Last night (and this morning) was Northern Spark, the all-night arts festival here in Minneapolis that starts at sunset and goes until sunrise. This is truly one of the best nights to be in Minneapolis: the streets are packed with people excited by the wondrous things they’re experiencing; there’s music everywhere, food trucks, colored lights, and free hugs; there are opportunities to simply experience art or to be part of creating something as a group; and the perfect weather (at least until it rained at 2:45) put everyone in a good mood. Everywhere you looked people were smiling and laughing, spontaneously running into friends, and because of the shared sense of wonder, the typical reserve that we Minnesotans have disappeared: strangers were opening talking and laughing with one another, sharing tips on where to go and what to see.

And, of course, since we’re all photographers now, everyone was Instagramming and Snapchatting everything.

I didn’t make it to sunrise, but still was able to enjoy several hours of it before fatigue won out. Here are some of the photos I shot at the event.

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