Traveling to Minneapolis for the first time for Prestige Conference and wondering what to do while you’re in town?

Prestige Conference is August 1st & 2nd 2015. We’ve got you covered with our list of the top 10 things to do in Minneapolis while you’re in town.

Minneapolis Arts & Entertainment

1. The Minnesota Fringe Festival runs Thursday, July 30 through Sunday, August 9, 2015. A whopping 174 different productions will take place on various stages throughout Minneapolis, with all shows running 60 minutes or less. Tickets are under $20 for all shows.

Fringe is an annual performing arts festival in the Twin Cities. For 11 days, over a thousand artists present works in every discipline and genre. No one selects the participating shows. Instead, a lottery determines which of over 400 applicants win production slots in the festival.

2. Minneapolis Institute of Arts has free admission every day and free parking along the street. (There is also a paid lot if you prefer parking in a ramp.) The museum is huge, featuring an extensive permanent collection as well as changing seasonal exhibits. On Thursday and Friday nights, the museum is open until 9pm, so be sure to take advantage of these extended hours if you arrive in town early for Prestige Conference.

Minneapolis Sports

3. If you like outdoor baseball, you’ll want to catch the MN Twins playing at Target Field. They’ve got 4 home games in a row the week leading up to Prestige Conference:

• Tuesday, July 28th vs Pirates @ 7:10pm
• Wednesday, July 29th vs Pirates @ 12:10pm
• Thursday, July 30th vs Mariners @ 7:10pm
• Friday, July 31st vs Mariners @ 7:10pm

4. If personal sports are more your speed, Lake Calhoun has plenty of opportunities to get active outside. Places like Wheel Fun Rentals offer rentals for boats, mountain bikes, kayaks, canoes, and even stand up paddleboards. There is a paved trail that runs all the way around the lake that is ideal for walking, jogging, running, biking, and inline skating.

Minneapolis Sightseeing

5. Go see the iconic Spoonbridge and Cherry at the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden with your own eyes. This sculpture, along with more than 40 other works, are on display in the garden from the Walker Art Center’s world-renowned collection. The sculpture garden is a free area attraction. Street parking and pay lots are available for parking.

6. See the city by segway! Several companies offer guided segway tours, including Magical History Tour, which operates historical tours of Minneapolis around St. Anthony Main and the Mill City Museum.

Minneapolis Beer, Wine, & Spirits

7. Minneapolis is home to many great craft beer breweries and brew pubs. MSP Mag has a list of the best taprooms in the Twin Cities that’s well worth checking out.

8. If wine or whiskey sounds better than beer, you might want to consider extending your stay in Minneapolis after Prestige. The Whiskey, Wine, & Swine event hosted by My Drink On is on Saturday, August 8th.

Minneapolis Music

9. First Avenue is always a great bet for live music. They’ve got 9 different acts scheduled in the two days before Prestige Conference starts.

10. For outdoor music, Peavey Plaza in downtown Minneapolis is always a good bet for free entertainment. They have different performances and activities scheduled nearly every day.

More Minneapolis

Of course, there are TONS of other things you can do while in Minneapolis for the conference. If you’re looking for specific activities or a little guidance on what to do while you’re in town, please feel free to give us a shout on Twitter, Facebook, or good ol’ fashioned email.