This episode dives into the Everything Conference 2024 host city, or I should probably say cities: Minneapolis-St. Paul.
Technically, we are in Minneapolis for Everything Conference, as the McNamara Alumni Center is on the University of Minnesota campus in Minneapolis.
(Side note: I don’t know if I’ve ever seen so many Ms and Ns in one place as over this weekend.)
But are we obligated to mention St. Paul at least at some point whenever we mention Minneapolis? Or just say “Twin Cities”? Does the other one feel left out otherwise?
In order to sort this out, one must talk to a local. We are blessed to have quite a few who participated this weekend, and for this conversation I reached out to my friend and Minneapolis native Rachel Blanford, who I know from the Location Indie community and whom I had already met twice in-person, at Camp Indie in Connecticut the past two years.
It would have been in 2023 when Rachel said, “You should come visit in Minneapolis, I’ll show you around.” Of course, I said, “Sure,” but what were the odds that would happen any time soon?
Turns out, pretty good.
Here we are just over a year later, sitting down in the living room of a beautiful VRBO rented house, with Becca, Josh, Lindsay, Cory, Rachel A., Annie, David, and Dustin all milling around in the background.
We Cover:
- Do citizens of both cities intermingle and go between? Or mostly keep to one or the other?
- How the Twin Cities have both pursued wonderful cleanliness and beautification schemes, from parks and public spaces to public art and murals initiatives.
- How the banks of the Mississippi River have been largely de-industrialized and returned to green space and nature, which is lovely to see.
- The feel of the city (does it feel “big” to a local?), population and diversity, and the Twin Cities’ influence on the Midwest and the country as a whole.
Tips Include:
- It’s a metropolitan area that punches above its weight. See how many influences, cultural, economic, and political you can come up with.
- Subtle art installations and effects to look out for when you visit.
- Where to find the giant murals of Prince and Bob Dylan, amongst others.
- Check out one of the many theatres and auditoriums when you visit, especially in winter.
Minneapolis/St. Paul is like a hybrid between the big cities of Chicago, LA, or New York, with their cultural influence, yet far more than just another Midwest city. It’s a place that has certainly had, and continues to make, an impact.
And by the time you finish this episode, you should know what to call a local: Minneapolitaniter. I think.
Encouragement Links:
My thanks to Jeff Long for his help with audio repair and processing for this episode.
You can find him here at Zigzag Along with Deana & Jeff
Photo credit: Rachel Blanford
The MultiPod @ Everything Conference miniseries
© Quick Edit Podcasts, 2024
Production and original music by Ted Cragg
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