Author: Juliana Allen

Eden Prairie residents aren’t just attending the Minnesota State Fair — they’re busy making it happen. Eden Prairie High School’s dynamic students helped kick off day one of the “Great Minnesota Get-Together” on Thursday, Aug. 25. The marching band, color guard, and pom squad entertained the crowd with upbeat songs, including the EPHS rouser and “Take On Me” by Norwegian new wave 1980s band A-ha. From kindergarteners to senior citizens, EP-ites made our city proud by having their work displayed (and winning ribbons!) in many State Fair competitions. They wowed judges with their talents, from drawing and photography, to sewing…

As the first day of school approaches, families all over Eden Prairie are busy poring over school supply lists and going shopping to fill backpacks with new supplies. For many families, however, purchasing school supplies poses a financial challenge they may not be able to meet on their own. Eden Prairie Schools’ (EPS) Back-to-School Supplies Program is here to support them. It makes sure that each EPS student is prepared for educational success by providing necessary school supplies at no cost to families experiencing financial hardship. Backpacks and school supplies are matched with student needs. No questions or names are…

As the end of summer approaches, Eden Prairie Schools (EPS) is preparing to host several back-to-school events. Check for your student’s sessions below. Elementary schools Students and families are invited to attend open house nights to walk around their elementary schools, find their classrooms, and meet staff and teachers. Cedar Ridge Elementary: Wednesday, Aug. 31, 4-6 p.m. Eden Lake Elementary: Wednesday, Aug. 31, 4-6 p.m. Forest Hills Elementary: Wednesday, Aug. 31, 4-6 p.m. Oak Point Elementary: Wednesday, Aug. 31, 4-6 p.m. Prairie View Elementary: Wednesday, Aug. 31, 4-6 p.m. Eagle Heights Spanish Immersion: Thursday, Sept. 1, 4-6 p.m. Eagle Heights…

Four members of Eden Prairie’s Civil Air Patrol (CAP) Viking Composite Squadron recently trained with local municipal, county, and state emergency personnel in a search and rescue exercise (SAREX) near Mankato. On July 16, 1st Lt. Michael Ireland, Cadet Airman Marie-Eva Ndeye Damiba, Cadet Senior Airman Devon Wyatt, and Senior Member Julie Wyatt joined 67 members from 15 other Minnesota Wing CAP squadrons to carry out the exercise. The day began with a reported Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) signal being detected in south-central Minnesota. “The scenario was that a light aircraft had gone down in the area and there were three people on board,”…

Enjoying drinks and a meal outside is one of the best perks of Minnesota’s long summer days and nights. Many of Eden Prairie’s cafés and restaurants offer appealing family-friendly (and dog-friendly!) outdoor dining options. We’ve highlighted a sampling here. Feel free to message us in the comments with your favorites! Smith Coffee & Cafe, 8107 Eden Prairie Road Step back into Eden Prairie’s history by dining at the historic red brick Smith-Douglas-More House. Smith offers an outdoor garden and patio seating for 60 people, in addition to seating in its quaint farmhouse interior. Reservable tables are available on the picket-fenced…

Two Eden Prairie High School (EPHS) students are sharing their passion for science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) by hosting a free four-day summer camp for girls. Girls in grades 1-4 are invited to register for “Girlboss: Girls in STEM Summer Camp” through Eden Prairie Community Education. The four-day camp will run Aug. 1-4 at Eden Lake Elementary and offers both morning (9 a.m. to noon) and afternoon (1 to 4 p.m.) sessions. The program features hands-on STEM-based challenges that introduce campers to physics, chemistry, biology, and environmental science. Campers will do fun activities, including centripetal force and tornadoes in a bottle,…

A young Elvis Presley played his first two Twin Cities shows on May 13, 1956. The small but extremely appreciative audiences reportedly screamed so loud that nobody could hear Elvis perform. Although “The King” is longer with us, he was here in spirit as tribute act Echoes of Elvis rocked the crowd at Staring Lake Amphitheatre on Sunday evening, July 10. St. Paul-based Elvis impersonator Eddie Hughes and his energetic backing band Rich & The Resistors entertained the audience with a wide selection of Elvis’ hits. Hughes belted out songs from “Suspicious Minds” and “Hound Dog” to “Love Me Tender”…

South Minneapolis-based dance troupe Kalpulli KetzalCoatlicue shared the tradition of Nahuatl/Aztec dance with an Eden Prairie audience at Staring Lake Amphitheatre on Thursday evening, July 7. The group gave a spirited performance backed by music created by rhythmic drums, conch shells, and other natural instruments. The dancers wore traditional headdresses, colorful beaded costumes, and ankle rattles made of seed pods. “The Kalpulli KetzalCoatlicue (‘Precious Mother Earth’) is a Kalpulli (‘learning community’) of Indigenous people joined by the desire to learn, share and live the tradition of Aztec dance,” according to the group’s website. “The dancers are rooted in cultural understandings…

Joining a national trend, the Eden Prairie Starbucks at Highway 169 and Anderson Lakes Parkway has become one of the Twin Cities’ first suburban locations to file for unionization. Workers are pursuing union protection to gain better pay, benefits, and staffing. About 25 baristas (known as “partners” at Starbucks) are currently voting until June 30 on whether to unionize. Votes will be counted, and the result announced on July 1. Starbucks, a global coffeehouse chain with almost 34,000 locations valued at over $100 billion in 2021, has refused to voluntarily allow workers to form unions. Instead, it has required them…

Minnesota summers may be short, but Eden Prairie residents can make the most of lake life right here in town. City beaches officially opened on June 11, and several local families lost no time in hitting the sand. At midday the water was warm, clear, and fresh, and the beaches were clean and uncrowded. Plenty of lifeguards were on duty, ready to protect swimmers, ensure lake safety, and keep the beach areas tidy. At Round Lake, Lindsey Meyer enjoyed the sun, sand, and water with her daughters Hannah, 4, and Marion, 8. “We live in St. Louis Park, but we…