From Juneteenth to Paisley Park: weekend Celebrations in the Metro

This week’s edition covers stories 
from June 13th to June 18th, 2024.

Today’s issue is 733 words, a 6–minute read.

Hi everyone, Mateo here! I hope your June has been going well, and I hope you have been able to find some time to get outside around all of this crazy rain and heat! This week’s edition will be covering a slightly shorter timespan, as our team was out Wednesday for Juneteenth. If you didn’t have a chance to make it out to an event yesterday, don’t worry! There are several Juneteenth celebrations happening this weekend to look forward to! Hopefully the weather can clear up for a day or two of rain-free celebration!

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Juneteenth: A Week of Celebration

Yesterday was Juneteenth, marking the day in 1865 when slaves in Galveston, Texas were finally notified that the Civil War was over and they were free. As of 2021, June 19th has been, and will be recognized as a U.S. federal holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the US. With that, there are many events going on this week in the Metro area. While most events occurred yesterday, some celebrations are planned for this weekend, including the 3rd Annual Juneteenth Celebration, which will take place at the Minnesota State Capitol on Saturday. This week, as we celebrate Juneteenth, we also celebrate 40 years since “Purple Rain”, Prince’s smash album that became one of the greatest albums of all times, across all genres. Paisley Park is hosting “Celebration 2024”, a weekend full of concerts, showcases, parties, and of course, a tour at Paisley Park, all to celebrate the 40th anniversary of” Purple Rain”. Celebration 2024 is an 18+ event. For more information, click here.

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Extreme Weather Continues in Minnesota and Across the U.S.

Minnesota has been affected by some really weird weather over the last few weeks, with on-and-off rainfall and bursts of random heat. This week, flood watches were announced across many counties in Minnesota as recent heavy rain resulted in flooding of rivers, creeks, and streams. On Tuesday, most of Minnesota was under a tornado watch. And another 4 inches of rain is expected through this weekend, so it’s not quite over yet. The rest of the US is seemingly getting hit by some sort of extreme weather, too, with record-breaking heat in many parts of the Midwest and Northeast, a tropical storm over the gulf, and part of the Northwest experiencing unseasonably cold weather. Wherever you are, it has proven difficult to avoid this extreme weather. Scientific studies have long warned that climate change would bring increased extreme weather across the globe. We are experiencing this “extreme” weather as it starts to become the new normal.

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Summer Sports Guide

With the NBA playoffs concluding earlier this week and the NHL playoffs wrapping up, we are entering true baseball season. Baseball (and the MLB), over the last few years, has struggled to compete with the NBA and NFL, as both have seen record engagement and viewership numbers steadily increase year after year. One aspect that many sports fans struggle with is the length of the season, as it spans 162 games, from April through September, and then more if you make the playoffs that occur in October. Because of this, fans are able to watch the sport without stressing over wins and losses for most of the season, though the effect of an individual win or a loss is less meaningful. Comparatively, the NFL only has 17 games, and they occur once a week, which means that each game is extremely valuable, and individual losses will impact your team’s success (and your personal happiness for the week) on a much greater level. 

At this point, you may be asking: where am I going with all of this? Well, if you are like the many casual fans who don’t feel particularly attached to summer baseball, this summer should prove to have plenty of other exciting sports to watch! There will be plenty of soccer to watch, with the 2024 Copa America and the UEFA European Championship, which will both conclude ahead of the Olympics, where teams will be competing for a gold medal. The Summer Olympics start in late July, highlighted by the intense swimming, track, and gymnastics competitions, as well as the basketball and soccer tournaments, of course. Both the US men’s and women’s soccer teams have already qualified to compete this year. 

Another great option is the WNBA, as exemplified by the Indiana Fever vs Chicago Sky game that took place on Monday night and became the WNBA’s most watched game in 23 years. Also, the Lynx have an 11-3 record, leading the conference! By many accounts, this year was expected to be a down year for the Lynx, as they lack the star power that many other teams have acquired over the last several years, and finished with a 19-21 record. Much of this turnaround has been a result of Napheesa Collier being absolutely dominant all around, leading the Lynx in many categories. Kayla McBride is shooting an incredible 49.5 3P% while also leading the league in three-pointers made, comfortably. Look out for more updates from us as the season progresses!

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Stay informed, stay connected. 

See you next week! 

–
Mateo and the NewPrensa team

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