The brainchild of longtime civic booster Scott Mayer, Dinner Du Nord knocked it out of the park. More than 2,000 diners came together along Nicollet to celebrate our community’s culinary prowess, our collective hopes and dreams for the future, and life itself.

Former city council member Lisa Goodman, now serving as Director of Strategic Initiatives for the City, marshaled the public sector resources that made the massive logistics of closing Nicollet to all vehicular traffic for seven blocks look easy. By the next morning, it appeared as though nothing had happened the night before.

Meet Minneapolis joined a cross-section of sponsors and supporters to bring the event to life. Our team also hosted a group of current and prospective meeting and events professionals to showcase the possibilities for their own events in our city. To say those guests’ eyes were opened to how Minneapolis can bring special events to life is an understatement. We made tremendous progress in securing events that will contribute to our city’s vibrancy.

Forty brick-and-mortar restaurants and food trucks worked together in an unprecedented demonstration of unity to display our award-winning and globally inspired dining scene. One of those restaurateurs was the Lotus Restaurant owned by Yoom Nguyen, who also serves as a Meet Minneapolis board member. He noted, “Dinner Du Nord was more than just a dinner – it was an opportunity to showcase the rich flavors, aromas, and family traditions of Southeast Asian culture.” Yoom’s perspective was among the many stories shared that evening.

This was one big inclusive and far-reaching table made up of a curated collection of smaller, intimate tables. At these tables were reunions of people who may have had little or no direct contact with each other since before the global pandemic, as well as families and extended families using Dinner Du Nord as “date night.” Regardless of what motivated diners to participate, the impact was immeasurable, and the future possibilities are endless.

We have activated Nicollet for Super Bowl LII in 2018, the Final Four in 2019 and last year’s USA Gymnastics Olympic Trials. But this was different. It wasn’t tied to an external event – it was all about community and civic pride. Dinner Du Nord spanned from 6th Street to Alice Rainville Place. We saw Nicollet’s activation for major events as breakthrough moments for our community and its image. Dinner Du Nord will have a similar impact as we work to introduce and reintroduce our city to visitors.

We are all energized by how we can reimagine activation on what is often called Minnesota’s Main Street. This shared vision will serve as a firm foundation for our future. I cannot wait until the next Dinner du Nord!