The Art in the Park event featuring the work of a St. Paul photographer for her By a Thread: Downtown St. Paul Stories series will open from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at Mears Park in downtown St. Paul.

Two people share an ice cream cone during the Lowertown Sounds concert series at Mears Park in St. Paul on June 19, 2025, part of Katie Howie’s “By a Thread: Downtown St. Paul Stories” photo series. (Courtesy of Katie Howie)

The exhibit is a free outdoor event created by photographer Katie Howie. It will include more than 60 photos and personal stories from Howie’s series.

​The opening event Friday will feature a speech from Mayor Melvin Carter as well as participants in the project.​

This is Howie’s second By a Thread project, with the last one focusing on how people in the city adjusted to COVID-19. According to Howie, St. Paul Parks and Recreation and the Downtown Alliance asked her for a photography exhibit focusing on St. Paul residents.​

The installation in Mears Park can be viewed until late October. Another way to see her work is to visit her website at katiehowie.com/byathread/downtown-saint-paul-stories.

Howie said that she wanted the project to highlight local people who make up the city.

“I think there’s such a rich tapestry of people downtown St. Paul, and I think we forget about how many people and what kind of diversity it takes to make downtown St. Paul run,” Howie said.

Howie, who will be at the exhibit on Friday, said she hopes people will understand what local people bring to a city.​

“I would just love them to see how regular, everyday people are really unsung heroes, and how they are the backbone of our communities. I hope that people see themselves in these photos,“ Howie said.

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