Minneapolis Calhoun Isles

About the Community of Minneapolis Calhoun Isles

The unique community of Calhoun-Isles is composed of several smaller neighborhoods within the Minneapolis city limits. This upscale region consists of residential neighborhoods and business areas situated around Lake Calhoun, Lake of the Isles, Lake Harriet and Cedar Lake. The lakes are connected both by water - via channels that pass under gracious curved bridges - and by land, providing a multitude of recreational opportunities. The many channels allow non-motorized boats, swimmers and windsurfers to travel from one lake to another quite easily, while bicyclists, joggers, walkers, and rollerbladers enjoy the extensive network of paths winding through the lush open space surrounding the lakes. In the winter, the lakes are cleared of snow for ice-skating and ice fishing. Cross-country skiing on the paths is another popular winter activity.

The residential areas in Calhoun-Isles are Bryn Mawr, Cedar-Isles-Dean, East Isles, Kenwood, Lowry Hill, Lowry Hill East and West Calhoun. Kenwood, located between Lake Calhoun, Lake of the Isles and Cedar Lake, contains the largest concentration of upscale homes in Minneapolis and anchors a major American cultural center. Wonderful neighborhood business districts can be found in the various Calhoun-Isles areas and feature quaint shops and popular restaurants. The eclectic and colorful Uptown district is also located within Calhoun-Isles. This vibrant commercial and residential area is located southwest of downtown and east of Lake Calhoun in the CARAG (Calhoun Area Residents Action Group) area. More than 15,000 Uptown residents enjoy the district’s one-of-a-kind shops, retail stores, restaurants, coffee houses and theaters.

Minneapolis is first in the nation in literacy and second in per capita theaters. It is also known for its orchestra, art museums, and the sculpture garden with the cherry spoon near Loring Park and the Walker Art Center. Minneapolis is on the Mississippi River where you will find riverboats to ride on and by its banks, interesting walks. Minneapolis is also home to professional sports teams and many restaurants and bars with musical entertainment.

Parks:
Over the years, our park system has grown from a few city parks to a large, nationally recognized park system of nearly 6,400 acres of land and water, including over 170 park properties throughout the city and 49 year round staffed recreation centers. Today, an important component of what makes Minneapolis a great place to live and work is these parks and lakes. In fact, we believe the Minneapolis Park system to be the best park system in the galaxy. It was described by the Trust for Public Land in 2000 as the "closest thing to park nirvana".

Chain of Lakes:

• Enjoy lakeside paths for exercise and relaxation
• Canoe for nearly two miles from Lake Calhoun to Brownie Lake
• Search for the marker at the site of the area's first schoolhouse or Cloudman's village.
• Step back 50 years in time and ride the Como-Harriet Streetcar Line
• Listen to live music at the Lake Harriet Bandshell
• Visit the Bird Sanctuary, Rose Gardens and Peace Gardens near Lake Harriet

Parks Historical Sites:
While all of the parks in Minneapolis have an extensive history, the Park Board is fortunate to house several unique historical sites.

Recreation Centers:
The Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board operates 49 year-round, neighborhood-based Recreation Centers, ranging in size from one-room shelters to full-service facilities with meeting rooms, kitchens and gymnasiums. Each Center employs full and part-time staff committed to providing quality recreation opportunities and programs for the citizens of Minneapolis.

Recreation Centers not only provide facilities for individuals and groups, they also are the focal point of our extensive activity and program offerings. Each Recreation Center offers a variety of programs, classes and special events reflecting the entire spectrum of recreation.

Get involved with your neighborhood Recreation Centers - a safe place for all ages to meet new friends, socialize, learn new skills, keep fit and stay healthy. Choose a Recreation Center from the list at the top of this page to discover all that's available.

Annual Events:

• City of Lakes Loppet
• 35km cross-country ski race through the Twin Cities (1st weekend in Feb.)
• Heart of the Beast Theatre May Day Parade
• Parade and Festival featuring fantastic puppets and floats (1st weekend in May)
• Art-A-Whirl
• Art Studio Tour and Open House in NE Minneapolis (May)
• Pride Festival & Parade - One of the country's largest annual Gay-Lesbian-Bisexual-Transgender pride celebrations (June)
• Minneapolis Aquatennial - Summer festival with more than 70 events including milk carton boat races and Torchlight Parade (3rd week of July)
• Minnesota Fringe Festival - Hundreds of music, dance & theater performances at about 20 different venues. (1st week in Aug.)
• Loring Park Art Festival - Fine art festival in an idyllic downtown park setting (1st weekend in Aug.)
• Uptown Metris Art Fair - One of the top fine arts festivals in the Midwest (1st weekend in Aug.)
• Powderhorn Festival of Arts - Features regional fine arts and crafts (August)
• Twin Cities Marathon - The most beautiful urban marathon in America (1st weekend in Oct.)
• Holidazzle Parade - Floats and fairy-tale characters with sparkling lights parade down Nicollett Mall. (Wednesdays though Sundays, End of November through December)