Sunrise on the Mississippi is the Minneapolis Parks Foundation’s annual breakfast fundraiser. Now in its 12th year, Sunrise brings friends, colleagues, and park advocates together for a morning of inspiration, connection, and celebration, all in support of the vibrant Minneapolis park system and the incredible community that helps it flourish.
Sunrise on the Mississippi 2026 took place at the Nicollet Island Pavilion on Wednesday, September 16, 2026. We were joined by nearly 200 friends and peers in championing the green spaces that make our city so special. Together, we raised $90,864 to invest in the future of Minneapolis parks. Thank you! If you were unable to attend or have not yet had the opportunity to contribute and would like to, we invite you to make a donation to the Parks Foundation here.
We’re grateful to the impressive panel of community leaders who joined us on stage at this year’s event: District 2 Park Board Commissioner Charles Rucker, former MPF Board Chair and Partner at Lathrop GPM Sarah Duniway, Outdoor Educator at the Carl Kroening Nature Center in North Mississippi Regional Park Jeannette Lutter-Gardella, Minneapolis Parks Foundation Executive Director Martin Wera, and current MPF Board Chair Jasmine Russell. Their conversation highlighted the many ways parks shape our city and the people who call it home.
From the historic redevelopment of North Commons Park, to community projects supported by the People for Parks Fund that connect folks to nature, to the forward-thinking legacy of the Minneapolis Parks Endowment, there are so many ways the Minneapolis Parks Foundation is working to serve our neighbors across the city.
Seen at Sunrise 2026
Would you like to learn more about sponsorship?
Connect with Christine Moir at cmoir@mplsparksfoundation.org
Seen at Sunrise 2025
Last year, Sunrise on the Mississippi was held on Wednesday, September 10, 2025 at Nicollet Island Pavilion. Attendees heard from local leaders and change-makers doing meaningful and impactful work within the parks. We also welcomed the Minneapolis Parks Foundation’s executive director, Martin Wera, to the stage to share his story and vision for what’s ahead at the Parks Foundation. Thank you to those who joined us, as we gathered together to champion the green spaces that make our city so special.
Past Event Speakers
From its start in 2016, Sunrise on the Mississippi has been a way for us to gather and celebrate the many ways that parks transform lives in Minneapolis and around the world. Our featured speakers have brought us innovative ideas and challenged us to build on the amazing legacy of parks we enjoy today to the benefit of others tomorrow.
- Akiima Price, award-winning community engagement specialist and founder of Friends of Anacostia Park – 2024
- Nisha Botchwey, Dean of the Humphrey School of Public Affairs. With guest speakers: Harmonee Harrison and Zavien Neal, both youth apprentices from Juxtaposition Arts – 2023
- Superintendent Al Bangoura, of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board – 2022
- Toni L. Griffin, Professor in Practice in Urban Design at Harvard Graduate School of Design, Founder of urbanAC LLC, and Founder and Director of the Just City Lab – 2021
- Virtual Sunrise on the Mississippi, featuring five new video stories about RiverFirst projects: Water Works and the Great Northern Greenway Overlook. View the collection on Vimeo. – 2020
- Paul Huttner, Chief Meteorologist, Minnesota Public Radio – 2019
- Lynn Ross, Reimagining the Civic Commons – 2018
- James Edward Mills, The Joy Trip Project, author of “The Adventure Gap: Changing the Face of the Outdoors” – 2017
- Gil Penalosa, 8 80 Cities – 2015