Loring Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Loring Park
Neighborhood
Location of the Loring Park neighborhood within the U.S. city of Minneapolis
Country	United States
State	Minnesota
County	Hennepin
City	Minneapolis
Community	Central
Area
• Total	0.452 sq mi (1.17 km2)
Population  (2010)
• Total	7,873
• Density	17,418/sq mi (6,725/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (CST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	55403, 55404
Area code(s)	612

Loring Park
Loring Lake
Type	Urban park
Location	Minneapolis, Minnesota
Area	33.94 acres (13.74 ha)
Status	Open all year

Loring Park is a large and popular park in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It's located right next to downtown Minneapolis. The park is so important that the area around it is also called Loring Park.

Discover Loring Park

Loring Park has a pretty lake called Loring Lake. You can walk or bike on the paths around it. The park was first called Central Park. Later, it was renamed to honor Charles M. Loring. He is known as the "Father of Minneapolis Parks."

The park is a busy place for many fun events. It has a playground for kids and places to walk or bike. You can also find cool public art here. There's a fishing pier too!

Two famous artworks are in the park:

• The "Dandelion Fountain" looks like a giant dandelion. It was given to the park in 1975.
• A statue of the Norwegian composer Ole Bull.

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  William Berry house in Loring Park

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  Loring Park in winter, park center erected around 1906

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  Berger Fountain at Loring Park, Minneapolis, MN.

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  Loring Lake with benches and walking paths

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  Loring Park in the Summertime

A Look at Loring Park's History

Loring Park was created in 1883. This happened after a special law called the Park Act was passed. This law also created the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board. The park was first known as Central Park. In 1890, it was renamed to honor Charles M. Loring. He was the very first president of the park board in Minneapolis.

The land for Loring Park was bought on April 28, 1883. It cost $150,000 and was about 30 acres. A few more pieces of land were added later. The total cost for the park land was $350,000. This was the first land the Minneapolis Public Parks board ever bought!

Soon after buying the land, the park board hired George A. Brackett and Horace Cleveland. They helped design the park. They also worked to drain a swampy area in the lake. They used plants from nearby woods to make the park look nice. They also decided that only people walking could use the park.

In 1906, the first permanent building in any Minneapolis park was built here. It was a warm, two-story shelter. Charles M. Loring donated it. It was used as a warming house, a place for fun activities, and even a kindergarten. In 1960, the shelter was updated. It became a place for senior citizen programs. Loring Park was the first park in Minneapolis to offer activities for seniors.

Loring Park was also the first park in Minnesota to have electric lights! The lights were put in during the fall of 1884. They helped light up the pond for ice skating in winter. In 1916, the General Mills Company gave the park 91 more electric lights.

Berger Fountain at Loring Park, Minneapolis, MN.

Fun Events at Loring Park

Loring Park hosts many exciting events every year. Some of the most famous ones are the Twin Cities Pride Festival and the Loring Park Artists' Festival. The park is right across from the Walker Art Center. This makes it a great spot for art festivals and smaller artist gatherings.

Since 2014, Chipotle has held its Cultivate music and food festival here. It's a free event with live music and cooking demonstrations. Famous chefs like Andrew Zimmern and Richard Blais have been there.

Loring Park also has an annual "Winterfest." In 2016, this event included horse-drawn carriage rides and holiday crafts. The local Kairos Dance Company also performed. The Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board hosts this fun winter event.

The Loring Park Neighborhood

The Loring Park neighborhood has clear boundaries. To the west is Lyndale Avenue. To the north is Interstate 394. On the northeast side is 12th Street. To the east is Highway 65. And to the south is Interstate 94.

What Makes the Neighborhood Special

Many important buildings are near Loring Park. These include the Walker Art Center and the Basilica of St. Mary. You can also find St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral and the Minneapolis Community and Technical College. The Minneapolis Convention Center and the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden are also close by.

The park is surrounded by apartment buildings. Many of these were built in the early 1900s. But new townhomes and condos have also been built recently.

Loring Park is known for its diverse community and many arts and cultural events. There are over 300 businesses and organizations in the area. The Loring Park District website says it offers a "quintessential urban lifestyle." This means it's a perfect mix of city living with condos and apartments. The area tries to blend old and new. It wants to be charming by mixing modern buildings with historic brownstone homes.

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  Downtown Minneapolis from Loring Park

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  MCTC Technical Building

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  Walker Art Center

The Loring Greenway

The Loring Greenway is a long, narrow park. It is about 1.3 miles (2.1 km) long. It connects Nicollet Mall in downtown directly to Loring Park. It was built in 1970. Even though it's public land, volunteers have helped take care of the plants for decades. By 2016, almost 1,600 people used the greenway every day. They walked, biked, or enjoyed its playgrounds and other features.

Loring Park is mentioned in songs by Craig Finn. He calls it "Penetration Park" in songs by his bands Lifter Puller and Hold Steady. Parts of the TV show Man v. Food's first season finale were filmed in Loring Park.

		North Loop	Downtown West
	Lowry Hill		Elliot Park
		Loring Park
	Lowry Hill East	Stevens Square