ComoFest lines up fun every weekend in July

Como Community Council Corner

By MICHAEL KUCHTA, Executive Director

ComoFest expands in 2016 to bring affordable fun to every part of the neighborhood every weekend in July. Here’s a brief rundown of the schedule. You can find full details at www.comofest.com.

• Fri., July 8: North Dale Movie Night. A free outdoor showing of “Pan,” at dusk on the baseball field at North Dale Rec Center.

• Sat., July 9: Como Fest Art Fair. Art and crafts for sale, plus live music, on the Promenade of the Como Lakeside Pavilion. 10am-2pm. Online registration for artists is now open.

• Fri., July 15: District 10 Ice Cream Social. Enjoy neighbors, ice cream, lawn games, and live music. Free, from 5-8pm at the Como Park Streetcar Station.

• Sun., July 17: ComoFest 5K Walk/Run for Everyone. Sponsored by the Como Park Falcon Heights Living at Home Block Nurse Program. Starting 8:30am at the Lakeside Pavilion. Online registration is now open.

• Fri., July 22: Lyngblomsten’s Mid-Summer Festival: A Celebration of Arts & Lifelong Learning. An art showcase, hands-on art activities, music, food, and games run from 2-6:30pm. That’s followed by live music and a community dance under the big tent from 6:30-8pm. Admission is free.

• Sat., July 23: Community Appreciation Picnic. Topline Federal Credit Union presents a free community cookout, with giveaways, open to all ages. From 11am-1pm in the credit union’s parking lot at Lexington and Front.

• Fri., July 29: Northwest Como Campout. Festivities begin at 6pm with a jump castle, climbing tower, concessions and other family fun activities at Northwest Como Rec Center. A free outdoor showing of “Zootopia” begins about 8:45pm. The evening ends with the annual family outdoor overnight campout. To reserve your camping spot, call 651-298-5813 or register online.

• Sat., July 30 and Sun., July 31: ComoFest Music Festival. The Underground Music Café transforms its parking lot and indoor stage for live music, presentations, a local talent show, beer, crafts, and more. Food, coffee, and drinks will be on sale throughout the festival. Hours: Sat., 11am-11pm; Sun., 11.m-2pm.

New board members

Community members elected two new members to the District 10 Board on May 17. Residents elected Tim Post to fill the board’s vacant Secretary position and elected Mike Ireland to fill a vacant seat representing Sub-District 3. Congratulations to both Tim and Mike, who fill terms that expire in April 2017.

D10 Board appoints representatives

The District 10 Board has appointed three community members to represent the neighborhood on two committees dealing with Como Park issues.

• Maggie Zimmerman was appointed to the Como Dockside Community Input Committee. This group is evaluating Como Dockside’s performance as part of the restaurant’s contract with the city. Committee members will develop surveys and other ways of assessing quality, customer service, community access, and other measurements.

• Richard Herriges and Jenny Larson were appointed as District 10’s representatives on the Como Regional Park Advisory Committee. This committee keeps track of what’s going on with traffic, parking, and other projects in the park, and makes recommendations to the city’s Parks Commission. District 10’s representatives will be the point people who 1) keep the neighborhood informed on park plans; 2) explain how those plans could impact those of us who live here, and; 3) convey our advice to Parks leadership.

Neighborhood cleanup events start in June

St. Paul has scheduled four community cleanup days where residents can dispose of the stuff they can’t put in the trash. This includes appliances, furniture, tires, demolition materials, and more.

District 10’s event will be Oct. 8 at the Fairgrounds. But St. Paul residents can go to any of the drop-off events, including the first two this month:

• June 11: Washington Technology Magnet High School, 1495 Rice St.

• June 25: Harding High School, 1540 E. 6th St.

These events run from 8am-1pm, and accept only cash or checks. You can find fees, and other details in the brochure city residents received in the mail in May. Or go online at http://bit.ly/1P0PyVA.

What wasn’t in the brochure:

• The neighborhood cleanup events also will accept household quantities of confidential paper for shredding. The paper you want shredded must be in a box, paper bag, or plastic bag.

• There also will be a drop-off event only for electronics items on Sat., June 18 at Dunning Field, from 9am-noon. That means TVs, VCRs, DVD players, stereos, computer equipment, cell phones, cords, and similar accessories. You can enter from Concordia Ave. east of Hamline Ave.

Keeping pedestrians in mind

A dozen District 10 residents, plus a few dogs, put their best foot forward in the neighborhood’s first “Stop for Me” pedestrian safety on May 19. Police ticketed 15 drivers who did not yield to pedestrians crossing the intersection at Lexington Pkwy. and E. Como Lake Dr., where park paths cross north of the Pavilion.

“Stop for Me” is a citywide educational and enforcement campaign highlighting the state law that requires drivers to stop for pedestrians in a crosswalk—marked or unmarked—every corner, every turn, every time.

Pick up a recycling bin

The Como Park Streetcar Station is open from noon-4pm every Sunday between now and the end of September. We’ll have a District 10 board member on hand to distribute recycling bins, organics composting bags, or just take your comments and suggestions. The Streetcar Station is at the northeast corner of Lexington and Horton.

Get D10 news every week

To keep up to date on what’s going on down the block, across the street, and around the corner, sign up for District 10’s free weekly e-newsletter. We send it to your inbox every Friday. Go to www.district10comopark.org, then click the sign-up icon in the right column.