It's Quiet Uptown

I love Uptown Minneapolis. Despite it's misnomer of a name (it's def not Uptown of Downtown tbh), I LOVE Uptown. But not everyone feels the same. The most concerning aspect of this trend is that not all businesses feel the same love as me, and we rely on the business strip in Uptown to give it the vibrance that makes it feel like home for so many people.

Living in Uptown is convenience exemplified. I can walk to Target, Lund's, Cub, and (if I take a long walk) to Whole Foods. I'm walking distance to 8 great coffee options (Black Walnut, Canteen, Dunn Bros, Isles Bun & Coffee, Curioso Coffee Bar, Corner Coffee, Lake and Bryant Cafe, Uncommon Grounds Coffeehouse... the list actually goes on).

My favorite bar and restaurant (Sooki and Mimi) and bookstore (Magers & Quinn) are around the corner from each other. My bank (Chase) is one block from my home.

And yet Uptown is quiet. Businesses are leaving left and right. We recently lost Kitchen Window, Stella's Fish Cafe, Urban Outfitters, CB2 and H&M.

On the other hand, a new era is upon us. Arts and Rec and Curioso Coffee are some of the newcomers who are helping revitalize the business district that we know and love.

I called around to my favorite coffee shops in the blizzard hoping to find one that was open. I finally got lucky with number 5, Curioso. I had only been in once before, because their default milk is oat (for planet saving reasons), and I have a strong preference for almond milk (sorry planet). Despite this setback, I was able to enjoy a delicious skim milk flat white in a total blizzard in my neighborhood.

If that doesn't convince you to give Uptown another try, I don't know what will.

Ps! Curioso now offers almond milk! Big win!

Sarah's Event Resume

Sarah has been planning events everywhere she's been for the past 10+ years. Here are some fun examples!

The Princess Bride fundraiser for Oasis Free Clinics, 2017

HIV testing and community outreach with Whitman Walker Health, 2017-18

Privia Gives Back Chairperson for Privia Health, 2019-20

Bookclub organizer 2019- present

Communications Director and Event Planner for Lauren Bresnahan's Campaign for State House, 2022

Vice President and Events Committee Chair for the UMN School of Public Health Student Senate 2021-22

Community Engagement Manager for Voyageur Outward Bound School, 2022-23

Fundraising Chair local Senate District 46 DFL in St. Louis Park, Edina, and Hopkins, 2023 - present

And musical booking agent, event planner, and project manager extraordinaire at DancingFish Events.

Ready to book a meeting with event-lover Sarah? Reach out here.

Meet the DancingFish Team

Hello everyone! Thank you for following our journey with DancingFish thus far. We want to introduce ourselves to you a little more fully.

Meet Sarah: Sarah has been planning social gatherings for as long as she can remember. It's important to her that people have the opportunity to come together and connect, whether that be around a specific cause or simply doing something that they enjoy together. She's the proud mom of a little chippy pup named Pringle, and, along with Rachel, a new member of the Minneapolis music scene. She started DancingFish Events to leverage her love of community building and networking to do good in the Minneapolis community and beyond.

Meet Rachel: Rachel’s love of planning events stems from her mom’s game nights. She realized how a bowl of chips and a couple of dice can make a night that people look forward to every month. She’s a Minnesota transplant from the beautiful state of Virginia, a lover of national parks, and a folk musician. She joined Sarah on the DancingFish journey to create the type of community she moved across the country for. With Rachel, there’s no job too hard, no drive too far, and no mead too sweet.

Ready to learn more? Reach out!