World Country Guide

Social Profile

Food & Drink
The Twin Cities have many excellent restaurants, notably steakhouses; however, international cuisine as diverse as Greek and Japanese is also widely available, and Minneapolis is home to the newest Hard Rock Cafe in the USA. Regional freshwater fish is a speciality.

Theatres & Concerts
The Twin Cities offer more theatres than any other US metropolitan area outside New York City, with more than 100 theatre companies. The Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis is dedicated to the innovative presentation of classical drama. Broadway shows and theatrical events are performed at the restored Historic Orpheum Theatre, Historic State Theatre and the Historic Pantages Theatre in the Hennepin Theater District in downtown Minneapolis. The Minnesota Orchestra performs regularly at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis. The St Paul Chamber Orchestra’s home is the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts Theater in St Paul.

Nightlife
The State’s nightclubs offer rock groups, jazz combos and musical comedy. Popular gathering places are the Loon and the Fine Line Music Cafe in the Warehouse District of Minneapolis, and the Dakota Bar & Grill in St Paul. America Live! is a nightclub collective in the Mall of America.

Shopping
The Mall of America stands 15 minutes south of downtown Minneapolis at Bloomington. It is home to more than 520 stores, dozens of restaurants (including the first Rainforest Café), 9 nightclubs, 14 cinemas, an indoor roller coaster and a walk-through aquarium. At each corner of the mall are the major department stores – Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s, Nordstrom and Sears.

Sport
Owing to its many lakes, Minnesota has plenty of fishing opportunities, as well as every kind of watersport. It is excellent for camping and hiking. The State has the largest population of timber wolves, nesting bald eagles and common loons (diver birds) in the USA outside of Alaska. Canoeing is available in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) in the Superior Natural Forest. There are also good golf facilities. Wintersports are also well provided for, abetted by the State’s strategic northern location, and skiing, ice-skating, sledding, ice fishing, dog sledding and snowmobiling are all available.

Special Events
The following is a selection of events occurring in Minnesota in 2005:
Jan 22 Polar Days Festival, Bemidji. Jan 28-29 Third Crossing Sled Dog Rendezvous, Frazee; Arctic Blast, Canby. Jan 28-Feb 6 Winter Carnival, St Paul. Jan 29-30 Cabin Fever Days, Cannon Falls. Feb 26 Grumpy Old Men Festival, Wabasha. Jun 26 Vikingland Band Festival, Alexandria. Jul 11 Rally in the Valley, Jackson. Jul 29-30 25th Annual Blueberry Arts Festival, Ely. Aug 13-Sep 25 Minnesota Renaissance Festival, Shakopee. Aug 25-Sep 5 Minnesota State Fair, St Paul. Sep 9-11 Harvest Moon Festival, Ely. Dec Hollidazzle Parades, Minneapolis. Dec 3 Holiday Fest, Jackson.