 |
Grand Old Days
TODOTC.com
To Do in the Twin Cities
Events
Grand Old Days
Date: June 1, 2024
On Grand Ave from the Summit to Snelling
|
 |
The tallest mountain in North America is Denali formerly McKinley. The longest river in the U.S. is the Missouri River. And the largest one-day festival in the Midwest is Grand Old Day of St Paul. They don’t GIVE away number one’s you have to EARN IT. And Grand Old Day always the first Sunday in June, on Grand Ave in St Paul does so every year.
E&I have missed Grand Old Days ONCE since the 1980s. Well with the world on edge we have gone a few years not having Grand Old Days but thankfully it is back. If there is one event to put on your calendar every year, it’s the First Sunday in June for Grand Old Day.
This year we continued our tradition by bringing our grand kids. There are probably more tons of candy thrown out at the 9 AM parade than all the other parades in the metro combined. We had to train the grandkids this year about getting to the candy first, skills to be used at Easter Egg hunts. Our granddaughter, now four years old, early in the parade said there wasn’t much candy, from a cutie that MAY eat one piece a day.
By parade end she crossed the street through the gauntlet of other kids with both hands holding a chestful of candy to report: “Grandpa this is the BEST DAY EVER!”
Grand Avenue is a great wide venue for: people, bikes, kids of all ages, dogs, pet pigs and anything else that can come out on what is normally the most beautiful day of the first six months of the year.
Normally we get to the parade about 10 AM, it starts kinda at the Summit at 9 AM. We come from the north and cross Grand Ave at Fairview and get on the south side of Grand Ave where parking is better. We normally park a block from Grand on Pascal which is a few blocks from Snelling. It’s a great view area with beautiful shady trees…. Well unless the current Mayor has his way to cut them down for a bike path. But he shook my hand at the parade, and I just happen to mention it to him.
This year they had a short parade, but usually all the sports teams are there along with some great cars and bands and the Vulcans and everything St Paul. And after the parade there is miles of Grand Ave to walk and eat and listen to Free Speech microphones and see the eclectic people and bring the dog if you want. It’s basically the state fair in June and just as fun with bands, food, rides and fun times.
AND it DON’T COST NUTHIN!
Contact us Dennis@ToDoTC.com