Powderhorn Park, Minneapolis

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Powderhorn Park
Location of Powderhorn Park within the U.S. city of Minneapolis
Location of Powderhorn Park within the U.S. city of Minneapolis
Country United States
State Minnesota
County Hennepin
City Minneapolis
Community Powderhorn
Population (2000)[1] [2]
 - City 8,957
 - Urban 387,970
 - Metro 3,502,891
Time zone CST (UTC-6)
 - Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP code 55407
Area code(s) 612
May Day, 2006
May Day, 2006

Minneapolis, Minnesota's Powderhorn Park neighborhood (part of the larger Powderhorn community) is located approximately three miles south of downtown and is bordered by East Lake Street to the north, Cedar Avenue to the east, East 38th Street to the south, and Chicago Avenue to the west. It's namesake is the city's Powderhorn Park facility in the northwestern part of the neighborhood which includes Powderhorn Lake, plus playing fields, playgrounds and a park building that hosts community education classes ranging from pottery to yoga.

Developed mainly between 1905 and 1920, it is a residential area consisting of single-family homes, duplexes, and brownstone apartment buildings. Approximately 9,000 people live in Powderhorn Park. According to the 2000 Census, 42% of the population is white, 22% each black and Hispanic, and 5% each Asian and Native American. It is currently undergoing a gradual gentrification process, though parts are still considered marginal (particularly along Chicago Avenue). Along Lake Street, numerous new and existing Hispanic and African businesses emphasize the area's diversity.

The park and lake are used as the setting for the last act in the city's annual May Day parade (actually occurring on the first Sunday in May), which is a play in motion that has been put on by the In the Heart of the Beast Puppet and Mask Theatre since 1975. As the parade runs south along Bloomington Avenue, participants wear a variety of costumes, and many manipulate giant puppets, all to produce a story that is based on sociopolitical themes including peace, environmentalism, current events, and others. After the parade story ends, the tail end of the parade is a "free speech" section which includes representatives of community groups and campaigning politicians.

After the parade, there is an intermission as people gather on a hillside at the west end of the park for the Tree of Life ceremony. Many details of the final act change from year to year, but there are several figures that consistently appear: River, Woods, Prairie, Sky, Sun, and the Tree of Life. At the end of the ceremony, a flotilla comes across the lake with the Sun figure in the central boat. The Sun awakens the Tree of Life (a figure which includes a traditional maypole), and the crowd sings "You Are My Sunshine" to mark the banishment of another season of winter.

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