Upcoming Events
Find ZIRAN at These Upcoming Community Gatherings and Conferences- Get Involved!
Check back for future events!
Past Events
11am-7pm, Oct 4, 2025
China Friendship Garden
Phalen Reginal Park
1624 Phalen Dr., St Paul, MN 55106
ZIRAN is proud to co-organize this unique cultural celebration!
Join us for a vibrant day filled with ethnic performances, fashion shows, hands-on cultural activities, and of course—delicious signature mooncakes. ZIRAN will showcase how we reduce waste, run Minimal Waste events, and more.
Volunteers are needed to help guide visitors properly to dispose of waste . No experience required. On-site training will be provided. Volunteer Sign Up Now
Come and see sustainability in action! Let’s keep the garden beautiful together! Learn more about the event.
Back by popular demand, our Culture & Nature Plant Walk will return at the event, Join us at 3-4pm! Register here
Explore the Minnesota China Friendship Garden with a self-guided tour.
SHUTTLE INFORMATION
A free shuttle will run to and from the following four parking locations 10:30am-6:30pm on event day.
Parking A: China Garden Lot, 1624 Phalen Dr, St Paul, MN 55106
Parking B: Phalen Recreation Center Lot, 1000 Wheelock Parkway, St Paul, MN 55106
Parking C: Beach House Lot, 1400 Phalen Drive, St Paul, MN 55106
Parking D: Lakeside Activities Center, 1530 Phalen Drive, St Paul, MN 55106
The Light of Chinese Civilization: Performance 4
12:30 - 3:30 pm, September 27, 2025 (Saturday)
Jackson Square Park (2212 NE Jackson St., Minneapolis, MN 55418)
ZIRAN is honored to be invited to support event recycling at Colorful China, a vibrant cultural celebration hosted by the Chinese American Culture and Friendship Association.
This outdoor, family-friendly event will feature an exciting lineup of traditional and contemporary Chinese performances—including Dragon Dance, Folk Dance, Chinese music, songs, and much more!
Bring your lawn chairs and picnic blankets, and enjoy an afternoon of culture, music, and community in the park!
Collaborating Beyond Our Own Community: Expansive Solidarity with David Mura
Join ZIRAN to attend this memorable event
Lincoln Mall, 3300 Century Avenue North White Bear Lake, MN 55110
Wednesday, September 17, 2025, 3 PM -6 PM
3:00pm - Meet & Greet with David Mura
4:00pm - Keynote Message
4:45pm - Q&A with David Mura
5:15pm - Dinner & Book Signing
If cannot attend in person, register to access the talk via zoom.
Registration https://forms.office.com/r/YUKV3u9QrZ?origin=lprLink
LET IT GO - swap & flea market
6 -9 pm, August 29, 2025 (Friday)
Greenwood Elementary Sidewalk (18005 Medina Rd, Plymouth, MN 55446)
ZIRAN and MinnSea Academy are teaming up to host a vibrant community swap and flea market—where secondhand meets second chances! This event is proudly supported by the Hennepin County Community Zero Waste Grant Program.
Event Highlights
🎟 Free to Attend! – Everyone’s welcome! Register to swap/sell. No need to register to shop only
Live Music, Games & Performances - Enjoy an evening of fun while swapping and shopping!
Free table spots (first-register, first-served). You can also bring your own table setup
Participation Options - Three easy ways to join the swap and sell
Sell items yourself
Let event organizers sell/swap for you
Donate Items
👉 Register by August 27 if you plan to bring items to swap or sell!
What To Bring? New or gently used items only, including:
School supplies & books
Clothes, shoes & jewelry
Toys & games
Household items & more!
Come hang out, swap, share, and give your stuff a second life while connecting with your community!
Let it go, and let it find a new home.
🌏 Good for the planet. 💛 Great for the community. 🎁 Full of surprises!
Community & Student Writers Showcase
Discovering My Identity
3-6 pm, June 24, 2025
East Campus, Lincoln, Mall
Come to listen to David Mura, an acclaimed writer and artist sharing his life experience
11am-7pm, May 31, 2025, at Hilde Performance Center, Plymouth
Come learn about sustainable practices for everyday life at the new initiative "Eco Street", featuring a Solar Tiny House, a Fashionable Fix-it Clinic, and more.
May 13-16, 2025 at the Saint Paul RiverCentre
Join us for an outdoor breakout session, "Re-storying Urban Water: A Cross-cultural Dialogue Along the Mississippi River" at 1 pm on May 15.
May 17, 2025, 2:30 pm- 6 pm, at Liu Ming Yuan, Phalen Regional Park
ZIRAN will be offering a Guided Nature Plant Walk during the Peony Festival!
Join us to discover the rich cultural stories and traditions behind the beautiful plants in the garden.
Time: 3:40-4:15 pm
May 3rd, 2025, 10am- 12 am
at Humphrey School Conference Center, University of Minnesota
ZIRAN is excited to be part of the May Forum Community Showcase!
Come visit our table to learn more about our programs, initiatives, and opportunities to get involved.
For more information, visit https://mayforum.org
May 8th, 2025, 4 pm - 6:30 pm, at E2500 Lincoln Mall in Century College
ZIRAN is excited to join Century College AANAPISI in celebrating AAPI Heritage Month! Stop by our table to learn about event recycling and how we can all reduce waste together.
This event is free and open to all. RSVP here.
Culture in Bloom: Garden Gather & Swap
1-3 pm, April 27th, 2025 at Plymouth City Hall Parking Lot
3400 Plymouth Blvd, Plymouth, MN 55447
Bring your extra plants, seeds, tools, & pots to swap, share, or sell! Meet fellow gardeners, explore cultural plants, and grow your garden—and your community sustainably. 🌟 Plus, get a sneak peek of the Asian Fair venue happening May 31!
This event is supported by the Hennepin County Community Zero Waste grant program.
Park Cleanup: Hilde Performance Center ➜ Millennium Garden
2-4 pm, April 27th, 2025, meet at Plymouth City Hall Parking Lot
3400 Plymouth Blvd, Plymouth, MN 55447
Celebrate Earth Day & Arbor Day with us! 🌍
Let’s clean up the trail from Hilde to Millennium Garden, connect with nature, and learn about recycling & plants.
🌟 Help prepare the park for the 3rd Annual Asian Fair on May 31!
Jan. 25th & 26th, 2025 12pm-5pm
Join us at the Asian Mall to celebrate the Spring Festival, recently recognized by UNESCO as an 'Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.' Discover the rich traditions of this cultural treasure and learn about recycling and ways to reduce your carbon footprint with ZIRAN.
Jan. 31st, 2025, at RiverCentre in Saint Paul
Come listen to our presentation "Bilingual Nature Education Through a Cross-Cultural Lens: Practices from the Chinese American Community"
Feb. 8th, 2025 at the Legacy Adult Daycare Center
Come celebrate the Chinese New Year with the delicious tradition of dumplings, learn about event recycling with ZIRAN, and connect with community leaders. RSVP by January 31, 2025.
June 1st, 2024 at Hilde Performance Center
Feb 02, 2025 4:30pm-7pm
Join us at the Plymouth Covenant Church to celebrate the Lunar New Year with dance, music, calligraphy, and history with our neighborhood friends . Learn about recycling and ways to reduce your carbon footprint with ZIRAN.
March 8, 2025, Saturday, 11am- 3pm at Science Museum of Minnesota
Come celebrate diversity and creativity in STEM and visit ZIRAN's information table to learn about what you can do to reduce your carbon footprint and protect our one and only Earth.
