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Special Events
- Center ice art competition
- Summer Concert Series
- Music in the Parks
- Play in our Parks
- Wet N Wild
- Nickel Jamboree
- Civic Campus 5-Yr. Celebration
- Pumpkin Night in the Park
- Winter lights
- Winterfest
- Winter Pop Up Events
- Environmental Fun Fair
Columbia Arena/Center Ice Medallion Art Competition
$1,000 prize, Art Submissions due May 31, 2023
North Suburban Center for the Arts (NSCA) is holding an art competition to design a bronze medallion that will be placed at the location of Columbia Arena's Center Ice on Fridley's Civic Campus behind City Hall! A $1,000 prize was donated by an anonymous donor and will be awarded to the winner.
From NSCA's website:
To commemorate City Hall's anniversary and the former location of Columbia Arena's "Center Ice," we are hosting an art competition! Using the 12" circle template, we are asking artists to design what could become the bronze "hockey puck" that will live in the exact location of Center Ice, now City Hall. (PDF in application)
Artists of all skill levels are encouraged to apply. Please note that submissions must only consist of black and white.
Columbia Arena was the location for the final Mighty Ducks film, D3 and holds a special place in the hearts of many people from this area!
For more details and to enter, please visit NSCA's website at NorthSuburbanArts.org/Columbia-Arena
More information:
History of Columbia Arena
Video of Columbia Arena's Demolition
City of Fridley Civic Campus
Summer Concert Series
Save the date! Our popular free, summer concert series kicks off at the Civic Campus Plaza on June 6, 2023, with a local favorite, the Mr. Winky Band! Concerts will be held at the Civic Campus and Springbrook Nature Center on Tuesdays from 7-8 p.m., June 6 through August 22. Concerts feature a variety of genres, and at Civic Campus - food trucks and games on the plaza! Keep an eye out for the complete line up to be announced soon!
Thank you to the Springbrook Nature Center Foundation and the Anoka County Library for your generous sponsorship of our concerts!
Download the 2023 Community Concert Series Schedule
2023 Community Concert Schedule | |||
---|---|---|---|
Springbrook Nature Center, 7pm | Group | Musical Genre | |
June 20 | Talking Strings Quintet | World Acoustic Jazz | |
July 18 | Anthony Miltich | Acoustic Guitar | |
August 15 | Blue Groove Bluegrass | Bluegrass | |
Civic Campus, 7pm | Food Truck /Games | ||
June 6 | Mr. Winky Band | Rock & Roll | Food: Rustic Chef Games w/ Rec |
June 27 | Craig Clark Band | Blues | Ice Cream: Flamingo's Games w/ Rec |
July 11 * 6 pm | Popsicles and Public Safety | Pre-Concert | Games w/ Rec |
Come early to the July 11 concert to meet with our Police & Fire Divisions and enjoy a free popsicle (while supplies last)! Stay for the 7pm concert featuring the Inland Seas. | |||
July 11 | The Inland Seas | Irish | |
August 8 * 6 pm | Music of the Mississippi | Pre-Concert | Food: Rustic Chef Games w/ Rec |
Join us as we celebrate our connection to the Mississippi River! Test water at our tasting event, learn from our community partners, and visit with friends from the Mississippi Library. Zydeco lessons take place at 6:30 pm! Stay for the Everett Smithson Band at 7 pm as they take us on a musical journey down this Mississippi. Food available for purchase from the Rustic Chef. | |||
August 8 | The Everett Smithson Band | Blues/Zydeco | |
August 22 | Carolyne Naomi | AfroPop | Ice Cream: Flamingo's Games w/ Rec |
Commons Park, 11am | |||
July 26 * 10:30 am | Chalk the Walk | Pre-Concert | Games w/ Rec |
Come out to Commons Park before the Jolly Pops concert to spread positivity and get your art on! Each artist will be provided with tools to beautify the sidewalks using chalk. | |||
July 26 * 10:30 am | Kid's Book Swap | Pre-Concert | |
In partnership with the Anoka County Library, Mississippi Branch, we will have another kid's book swap. Feel free to bring a book to swap, but it is not necessary. | |||
July 26 | The Jolly Pops | Children's | |
Springbrook Nature Center, 11am | |||
August 11 | Madagascar Jr., by ETC Productions | Musical | |
Madagascar JR is a musical, based on the DreamWorks movie Madagascar! Filled with outlandish characters, adventure galore and an upbeat score, Madagascar JR will leave audiences with no choice but to "Move It, Move It"! |
Games with Recreation's Rec N Roll Mobile
Join us before and during the concerts at the Fridley Civic Campus to enjoy fun and games provided by Fridley Recreation! We'll have bag toss, giant Jenga, giant Tic-Tac-Toe, ladder golf, chalk and more!
Music In the Parks
The Fridley City Band will be traveling to local parks to offer FREE Music in the Parks concerts this summer. All concerts start at 7 p.m. Bring a lawn chair and enjoy the music!
Download the 2023 Music In The Parks Schedule
Summer 2023 Schedule
Mondays | Time | Park Location | Park Address |
June 12 | 7 p.m. | Edgewater Gardens | 6700 Ashton Way |
June 19 | 7 p.m. | Logan Park | 155 Logan Parkway |
June 26 | 7 p.m. | Briardale Park | 6171 Rice Creek Drive |
July 24 | 7 p.m. | Springbrook Nature Center | 100 85th Avenue |
Play In Our Parks
Each month, the Rec team invites you to get outside and play in our parks with a curated, FREE, family-friendly event.
Telescopes and Constellations | Saturday, September 23, 2023 | 7-9 p.m.
Come out to Commons Park to take a close look at the stars in our sky! Experts from the Bell Museum will tell constellation stories and have telescopes on hand for you to explore the stars and planets that make up our night sky! Meet at Commons Park Shelter.
Pumpkin Carving | October | Various Dates/Times
For the October Play in our Parks event, we encourage you to sign up to carve pumpkins at Springbrook Nature Center! Our Community Carving events are what help make Pumpkin Night in the Park so special. Carve a pumpkin, then return to Pumpkin Night to try and find it on the trails! Sign up at: www.SpringbrookNatureCenter.org
Wet N Wild
Wednesday, July 12, 2023 | 1-4 p.m.
Get ready for an afternoon of water fun at Commons Park! There will be a giant slip ‘n slide, lots of sprinklers, water toys, water balloons and more. Back by popular demand, the Fridley Fire Department will bring out an engine and hose to really get you soaked! Wear a swimsuit and sunscreen and bring a towel. Adult supervision is required for all participants. Pre-paid registration is required for all participants.
Grades: K -4 (Grade as of 9/1/22)
Date: Wednesday, July 12, 2023
Time: 1-4 p.m.
Register online today! Adult supervision is required for all participants.
Nickel Jamboree
Wednesday, August 9, 2023 | 1-4 p.m.
Come one, Come all for carnival games, puppet shows, face painting, hayrides, popcorn and beverages! This is a family-friendly event.
Activities will range from 10 ‐ 50 cents, so bring your change for an afternoon of fun! ($5 punch passes can be purchased at the event﴿. No need to sign up in advance.
Civic Campus 5-Year Celebration/Unveiling of Columbia Arena's Center Ice
Sept. 9, 2023, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., Civic Campus Plaza
We are celebrating 5 years of Fridley's Civic Campus! Check back for more details.
Planned events include:
- Unveiling of Center Ice medallion
- Touch-A-Truck, in partnership with Fridley ECFE
- Food from Rustic Chef
- Ice Cream from Flamingo's
- Games & activities
- Live Music
- And more!
We hope to see you there!
Fridley Winter Lights Contest
Returning Event | November 2023
Thank you to all of the 2022 contest participants for brightening the holiday season in Fridley. We appreciate how the community was able to admire your light displays! This contest will return again in 2023!
Winterfest
Returning Event | January 2024
Thank you to all who were able to join us for Winterfest 2023. We look forward to offering this community event again in January 2024!
Winter Recreation Pop-up Events
Returning Event | Winter 2023/2024
Fridley Recreation invites you and your family to get outside during winter and enjoy our parks! All events are free and no registration is required. Stay tuned for upcoming winter events!
Environmental Fun Fair
Returning Event | April 2024
A variety of outdoor and environmental exhibitors will be present to help us appreciate our wonderful natural world. This FREE event will also include an interactive nature hike, food trucks and activities for the whole family.