After two years away, the iconic Uptown Art Fair will return to Uptown this summer.
The event, which organizers have named “Art on the Isles,” will be held August 7-9, 2026 in a scenic location along Lake of the Isles.
The exact location is still being negotiated with the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board.
Uptown Association board member Eric Enge, a key organizer of this year’s event, is enthusiastic about the new lakeside location, stating, “The Uptown Art Fair is the crown jewel of Minneapolis summer events, and this is a true art fair venue.”
New Uptown Association Executive Director Stefani Pennaz, who lives and works in Uptown, sees the new location as a reflection of the positive changes in Uptown she’s seeing. The new dedicated Minneapolis Police Department patrol, city commitments to provide free parking, and the work of “profoundly supportive” City Council Member Elizabeth Shaffer is making a difference.
Pennaz, who started at the Uptown Association on March 18, says, “Every week has brought new energy and positivity to Uptown. Our new location reflects that energy. Come for the nostalgia and make new memories at a great weekend of art, community programming, live entertainment and local business participation.”
“The Uptown Art Fair is the crown jewel of Minneapolis summer events, and this is a true art fair venue.”
The juried art fair will feature national and local artists with about 70% of its booths featuring fine art and 30% of them a makers market with handmade crafts and unique goods.
Dogs are welcome, there will be family-friendly activities in a kids’ section and lively puppets from Heart of the Beast, and the contained space will allow fairgoers to stroll from booth to booth within the fair with their alcoholic drinks.
Enge noted that 50% of the proceeds of the fair will be reinvested into Uptown for beautification, small business support and safety. Safety is a key focus for the fair’s organizers as well.
Both Enge and Pennaz stressed the importance of the public/private partnership which is developing a comprehensive 24-hour safety strategy for artists, fairgoers and neighbors.
Because the new location is further from many Uptown businesses, organizers are working to make sure there are good connections to send fairgoers there before, during and after the fair’s open hours of 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Mark your calendars for the 61st annual Uptown Art Fair!
Ellen van Iwaarden writes for the Hill & Lake Press. She lives in East Isles.
