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We’ve got Yo-Yo Ma, the Great River Shakespeare Festival, Beethoven Festival, film fests, museums, and galleries popping up on every corner. Live music floats through downtown daily; an apple red trolley brings folks across the city for an ever-growing list of arts attractions that together have made Winona a true destination in the Midwest. Art and culture have become part of the identity of this historic rivertown, and people are beginning to take note.
This year, Winona was awarded the League of Minnesota Cities (LMC) Presidential Award, selected as a city that provided leadership in support of the arts. This year’s LMC President Ardell Brede, also Mayor of Rochester, selected Winona out of more than 850 cities across the state, and said that it stands out among many as a place where art is valued, supported, and thrives.
Each year, the LMC president chooses a theme for cities to strive for. This year, Brede decided to highlight the arts, and the Presidential Award reflects that theme. “My focus all year was on the arts,” said Brede. “I’m very impressed with what the arts mean for all cities, and I think what Winona is doing is outstanding. If I look for one city that has done a lot, and probably one that many people wouldn’t expect initially, it was Winona.”
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