Upcoming Events

Each year at our Civic Celebration, we gather Minnesotans from diverse backgrounds, political parties, and ideologies for an evening to appreciate what makes us unique: an enduring civic culture, innovative leadership, and a commitment to public service.

We continued this tradition at the 2024 Civic Celebration, where hundreds of attendees — a diverse array of civic leaders, policy thinkers, and community builders — gathered for an evening to celebrate the people and ideas that make our state unique, and to recognize our honorees, Cyndi Lesher and Laysha Ward, and our first ever Civic Changemaker awardee, Sina Ward.

Click to view photos and video of this year’s celebration. And save the date for the 2025 Civic Celebration on April 10, 2025!

Minnesotans often use the phrase “rural-urban divide” when talking about the values and priorities that seem to differ across our state. But in reality, our challenges and opportunities are truly interconnected – though the solutions we design may look a bit different in Minneapolis compared to Mankato, or in Brainerd vs. Bloomington. This conversation series – hosted by the Center for Rural Policy and Development and the Citizens League – bridges the divide between urban & rural Minnesota by exploring our shared challenges and how to design a future that works for our unique communities. Each event begins with a look at CRPD’s latest research, followed by a panel discussion with speakers from urban and rural areas.

All events are recorded and can be viewed online. Click to view.

Mind Opener is our longtime series of policy learning events that open doors for people to learn about and connect to policy issues. These conversations, sponsored by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, explore the nuances of these complex topics. The hope is for our attendees to leave informed, interested, and with a deeper understanding of policy issues in Minnesota.

Since 2020, all events are recorded and can be viewed online,