Let's be honest, it's not even June, but, because we live in Minnesota, we are considering this 70 degree weather "summer". In my opinion, the Twin Cities seems to come alive in the summertime. Yes, yes, we're a state and a city known for our beautiful winters and our outrageous snow activities and festivals. But, when else do you get to ride your bike from St. Paul to Lake Calhoun, or spend your entire day outside listening to live music and eating at food trucks? It's during the summer that the Lyndale Park Rose Garden blooms and every place downtown sets up a patio. And finally, summertime is the time for events - art events in particular. We started out this warm weather season with Art-A-Whirl in Northeast Minneapolis, giving a little taste of what local artists have been working on over the long winter months, and what they have in store for this season. Art-A-Whirl had it's visitors "studio-hopping" throughout the weekend to view different works and participate in small hands-on events. If this is your thing, and you want more of it, just wait until you hear what we have coming up this month at the Weisman Art Museum...

Northern Spark will be held at WAM on June 9, 2012 from 8:58PM to 5:30AM on June 10, 2012. The program is an active celebration of the creativity of artists and the creative programming of cultural organizations. Northern Spark is a one-night-only program, otherwise known as a creative explosion. Held over the course of a night (literally sundown to sunrise), Northern Spark focuses on transformation. "It is about seeing the Twin Cities in a new light. It's about making the place where you live a place you wat to be, not where you return after being inspired somewhere else." Northern Spark is a program created especially for the Twin Cities in order to allow its population to explore the wonder and world of design, technology, science, engineering, urban planning, nature, culture, and art in Minneapolis and St. Paul. What a better way to celebrate art and summer the Twin Cities? When else do you get to explore the city and its museums or public places "after hours"?

This year, WAM will be the hub for Northern Spark, hosting programs throughout the night including UMN students, faculty, artists and community members. Come explore the works of local performing artists, the Owl Meet-and-Greet with the UMN Raptor Center, and a "Night Vision Tour" of the museum! Beginning at 2:00AM the museum will be hosting a "Don't Wake the Neighbors" concert with Sleeping in the Aviary and Buffalo Moon. Finally, soak in the sunrise with sun salutations and morning yoga movements with the UMN Center for Spirituality and Healing. The full schedule can be found here. Best of all, *ahem* STUDENTS, this event is free and open to the public! So make it a party, make it a date, make it a research project, but get out and explore Northern Spark throughout Minneapolis and St. Paul on June 9 and 10.

P.S. WAM Collectivewill be hosting a bake sale at WAM during Northern Spark, featuring staying-up aids, and a doughnut bar beginning at 2:00AM. If nothing else, come buy a brownie!