Explore Deming Heights Park with an MPRB parks naturalist

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What nature can we find in Deming Heights Park?

Join the Waite Park Community Council and Audubon Neighborhood Association on Saturday, Oct. 5, as we explore with a Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board naturalist.

This special “Explore with a Naturalist” program will including searching for signs of animal activity, observing plant life, and noticing nature in the park during the fall season. There might be more happening than at first glance when we take the time to explore and get curious about the natural world around us.

Registration is required for participation in this free program.

This program will meet at 10 a.m. near the benches and informational signage located next to the intersection of Fillmore St. NE and St. Anthony Parkway

Register at MPRB’s ActiveNetwork site.

Explore with a Naturalist
What: Search for signs of animal activity and observe plant life with an MPRB naturalist
When: Saturday, Oct. 5, 10-11:30 am
Where: Deming Heights Park (meet at the benches near Fillmore St. NE and St. Anthony Parkway)
Cost: Free, but registration required

It’s time for the 2024 Waite Park Fall Festival! Saturday, Sept. 14

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The Waite Park Community Council invites you to attend our annual neighborhood fall festival on Saturday, Sept. 14, from 3-7 p.m. at Waite Park.

The Waite Park Fall Festival will feature local arts and craft vendors, civic group and nonprofit tables, live music, kids games, face painting, food trucks, and free hot dogs and veggie burgers.

“We are excited to be able to put on this fun, neighborhood event once again,” said Nick Stroozas, chair of the community council’s fall festival committee, which partners with Minneapolis Parks and Recreation on the event.

Grilled hot dogs and veggie burgers will be available for free until they run out. Paid food options will include food trucks Chimborazo and Ben & Jerry’s. TapMPLS will provide a drinking water station. (Bring a water bottle to help us reduce waste!)

We are excited to welcome back both musical acts from last year’s festival: the family-friendly folk of Skunk Hollow and ‘90s cover band 120 Minutes, both of which feature musicians who live in the Waite Park neighborhood.

The fall festival is one of the Waite Park Community Council’s two signature events along with the annual neighborhood meeting in March.

“Creating opportunities for people to come together and develop a sense of community is one of our core priorities as an organization,” Waite Park Community Council President Dan Haugen said. “The festival is a great way to meet and reconnect with people who live and work in your neighborhood.”

The festival is planned and run entirely by volunteers, with funding for food and entertainment from our generous sponsors, including: Eastside Food Co-op, Larsen Dental, Turbo Tim’s Anything Automotive, and Cosmic Coffee.

Volunteers are still needed to help set up, serve food, oversee kids games, and clean up at the end of the event. If you are interested in getting involved, please fill out this form or contact festival@waiteparkcc.org.

For more information on the festival, see page 7-10 for a pull-out program guide, including a complete listing of confirmed vendors.

RSVP for Waite Park 2024 annual neighborhood meeting & election

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The Waite Park Community Council will hold its annual neighborhood meeting and board election on Thursday, March 14, at Columbia Manor.

  • Meet and mingle with neighbors and community leaders

  • Get involved! Learn about neighborhood volunteer opportunities

  • Free snacks and beverages (including beer and wine)

The event will begin with a social hour at 6pm, followed by a brief program at 7pm that will include an annual report from WPCC’s board officers as well as brief comments from local leaders. Officials who have RSVP’d to attend include: Minneapolis City Council President Elliott Payne, School Board Treasurer Abdul Abdi, Park Commissioner Billy Menz, Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt, Hennepin County Commissioner Irene Fernando and State Rep. Sydney Jordan.

*** RSVP here ***

All attendees who live, work, or own property in the Waite Park neighborhood are invited to participate in the annual board election. This year’s vote will elect up to seven board members, as well as officer roles for president and vice president.

The Waite Park Community Council is an all-volunteer-run nonprofit organization dedicated to building community, supporting civic engagement, and maintaining a high quality of life in our neighborhood.

Our 15 board members, elected to staggered, two-year terms, spend on average 3-5 hours per month attending meetings, helping to plan events such as our Fall Festival, administer neighborhood programs, and serve as liaisons with key community partners and stakeholders.

This year’s event will also feature a community resource fair, where attendees can learn about area nonprofits and community groups serving the Waite Park neighborhood and Northeast Minneapolis. Participating organizations include the League of Women Voters, Northeast Football Club, the Northeaster newspaper, Metro Transit, Eastside Neighborhood Services, Immigrant Connection, Waite Park Elementary PTA, and Northeast Middle School.

The Waite Park Community Council would like to extend a special invitation to all of its neighbors in the Columbia Park neighborhood, who may participate in all activities except for the board election.

This is a free event. RSVP is not required but it would help us out if you can let us know in advance if you are planning to attend, so that we can ensure we have the right amount of food, beverage, and seating for a successful event.

A Zoom option (link here) will be available for the annual report and election portion of the event beginning at 7pm.

WATCH: LWV Ward 1 Minneapolis City Council candidate forum

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The Waite Park Community Council co-sponsored a League of Women Voters forum for Minneapolis Ward 1 City Council candidates on Wednesday, Oct. 4

Early voting for the November 2023 municipal election is underway until Monday, Nov. 6. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 7. More information is available at https://vote.minneapolismn.gov/

Watch a recording of the forum below:

WPCC approves $1,000 grant for Cavell Park youth soccer program

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The Waite Park Community Council at its Aug. 31 board meeting approved a $1,000 grant from its Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP) funds for a youth soccer program based at Cavell Park.

In the fall of 2021, a group of parents from the Waite Park neighborhood decided to organize soccer sessions for their kids. Interest grew, kids and parents showed up from all over Northeast Minneapolis.

The program was recently rebranded NEFC (Northeast Football Club). The goal is to build community, meet new friends, and play soccer (football). It’s for families who want to build community around soccer without the cost or time commitment associated with other programs.

The sessions begin at 5:45 p.m. every Thursday night at Cavell Park. Coach Dan Schuchman starts with skill building games for kids, then everyone scrimmages, including the parents (if they want to). Scrimmages are known to go for an hour or more! It’s very casual, come and go as you please.

There are also occasional special events: an outdoor screening of a USWNT World Cup game, a trip to a University of Minnesota soccer game, and an annual skills clinic with the Edison Girls Soccer team that takes place on the Edison High School field. It’s a big hit with the kids!

NEFC will use the community council’s grant to purchase equipment (nets, soccer balls, cones) and create branded merchandise (water bottle stickers, etc.) to help spread the word and grow the program.

Come to Cavell Park on Thursday nights! 5:45, all ages and stages. Connect on Instagram @ne.fc or just stop by.

Skeletons in your closet? Bring them to our Halloween costume swap on Saturday, Oct. 7

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Is your attic or storage space haunted by clutter? Get rid of that box of old Halloween costumes by bringing it to our first ever Waite Park Halloween Costume Swap.

Bring your clean, gently used Halloween costumes, props and clothing to Waite Park on Saturday, October 7, from 4 to 6 p.m. We will have tables to display your items for others to browse and take home.

Selling of items is not allowed — this event is for sharing only. By reusing items, we can collectively reduce waste and consumption.

Please do not bring items that could be dangerous (e.g. metal pirate swords that are sharp, cap guns that actually shoot, etc.) or harmful, otherwise we welcome costumes of all shapes, sizes, and styles. 

The event will take place outdoors, but in case of rain will be moved to the gymnasium in the Waite Park Recreation Center, 1810 34th Avenue Northeast.

All are welcome to attend and enjoy a bonfire and s'mores and connection with your neighbors, even if you don't plan to participate in the costume swap!

⚡️ Event: How electricity can help your health, wallet and the climate

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Electrify Everything

It’s Waite Park Wednesday! Join the Waite Park Community Council on the first Wednesday of April for an informational presentation and discussion on how the latest generation of electric appliances for heating and cooking can benefit your health, wallet, and the climate.

Electrify Everything will take place at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 5, in-person at the Waite Park Recreation Center, 1810 34th Ave. NE.

This free program will be facilitated by staff at the Center for Energy and Environment and is co-presented by the Waite Park Community Council and Minneapolis Parks and Recreation.

Questions? Contact the community council at info@waiteparkcc.org.

Waite Park Neighborhood 2023 Annual Meeting & Winter Mixer

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The Waite Park Community Council invites you to attend the Waite Park Neighborhood Annual Meeting and Winter Mixer on Wednesday, Feb. 1, at the Waite Park Recreation Center (1810 34th Ave. NE).

The event will mark the neighborhood’s first in-person annual meeting since 2019. It will feature snacks and social time, along with a state-of-the-neighborhood presentation, annual treasurer’s report, and board election. This year's election will seek to fill eight board seats, as well as officer roles for secretary and treasurer.

Participation in the board election is open to all people 18 years or older who reside, work or own property or a business in the neighborhood. Waite Park is geographically bounded by Central Avenue on the west, Stinson Boulevard on the east, St. Anthony Parkway on the south and 37th Avenue on the north.

The Waite Park Community Council is an all-volunteer nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting a high quality of life in the Waite Park neighborhood by providing a forum for community engagement.

Board members meet monthly and help plan and manage a variety of events and programs, including the neighborhood fall festival, a low-interest home improvement loan program, and rebates for block club and home security improvements.

If you cannot attend in-person but would like to participate in the board election, please contact info@waiteparkcc.org for Zoom information.

Volunteers needed for Waite Park Fall Festival - Saturday, Sept. 10

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Skunk Creek performs at the 2022 Waite Park Fall Festival.

The Waite Park Community Council would love your help in making our fall festival successful this year!

The annual Waite Park Fall Festival will take place on Saturday, Sept. 10th, from 3-7pm at Waite Park (1810 34th Ave. NE). The event will include food, entertainment, and a variety of vendors from artists to vintage goods.

We are an all-volunteer organization, and the success of this event depends on people donating their time to make it happen. We are still seeking at least 10 more volunteers to take on a 1-2 hour shift each. Roles include helping with set up and tear down, cooking and serving food, and overseeing kids activities.

Please sign up to volunteer using this link by September 2nd. All are welcome to help — you do not need to live in Waite Park to volunteer. For questions, email festival@waiteparkcc.org.

We would also like to thank our generous sponsors: the Eastside Food Co-op, Larson Dental, Norseman Construction, Stinson Beer, Wine & Spirits, and Turbo Tim's Anything Automotive.

—Fall Festival Committee