Prog, kicks off on the Fourth of July with a fireworks display, followed by days of fun events, featuring everything from a Baby Crawl-A-Thon at the Lakeville Heritage Center to an evening of live music and beer throughout downtown Lakeville. Families with young children

love the Big Wheel race, pedal tractor pull and ping pong ball drop. There’s also pickleball, softball, fishing and volleyball tournaments. A parade, carnival, fly-in breakfast at the airport and car cruise are also festival highlights, but there’s really too much to fit in this small space, so visit panoprog.org for a complete calendar of events! —Liz Potasek

Photo: Visit Lakeville.

Every town has its own way of letting freedom ring.

LOCAL EVENTS

All Ford Show and Swap

06/04

Calling all car enthusiasts! Come see the largest Ford show in Minnesota. All ages. Prices vary. 9 a.m.–1 p.m. Apple Valley Ford, 7200 150th St., Apple Valley; 612.850.9134; northernstarmustangclub.com

Brat Stand Fundraiser

06/24–06/25

Enjoy the company of friends and family

and support the Ambassador Scholarship Program at this tasty event. All ages. Free. 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Von Hanson’s Meats, 1320 Duckwood Drive, Eagan; eaganfunfest.com

2023 Eagan Art Festival

06/25–06/26

The Eagan Art festival celebrates local artists and allows them an opportunity to sell their creations. All ages. Free. 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Eagan Central Park, 1501 Central Parkway, Eagan; eaganartfestival.org

Forest Bathing

07/08

Slow down and deepen your connection to nature as you practice engaging with all of your senses through Shinrin-yoku or forest bathing. $25.

9–11 a.m. Caponi Art Park, 1220 Diffley Road, Eagan; caponiartpark.org

Story Trails in the Park: Saturday by Oge Mora

07/21

Take a walk through Ritter Farm Park and read from giant picture book pages displayed along the trail. All ages. Free. 9–11 a.m. Ritter Farm Park, 19300 Ritter Trail, Lakeville; lakevillemn.gov

Beach Party

07/28

Join recreation staff from the City of Prior Lake for a beach party with games, crafts and musical entertainment from Kidsdance. Don’t forget your swimsuit, towel and sunscreen. Free. 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Sand Point Beach, 14349 Crest Ave. NE, Prior Lake; priorlakemn.gov

Treetop Trail Grand Opening

07/28

The Minnesota Zoo’s new elevated pedestrian loop opens on World Nature Conservation Day. Visitors can stroll 32 feet above the ground and gain a new perspective of many zoo animals, including tigers, moose and bison. All ages. Included with zoo admission. Minnesota Zoo, 13000 Zoo Blvd., Apple Valley; mnzoo.org

AREA EVENTS

Susie Park and Silver Ainomäe 06/01–06/02

Minnesota Orchestra members Susie Park and Silver Ainomäe play selections of Brahms. All ages. Ticket prices vary. Times vary. Minnesota Orchestra, 1111 Nicollet Mall, Mpls.; 612.371.5600; minnesotaorchestra.org

To have your event considered: email citiessouthmags@localmedia.co by the 10th of the month three months prior to publication. Due to the fluidity being experienced in the current environment, please note that some events/dates and even some business operations may have changed since these pages went to print. Please visit affiliated websites for updates.

Brat Stand Fundraiser

Compiled by Hailey Almsted and Clare Greeman

The Prom

06/01–06/04, 06/07–06/10

Chanhassen Dinner Theatres presents

The Prom, a comedic, over-the-top musical that celebrates unapologetically being yourself. Ages 5 and older. Ticket prices vary. Times vary. Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, 501 W. 78th St., Chanhassen; 952.934.1525; chanhassendt.com

Flint Hills Family Festival

06/02–06/03

This interactive and kid-friendly festival features art activities, workshops and thrilling performances to enjoy with the whole family. All ages. $5. Times vary. Ordway, 345 Washington St., St. Paul; 651.224.4222; ordway.org

Grand Old Day

06/04

After a three year hiatus, Grand Old Day is back in full swing this year with products for sale from local makers, food, music and more. All ages. Free. 8:30 a.m.–6 p.m. Grand Avenue, Dale Street to Fairview Avenue, St. Paul; grandave.com

St. Paul Summer Beer Festival

06/10

What could be better than beer samples from 45 local craft breweries, live music, food and the Minnesota State Fairgrounds? Ages 21 and older. Ticket prices vary. 2–5 p.m. Minnesota State Fair Grounds International Bazaar, Underwood & Judson, St. Paul; stpaulsummerbeerfest.com

Stone Arch Bridge Festival

06/17–06/18

Every art medium you can think of is brought forth by local artists, framed by music, food, drinks and the view surrounding the Stone Arch Bridge. All ages. Free. Times vary. Locations vary. 952.473.6422; stonearchbridgefestival.com

Lakes Jam

06/22–06/24

Enjoy a weekend of camping and live country and rock music from more than 30 artists in the Brainerd Lakes area. Ages 21 and older. Ticket prices vary. Lakes Jam, 5523 Birchdale Road, Brainerd; lakesjam.com

Casual Luxury

Gary’s Supper Club wants to be your spot for date night—or any night.

Written by Liz Potasek Photos by Chris Emeott

WHETHER IT’S A TUESDAY and you’re already in need of a decent cocktail and a break from kitchen duty, or you’re looking for the perfect spot to mark a big milestone, Gary’s Supper Club aims to be your destination.

The Lakeville restaurant, which opened last winter, has quickly made a name for itself with a menu featuring fresh lobster flown in weekly from Boston, satisfying prime rib dinners and enticing weekend brunches. “I felt like Lakeville deserves something like this,” says Sarah Jenny, who coowns Gary’s Supper Club with her husband, Jason Jenny (who is also an oral surgeon), restaurant manager Gary Windschitl, drink developer Jana Whitt, plus a group of friends and investors.

As Lakeville residents and restaurateurs, the Jennys wanted to bring exceptional food and service to the community while maintaining smalltown amiability. The group purchased Harry’s Scratch Kitchen and put its own spin on the decor and the menu, keeping the philosophy behind the “made from scratch” kitchen and adding their own connections in the seafood industry (They previously owned Stella’s Fish Cafe in Minneapolis.) and relationships with local farmers to get locally sourced meat.

Sarah collaborated with chef Andres Garcia to create a homey, yet elevated menu, where Turkey Pot Pie and oysters can coexist. The trick, Sarah says, was making sure that everything—from the cheese curds to the halibut with lemon basil beurre blanc—was the absolute best quality. “I can taste the quality of food, the care that goes into every dish,” she says, noting that everything on the menu down to the salad dressing and croutons are homemade. “If you’re going to get the Reuben, it’s going to be the best Reuben.”

Garcia was working at the Gold Nugget

Tavern in Minnetonka—another restaurant the Jennys own (along with McHughs Public House in Savage)—when he was brought in to help create the menu at Gary’s. He currently splits his time between both restaurants. “He’s an amazing chef,” Sarah says.

The menu features supper club favorites like Popovers, chophouse salad, New York strip steak, and lobster, as well as instant classics like the Prime Rib Egg Rolls, Asada Bowl or Nashville Hot Chicken sandwich.

Gary Windschitl and Andres Garcia

“I can taste the quality of food, the care that goes into every dish.”

—Sarah Jenny, co-owner of Gary’s Supper Club

Tuna Sashimi (front) and Cedar Plank Salmon (back).

Sarah Marie Aviation

The drink menu was crafted with similar care, featuring creative cocktails. (Watch for one with flavors of pineapple, basil and mint coming this summer!) There’s also an extensive wine list featuring more than 60 varieties.

While serving up exceptional food and drink is a top priority, Sarah also wanted to create a modern supper club vibe where guests could escape on a date night or a girls’ night. She brought in lots of plants—even planting a tree in one corner of the seating area—and added glam elements throughout the restaurant. A beaded curtain subtly separates the open kitchen from the dining area, and a giant fish tank with lobsters greets diners in the restaurant lobby.

The new Marion Room has glass doors that can be opened or closed to create rental space for private parties or meetings.

This summer, Sarah hopes to open a patio with lots

of greenery and a water feature. “We want to go all out,” Sarah says. “I believe in continuously keeping it fresh, new. We constantly put into our restaurants. We invest. You’ll not see any of our restaurants dated.”

In a few short months, Gary’s has already built up a following of loyal diners. Restaurant namesake, manager and partner Windschitl, who is often greeting guests with a welcoming smile, marvels at how quickly and seamlessly it has come together. “This community of people is fantastic,” Windschitl says. “I think we’re a nice complement to the Lakeville market, something different.”

Gary’s Supper Club, 20790 Keokuk Ave., Lakeville; 952.469.5696; garysupperclub.com

Gary’s Supper Club @gsclakeville

Ahh-Inspiring

Patriotic Celebration

Apple Valley’s Freedom Days culminates with a fireworks display.

CITY OF APPLE VALLEY staff snapped this picture at the 56th annual Apple Valley Freedom Days in 2022. The volunteer-run community festival included five days of activities, featuring a carnival, parade, car show, free outdoor concert, fun run and, of course, fireworks to celebrate the Fourth of July. Find details about the 57th annual Freedom Days at avfreedomdays.com.

Have you taken a beautiful photo that highlights our communities of Apple Valley, Eagan, Lakeville and Prior Lake? Make sure to submit it in our first photo contest, launching July 1!

(Details page 7.)

celebrate in style

Bring the taste of Kowalski’s to your next party or event. Whether outdoors or in, elegant or casual, we’ve got you covered. Give us a call today and we’ll help you plan the perfect menu.

651-313-6870

kowalskis.com