may 6, 2025

...In 2025, By a Thread will explore what it means to live, love, work, and visit Downtown Saint Paul, Minnesota. The goal is to convey:

1. We are all connected by a thread, and

2. Celebrating this fundamental connection nurtures our sense of community Downtown and throughout Saint Paul...

may 8, 2025

...Hi! I'm Katie Howie🫶🏼 In 2020 I created by a thread :: pandemic portraits...telling the stories of over 120 amazing, and regular, Minnesotans...Five years later I am thrilled to weave a new Thread with stories of Downtown Saint Paul!...I am so glad you're here❤️ Please don't hesitate to contact me if you have an idea or question. This project, like just about everything, is made better through collaboration and community...

may 19, 2025

"...My team is made up of incredible Children and Teen Specialists who help design and deliver programs year-round...Our big upcoming event is Summer Spark and Summer Programming, which will be June 1- August 30..."

For more information on Summer Spark visit https://sppl.org/summer/

may 27, 2025

“...I personally didn't live in downtown St Paul before (Yovo hails from Africa), but I like the area because it's a place that has less violence than other downtowns. It is quiet place with clean streets with walks le distance. The recreation area near the Mississippi is a place my wife loves to come visit..."

may 31, 2025

Last night my husband and youngest daughter accompanied me to Mears Park Kick-Off to Summer Block Party and we were immediately made to feel included and at home...It was completely joyful from start to finish and it was a wonderful celebration of community...

june 3, 2025

“...I love the history of downtown Saint Paul; there is a picture in the Downtown Beat office of 7th St and Wabasha St circa 1890. It is a good reminder of how long the streets of Saint Paul have been in existence and to be thankful we get to be a part of their history...”

june 5, 2025

"...What I love about my job as Director of Creative Services for The St. Paul Saints is the people I work with...I always tell people that before I worked here, I was a fan first. And when you’re a fan of the place you work, it only makes the enjoyment of what you do that much better."

june 9, 2025

"...I love history and am always interested in the history of St. Paul. I like working with all of the people in St. Paul. Everyone from visitors to the famous, workers, people being sworn in for their citizenship. I really appreciate how everyone tries to get to know each other in St. Paul!❤..."

june 11, 2025

"...I love being a part of such a rich artist community that resides throughout Downtown Saint Paul. I love introducing hidden spaces like the Lowry Lab Theater in SPCPA and Nautilus Music Theater in Lowertown to our audiences who might only be familiar with The Ordway, The Palace, or Park Square Theater..."

june 13, 2025

"...What I love about Downtown Saint Paul is how local everything feels...my work involves staying informed about the evolving needs of the community and adapting our services to meet those needs effectively...community engagement means everything...Even just spreading the word or inviting friends down can help build that energy and make Downtown a place where folks are excited to visit..."

june 17, 2025

"...The best way to honor our parents’ memory is to do something, whether big or small, to make our community just a little better for someone else."

And so I ask By a Thread participants, and all of us, what can you do in your corner of the world to make things better for someone else? Because we belong to each other. And we are all connected by a thread.

june 19, 2025

"...Our Downtown Saint Paul community is so deeply invested in one another and determined to write a new chapter...Downtown Saint Paul can only get better if, with our partners, we build the infrastructure to sustain the activities we want to see...None of this works unless everyone knows Downtown belongs to them...It’s a place to be seen, to connect, to dream.."

june 25, 2025

"...Downtown Saint Paul is full of passionate, creative people with big visions. The community here is inspiring. We’re also lucky to have the skyway system, which makes exploring the city easier even on the coldest or rainiest days...There’s so much possibility ahead. I can’t wait to see what we build together..."

june 27, 2025

Scenes from Lowertown Sounds first steamy and electric show of the season on June 19, 2025, featuring The New Standards & Friends as well as Tina Schlieske.

july 1, 2025

"...In 2018 I moved to an artist loft in Lowertown Saint Paul shortly after starting my business (I'm a dog behaviorist and trainer, and love what I do!) here in the Downtown/surrounding area...I love that I bring smiles to so many faces (while out walking) with the beautiful canine friends I get to work with every day..."

july 7, 2025

"...I've enjoyed working in Downtown Saint Paul for the variety, the early nights, and the subtle charm. I love that when I work a shift at the restaurant I serve guests going to such a variety of events...Guests come in to our restaurant with such different energies and needs based on what they are in Saint Paul to do and I love having that variety..."

july 10, 2025

"...What I love most about Downtown Saint Paul would have to the people. I was born and raised in Minnesota, but I never came to Saint Paul until 2019 and it was like moving to another country. The people here are genuinely kind and very giving..."

july 15, 2025

"...I see our school as an anchor for the Downtown community, making it a space for youth and creativity, while enhancing the vibrancy of the arts in Downtown...Teaching at SPCPA doesn't really feel like work or a job; it just kinda feels like living life. It feels a little bit like cheating to say the place where I work is my favorite..."

july 18, 2025

The Saint Paul Farmer's Market has been open for over 170 years. It was established in 1854 by the St. Paul Growers' Association and is recognized as the longest-running farmers' market in Minnesota.

july 21, 2025

"...Since working Downtown I have learned how much character and history the city holds. ...I have two favorite spots. The first is Raspberry Island because it is a fun place for the kids to play. The second is Ruam Mit Thai + Lao Cuisine because it is one of my favorite spots to go eat with coworkers..."

july 25, 2025

“...While Ruam Mit has a history in Downtown Saint Paul – this is our third iteration in the area – this particular location holds a unique place in my heart. Here, I wasn't just the owner; I was the architect of its very soul. Being involved in the buildout, getting to design the space exactly as I envisioned, was incredibly empowering..."

july 29, 2025

“...I did many rotations at Regions Hospital when it was much smaller than it is now and loved it. We moved back in 2017 and I’ve been working at Regions since. I always love the views from the top floors of the hospital- the sunrise over the Mississippi, the sunset kissing the dome of the cathedral and capital buildings..."

august 1, 2025

“...I hope that the work I make for SMM helps strengthen connections people have with their friends, family, and even strangers. In these turbulent times, I think that's what people need more of: a deeper connection and community with one another..."

august 4, 2025

“...Downtown Saint Paul has been at the heart of my life for over three decades...There’s so much to love—its architecture, the traditions, the energy—but what stands out most to me are the people. I’ve met visitors from around the world and locals who’ve become friends..."

august 7, 2025

"...I love my history with Downtown and my connection to it. So much of what I do is inspired by what I experienced when I first moved here from Chicago... The first thing I clung to when I moved here was the Music. It was me and my boombox..."

august 11, 2025

"...I've spent half of my life in the Downtown area. I have memories walking to The Central Library for story time during my daycare days. Attending high school at SPCPA and enjoying lunches out in Rice Park, and now working at Minnesota Children's Museum…"

august 14, 2025

"...When I visited Minnesota for the first time in 2018, I stayed in Downtown Saint Paul and that’s where I met my wife. A few months later, we started spending more time in Downtown...I love the historical buildings, parks, and lakes in Saint Paul...I'm proud to be part of this community."

august 18, 2025

"...I was happy to get a job in Downtown Saint Paul because I knew I wanted to live nearby. I love the city amenities...but also appreciate that it is laid back and small enough to not be overwhelming..."

august 21, 2025

"...I will do my best to make sure my chapter in this theater's history is something to be proud of when the future looks back. I'd like to, when the time comes, be able to leave the theater better than the I was entrusted, to the next steward..."

august 25, 2025

“...I was born and raised in Saint Paul and have many fond memories of Downtown. I fondly remember the smell of the cookies at the bakery in Dayton's Department Store…going to the movies at the theater located in Galtier Plaza…walking the skyways with friends to get to the bars in Lowertown… And many years later, I lived Downtown as an adult...”

august 30, 2025

...It will take place on Friday, September 26 from 5-7pm in Mears Park. There will be art from Downtown Stories, live music, food and drinks from local businesses, as well as a keynote by Mayor Melvin Carter and a panel featuring several By a Thread participants and myself...

september 1, 2025

“...I love that there is the Lowertown neighborhood and that it is a quaint, historic part of town. I love the art scene - visual art, performing art - it's all here! We do need more businesses to move in to Lowertown...”

september 4, 2025

...After years of development and community involvement, including the demolition of the Public Safety Annex Building, the park is now being fully realized as a green space in Downtown Saint Paul...The reimagining of Pedro Park is nothing short of spectacular. What a gift Saint Paul Parks and Recreation is to its community!

september 30, 2025

"...thank you all for being in relationship with me and my work. And for being in relationship with the city of Saint Paul...for believing in the power of art, in the power of connection...It's been an honor."