One of the things I look forward to twice a year is the St. Paul Art Crawl, held every April and October. The 2026 Spring Crawl will take place over the next three weekends, with Lowertown and other downtown-adjacent locations April 17-19. The hours are basically 6-9pm on Friday, noon to 8pm Saturday, and noon to 5pm on Sunday; precise hours can vary, so it’s best to check the website’s schedule.
Three downtown venues will be accessible from City Walk without going outside. This will be the first Crawl with a gallery in the skyway level of the nearby Wells Fargo building. (Last Fall the gallery was at street level, at the corner of 7th and Wabasha.) Union Depot will again have booths for a variety of artists and craftspeople. And the Minnesota Museum of American Art, in the Pioneer-Endicott building at 4th and Robert, is participating all three days.
Other venues near downtown include the F-O-K Building across the river near Harriett Island Park and the Schmidt Artists Lofts a couple miles west on 7th St. The Schmidt complex is an attraction in itself; it’s the old Schmidt Brewery, repurposed into an arts community. One of my personal favorite artists, DC Ice, is there; she does wonderfully whimsical paintings of “snarly critters and sweet furry folk” paired with vintage frames.
The Art Crawl is an opportunity to meet some local artists and see some remarkable art. Many of the venues offer snacks and drinks — if you plan your rounds appropriately, you can turn it into a movable feast!