Update May 2024

The Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (MPRB) and The Painted Turtle have been working together to address a state law that currently prohibits regular beer and wine sales at Nokomis Main Beach because it lacks a covered seating area.

Plans for a new covered seating area to satisfy this law were finalized over the winter and footings and foundation for the structure will be installed in May. The foundation will serve as extra patio space this summer, then the full structure will be built on top of it in the fall, after The Painted Turtle closes for the season.

The new structure features an indoor seating area with a roll-up garage door to let the lake breeze in, plus an expanded shaded patio area and extra refrigerated space. 

The MPRB is also lobbying the state legislature to change the law so that The Painted Turtle could serve beer and wine with or without the covered structure. If those changes are signed into law, then Minneapolis City Council would have to adopt them, and The Painted Turtle could be serving beer and wine by mid-summer.

The new covered seating area will be built this fall regardless of any changes to state liquor law. These new features will upgrade Nokomis Beach for years to come by potentially expanding the length of the concessions season and providing shelter when rain or other uncomfortable weather passes through.

The MPRB and The Painted Turtle are incredibly grateful for the wonderful support received from the Nokomis community over the past year and will continue to share construction and legislative updates.

Construction is scheduled over the next few weeks, so The Painted Turtle will be open in a limited capacity at first and fully open when the footings and foundation are done.