QUARTERLY / ANNUAL EVENTS

Now in its second year, the East Bank Neighborhoods Partnership (EBNP) continues to refine its calendar of major community events, building on traditions established by the former neighborhood associations of Marcy-Holmes, Nicollet Island–East Bank, and Southeast Como while developing new programs that reflect the broader geography and mission of the merged organization.

During our first year of operation, EBNP largely maintained the existing calendar of events inherited from the former neighborhood organizations. This included the Como Cookout, quarterly community meetings, and other long-standing neighborhood activities, while also introducing new programming such as a series of East Bank neighborhood bike tours. EBNP also hosted its first Annual Meeting as a merged organization in November 2025.

In 2026, EBNP is beginning to move beyond simply maintaining inherited events and toward creating a more intentional and sustainable calendar of community programming. Some events have been retired, while others are being expanded or reimagined to better serve residents, businesses, students, institutions, and other community partners across the East Bank.

One of the most significant changes is the transformation of the former Como Cookout into EXPLORE COMO! A Neighborhood Celebration. While the traditional Como Cookout remains an important part of our legacy, EXPLORE COMO! broadens the event into a larger neighborhood celebration featuring local businesses, community organizations, food, activities, and opportunities for residents and visitors to explore the Como neighborhood.

Moving forward, EBNP will continue to evaluate its major events based on community interest, organizational capacity, available funding, partnership opportunities, and their ability to advance EBNP’s broader goals. Rather than preserving every event simply because it existed in the past, our goal is to develop a manageable calendar of meaningful events that bring people together, strengthen connections across neighborhoods, support local businesses and organizations, and create opportunities for people to experience the East Bank.