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*Attractions
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About Us
The Star of the North DanceSport Classic is located on the beautiful Mississippi River in "Nordeast" Minneapolis - just across the river from downtown. As a competitor, you can enjoy an exciting competition and your choice of cultural activities and nightlife to make for a fun competition weekend you'll never forget.
When you're not competing, your Twin Cities weekend can include:
Restaurants, Shopping, Music, Art, Theater, Movies, Sports, Outdoors, Nightclubs
For Those Who Love to Eat
There are dozens of restaurants in the business district surrounding the competition, including American, Ukrainian, Polish, Lebanese, Italian, Irish, Moroccan and other nationalities. Add to these many more in nearby downtown and the warehouse district and competitors won't have any problem finding places they love to eat. For a complete listing of restaurants, visit NE Minneapolis restaurants, Downtown Minneapolis restaurants & Warehouse District restaurants.Restaurants of all price ranges can be found in these areas, but for competitors on a budget, a greater proportion of affordable options will be found in the Dinkytown and Stadium Village areas near the University of Minnesota: SE Minneapolis restaurants.
Some of our favorites within a mile of the competition:
Kramarczuk's - Sticking to our Eastern European theme - Kramarczuk's is pure NE Minneapolis! Perfect place for a lunch break during the competition. (NE Minneapolis)
Loring Pasta Bar - You could go just for the ambiance. Thankfully the food is good, too. Salsa dancing on Friday and Saturday nights. Argentine tango on Sunday evenings. (Dinkytown, Minneapolis)
Matty B's Urban Bar & Restaurant - The two Matty B's restaurants are favorites among local dancers, in part because of some our dancing friends who are owners. The Minneapolis restaurant is close to the competition. The St. Paul Matty B's provides live jazz and dancing. Use Matty B's as an opportunity to visit Downtown St. Paul, as well. (Downtown Minneapolis & Downtown St. Paul)
Origami - Japanese sushi bar just across the river from the competition. (Warehouse District, Minneapolis)
Restaurant Alma - Where to celebrate your achievements at the competition. (SE Minneapolis)
Times Bar & Cafe - Jazz venue known for their fondue. Swing & lindy to the Wolverines Jazz Trio at Sunday brunch. (NE Minneapolis)
For Shoppers
Go ahead and splurge!Mall of America - The largest mall in America! (Bloomington)
Grand Avenue, St. Paul - Miles of shops and restaurants along Grand Avenue - one of St. Paul's favorite destinations. Everything from psychics to J. Crew. (St. Paul)
Uptown, Minneapolis - Where the hip shop. (Minneapolis)
For Music Lovers
The Twin Cities has everything from hip hop to early music. Check out the City Pages Music Calendar for a full schedule. Here are some of our favorites:Minnesota Orchestra - One the country's finest orchestras. (Downtown Minneapolis)
St. Paul Chamber Orchestra - The only professional chamber orchestra in the country and internationally regarded. (Downtown St. Paul)
Dakota Jazz Club & Restaurant - Local and national jazz acts (Downtown Minneapolis)
First Ave & 7th Street Entry - Rock, alternative, folk and hip hop acts from the Twin Cities and around the country. Made famous by Prince. (Downtown Minneapolis)
Varsity Theater & Cafe - Local and underground acts in the heart of Dinkytown, where Bob Dylan got his start (Dinkytown, Minneapolis)
For Art Lovers
Enjoy local art. For a full list of museums and galleries, visit Art in the Twin Cities. Here are some of our recommendations:Walker Art Center & Minneapolis Sculpture Garden - Modern art in a newly expanded building designed by Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron. (Loring Park, Minneapolis)
Minneapolis Institute of Arts - From ancient to modern. Minnesota's largest art museum. (South Minneapolis)
Museum of Russian Art - Our newest museum - an incredible collection of Russian art. (South Minneapolis)
NE Minneapolis Arts District - Just minutes from competition, the NE Minneapolis Arts District provides galleries galore of local artists. (NE Minneapolis)
Weisman Art Museum - The University of Minnesota's art museum, with building by Frank Gehry. (U of M, Minneapolis)
For Theater Lovers
The Twin Cities offers exceptional theater quantity and quality! You can find a complete list of local theaters on the Minnesota Performing Arts Directory. Here are some of our favorites:Dudley Riggs Brave New Workshop - Edgy satire on society with improv after the show. (Uptown, Minneapolis)
Guthrie Theater - Three stages in a brand new building located on the Mississippi, just one mile from the competition. (Downtown Minneapolis)
Hennepin Theatre District - Broadway and national music acts in the historic Orpheum, State & Pantages Theaters. (Downtown Minneapolis)
Theatre de la Jeune Lune - Tony Award winning theater in the Minneapolis warehouse district, just across the river from the competition. (Warehouse District, Minneapolis)
For Movie Lovers
For a full listing of Twin Cities movies, visit City Search movie guide. Here are some of our favorites close to the competition:Block E Crown Theatre - 15 screens in the heart of downtown Minneapolis, less than a mile from the competition. (Downtown Minneapolis)
Heights Theater - Current and classic films just minutes from the competition in the Twin Citie's oldest continually running movie theater. Enjoy a performance of the historic Wurlitzer theater organ before weekend shows. (Columbia Heights)
Minnesota Film Arts - Non-profit organization with two theaters. Oak Street Cinema plays artsy, international and classic films while the Bell Auditorium is the country's only theater dedicated to documentaries. (Stadium Village and U of M, Minneapolis)
For Sports Lovers
The Twin Cities is full of collegiate and professional sporting events.Minnesota Timberwolves NBA Basketball - Get close to "KG" (Kevin Garnett). (Downtown Minneapolis)
Minnesota Wild NHL Hockey - How can you leave Minnesota without experiencing hockey?! (Downtown St. Paul)
For Outdoor Enthusiasts
Sure it's February! The key to enjoying the outdoors in the winter is merely to dress warmly.Minneapolis Riverfront District - Explore the scenery around the competition, including the St. Anthony Falls Heritage Trail (NE & Downtown Minneapolis)
Minnehaha Falls - A favorite tourist destination. Exceptional when frozen in the winter. (South Minneapolis)
Minneapolis Chain of Lakes - Enjoy one of the cities many lakes in the City of Lakes. (Uptown Minneapolis)
For Life Past Bedtime
We couldn't even begin to list all of our favorite nightclubs. Visit Twin Cities Nightclubs for a complete list.Brit's Pub - Just across the street from Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis. Brit's is a popular destination and a good starting point for enjoying the nightlife along Nicollet Mall. Sorry … no lawn bowling in February! (Downtown Minneapolis)
Chino Latino - In the center of Uptown. Chino Latino is a good starting point for enjoying the nightlife of the Uptown area. (Uptown, Minneapolis)
Kitty Cat Klub - Experience truly unique ambiance in this popular Dinkytown hangout. Live music and dancing frequently. (Dinkytown, Minneapolis)
Lone Tree & Annex - Popular nightclubs in the heart of downtown Minneapolis. Good staging place for enjoying the nightlife of the warehouse district and Block E area. (Warehouse District, Minneapolis)
Nye's Polonaise Room - Just three blocks from the competition. Dance to "The World's Most Dangerous Polka Band" and sing with Lou at the piano. Nye's is the starting and finishing point for nightlife in NE Minneapolis, with bars stretching for several blocks north along Hennepin Avenue. You cannot understand "Nordeast" until you visit Nye's! (NE Minneapolis)