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As part of the ongoing campaign to educate and encourage people to “Buy Local” Riverview Economic Development Association (REDA) is featuring the local neighborhood discount card over the next few weeks. The FREE card serves as a great resource for those wanting to be a part of all that the West Side of Saint Paul has to offer.  With discounts and specials updated weekly the discount card is a valued item for any West Side shopper!

How to get the card: Cards are available at all participating businesses. You can also stop by the REDA office or call them at (651.222.6347) to have a card mailed to you.

Specials can be found here at any time.

Here are a few of the current specials available:

-       StormSister Spatique – 15 percent off your purchase!

-       El Burrito Mercado – Free bag of El Burrito tortillas with a purchase of $20 or more!

-       Capitol View Café – 20 percent off your total bill!

-       Captain Ken’s Foods – 20 percent discount on all “out-the-door” purchases!

-       West Side Hair Care – Purchase a 20 dollar gift card and receive 5 dollars extra free!

-       Great River Office Products – 10 dollars off any order of 50 dollars or more (1 time per customer) and 30 dollars off any order of 100 dollars or more (1 time per customer)!

While we certainly hope the rainy gloom subsides, we’re preeetty sure the 100,000 or so people who plan on descending on St. Paul’s West side this weekend will figure out a way to heat things up! The first major street festival of the season, the 28th annual Cinco De Mayo Fiesta will flood the streets with looky-lous and revelers of all stripes, castes and creeds — all lookin’ to celebrate the vibrant Latin culture of the Twin Cities.

A great event to take the fam, a date, or just a group of pals to, this “caliente” fest features an action packed two-day stint with numerous activities, performances and of course, food. Festivities kick off at 4pm on Friday with 6 blocks worth of various food and craft vendors, as well as live performances including a hip hop battle. The big attraction of Friday night, however, is the Lowrider Car Show, an annual Cinco tradition that showcases the coolest lowriders and hydraulic cars!

Saturday is the big day, of course, with the official Cinco de Mayo parade overtaking the streets with its colorful cultural flair, stunning floats and marching mariachi bands! Starting at Plato Blvd & Wabasha at 10am the parade will meander through the West Side, eventually making its way to the festival grounds at Ada St. & Cesar Chaves.  In addition to the parade, you’ll also enjoy a live performances and a huge lineup of great music on multiple stages, a Children’s Area, Cinco Sports Zone, Community Wellness Village, Cinco de Mayo Fiesta Parade, People’s Choice Salsa Tasting Contest, Photo Contest, History Area, and craft vendors. Not to mention scads of authentic food vendors just waiting to give you a taste!

Cinco de Mayo marks the anniversary of Mexico’s “Battle of Puebla” in 1862 when a Mexican army defeated the invading French forces. Throughout the U.S. Cinco de Mayo festivals honor this leg of Mexican history, and also celebrate Hispanic/Latino culture and tradition.

Festivities run 4-9pm on Friday, May 7th & 10am-6pm Saturday, May 8th. The event is free and open to the public. For more info visit www.districtdelsol.com

Youth gardening for the Youth Farm + Market Project

I know my posts have been a bit food-heavy lately, but I just can’t help myself when the growing season is this good. So along those lines, I just have to mention a fantastic event this evening, from 5-7 p.m., to kick off a worthy project aimed at getting youth involved in the farming process, and bringing their locally-grown, organic produce to St. Paul residents.

Head over to the West Side’s El Burrito Mercado this evening for appetizers, and to learn more about the Youth Farm and Market Project. The project connects urban youth with their communities and the field, getting them digging in the dirt and enjoying the results of their hard work!

The youth do the planting, harvesting, and delivering of the produce. It’s a win-win for kids who learn more about the food supply and for St. Paulites who get to buy tasty, fresh veggies. Hope to see you at the kick-off tonight!

What: Happy Hour for the Youth Farm + Market Project
Where: El Burrito Mercado, 175 Cesar Chavez St, St Paul, 55107
More info: (651) 227-2192
When: TODAY! 5-7 p.m.

If you really take the time to look, you can discover art and beauty everywhere you go. From a budding flower to a rusty sign; a fleeting glance between strangers or the smell of wet grass after a rain storm — the beauty is in the details. We often move through life in a rush, so it’s not surprising that we often forget to appreciate the subtleties. Luckily, in St. Paul you can find the pretty stuff with minimal effort, as public art is just about everywhere you look. This summer, plan a day with friends or family to take a driving or walking art tour of the city — and stop to smell the roses!

Aside from my suggestions below, there are hundreds of other displays of public art in St. Paul! Do you have a favorite? Post in the comments section, or send your suggestions and pictures to kate@stpaulstaycation.com and I will post them!

EVERYDAY POEMS FOR CITY SIDEWALK

This is such a charming project! Artist Marcus Young, along with St. Paul Public Works and Public Art St. Paul worked together to bring this public art phantasm to life in 2008. The project works with the city’s maintenance program to install poetry where city sidewalks are replaced, embedding verse by local poets into the cement for all to see. The project placed over 100 poems by 20 St. Paul poets in 2008 and is just starting its 2009 maintenance season, with a new crop of winning poems to be placed this summer.

Click HERE for a current, clickable map of sidewalk poetry in St. Paul!

START SEEING ART

Downtown Saint Paul is rampant with public art! Discover sculpture, installations, murals and more throughout the area with this handy-dandy printable map courtesy of the arty-pantses over at Start Seeing Art. A detailed guide to some of the most iconic works in the downtown area, as well as some hidden gems you may have missed, this map is all you need to plan a fabulous art tour! Peruse the website for tons of public art locations all over the Twin Cities.

Click HERE for a printable map of public art in Downtown St. Paul

DISTRICT DEL SOL

The West Side is known for its spicy Latin flav, cultural pizzazz, and of course, its amazing public art! Explore District Del Sol and discover dozens of colorful murals, sculptures and blooming community gardens scattered throughout the area. Stop into any number of delicious Mexican eateries that pepper the neighborhood such as Boca Chica or El Burrito Mercado, and enjoy a meal as colorful as the local art!

Click HERE for the District Del Sol Public Art Map