Lake of the Isles
Everything we’re covering across Lake of the Isles — news, crime, events and civic life.
Neighborhood
Community celebrates Lake of the Isles Pencil's 5th sharpening
Thousands gathered in East Isles on June 6, 2026, to watch the annual ceremonial sharpening of Minneapolis' giant pencil sculpture.
Events
Lake of the Isles Pencil Day
Lake of the Isles Pencil Day: Sat, June 6, 1–2:30 pm at the Lake of the Isles Pencil sculpture, 2217 Lake of the Isles Parkway East.
Neighborhood
East Isles Plans a Summer Social With Food Trucks and Free Ice Cream
The East Isles Neighborhood Association holds its annual Summer Social on Wednesday, June 14, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Joanne Levin Triangle Park, with a rain date of June 15.
Events
Free Lake Harriet Orchestra Concerts Set to Return Later in June
The Minneapolis Pops Orchestra's free summer run at the Lake Harriet Bandshell is scheduled to begin late in June and continue into July.
Events
Music in the Parks Returns, With 95 Nights Booked at Lake Harriet
The Park Board's free summer concert season opened May 25, and the Lake Harriet Bandshell is scheduled to host 95 performances before fall.
Neighborhood
Crews Replace an Aging Sewer Line Along Lake of the Isles
The Metropolitan Council is replacing an aging stretch of sanitary sewer along The Mall in East Isles this season, swapping the existing pipe for new, larger pipe to add capacity.
Neighborhood
East Isles Settles Into Its Season of Porch Visits and Park Picnics
The East Isles Neighborhood Association holds its free Summer Social on Wednesday, June 24, anchoring a season of neighborhood gatherings near Lake of the Isles.
Neighborhood
Paddling Season Opens on Lake of the Isles and the Chain of Lakes
Paddling season is underway on Lake of the Isles, the sheltered lake that links by channel to Bde Maka Ska and Cedar Lake to form the heart of the Minneapolis Chain of Lakes.
Neighborhood
Monthly Shoreline Cleanups Return to Lake of the Isles
The East Isles Neighborhood Association resumes its monthly Lake of the Isles shoreline cleanups this summer, with the first set for Saturday, June 13.
City
Along the Isles, the Planted Shoreline Does Its Summer Work
The native plants lining much of Lake of the Isles are at full height this month, the result of a Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board approach that treats native vegetation, rather than mown lawn, as the default along the Chain of Lakes shoreline.
Neighborhood
Biking the Lakes: A Loop Worth Building a Day Around
The Kenilworth and North Cedar Lake trails reopened in March 2026 after nearly seven years of closure for light-rail construction, restoring the bike link between the Chain of Lakes, downtown Minneapolis and the western suburbs.
Crime
East Isles Blotter: Week of April 27 — A Quiet Week on the Blotter
Minneapolis police logged three crime reports in East Isles during the first week of June 2026: a bike theft, a stripped car and an assault near Lake of the Isles.
Opinion
Letter: Keep the Lakes in the Conversation
A resident urges that the health of the lakes stay a standing item on neighborhood agendas, not an afterthought once school budgets and development are settled.
Neighborhood
How to Get Involved: A Neighbor's Guide to Showing Up
The lowest-commitment way to get involved on Lowry Hill is a Saturday morning: the neighborhood association's monthly Service Saturdays meet at Sebastian Joe's, 1007 W. Franklin Ave., on the third Saturday from 10 to 11:30 a.m. for a walking litter and storm-drain cleanup, with no sign-up required.
Crime
East Isles Blotter: Week of April 6 — A Quieter Week, Led by Vehicle Thefts
Minneapolis Police data recorded three incidents in East Isles during the week of June 1, 2026: an assault near Lake of the Isles, a theft and a vehicle report.
Neighborhood
Birdsong Returns as the Banks Go Native
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board's plan for Lake of the Isles calls for replacing eroding turf banks with native sedges and grasses, work meant to hold soil, filter runoff and return wildlife to the shoreline.
Neighborhood
The Walking Loop as the Neighborhood's Living Room
The loop around Lake of the Isles is where many Lowry Hill residents run into their neighbors, and the Park Board is advancing a multiyear plan to rebuild its shoreline and paths.
Events
Uptown Art Fair returns in 2026 as 'Art on the Isles'
The long-running fair is reimagined along Lake of the Isles Parkway, a scenic new setting on the East Isles edge.
Events
The Uptown Art Fair Plans Its Return After a Reinvention
One of the nation's most celebrated art festivals comes back to its Uptown home in 2026.
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