In May 2025, Meet Minneapolis hosted an educational conference that convened meeting industry professionals, ConferenceDirect Associates, and local industry partners around shared values of diversity, equity, inclusion and broader ESG priorities. The event was designed to position Minneapolis not only as a premier meetings destination, but as a collaborative, values-driven partner invested in long-term success. Through curated experiences across the city and meaningful engagement with local partners, the conference successfully reinforced Minneapolis’ commitment to inclusion, authenticity and hospitality, strengthening relationships, building trust, and advancing future meetings and events business.

The 10-nation tournament featured the best men’s players in the world under 20 years of age and the 29 games of the championship took place over 11 days, from Dec. 26, 2025 to Jan. 5, 2026. The 2026 event marked the 50th anniversary of the IIHF World Junior Championship. Grand Casino Arena, home of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild in Saint Paul, and 3M Arena at Mariucci on the University of Minnesota campus in Minneapolis were the competition venues. Over 184,000 attendees took in a game over the 11-day period.

In November, Meet Minneapolis hosted a Prince-themed familiarization trip for meeting planners tied to the pre-Broadway debut of Purple Rain, leveraging a timely cultural moment to position Minneapolis as the definitive destination to experience Prince’s legacy.

The three-day experience featured exclusive access to Paisley Park, a Prince legacy bus tour, a Glam Slam Hair & Makeup Experience, and attendance at the pre-Broadway performance of Purple Rain, with immersive, Prince-inspired meals hosted by downtown hotels and the Minneapolis Convention Center. The FAM showcased how Minneapolis can translate its music and cultural heritage into immersive, one-of-a-kind experiences for meeting and event planners.

MinneSoda is Meet Minneapolis’ local take on the popular “dirty soda” trend—customizable sodas mixed with flavored syrups and creamers. Introduced at key trade shows, these pop-up soda bars brought a recognizable Minneapolis-branded experience on the road. MinneSoda helped the sales team stand out on crowded show floors, reinforce destination identity, and create memorable, shareable moments that extended beyond the booth.

In mid-July, Minneapolis hosted the National Veterans Wheelchair Games, the world’s largest annual wheelchair sports and rehabilitation event solely for military veterans. The event demonstrated the unstoppable character of veterans and sought to foster wider respect and opportunities for all people with disabilities. The National Veterans Wheelchair Games was open to all U.S. veterans with spinal cord injuries, amputations, multiple sclerosis or other central neurological conditions who require a wheelchair for athletic competition. Every year, hundreds of American heroes from World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and the post-9/11 era compete in this celebration of sport, courage and camaraderie.

Meet Minneapolis was a sponsor of Dinner du Nord, an outdoor dinner served on Nicollet Mall in the heart of Downtown Minneapolis whose goal was to support our hospitality industry and encourage people to come to Downtown. Dinner du Nord served 2,066 meals at 268 tables.

Winterapolis continued to serve as Meet Minneapolis’ signature winter leisure campaign in 2025, positioning Minneapolis as an inviting, active and culturally rich winter destination. In November, Expedia and TripAdvisor campaigns launched ahead of the holiday season to capture early winter trip planning, supported by a broader paid media effort designed to drive awareness and consideration. The Winterapolis campaign was also adopted and amplified by the City of Minneapolis and a range of local partners, extending the reach of the messaging and reinforcing Winterapolis as a shared platform for celebrating and promoting winter experiences across the city.

As part of the Minneapolis 2040 plan to strengthen neighborhoods, the City of Minneapolis identified seven Cultural Districts and partnered with Meet Minneapolis to promote them to visitors, including the launch of a dedicated Cultural Districts website in late 2021. In 2025, Meet Minneapolis expanded this work through the Get Drawn In campaign, a multi-channel awareness effort designed to spotlight the businesses, culture and creative energy within each district. The campaign included illustrated assets, paid media and influencer storytelling that brought the districts to life and encouraged exploration. Across all tactics, the 2025 Cultural Districts campaign delivered 3.2 million impressions and 27,600 clicks, reinforcing awareness of the districts and their role in strengthening Minneapolis neighborhoods.

The Minneapolis Community Events Assistance Program (CEAP) launched in 2025. Minneapolis CEAP supports Minneapolis-based nonprofit organizations with financial assistance to help cover city-mandated service costs for community-driven events that support community engagement, cultural diversity and the promotion of public events that enrich the lives of its residents and visitors.

• 23 events supported by CEAP
• 1 million attendees enjoyed these CEAP supported events

Our initiatives demonstrate our commitment to integrating the values of equity, diversity, inclusion and access into both organizational growth and partner success.

• Four Learning Experiences: Targeted cultural fluency training that strengthened awareness and skills across the tourism and hospitality industry.
• Expanded Diverse Suppliers Guide: Enhanced resources and launched a pilot education program supporting BIPOC, women, LGBTQ+ and veteran-owned businesses.
• $12,000 Raised + 800 Meals Collected: Mobilized partners and staff to support Hennepin Healthcare with our warm winter clothes drive. Raised funds and collected food to provide meals to families facing food insecurity.