Delane Cleveland

Summer vacation is officially underway and one local shopping center is doing its part to keep children entertained. The Shoppes at Arbor Lakes in Maple Grove has kicked off its popular Camp Arbor series, providing a space for families to engage in fun activities at no cost thanks to Magnifi Financial Credit Union, which sponsors the event. For local parents, the event is a welcome opportunity to get out of the house.

Maple Grove’s annual Chalkfest is returning for its 11th year, and the organizers are marking the milestone with a little change of scenery. This weekend, June 13–14, the festival will debut its new home on Main Street near the Town Green. According to Sean McCann, who is helping steer the event’s logistics, the transition to the Town Green is a pivotal step for the festival. “We’ve just decided to move everybody up here, give it a little bit more space,” said McCann, the event’s co-creator.

Lights come in all shapes and sizes, and choosing the right one to freshen up your space is where experts like Kyndra Flowers come in. Flowers is the branch manager of Robinson Lighting in Plymouth. “Working with customers is one of my favorite things to do and one of the reasons I love lighting so much,” she said.