The LoLa Art Crawl is a free, self-guided art tour through the Greater Longfellow neighborhood of South Minneapolis. In 2026, it runs Saturday, September 19, and Sunday, September 20, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days, with 121 artists showing their work at 66 stops. The stops include front yards, garages, studios, coffee shops, and local businesses.
This is the guide we’d want as neighbors: how to plan a route, how to get around, where to refuel between stops, and how to hang what you buy once you get it home. Our office at 4210 E 34th St is Stop #25 this year, so this is our backyard too.
LoLa Art Crawl 2026: Quick Facts
| What | Free, self-guided neighborhood art crawl |
| When | Sat Sept 19 & Sun Sept 20, 2026 · 10 a.m.–4 p.m. both days |
| Where | Greater Longfellow, South Minneapolis: roughly between the Midtown Greenway, Hiawatha Avenue, Minnehaha Falls, and the Mississippi River |
| How big | 121 artists at 66 stops (official 2026 map) |
| Cost | Free to attend |
| Map | Official printable map (PDF) · lolaart.org |
| Look for | Yellow LoLa signs at every stop |
| Organizer | League of Longfellow Artists (LoLa), a volunteer-run nonprofit |
What Is the LoLa Art Crawl?
LoLa stands for the League of Longfellow Artists. It started in the summer of 2009 as a grassroots effort by neighborhood artists Bob Schmitt, Anita White, and Shirley Neilson, who wanted more people to see the artists living and working in Longfellow. The first crawl had 42 artists at 20 sites.
In 2026, the map lists 121 artists at 66 stops, nearly three times the artists and more than three times the sites of that first year. The crawl has run every year since 2009 except 2020.
To participate, artists must live or work in Greater Longfellow or show as a guest of a member artist. That’s what gives the weekend its feel. You’re not walking a festival midway. You’re walking past porches and gardens, where the artist is often standing in their own driveway next to the work.
Two names from the early days are still on this year’s map: co-founder Anita White at Stop #61, and Gordon Coons at Stop #37, who was also among the original founding artists.
The 2026 Crawl by the Numbers
- 121 artists at 66 stops
- Largest single stop: Toolbox Collective (#26, 3400 42nd Ave S), with 11 artists
- Next largest: Stop #61 (4524 Minnehaha Ave S), with 5 artists; Longfellow Grill (#9), Flourish Pilates + Bodywork (#24), and Stop #30 (3231 36th Ave S), with 4 each
What you’ll find, by medium (listings in LoLa’s online directory as of Sept 10, 2026; artists can list more than one medium)
| Medium | Listings |
|---|---|
| Painting | 42 |
| Jewelry | 29 |
| Mixed Media | 26 |
| Clay | 19 |
| Drawing | 15 |
| Fiber | 10 |
| Printmaking | 8 |
| Textiles | 8 |
| Other | 8 |
| Glass | 6 |
| Photography | 6 |
| Recycled | 6 |
| Wood | 5 |
| Book Arts | 4 |
| Metal | 3 |
| Sculpture | 3 |
If you’re hunting for a specific medium, filter by category in LoLa’s artist directory before you head out.
How to Plan Your LoLa Art Crawl Route
Most people don’t make it to all 66 LoLa Art Crawl stops in one weekend, and that’s fine. The easiest plan is one zone per day. Stop numbers roughly follow geography from north to south, which makes zones simple to plan.
| Zone | Stops | Artists | Roughly | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North: Franklin Ave to Lake St | #1–14 | 23 | Seward edge down to E Lake St | Northern Clay Center (#1), Ivy Arts Building (#2), Coliseum Building (#4), and several café stops |
| Central: Lake St to 38th St | #15–50 | 69 | The heart of the crawl | Toolbox Collective’s 11 artists (#26), plus a dense cluster around E 34th St & 42nd Ave S |
| South: 37th St toward Minnehaha Falls | #51–66 | 29 | Down to about 46th St | Archon Glassworks (#58) and co-founder Anita White’s stop (#61) |
Short on time? Pick the central zone. More than half of this year’s artists are there.
Getting Around the Lola Art Crawl
- Light rail: The Blue Line runs along the crawl’s western edge on Hiawatha Avenue. The Lake Street/Midtown, 38th Street, and 46th Street stations all put you within walking distance of a zone.
- Bike: The Midtown Greenway borders the north end, and bike lanes connect much of the neighborhood. LoLa has long promoted the crawl as bike-friendly.
- Driving: Street parking is available on residential blocks. Park once per zone and walk. Many stops are in neighbors’ yards, so don’t block driveways, alleys, or garage aprons.
What to Bring
- The printable map, or lolaart.org open on your phone
- A card and some cash, since payment options vary from artist to artist
- A tote bag, plus something soft to wrap ceramics or glass
- Water, comfortable shoes, and a layer for a mid-September afternoon
- The kids. LoLa has described the crawl as family-friendly, and yard stops are easy with strollers
Lola Art Crawl Etiquette
A lot of these stops are someone’s home. Stay on paths, ask before photographing artwork, and treat the yellow signs as your invitation in. When a stop isn’t marked, it isn’t a stop.
Where to Refuel on the Lola Art Crawl
Several host sites are local businesses. That makes them easy places to grab coffee or a bite, and a good way to support the neighborhood while you’re at it.
| Stop | Business | Address |
|---|---|---|
| #9 | Longfellow Grill | 2990 W River Pkwy |
| #10 | Loons Coffee | 4648 E Lake St |
| #13 | Midori’s Floating World Café | 3425 E Lake St |
| #53 | Fireroast Coffee | 3800 37th Ave S |
Shops on the map: Corazon Gifts (#11), Moonstone Mpls (#14), Audrey Rose Vintage (#36), True Finds (#44), and Archon Glassworks (#58).
Business hours can differ from crawl hours, so check before you plan a lunch stop around one.
Why the Crawl Feels So Longfellow
The neighborhood takes its name from poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. His 1855 poem The Song of Hiawatha made nearby Minnehaha Falls famous across the country, even though he never visited the falls before writing it.
Most homes here date to the early 1900s, when streetcar lines turned Longfellow into one of Minneapolis’ first commuter neighborhoods. The result is block after block of Craftsman bungalows and Foursquares, many still with original woodwork. That walkable grid of porches, yards, and detached garages is exactly why a neighborhood art crawl works here. For one weekend, the houses become the gallery, which is what makes this South Minneapolis art crawl feel nothing like a festival.
It’s also why we love working in this neighborhood. Century-old homes have character you can’t buy new, along with quirks that shape how people live in them: plaster walls, tight half-story attics, and floor plans designed for the way people lived in 1920. If you own one, our guide to old home remodeling in the Twin Cities covers what’s worth preserving and what’s worth rethinking.
Visit Hanson at Stop #25
Our office at 4210 E 34th St is Stop #25 on the 2026 LoLa Art Crawl. On both days from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., we’re hosting LoLa artists Christina Campbell and Huma Saqib. Stop by and see their work in person.
Our team will be there too. If there’s a room in your house that isn’t working, like a kitchen that’s too tight, a bathroom you’ve outgrown, or an attic that’s just storage, bring a photo on your phone. We’re happy to talk through what’s possible. You don’t need an appointment, and we won’t give you a sales pitch.
Hanson Design • Build • Remodel is a proud sponsor of the 2026 LoLa Art Crawl.
Park Once, See 7 Stops From Our Door
The blocks around E 34th St and 42nd Ave S hold one of the densest clusters on this year’s map: 7 stops and 22 artists within a few blocks.
| Stop | Host | Artists |
|---|---|---|
| #25 | Hanson Design • Build • Remodel, 4210 E 34th St | 2 |
| #26 | Toolbox Collective, 3400 42nd Ave S | 11 |
| #24 | Flourish Pilates + Bodywork, 3347 42nd Ave S | 4 |
| #23 | 3331 41st Ave S | 2 |
| #43 | 3409 39th Ave S | 1 |
| #44 | True Finds, 3600 42nd Ave S | 1 |
| #45 | 3617 43rd Ave S | 1 |
Bringing Art Home: How to Hang It in an Older Longfellow House
You found the piece at the Lola Art Crawl. Now you have to hang it, and a lot of Longfellow walls don’t make that easy. Here’s how to get it right.
- Center it at about 57 inches from the floor. That’s the standard gallery height, and it’s lower than most people hang art at home.
- Over a sofa or console, leave a 6–10 inch gap between the furniture and the bottom of the frame. Aim for art about two-thirds the width of the furniture.
- Hang groupings as one unit, with 2–3 inches between frames.
- Plaster walls need a different approach. [CARPENTER REVIEW: confirm or replace with Hanson’s method.] Don’t hammer a nail straight into plaster, which can crack or crumble it. Put painter’s tape over the spot, drill a small pilot hole, and anchor into the wood lath or a stud. Heavier pieces need hardware rated for plaster.
- Check for picture rail molding. Many older homes have a strip of trim near the ceiling built for exactly this. Hang art from hooks and wire, and you won’t make a single hole.
- Light it warm. Choose LEDs at 2700–3000K with a CRI of 90 or higher, aimed at roughly a 30-degree angle, so the colors look the way they did in the artist’s driveway.
When the Wall Isn’t the Problem
Sometimes the art is perfect and the room is what’s wrong. That’s where most Longfellow home remodeling projects start. These are some of the most common projects in Longfellow-era homes:
- Attic conversions. A bungalow’s half-story under the roof can become a bedroom, an office, or even a primary suite. See how we turned an unfinished South Minneapolis attic into a primary bath [confirm live], or explore attic remodeling.
- Bathroom remodels. Many homes from this era were built with a single small bathroom. See bathroom remodeling.
- Kitchen remodels. Kitchens were closed-off rooms in 1920 and rarely suit how families cook and gather now. See [kitchen remodeling]([confirm kitchen service page URL]).
- Budgeting before design. Our guide to the 30% rule in remodeling helps you weigh scope against home value.
Every Hanson project is designed and built by our in-house team, and we commit to finishing within 1% of the agreed budget and timeline. See how our process works.
LoLa Art Crawl FAQ
When is the LoLa Art Crawl in 2026? Saturday, September 19, and Sunday, September 20, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. both days.
Is the LoLa Art Crawl free? Yes. Attending is free, and every stop is open to the public. Buying art is up to you.
Where is the LoLa Art Crawl? It covers the Greater Longfellow neighborhood of South Minneapolis, roughly between the Midtown Greenway, Hiawatha Avenue, Minnehaha Falls, and the Mississippi River. Look for yellow LoLa signs at each stop.
How many artists are in the 2026 LoLa Art Crawl? The official 2026 map lists 121 artists at 66 stops.
Where can I get the LoLa Art Crawl map? Download the printable map and browse the artist directory at lolaart.org.
Can I take light rail to the LoLa Art Crawl? Yes. The Blue Line’s Lake Street/Midtown, 38th Street, and 46th Street stations are all near crawl stops.
Is the LoLa Art Crawl good for kids? Yes. LoLa has described the crawl as family- and bike-friendly, and many stops are in yards and gardens.
Where is Hanson Design • Build • Remodel on the crawl? Stop #25, at our office at 4210 E 34th St, near E 34th St and 42nd Ave S. We’re hosting artists Christina Campbell and Huma Saqib.
See You on the Lola Art Crawl Crawl
Grab the official map, pick a zone, and follow the yellow signs. When you make it to E 34th St, stop in and say hello at #25.
Can’t make it this year? Our team is here year-round. Start a conversation about your home.
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