Celebrate Global Cultures with Music, Dance and Family Fun at Minneapolis’ Sister Cities Day
Minneapolis (July 13, 2026) – Minneapolis’ annual Sister Cities Day celebration returns Sunday, July 19, from 11:30 a.m.-4 p.m., at Nicollet Island Pavilion with an afternoon of international culture, entertainment and community. The event is free, family-friendly and open to all.
This year’s celebration will include live music and dance performances representing eight of Minneapolis’ 12 Sister Cities as well as cultural displays and crafts. Guests can also enjoy complimentary make-your-own ice cream sundaes and other refreshments while supplies last.
The 2026 event marks several significant milestones in Minneapolis’ international partnerships:
- 65 years with Santiago, Chile
- 35 years with Tours, France
Minneapolis City Council Member Michael Rainville and other dignitaries will be on hand to commemorate these enduring relationships and highlight the importance of global connection at the local level.
“Our Sister Cities relationships remind us that meaningful connections begin with people,” said Melvin Tennant, President and CEO of Meet Minneapolis. “Sister Cities Day is an opportunity to celebrate the cultures, traditions and friendships that enrich Minneapolis while recognizing the lasting partnerships we've built with communities around the world. We invite everyone to join us for an afternoon of discovery, celebration and connection.”
Performances* include:
| 11:45 p.m. | Harisen Daiko (Ibaraki City, Japan) |
| 12:15 p.m. | Songs of Hope – International Children’s Performing Arts Group |
| 12:45 p.m. | The Arab Band – University of Minnesota (Najaf, Iraq) |
| 1 p.m. | Official remarks to recognize anniversaries of two Sister City relationships: |
| Minneapolis City Council Member Michael Rainville | |
| Helen Burke, Minneapolis and Tours Sister City-Alliance Française Representative: Tours, France – 35 years | |
| Teresa Palacios Olson, Honorary Consul of Chile: Santiago, Chile – 65 years | |
| 1:15 p.m. | Raices de Chile (Santiago, Chile) |
| 1:45 p.m. | Un petit bal folk avec le duo Walser Mundinger (Tours, France) |
| 2:15 p.m. | Hong De Wu Guan Lion Dance (Harbin, China) |
| 2:45 p.m. | Rafiki USA (Eldoret, Kenya) |
| 3:15 p.m. | Lilla Spelmanslag – American Swedish Institute (Uppsala, Sweden) |
| 3:40 p.m. | Ballet Folklórico México Lindo (Cuernavaca, Mexico) |
*Performance times subject to change.
Set alongside the Mississippi River in one of the most beautiful parks in Minneapolis, the Sister Cities Day celebration will occur rain or shine.
This event is sponsored by Meet Minneapolis in partnership with its sister city organizations. Meet Minneapolis supports these relationships on behalf of the City of Minneapolis.
The Minneapolis Sister Cities program was established in 1961 with the signing of the first Sister City agreement between Minneapolis and Santiago, Chile. Today, it includes Winnipeg, Canada; Santiago, Chile; Harbin, China; Kuopio, Finland; Tours, France; Najaf, Iraq; Ibaraki City, Japan; Eldoret, Kenya; Cuernavaca, Mexico; Novosibirsk, Russia; Bosaso, Somalia; and Uppsala, Sweden.
###
ABOUT MEET MINNEAPOLIS
Meet Minneapolis is a private, not-for-profit, member-based association. The organization 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 positively impact the economic and social prosperity of the Minneapolis community. Meet Minneapolis is accredited by the Destination Marketing Accreditation Program (DMAP) of Destinations International.
MEDIA CONTACT
Kevin Kurtt, PR Manager, o 612-767-8118, c 952-288-9319, kevink@minneapolis.org
