By Claire Noack

A weekend full of food, art, entertainment and sunshine is just what we need right now as the summer kicks off. During the warmer months, the Twin Cities is flooded with talented artists showcasing their work at art festivals nearly every other week. Starting out the season of outdoor art browsing, the Edina Art Fair is an absolute must see with artwork from more than 280 Minnesota, U.S. and Canadian artists.

The upscale shops at 50th & France shopping district in Edina get artsy this weekend from June 2-4. The 51st annual art festival is celebrated as one of the best art fairs in the Twin Cities and ranks in the top 50 art festivals in the U.S. New this year will be extended craft beer garden hours and entertainment, a food truck court, youth booth, community art project, and art fair artifacts inside the Edina 50 mall.

Art

At the Edina Art Fair, the artwork is as varied as the 280 artists from around North America. Booths line the streets of 50th & France with all mediums of art, from sculptures and glassware to paintings and photography. Crafts, jewelry and other handmade goods are abundant as well. Several up-and-coming artists (age 8-18) will also be displaying and selling their work alongside professional artists with the fair’s new youth program. Art enthusiasts are sure to find new and innovative pieces to add to their collections at the three-day art celebration.

If you’re looking for a more hands-on experience, visitors can participate in a community art project by painting a panel on a large canvas. The panels will create a pre-drawn design that will be displayed on Sunday. To get involved in the project, head over to the Edina 5-0 parking lot in the Kids Zone, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Food & Brew

Three food courts and two beer gardens will be located around the festival to keep art-lovers up and running all weekend long. At the Edina Grill Craft Beer Garden, you’ll find Freehouse beers paired with live music by The Finn Band (Friday) and Honocopia (Saturday). Wine and kiddie cocktails, with fresh raspberries, lime juice, lemonade, cranberry juice and ginger beer, will also be served at the beer garden on 49 1/2 Street. Nearby at the 49 1/2 Street Food Court, booths will dish out delectable eats from local restaurants and food trucks, including D’Amico & Sons, The Purple People Feeder, Gass Concessions, Mario’s, The Original Breadcone and Tot Boss.

For more tropical fare, head over to the Pig & Fiddle Food & Drink area for a pig roast and cocktail bar. The eatery will be serving pork-related cuisine from pork sandwiches to pork tacos, along with margaritas and more in the parking lot on Ewing Avenue and 50th Street.

The Red Cow Craft Beer Garden, located in the Red Cow parking lot, will have local Minnesota beers on tap, along with bean bag toss and food truck favorites. Across the street on Drew and Chowen Avenues, the East Food Court will serve up grub from Arezzo Ristorante, Red Cow, Sweet Dreams Candy, Fun Fare, Adam’s Gyros, Hot Indian and Anchor Fish & Chips.

For a full list of foods and drinks, check the Edina Art Fair website.

Entertainment

An array of live entertainment from bands to magic shows and ballet performances will be featured all weekend long. Don’t miss a special performance presented by Paisley Park, as DJ Michael Holtz pays tribute to Prince by playing the musical icon’s greatest hits for a full hour.

There is also plenty of activities to keep little ones entertained at the Kids Zone. Crafts and art projects, karaoke, bouncy houses, games and much more will keep your tots having fun during the art fair. A close by park, Centennial Lakes Park, is another great place in the area for kids and adults to take a break from the bustle of the fair.

Hours & Transportation

Admission is free to enter the art fair and there are free parking and transportation options as well. Free parking is available in three parking ramps in the area off of 49 and West 51st Streets. A bike corral is located in the Edina 5-0 parking lot. There is also a free shuttle that will pick up visitors at the Southdale Shopping Center at the southwest corner of the mall, at the corner of West 69th Street and France Avenue South.

The Edina Art Fair will run Friday and Saturday (June 2-3) from 10 a.m.-7 p.m. and Sunday (June 4) from 10 a.m.- 5 p.m.