While St. Paul opened up Assembly Union Park and held a block party in the Rondo neighborhood, Minneapolis closed out its four-day Aquatennial celebration this weekend.

Around the Metro

A new park opened up in St. Paul on Saturday. Assembly Union Park is located in the Highland Bridge neighborhood and covers an acre and a half. It includes three pickleball courts, a basketball court and a playground. This is the third of four new parks constructed at the Highland Bridge development in St. Paul.

St. Paul’s Rondo neighborhood was filled with live music, fun and interactive art on Saturday. A block party was held in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Rondo Community Land Trust. The nonprofit works to develop affordable housing for low to moderate-income households in St. Paul and Ramsey County.

Saturday night saw the four-day Aquatennial festivities in Minneapolis close out with a bang. Festivities were happening all day, with a fireworks show over the Mississippi River serving as the finale to the celebration. The 20-minute show included a soundtrack of artists who have performed in Minneapolis this year.

National Guard members and their families got a special treat on Sunday in Arden Hills. The Minnesota Building and Construction Trades Council hosted a “National Guard Family Day,” which included bounce houses, llamas, a dunk tank and rock climbing. 30 volunteers cooked meals to give back to those who keep us safe and allow soldiers time to spend with their families.

Rosemount’s Leprechaun Days are happening this week, and the Kids Parade was held Sunday at Central Park. Among the events planned for the week include beer gardens, concerts and fireworks.

Dog Fashion was on full display in Minneapolis on Sunday. Bebe Zito’s Hot Dog summer event was held at Malcolm Yards, complete with ice cream and a dog fashion show. It was free to participate, and all dogs got a free cup of Bebe Zito Pup Cream. The theme of the fashion show was “Barbieland”, and a portion of the event’s proceeds benefit All Dog Rescue.

In the Studio

The 29th Annual Artcar Parade kicks off next Saturday, July 29, in Minneapolis. 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS anchor Alex Jokich sat down with Jan Elftmann, the director of the event, to talk about what to expect. The parade kicks off at 5 p.m. at Lake Harriet, with people from across the state working to turn their cars or bikes into mobile masterpieces. The event is free and open to the public.

The fifth annual Taste Fore the Tour fundraiser will take place on Monday at Interlachen Country Club in Edina. 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS anchor Brett Hoffland sat down with Wayne Kostroski, co-founder of Taste Fore The Tour, to find out more about the event. Proceeds from the fundraiser go toward Volunteers Enlisted to Assist People — the largest food pantry in the Twin Cities. The event itself is sold out, but the public can still support VEAP by bidding at the event’s silent auction or making donations online here. Bidding closes Monday at 8:30 p.m.

The Twin Cities Slavic Experience will be back and bigger than ever in St. Louis Park this summer. Aneta Lennartson, founder and executive director of Slavic Experience, joined the studio to talk about the celebration. The upcoming event celebrates Eastern European culture, such as Poland, Ukraine, Serbia and the Czech Republic, with food, music, and art. The Twin Cities Slavic Experience takes place on Aug. 5 and 6 at the West End Festival Site in St. Louis Park.

The Anoka County Fair is back with some big events on the schedule this year. Fair Manager Michaela Liebl spoke with 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS anchor Alex Jokich to preview all of the fun to come. This year will see the first-ever country concert at the grandstand, a monster truck challenge, an interactive farm-to-table experience, live animals and even an Elvis impersonator. The Anoka County Fair takes place from July 25-30.