PeopleFest!

When: Tuesday, July 26, 2022 at 10:30 AM

Where: Staring Lake Amphitheatre, 14800 Pioneer Trail

Details: Free, no registration required. 

Celebrate the 32nd anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Experience 3 Strings, a revolutionary music teaching method for youth plus performances and exhibits for families.

When: Friday, July 29 from 9:45 - 11:45 AM 

Where: Mdewakanton Sioux Community Hoċokata Ti Cultural Center in Shakopee; bus will depart from Central Middle School in Eden Prairie

Details: Pre-registration required. Free busing and admission for Eden Prairie Schools families. Others are welcome to join us and ride the bus, but will need to purchase their own admission tickets at the door. Pricing ranges from $0-$8. Visit shakopeedakota.org/culture/hocokatati for details.

Click here to register

Join us for a family field trip to the Shakopee Hocokata Ti Mdewakanton Sioux Community Museum. Sit within a traditional Dakota tipi, touch the hides of animals traditionally hunted by the Dakota people, hear the words of the Dakota language, and more. We'll receive a guided tour from staff through this immersive and interactive exhibit, which gives visitors a better understanding of Mdewakanton lifeways that can’t be experienced through books.

When: Sunday, July 31 from 3:00-7:00 PM

Where: Staring Lake Park, 14800 Pioneer Trail

Details: Free, no registration required.

Exhibit booths, food and live performances celebrating the many cultures that make Eden Prairie a wonderfully diverse community.

When: Monday, August 1 from 5:30 - 7:30 PM

Where: Central Middle School's Performing Arts Center Community Room, 8025 School Road

Details: Free. Pre-registration required.

Learn about this religion shared by many Eden Prairie residents. Bring your questions and an open mind to this introductory course taught by Deepak Chinta. This class will cover the following:

• Philosophy of Hinduism 
• Diversity of the religion and its practitioners
• Some do's and don't when interacting with Hindus
• What to expect in a home of Hindu people 
• And much more!

Register Now

When: Tuesday, August 2 from 10:30 - 11:15 AM

Where: Staring Lake Amphitheatre, 14800 Pioneer Trail

Details: Free, no registration required.

High energy Djembe drumming with traditional African rhythms.

When: Tuesday, August 2 at 6:00 PM

Where: Eden Prairie Senior Center, 8950 Eden Prairie Road

Details: Free, no registration required.

Meet fiber artist Pa Na and hear about how her Hmong heritage and the journey from Laos to Wisconsin has shaped her life and her artwork.

When: Evening of Tuesday, August 2

Where: Your Neighborhood!

Details: Every year citizens across the country celebrate Night to Unite on the first Tuesday of August. This year, Eden Prairie's Night to Unite will be August 2nd. This is an opportunity to come together, meet your neighbors, get to know them better and grow the sense of community we have here in Eden Prairie. 

Click here to learn more

When: Wednesday, August 3 from 5:30 - 8:30 PM

Where: PiM Arts High School, 7255 Flying Cloud Drive 

Details: Free, no registration required.

Join us at the Performing Institute of Minnesota High School in Eden Prairie for a free open house featuring performing art activities. Explore dance, instruments, singing, and improv theatre and enjoy a variety performances, including a scene from a new original musical, “Primer: A High School Song Cycle,” inspired by the real-life stories of high school students. All ages welcome!

When:  Thursday, August 4 from 5:30 - 7:30 PM

Where: Central Middle School's Performing Arts Center Community Room, 8025 School Road

Details: Free. Pre-registration required.

Come learn about the many contributions Muslims have made to science and technology. This presentation will also cover Islamic teachings and beliefs about science. This class is being offered free of charge by the Islamic Resource Group.

Register Now

When: Thursday, August 4 from 7:00 - 8:30 PM

Where: Staring Lake Amphitheatre, 14800 Pioneer Trail

Details: Free, no registration required.

Drawing from their Nigerian heritage, Kashimana brings a soulful voice to R&B, folk and Afro-funk music.

When: Friday, August 5 from 7:30-10:30 PM

Pre-show entertainment starts at 7:30

Encanto will start at 9:00 PM

Where: Staring Lake Amphitheatre, 14800 Pioneer Trail

Details: Free, no registration required.

The Are Your Stars Like My Stars? story stroll will be at the Eden Prairie Library (565 Prairie Center Dr) in the outdoor gathering space on the west side of the building from Friday, August 5 through Sunday, August 7, weather permitting. People are welcome to drop by anytime to visit the story stroll. 

When: Saturday, August 6 from 3:00-4:00 PM

Where: Central Middle School's Performing Arts Center Community Room, 8025 School Road

Details: Free. Pre-registration required.

This class will be a combination or presentation and Q&A and is being offered free of charge by the Jain Center of Minnesota. 

Register Now

When: Sunday, August 7 at 6:00 PM

Where: Staring Lake Amphitheatre, 14800 Pioneer Trail

Details: Free, no registration required.

Experience a special one-night collaboration of hip-hop and spoken word artists.

When: Tuesday, August 9 from 10:30 - 11:15 AM

Where: Staring Lake Amphitheatre, 14800 Pioneer Trail

Details: Free, no registration required.

Celebrate National Book Lover’s Day and enjoy some storytelling with Danielle Daniel.

When: TBD 

Where: TBD

Details: Free, no registration required

Experience one of the world’s most popular sports! Bring a lawn chair and settle in for an evening of entertainment.

When: TBD

Where: Central Middle School's Cafeteria, 8025 School Road (east side of building, off Wallace Road)

Details: Free. Pre-registration required.

Explore a new place or culture through virtual reality! This class is being offered free of charge by REM5 Virtual Reality in collaboration with the 2022 PeopleFest! Community Celebration of Culture. Come anytime between 5:30-7:30 PM. Appropriate for ages 7+. Parents must remain onsite.

Eden Prairie’s PeopleFest!: A Community Celebration of Culture is a series of educational events that reflect the range of traditions, backgrounds, abilities and expressions of our community through literature, music, dance, visual art, food and education offerings.

The purpose of PeopleFest! is to bring residents together in celebration and awareness of the many cultures that make Eden Prairie great. Our community-wide celebration is presented in collaboration by the City of Eden Prairie, Eden Prairie Schools Community Education, Eden Prairie Community Foundation, Interfaith Circle, Academy for Young Leaders, Eden Prairie Human Rights and Diversity Commission, Eden Prairie Chinese Association, India Association of MN, Eden Prairie TreeHouse and others. PeopleFest! is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

To learn more, watch the video above or contact Molly Patil, Director of Adult & Community Engagement Programs, at mpatil@edenpr.org or 952-975-6942.

We learned a lot planning the virtual 2020 and hybrid 2021 festivals that will carry forward into future celebrations. While we are proud of how we have persevered during the pandemic, we are excited for the return of the PeopleFest! Party in 2022 and other in-person events that weren't possible the past two years. 

The vast majority of PeopleFest! 2020 was online, and we are grateful for the content that community members can continue to learn from. Visit the 2020 PeopleFest! page to view virtual exhibits and explore our featured performances and visual artists.  

When the PeopleFest! Planning Committee began to meet to develop the 2021 schedule of events, members decided the celebration would not feature the large PeopleFest! Party, but instead should consist of a variety of  smaller in-person events, as well as virtual and asynchronous opportunities. 

We will monitor transmission data and public health recommendations and look forward to gathering safely in person for many PeopleFest! 2022 events. We will also continue to feature ways for community members to participate without gathering face-to-face in large groups with others. We want all residents to feel safe while exploring the richness of our city's cultural diversity.