See the new Bandshell color and talk with staff about repairs planned next year on Saturday, January 7, 10 am-2 pm at the Bandshell
The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) is renovating the Lake Harriet Bandshell area in 2023. The primary focus of the project is replacing the cedar wood roof shingles on the Bandshell and concessions pavilion.
A new color, Bluestone, was chosen for the Bandshell as part of the repairs. View a mock-up of the new Bandshell color and chat with staff during a pop-up event at the Bandshell on Saturday, January 7, 10 am-2 pm.
Lake Harriet Bandshell Repair Open House
What: View an eight-foot tall model of upcoming repairs planned for the Lake Harriet Bandshell and chat with staff about the project. Hot apple cider and cookies will be provided.
When: Saturday, January 7, 2023, 10 am-2 pm
Where: Lake Harriet Bandshell, 4135 W Lake Harriet Parkway
History
Lakeside entertainment at Lake Harriet has been a part of the Minneapolis park system since 1888, but the venue has changed quite a bit throughout the decades. The current Bandshell building opened in 1986. Four previous Bandshell buildings preceded it – two lost to fire, one to storm, and one torn down after serving as a “temporary structure” for more than 50 years.
The current Bandshell area has been significantly altered or renovated at least three times already. It was originally brown, then it was painted blue when the concessions buildings were built in 1989-1990, then it was painted brown again during the last major renovation in 2004.
Shingle Replacement
The Bandshell roof is covered in cedar shingles that were painted with a material comprised of heavier, film-forming solids. This paint hampered the natural cedar shingles’ ability to breathe and accelerated the rotting and wear seen today.
The new cedar shingles will be dipped in a newer, more advanced product – an oil-based, breathable stain much better suited for wood. Breathable stains create a more natural look with lighter tint, instead of the more opaque, solid color of a heavier paint.
Design Team
This project’s design team included staff from the MPRB Paint Shop, Planning, and Marketing Departments, along with architects from Bentz Thompson Rietow, the firm that originally designed the current Bandshell. The design team evaluated several paint and stain color options since exact original colors are unknown.
New Color
It’s not possible to recreate the solid blue displayed in the 1990s and early 2000s while also using best materials to maximize the new cedar shingles’ longevity, so the design team decided on an updated version of the blue bandshell color. This new color, called Bluestone, blends the natural look of the cedar shingles with the bolder blue from the 1990s and early 2000s. Bandshell siding is still in good condition, so it will be preserved and painted to complement the roof stain color.
Cedar shingles are a natural product that will weather differently than the siding because they are more exposed to the elements. The new Bandshell will not display a perfect color match between roof and siding due to uneven weathering of materials, but cedar tends to gray with age, which the design team believes will complement the grayish-blue hue of Bluestone.