For Immediate Release

Minneapolis (Dec. 9, 2025) – Minneapolis enters 2026 with a multiyear Indigenous-led river restoration, a major new riverfront park, cultural milestones and thousands of visitors expected for national sports events. From Prince’s 10-year remembrance to a transformed MSP airport, the coming year promises plenty for travelers to see and do.

Here are our top 10 new things to know about Minneapolis in 2026:

1. This spring, James Beard 2022 Best New Restaurant, Owamni by the Sioux Chef, will move down the riverfront into the Guthrie Theater’s ground-floor restaurant space, giving more diners access to the modern, award-winning Indigenous restaurant. Additionally, Owamni’s owner, nonprofit North American Traditional Indigenous Systems (NATIFS) have moved into the Woyute Thipi Building at 2601 Franklin Avenue South in Minneapolis that will also house a new counter-service restaurant, ŠHOTÁ Indigenous BBQ, also by Chef/Founder Sean Sherman, later in 2026.
   
2. Dakota-led Owámniyomni Okhódayapi begins the restoration of 5 acres at Owámniyomni (St. Anthony Falls) adjacent to the Upper Lock on Ȟaȟa Wakpá (Mississippi River) in Minneapolis, along with three additional acres managed by the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board. The restoration will be phased over the next three years with 2026’s phase one focused on land and plant elements, including removal of some existing structures. Water and shoreline restoration will continue through 2028.
   
3. James Beard Award-winning Chef Gavin Kaysen’s new Bellecour in the North Loop neighborhood (107 North 3rd Ave.) provides a new daytime café/bakery with a casual, counter service offering of viennoiserie, patisserie, sandwiches and salads, then transitions into a welcoming and energetic full-service bistro with a dinner menu that draws inspiration from classic brasseries in France. A second location in nearby suburb Edina is also open with the daytime café only.
   
4. April 2026 will mark 10 years since the passing of Minneapolis’ own international superstar, Prince. His former home and studios, Paisley Park, will share the stories, memories and legacy at a 10 Year Anniversary Celebration of Life at Prince Celebration 2026, June 3-7, 2026, at Paisley Park in Chanhassen, downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul.
   
5. Minneapolis Park & Recreation expects to open a new 53-acre Upper Harbor regional park along the Mississippi riverfront in 2026, providing more access to the river for North Minneapolis and rehabilitating a former industrial site. In coming years, the park will be joined by other development, including a new amphitheater.
   
6. Through the power of sports and inclusion, the Special Olympics USA Games comes to Minneapolis June 20-26, 2026, and will spark a change that transforms lives. Expected are more than 3,000 athletes, 1,500 coaches, 10,000 volunteers and 75,000 fans from all 50 states.
   
7. WWE SummerSlam will come to U.S. Bank Stadium Aug. 1 and 2, 2026, for a two-night extravaganza, and the first time WWE hosts a stadium event in Minneapolis. There will be fan and community events leading up to and after the main event.
   
8. Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) completed a decade-long transformation in Terminal 1’s pre-security areas. The entire terminal footprint was expanded, security screening was consolidated into two larger and more efficient checkpoints, larger baggage carousels were installed and practically every building system was updated in sync with refreshed design elements along every passenger touchpoint. MSP was named the top-ranked mega airport for the third time in 4 years in the J.D. Powers 2025 North American Airport Satisfaction Study.
   
9. Minneapolis, long known for its arts & culture scenes, honors several significant anniversaries in 2026:
   • The Guthrie Theater has been in its Pritzker Prize-winning building on the Mississippi riverfront since moving to the new space in 2006.
   • The Ritz Theater, home of Theatre Latte Da, celebrates 100 years in Northeast Minneapolis.
   • The Heights Theater, a classic movie house that also opened in 1926, was just purchased by the owners of Chicago’s Music Box Theatre, and still offers pre-movie concerts on Friday and Saturday nights with a Wurlitzer Theater Organ that rises from an orchestra pit.
   • Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival returns April 8-19, 2026, to celebrate its 45th anniversary with 200 films from around the world, parties, panels, visiting filmmakers and special guests from its home at the Main Cinema on the riverfront.

10. Minneapolis-based Sun Country Airlines will launch a new route from Minneapolis to Tulsa on May 21, 2026, and plans to expand service to Charleston and San Diego in the summer.

Keep up with all the happenings, events and trip planning ideas in Minneapolis here, and read all our recent news here.

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Meet Minneapolis is a private, not-for-profit, member-based association. It actively promotes and sells the Minneapolis area as a destination for conventions and meetings, works to maximize the visitor experience and markets the city as a desirable tourist destination to maximize the economic benefit to the greater Minneapolis area. Meet Minneapolis is accredited by the Destination Marketing Accreditation Program (DMAP) of Destinations International.

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MEDIA CONTACTS
Kristen Montag, Senior PR Manager, o 612-767-8038, c 651-335-5754, KristenM@minneapolis.org

Kathy McCarthy, Senior PR Director, o 612-767-8048, c 612-508-9720, KathyM@minneapolis.org