Tidbits - Aug 2026

Asian Artist Celebration Aug. 16
On Aug. 16 from 2-6 p.m., 825 Arts is celebrating incredible Asian artists within and beyond Frogtown and Rondo. With food, art, performances, vendors and talks, it’s a full day of culture, laughter, learning and fun. Join a talk by Patti Kameya on comedic storytelling as a practice of truth telling and community empowerment, as well as a panel between Tou SaiK Lee, Hmong artist, spoken word poet and community educator, and MAYDA, a powerful force in the theater scene, a musician, singer, lyricist and an advocate for social justice.

Enjoy an electrifying performance by The Umamies, a Minneapolis-based band of Asian American musicians with Filipino and Japanese backgrounds, and explore your creativity through a puppetry workshop led by Oanh Vu, a puppeteer and educator who uses humor and the playfulness of puppetry to tell stories of healing and social change for her community.

There will also be food made by Chef Blong, who brings together traditional Hmong cooking, food education, food justice and youth empowerment.

Attendance is free. Plus, if you want to get involved, 825 Arts is looking for vendors and tablers – if you are interested in vending your work or representing an organization, apply here. There is no application fee. Follow 825 Arts on Facebook, or find 825 Arts at @825arts on Instagram to see their full lineup of community programming.

NEW PLAY AREA AND ATHLETIC COURTS
The City of Saint Paul and community partners celebrated the grand opening of the renovated South Saint Anthony Park play area and athletic courts (890 Cromwell Ave.) on Wednesday, July 8 at 12 p.m. with a ribbon cutting and remarks from community leaders. This project was funded by the Common Cent 1% Sales Tax.