From crop art to cheese curds, the State Fair is remarkable for its many delights. Join us in the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden to carry forward the summery spark of the State Fair at a free family day inspired by the ultimate celebration of all things Minnesota. Then, visit the galleries for a last look at Keith Haring: Art Is for Everybody, featuring iconic and impactful artworks that blur the line between art and everyday life.
Free First Saturday features free gallery admission on the first Saturday of every month. Gallery admission tickets are available in advance online and on-site on the event day from the Main Lobby desk. Free admission 10 am–5 pm; activities 10 am–3 pm.
Activity Information
Dragon on a Stick, 10 am–3 pm
Cowles North Pavilion
Make your own puppet-on-a-stick!! Once your masterpiece is done, make it take flight in one of the Puppet Parades happening today at 11 am and 1 pm.
In the Heart of the Beast Puppet Library, 10 am–3 pm
Spoonbridge and Cherry Lawn
Check out the community puppet library from In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre. Learn from the artists, take photos with the puppets, and find out more about how you can check one out for yourself!
Corn Dogs!, 10 am–3 pm
Cowles South Pavilion
These aren’t your usual corn dogs! Using rainbow corn kernels, make your very own crop art inspired by Keith Haring’s Barking Dog.
Build Your Own Mini Concession Stand, 10 am–3 pm
Cowles South Pavilion
Celebrate everyone’s favorite part of the fair—the FOOD! Build and decorate your own mini concession stand designed by artist Pablo Helm Hernandez.
Dance Party with DJ Mickey Breeze, 10–11 am, 12 noon–1 pm, and 2–3 pm
Cowles Center Pavilion
Show off your moves to a full range of lively beats during a family friendly dance party hosted by DJ Mickey Breeze.
Roaming Puppets, 10–11 am, 12 noon–1 pm, and 2–3 pm
Around the Garden
Something big is on the move in the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden! Puppeteers will be on the loose with larger-than-life puppets. Keep on the lookout and say hello when you spot them.
Puppet Parade, 11 am and 1 pm
Parade begins at Spoonbridge and Cherry Lawn
It’s a state fair–themed Puppet Parade through the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden! Borrow a puppet or a ribbon wand, or bring your Dragon on a Stick to join in on the fun!
Guided Tours of the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, 11:30 am (families), 1 pm (general audiences), and 3 pm (in Spanish)
Meet outside Walker Vineland Place entrance
Join a Walker educator for a family friendly guided tour of artworks on view in the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden at 11:30 am (40 min.), take a guided tour for general audiences at 1 pm (60 min.), or join a guided tour in Spanish at 3 pm (60 min). Tours explore a selection of artworks and include interactive discussion. Meet outside the Walker’s main entrance on Vineland Place five minutes before the tour starts.
Accessibility
For more information about accessibility, visit our Access page.
For questions on accessibility, or to request additional accommodations, call 612-375-7564 or email access@walkerart.org.
Bios
Mickey Breeze is a DJ, artist, and educator. With more than 10 years of musical experience, he now plays trumpet, drums, piano, violin, and cello. He began playing music at age 5. At age 8, he began producing music electronically, and by age 10, DJing seemed like the logical next step as a way to combine production with the knack for live performance he picked up as a musician. Unlike some DJs who just press play, Breeze uses a drum pad controller to add percussion and transitions over the top of the tracks as well as to create entire beats, adding a unique live performance layer to his DJ sets. His sets range from from hip-hop to EDM, from R&B to lo-fi beats, and he likes to work in his own edits, remixes, and original productions.
Twin Cities–based artist Pablo Helm-Hernandez’s (he/him) work includes painting, illustrating, and rug making, drawing inspiration from his Mexican heritage, Mexico’s vibrant cultures, and the sheer amount of creativity that exists within the human soul. Recently, Helm-Hernandez has been painting large-scale murals, small-scale pieces, and working in sculptural fabrication, constructing film sets and props. He is particularly interested in murals and public art projects that involve community engagement, combining all his passions. Helm-Hernandez has worked with numerous organizations within Minnesota and across the country, including Cleve Carney Museum of Art, City of Minneapolis Arts and Cultural Affairs Department, Comunidades Latinas Unidas En Servicio (CLUES), Tangible Collective, and (Neo)Muralismos de Mexico.
Start with Water, flour, newspaper, paint. Add a large measure of IMAGINATION and a dollop of ARTISTRY to make STORIES about our world come ALIVE through PUPPETS. This is in the Heart of the Beast’s (HOBT) nearly 50-year-old puppet recipe. Since 1973, HOBT has helped to create and cultivate the puppetry community in the Twin Cities, and has been widely celebrated for their large-scale puppets and activism. They have brought some of the most talented puppeteers to Minneapolis, while maintaining a strong connection to the local puppet community. HOBT is a community of artists working within our larger community to create magic together. The group makes puppets large and small—monstrous, beautiful, silly, human, plant, and animal, you name it. HOBT artists use gesture, voice, form, and color, giving life to puppets that help tell stories to represent the world as it is and as we dream it could be.
Before Your Visit
Paid underground parking is available on-site. Enter the ramp on Vineland Place at Bryant Avenue. Biking or taking Metro Transit? Learn more.
Visiting the galleries? Enhance your experience by joining a public tour or with self-guided resources accessible for free on Bloomberg Connects.
Personal photography is permitted throughout the Walker and the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, but please turn off the flash when visiting the galleries.
To help us promote future events and programs, this event may be photographed or recorded. By attending, you consent to appear in this documentation and its future use by the museum. Please let staff know upon arrival if you prefer not to be photographed.
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