Downtown St. Paul Voice May 2022 by St. Paul Publishing Co.

Downtown St. Paul

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Volume 28 | Number 5

Coming to a park near you Jake Spitzack Staff Writer

Your Community News & Information Source

May 2022

Leadership change at the farmers’ market

s the days get longer and the weather more agreeable people will begin flocking to area parks for some fun in the sun. This year they’ll find new amenities but also contend with construction projects. Here’s what to expect around Lowertown. A new one-third mile gravel trail and retaining wall will be added to Lower Landing Park this summer. The city plans to bid the approximate $300,000 project this spring and construction is expected to take place over the summer. The project received a $250,000 grant from the Department of Natural Resources and the remaining funds are from MNDOT. Lower Landing Park is a 21.4-acre space located southeast of Lowertown. The city of St. Paul is seeking community feedback for a new play area at Harriet Island Regional Park. A survey is open through the end of May at engagestpaul.org/harrietisland. The nearly $1 million project is expected to break ground in spring 2023. In other news, the St. Paul City Council passed an ordinance in January allowing stronger alcoholic beverages in certain parks. Previously, alcoholic drinks were limited to 3.2% alcohol by volume. Now, they may contain up to 5.5%. This applies to picnic shelters at Harriet Island Regional Park, Raspberry Island, Upper Landing Park and several others.

Thomas Becknell

Local author dives deep into the Mississippi River Tim Spitzack Editor

Jim Golden is the new director of operations at the market. Jake Spitzack Staff Writer

avory meats, fresh vegetables, bedding plants and more are now available at the St. Paul Farmers’ market, which kicked off its summer season April 23. But that’s not all. A new face is running the show. On March 20, the St. Paul Growers’ Association named Jim Golden as director of operations for the market. He succeeds David Kotsonas, who held the position for five years and is now director of operations for the Hmong American Farmers Association. “I love the market,” said Golden, who has been a vendor for nearly 40 years. “I know the growers and how the satellite and downtown markets work. It’s exciting to have a chance to really grow these markets

and make more connections.” Golden’s responsibilities include recruiting vendors, overseeing and organizing the downtown market and its approximately 20 satellite locations, and working with the city and local businesses. His first priority is to increase accessibility to the market by requesting that the city allow free metered parking and free light rail ridership on Saturdays. He is also seeking grants to provide free parking in the nearby CHS field lot, a shuttle service, and outdoor heaters for the winter market. Golden said the Securian satellite market at Sixth and Robert will reopen on Wednesdays, from 10 a.m.-1 p.m., and the Palace Theatre site near West Seventh Place and Wabasha may also reopen. “My duty is to make the market full and Jim Golden / Page 2

ike many others, Thomas Becknell struggled in 2020, a turbulent year rife with political unrest, social injustice and a global pandemic. To make sense of the madness, he turned to two old friends: books and the Mississippi River. “Both have been my refuge from – and engagement with – the world,” he writes in his new book, “Enchantments of the Mississippi: A Contemplative Journey of Time and Place.” While the book explores the significance of various aspects of the river (bridges, confluences, bends, bluffs and field), it stems from the personal heartache and challenges that the author experienced in recent years: divorce, the loss of a home, fading friendships and his aging body. Within its pages, Becknell explores both physical and emotional landscapes and even wades into deep waters to address the sacredness some people Thomas Becknell / Page 2

New downtown restaurant has a flair for wood-fired fare Jake Spitzack Staff Writer

he corner of Fifth and St. Peter is once again welcoming hungry diners. Momento, the first of three small restaurants planned for the former 9,000 square-foot Pazzaluna space, opened in early March and has been using the building’s signature wood-fire oven as inspiration for its full menu.

The restaurant seats just over 100 and offers “new American” all-day fare, including appetizers, soups and salads, sandwiches, entrees, and cocktails. About 50% of the food touches the wood-fire oven at some point in the cooking process. Morrissey Hospitality, owner of Pazzaluna, has spent the past few years reimagining and transforming the site. The new restaurant features two Morrissey Hos-

pitality veterans. Heading the kitchen is executive chef John Henkels, former sous chef at Pazzaluna and The St. Paul Grill. Anna Peterson is the restaurant manager. She has degrees from Le Cordon Bleu Culinary School and the Art Institute of Minneapolis, and was previously the general manger for Central N.E. restaurant and the now closed M ST. Café at The St. Paul Hotel. “Even before the pandemic

hit, we knew that physically we needed to do something with that space, whether it was renovate or change it in terms of a business model. It was becoming oversized for what it could hold and very costly,” said Morrissey Hospitality spokesperson Elizabeth Morrissey-Brown. “We really wanted to make sure the wood-fire oven was kept in the heart of the restaurant. It’s such a unique element that not many res-

taurants have, outside of pizza places.” To create the space, Morrissey Hospitality worked with Shea Design to add a dividing wall and replace some of the high-top tables with booths and banquette seating. They also worked with local muralist Adam Turman to paint a new indoor mural. The 50-seat patio will be spruced up with new awnings, furniture, planters, lighting and

speakers. “There really wasn’t a lot of structural things outside of that wall that needed to happen, and the rest of it was about honoring the high ceiling, large columns, beautiful windows, and the historical aspects of the building,” said Morrissey-Brown. “The old [Pazzaluna] dining room is sitting idle right now while we talk to other tenants. We Momentos / Page 3

P eople Thomas Becknell

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from page 1

find along the river. When Becknell shared his feelings of desolation with a friend one day, the man suggested he turn to the river. The notion frightened him because rivers had been a source of “holy terror” for him, a result of emotional scars formed during his childhood, when his maternal grandmother flung herself from a bridge into the Ohio River to escape her depression. Sadness runs deep in his family. His mother also lost her battle with de-

spair years later. Despite his fears, Becknell took his friend’s advice and embarked on a journey that would make him intimate with the river and its people, past and present, and provide fodder for his own literary contribution to the world. Born in Ohio and raised on the plains of Eastern Wyoming and Nebraska, Becknell developed a love of literature early on. He moved to the Twin Cities after receiving his Ph.D. in

American literature from the University of Iowa. Now retired, he spent his career teaching literature and writing to college students in St.

Artistic director leaving History Theatre After 27 years of producing plays that explore Minnesota’s past and the diverse American experience, Ron Peluso will soon be handing over the reins of artistic director at the History Theatre. He is retiring at the end of the year. “It has been an incredible journey and it was and is one of the most wonderful jobs in the American theater,” said Peluso in a prepared statement. “I have had the great privilege to be able to commission new plays and musicals about the people whose lives have made a difference in our

state and have made our world a better place.” Since 1995, Peluso has been an advocate of new work, providing a supportive professional environment for Minnesota artists through commissions for playwrights and composers. Under his leadership, the theater has commissioned 103 plays and musicals, including 96 world premieres. A national search is now underway to find his successor.

Paul. Given his professional background, it was only natural that he enlisted his favorite authors and poets to help him tell the overarching story of the river. In one section, he takes an imaginative stroll with Henry David Thoreau, Herman Melville and Samuel Clemens, referencing their thoughts through quotes and excerpts of their work. However, it is clear from Becknell’s writing that his own words have power, too. He is a lover of language, and he wields it well. He illuminates the “enchanting” landscapes found in the river valley with phrases that evoke emotion and

Jim Golden from page 1

vibrant and have a good mix of growers,” he said. “I want to make the experience easy for people, and help wake up St. Paul. I think there’s a lot of people [newer residents] down here who don’t know there’s a farmers’ market. I know there’s a lot of people who don’t know there’s a year-round one.” Golden is no stranger to the area. In 1984, he and his

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brother David began selling bagels on the campuses of St. Thomas and Macalester, and later at the farmers’ market. He owned Golden’s Deli in Lowertown, 275 E. 4th St. in the Northwestern Building, for 20 years, closing it in September 2017. Since that time, he returned to his roots and has been running a bagel stand at the St. Paul Farmers’ Market and driving truck for

but his personal observations present the locales in a new light and make one want to hop on the Great River Road to experience them anew. Becknell returned from his travels with a suitcase full of research and individual experiences, but it was at Kaposia Landing on the bank of the river in South St. Paul where he eventually discovered what he had been searching for. The book was published by Beaver’s Pond Press in St. Paul. To read an except, visit www.thomasbecknell. com. Red Wing native Kari Vick provided illustrations.

Schneider transportation. In addition, Golden has been a member of the St. Paul Growers’ Association board for nearly 25 years, serving as treasurer for the past 10. Correction notice: It was reported in the April issue that David Kotsonas was manager of the St. Paul Farmers’ Market for 11 years, when in fact he was manager at the St. Paul market for five years and director of the Rochester Farmers’ Market for six years.

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conjure up vivid images. His inquisitiveness is contagious, and much can be learned from his searching, historical research and willingness to ask deep questions. Becknell began writing the book in 2017 in his apartment in the Pioneer Building in Lowertown and finished it at his new home in South St. Paul, where he moved in 2019 with his new bride, Pamela. During the writing process, he explored significant river sites locally and many others downstream in Illinois and Missouri. Anyone who loves the river will know the places he visited,

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P eople

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Candidate watch Elections will be held this fall for seats in Minnesota Senate District 65 and House of Representatives District 65B. Both districts include the West Side, downtown and the northern portion of West St. Paul. Sen. Sandy Pappas (DFL), now in her 10th term, is seeking reelection. Rep. Carlos Mariani (DFL) is not. The St. Paul Voice will include details on at least one candidate each month leading to the primary election in August. The filing deadline is May 31. Our election guide, published in our November issue, will include profiles of all candidates for these offices.

Anna Botz West Sider Anna Botz is vying for the House of Representative seat in District 65B. Botz’s priorities include environmental sustainability, law enforcement reform, protecting children from sex offenders and trafficking, and affordable housing. The DFL candidate would work toward creating poli-

Anna Botz cies that make industrial sites more eco-friendly and sustainable, and hold corporations accountable for environmental damages or injuries to individuals. “The most important issue I’m focused on is regulatory capture (form of corruption of authority), because the exploitation of human beings and the planet is widespread, occurring in so many industries,” said Botz. “I see this as an existential threat, and one that I’m not hearing addressed.” Botz also supports clean water practices in agriculture and is in favor of banning no-knock warrants. She

would work to pass HF 226, a bill creating stricter consequences for people charged with a sexual offense. Additionally, she supports ranked choice voting and affordable housing initiatives. Botz is a native of South St. Paul and received an associate of arts degree from Inver Hills Community College. She has owned her own photography business for more than a dozen years. She has also volunteered with the nonprofit Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep, which provides a free professional remembrance portrait to parents suffering the loss of a baby. In 2014, she, her husband, and two children volunteered for eight months in Australia with World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms on water conservation projects. She now lives on the West Side and has been involved with youth summer camps, block club leadership, the West Side Arts Fest and more. For more information, visit Annaforhouse.com.

Momentos

The St. Paul Spring Art Crawl, which began in late April, continues with the following events. All venues give visitors the opportunity to meet artists and view–and buy–their work. Some locations will feature food and music. Hours are 6-10 p.m. Friday; noon-8 p.m. Saturday; and noon-5 p.m. Sunday, unless noted. For more information, visit stpaulartcollective.org. West 7th Street Arts District will host its event April 29-May 1 at the Schmidt Artist Lofts, 900 W. 7th St. The Friedli Gallery at 943 W. 7th will have a special showing, and the Keg and Case Market at 928 W. 7th St. will feature a variety of events. Sunset Dance Art, 750 Laurel Avenue, will host a pop-up gallery with eight artists, 8:30 a.m.Lowertown Lofts Artist Cooperative 6 p.m., Saturday, April 30. Raymond Arts District will the Lowertown Lofts Artist Coop, the host its event May 6-8. Visit The Dow Gallery, 2242 W. University Ave., Northern Warehouse, the Northwestern and the studios of artists living in the Building, 262 Studios, the Tilsner ArtDow building, and artists at the Midway ist Coop, Creators Space and the Union Triangle Building, 2500 University Ave. Depot. The Rossmor building will host Lowertown Arts District will have its event June 24-25. open studios and events May 13-15 at

SATISFY YOUR CURIOSITY

from page 1

have thoughts to make the third area a quick-service venture more focused on the morning side.” This summer, Momento will feature music during JazzFest and other city events. Momento is open 4-9 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, and does not take reservations. Morrissey hasn’t forgotten the success of and love for Pazzaluna, and plans to reopen the restaurant outside of downtown in the future. For more information, call 651-409-4939 or visit morrisseyhospitality.com.

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CHOICE Cinema Series:

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S ample St. Paul

Fitzgerald Theatre

10 E. Exchange St. St. Paul 651-370-2953 www.first-avenue.com

“Dog Man: The Musical” will be presented at 2 p.m., Saturday, April 30. Tickets start at $29.50.

History Theatre

30 10th St. E. St. Paul 651-292-4323 www.historytheatre.com

“Runestone! A Rock Musical” is presented at 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, and 2 p.m. on Sundays, May 7-29. Swedish immigrant Olaf Ohlman digs up a rock in 1898 that has “a story on carved runes,” which tells that the Vikings were the first Europeans to set foot in Minnesota. He

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is praised for his discovery but controversy soon erupts and his life is turned upside down. Step back in time with this whimsical rock ’n’ roll musical. Tickets start at $45, with discounts for seniors, those under 30, and students. An online streaming option will be available May 23-29. Streaming tickets are $25 for an individual and $40 for a household.

History Center 345 W. Kellogg Blvd. St. Paul 651-259-3000 www.mnhs.org

“Righting a Wrong: Japanese Americans and World War II” is a new exhibit on display through July 3. It looks at immigration, prejudice, civil rights, heroism, and what it means to be an American.

“Art Speaks” is on display through July. It presents more than 160 paintings, sculptures and photos collected over the past 15 years and invites Minnesotans to explore the intersection of art and the history of the state. “Our Home: Native Minnesota” shows how Minnesota’s native communities have retained cultural practices, teachings and values. “Votes for Women” is an online resource available on the History Center website. Learn about extraordinary women, the ratification of the 19th Amendment and more. “Black History, Black Voices” is an online resource available on the History Center website. Learn about Black history and the con-

Neal Skoy, Julia Valen and Michael Terrell Brown are ready to rock out in “Airness,” presented May 13-June 5 at Park Square Theatre. tributions Black Americans have made to Minnesota. Other exhibits include “Minnesota’s Greatest Generation,” “Then Now Wow” and “Weather Permitting.” The Center is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m., ThursdaySunday. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and

college students and $8 for children ages five to 17.

Landmark Center

75 5th St. W. St. Paul 651-292-3225 www.landmarkcenter.org

Georgia Jacobson, mezzo-soprano with the Lyric

Opera, and actor/vocalist Bradley Greenwald will perform in concert noon-1 p.m., Wednesday, April 27. Free. May Day Tea Party is held 1-4 p.m., Sunday, May 1. Kids and parents can enjoy tea or juice and snacks. Limited seats are available.

St. Paul Art Crawl MAY 13, 14 & 15

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Page 4 - Downtown St. Paul Voice - May 2022

262 EAST FOURTH ST

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To reserve a seat, call 651292-3063. Star of the North Concert Band will perform 7:30-9:30 p.m., Wednesday, May 4. Free. Violinist Francesca Anderegg and pianist Matthew McCright will perform in concert noon-1 p.m., Thursday, May 5. Free. “CARE: Reimagining Justice” is held 10:30 a.m.12:30 p.m., Saturday, May 7. Visitors can share a story about an injustice they’ve experienced in their life and what justice looked like to them in that situation. The stories will be shared (with consent) in the Landmark Center. Choice Cinema Series: “In the Footsteps of Gordon Parks – Half Past Autumn” is presented 1-3 p.m., Saturday, May 7. Learn about the life and career of Gordon Parks, who was a photographer, novelist, journalist, poet, musician and filmmaker. $5. Classica Chamber Players (formerly Hill House Chamber Players) perform in concert noon-1 p.m., Wednesday, May 11. Free. Choice Cinema Series: “In the Footsteps of Gordon Parks – The Learning Tree” is presented 3-5 p.m., Sunday, May 8. Newt Winger, an African-American teen in small-town Kansas in the 1920s, largely shrugs off the racial prejudice of his time and place. His calm and selfcontrolled perspective is in direct opposition to that of his quick-tempered friend, and when he witnesses a murder he realizes that reporting it to the police could jeopardize both his friendship and his life. $5. Choice Cinema Series: “In the Footsteps of Gordon Parks – Leadbelly” is presented 7-9 p.m., Friday, May 13. This biography of Huddie Ledbetter follows the trouble-prone AfricanAmerican blues singer and guitarist, better known as “Leadbelly,” as he deals with racism in his era and finds peace in his music. $5. “CARE: Exquisite Crankies” is held 1-3 p.m., Sunday, May 22. Visitors learn about crankies, a form of puppetry used to tell stories. This event explores the sense of imagination.

play through May 8. Travel to the Island of Sodor with Thomas and his friends to solve a variety of challenges, climb into Thomas’ cab, load freight into train cars and fix Percy’s wobbly wheel. “Wallace & Gromit and Shaun the Sheep: Shear Genius” is on display May 28 through this fall. Visitors can use iconic inventions at Wallace & Gromit’s home, blast off in Wallace’s bright orange rocket, tend sheep at Shaun’s farm and create their own stop-motion animation. “Shipwreck Adventures” is a new permanent exhibit. It includes a sunken pilot house and 20-foot-long decaying ship hull based on a real sunken ship, a diver training area and an interpretation of the natural landscape of Lake Superior’s north shore. Other exhibits and activities include The Scramble, The Studio, Creativity Jam, Sprouts, Backyard, Our World, Forces at Play, Super Awesome Adventures, Imaginopolis and the Tip Top Terrace. The museum is open 9 a.m.-4 p.m., Wed.-Sun. Tickets are $14.95.

MN Children’s Museum

Ordway Center

10 7th St. W. St. Paul 651-225-6000 www.mcm.org

“Thomas & Friends: Explore the Rails” is on dis-

MN Museum of American Art 350 Robert St. N. St. Paul 651-797-2571 www.mmaa.org

“Mestizaje: Intermix-Remix” is on display through June 12. It is only on view from outside the Pioneer Endicott building, installed in the windows on Robert and 4th streets, and in the Ecolab entrance in the skyway. Determining one’s identity has been a constant and evolving concern for immigrants and descendants of Latin American countries living in the United States. Seven Latinx artists seek to engage people and community in conversation about the complexity of defining mixed identities through newly created artworks. “Mestizaje: Past, Present, Future” is held on Zoom, 6-7:30 p.m., Thursday, May 12. Join artists and scholars for an in-depth conversation about the evolving meaning of mestizaje (mixed race). The link to join can be found at www.mmaa.org.

the Bach Society of Minnesota use music to tell the story of the mischievous Till Eulenspiegel as he crossed a battle-weary Europe during the Thirty Years’ War. Tickets start at $12. “Accordo with Silent Film” is presented 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, May 10. Tickets start at $28. “At the Summit: B Minor Mass,” 7:30 p.m., Saturday, May 14. The Bach Society of Minnesota, celebrating its 90th season, presents Bach’s transcendent setting of the traditional mass, his crowning achievement in a lifetime of sacred composition. Tickets are $35 with discounts for students and children under 12.

The Roy

175 W. Kellogg Blvd St. Paul 651-265-4800 www.rivercentre.org

Minnesota Roller Derby is held 7 p.m., April 30 and May 28. Tickets start at $12.

Park Square Theatre 20 W. 7th Place St. Paul 651-291-7005

www.parksquaretheatre.org

“Atacama” is presented 7:30 p.m., April 28-30, and 2 p.m., May 1. Set in the landscape of Chile’s Atacama desert, this play takes the audience on a metaphoric quest beginning with two strangers searching for the remains of children killed by the Pinochet regime. Tickets start at $16.

“Airness” is presented May 13-June 5. Five oddball rock fanatics travel to dingy bars and cramped stages across the nation vying for a place at the National Air Guitar Championship. Tickets start at $16.

Schubert Club 75 W. 5th St. St. Paul 651-292-3268 www.schubert.org

A digital concert series is underway through June. Each concert is available for replay for one week. Imani Winds will have its presentation uploaded at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, April 28. Tickets are $10.

“Action for Earth” is held through May. It features exhibits associated with climate change. Omnitheater films are “Dinosaurs of Antarctica,” and “Under the Sea.” Theater tickets are $9.95, with discounts for children and seniors. Museum tickets are $19.95, with discounts for children and seniors.

Xcel Center

199 W. Kellogg Blvd. St. Paul 651-726-8240 www.xcelenergycenter.com

“Stars on Ice” is presented 4 p.m., Sunday, May 15. The event will feature many of the U.S. figure skaters competing for medals at the Winter Games in China. Tickets start at $30.

Memorial Day is May 30

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Science Museum of Minnesota 120 W. Kellogg Blvd. St. Paul 651-221-9444 www.smm.org

“Real STEM Stories” is a temporary exhibit in-person and online. Learn about professionals working in the STEM field.

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Downtown St. Paul Voice - May 2022 - Page 5

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{ THE FULLER FILES } Coming and going Joe Spartz is stepping down as head of Greater St. Paul Building Owners and Managers Association after serving nearly ten years. During his tenure, many warehouses and office buildings were renovated to new uses, mostly residential. The group has formed a search committee to find its next president. Festival of Nations has been cancelled for the third year in a row due to the pandemic. It’s usually held in early May at the Xcel Center. The International Institute of Minnesota decided that the public health risks of holding a large indoor gathering are still too great. Emerald Lounge has opened at 455 W. 7th St.

next to the Claddagh Coffee shop. Molly Bard and Amanda Caruso manage both properties. Emerald Lounge offers a full menu and bar. Décor includes post-modern furniture, and an emerald-tiled backsplash bar. It is open WednesdaySunday, beginning at 4 p.m. Lost Fox coffee bar and restaurant is expected to open in late May in the space that formerly housed the Elephant Bar, 213 E. 4th St. It will offer coffee and sandwiches during the day and a full menu at night. It can seat 40 in the dining room, 40 in the cocktail lounge and 15 at the bar. It is owned by Ann and Michael Rose.

McCrea receives Sexton award Fiona McCrea has re-

by Roger Fuller

ceived the Minnesota Book Awards’ Kay Sexton Award, which recognizes major contributions to and leadership in Minnesota’s literary community. For 28 years, McCrea has served as publisher/director of Minneapolis-based Graywolf Press. In that time it has grown from a small publishing house to a national leader in publishing diverse writers and poets from around the world. The Minnesota Book Awards are facilitated by the Friends of the St. Paul Public Library.

New boundaries for city wards The St. Paul Charter Commission has redrawn the borders of the seven wards in St. Paul, based on population counts of the 2020 census. The wards were kept mostly

Postscript

My Grouchy Friends

I have a weakness for grouchy people. I have a couple of friends I would describe as perpetually grouchy and, I’m not quite sure why, but I think they’re good for me. To clarify, I’m not fond of being around people who Carrie Classon are in the habit of deliberSPV-FLMar2022V-Eng.qxp_Layout 1 CarrieClasson.com ately messing up their lives. I think everyone has known at least one person like this, and it’s hard to watch. I see the train coming down the tracks. I hope my friend “GLORIOUS!” will alter course. I try not to – Star Tribune be too bossy as I suggest it might be a good idea to get

off the tracks. I nervously watch the train barreling straight for them. “Um, don’t you think it might be a good idea to, maybe, do something a little different? Because a train will come down these tracks sooner or later, and when it does…” My ideas are always rebuffed: There is no time. There is no energy. There is no need. Then I have to watch the crash, extend my sympathies, and listen to long explanations about how none of this was preventable and how life is terribly unfair. That is no fun. But being grouchy is different. My grouchy friends tell me that I am crazy for always believing things will work out. Grouchy people assure

intact with some minor adjustments. Each ward must come within two-tenths of one percent of the average population, which is 44,500 for each ward. The number of voting precincts has been reduced from 95 to 87.

Metro State milestone Metropolitan State University is observing its 50th anniversary. Its first class in 1972 had just 50 students. Metro State moved to its present home in 1994 and later built a new main building overlooking downtown St. Paul, as well as a library, student center and the Jason R. Carter Science Education Center.

Viking cruise Viking River Cruise line will hold its inaugural trip between New Orleans and

me that there is something within them – their DNA, their upbringing, their carefully cultivated beliefs about how the world works – that justifies their pessimism. For some reason, this is like catnip to me. I’ve been trying to understand why. My husband, Peter, tells me I should steer clear of people who are not positive. Peter would like me to be around people who, if they are not quite as upbeat as I am, at least have a sunny view of the world. But I keep looking at folks who are surrounded by storm clouds and wanting to keep them company. Maybe I am some sort of competitive optimist, trying to conquer the most challenging pessimist to earn another notch in my optimist’s belt.

St. Paul this summer. The 386-passenger boat will travel 1,700 miles on the Mississippi River and make stops at Dubuque, Iowa, La Crosse, Wis., and Red Wing before arriving in St. Paul. It’s expected to carry more than 17,000 people in its first full season in 2023

Events Penumbra Theatre, 270 Kent St., will present “Weathering” April 28-May 22. This drama, written by Harrison David Rivers, is about a couple suffering an excruciating loss, and a circle of women that helps them deal with their grief. Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary will hold two “Restore!” events in May. Volunteers are needed to pick up trash and remove invasive plants 5:30-7:30 p.m., May 10 and 9-11 a.m.,

May 21. SubText Books at 6 W. 5th St. will host a virtual reading of “Thin Places: A Natural History of Healing and Home” and a conversation with its Irish author Kerri ní Dochartaigh at noon, Saturday, May 14. The book was published by Minneapolis-based Milkweed Editions. Zeitgeist, 275 E. 4th St., will not hold indoor events this spring at Studio Z but plans to have outdoor events in the summer. The Zeitgeist quartet will perform the music of George Lewis at 8 p.m., Saturday, May 21, at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis. The Twin Cities Jazz Festival will be held at its traditional time of the year, June 24-25. Last year’s event was held in late summer due to the pandemic.

Maybe it gets tiresome mistic person. I just allowed always hearing from people myself to be hopeful and diswho believe as I do: that we covered that things worked are generally as happy as we out, even when – especially make up our minds to be. when – it didn’t look as if Maybe I like hearing the op- they would. And so I kept posing view to assure myself on hoping. Becoming opthat, yes, I really do believe timistic was like building this stuff. a muscle. Hope resulted in Or maybe (and I worry more things to be hopeful this might be the case) op- about. timism is like one of those My grouchy friends guard religions where, in order to against injury by keeping believe, you have to convince their hopes low. Their pesa friendly gift boutique others to give it a try. flower and simism protects them from I think it might be a little disappointment. I try to of all of the above. It might explain that pessimism is also be that I am genuinely an indiscriminate herbicurious. What would hap- cide – it kills both the crops pen if I expected the worst? and the weeds. But, so far, Would anything change? my attempts to convert my Because being optimistic grouchy friends to optimism invites injury. Plans fail. have failed. People disappoint. Notflower ev- andItgift doesn’t matter. I know a friendly boutique erything works out as I hope. I’m right. I couldn’t be an To be optimistic is to be vul- optimist and think othernerable. And I don’t actually wise. think I started out as an optiTill next time.

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Cinco de Mayo West Side St. Paul canceled for third year; community group to host local event Jake Spitzack Staff Writer

hen the St. Paul Festival and Heritage Foundation announced in late March that the West Side’s annual Cinco de Mayo fiesta would be canceled again this year, the third year in a row, a group of West Siders rose to action to organize a small-scale event in its stead. “Unfortunately, the challenges created by COVID have continued to force us to have to postpone the event for 2022,” said Lisa Jacobson, foundation president, in a prepared statement. “It takes many months to plan Cinco de Mayo, and with the protocols in place as recent as the beginning of March there simply wasn’t enough time to create a large community celebration. It is our hope that everyone will take an extra step to enjoy the West Side, to shop at stores and eat and drink at the restaurants from the West Side neighborhood the week of May 1-9, as we look forward to 2023.” The foundation, which also organizes the St. Paul Winter Carnival, has managed the 37-year-old event since 2009. Spearheading the smaller event is Reies Romero, a former volunteer with the traditional Cinco de Mayo West Side St. Paul. “I decided to facilitate a Cinco event because it was in my heart to do so,” said Romero. “I caught wind of it [the cancelation] a little sooner than others because I was part of the Cinco organizing board for six years before COVID…. This is a grassroots effort to bring

the community together for a small function of family, heritage, history, healing and peace. The people want a Cinco festival to happen and our community deserves one. We will come together in the spirit of our ancestors, culture and infinite resilience.” The celebration will be held 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturday, May 7 at Parque Castillo, 149 Cesar Chavez St. A variety of DJs will provide music including DJ Francisco, DJ Supreme, and DJ the DJ. The event will also feature performances by Cuauhtli Day and Aztec drummers and dancers, a display of about 50 lowriders, food trucks and a softball tournament. To register for the tournament, held 8 a.m.-4 p.m., contact Carlo at carlofranco.stp@gmail.com. Organizations contributing to the event include Twin Cities Omega Zulu, the Mobile Jazz Project, Remixed Events, West Side Boosters, Indigenous Roots and Restoration, Inc. Some individual businesses will also host events. Mariachi Lucero will perform 5:308:30 p.m., May 5 at Boca Chica, 11 Cesar Chavez St. El Burrito Mercado, 175 Cesar Chavez St., will have its popular corn stand and patio open May 5 and 7, weather permitting. “They (SPFHF) reached out to the businesses and we shared our thoughts,” said Milissa Silva, co-owner of El Burrito Mercado. “We were very concerned about safety and violence and felt it still needed to be addressed before having another festival. Our family felt it was a good decision [to cancel] for

this year.” The Cinco de Mayo fiesta isn’t the only event that’s been canceled this year due to ongoing concerns with COVID-19 and other factors. Grand Old Days and the Festival of Nations will not happen either. The Cinco de Mayo festival was first organized by the former Concord Street Business Association in 1985 (later renamed the Riverview Economic Development Association). It grew from a small community festival to a large regional two-day event that attracted more than 100,000 people. After becoming too much for the small nonprofit to handle, the St. Paul Festival and Heritage Foundation took over its management and made it a one-day event. The celebration typically takes place along Cesar Chavez Street between Wabasha and South Robert Street, featuring a colorful parade, lowrider show, jalapeno eating contest, food and musical entertainment. Cinco de Mayo (May 5) commemorates the unlikely victory at the Battle of Puebla, in Mexico’s state of Puebla, of a struggling Mexican army over Napoleon III’s massive French army

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