The Savannah Bananas play Target Field this weekend — Friday, August 7 through Sunday, August 9, 2026, against the Loco Beach Coconuts — and all three games of the team’s first-ever Minneapolis visit sold out through the ticket lottery. If you’re one of the lucky ones holding tickets, here’s the practical part nobody tells you: getting to and from the ballpark is going to be the hard part, and staying downtown solves it.
The streets around Target Field will be closed — walk instead
Per the Twins’ official event page, North 7th Street and Twins Way around the ballpark close from Thursday morning through Sunday night, and downtown is packed all weekend: two Lynx games at Target Center and the final weekend of Wicked at the Orpheum land on the same days. On top of that, buses are replacing Blue Line trains through August 20. Translation: driving in and parking near the stadium each day will be slow and expensive. From Oaklands on 9th at 215 S 9th Street, Target Field is roughly a mile straight through downtown — a 15–20 minute walk, no ramp, no reroutes, no surge pricing. Gates open at 4:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 12:30 p.m. Sunday, so you can leave the studio with time to browse the merch at Target Field Station and still beat the crowd.
A studio beats a hotel room for a three-game weekend
Oaklands on 9th is an 1889 brownstone of fully furnished, month-to-month studio apartments — WiFi, all utilities, free laundry, and a full kitchen included, with no contracts, so you can book just the weekend or stretch it into a week downtown. Cook a real breakfast before Sunday’s early gates instead of hunting for a table, and run a load of laundry before the drive home. See exactly what’s included in every studio and our guide to using the skyway on event nights.
What about the Savannah Bananas in 2027?
Missed the lottery? The Bananas’ 2027 tour hasn’t been announced yet — no cities or dates are posted as of this writing — but 2026 hit more than 75 stadiums and tour announcements typically arrive in the fall. Join the lottery list at bananaball.com, and when 2027 dates drop, book your downtown stay the same day. This weekend is the proof: when Banana Ball comes to town, everything fills fast. We keep this page updated, so check back once the 2027 schedule is out.
Walkable all season long
The walk-to-the-game math works beyond this weekend: Vikings games at U.S. Bank Stadium are even closer, and the Twin Cities Marathon start line is a half-mile away in October. Prefer a splurge night instead? Our sister property 300 Clifton, a historic mansion B&B in Loring Park, has its own Banana Ball weekend guide — and while you’re in town, ride a Minneapolis Trolley Tour or book dinner at the Pillsbury Club, a short ride from downtown.
Book your walkable weekend
Three sold-out games, one packed downtown, zero parking headaches. Check availability at Oaklands on 9th — and start planning for 2027 while you’re at it.
Keep reading: Where to Work Out in Downtown Minneapolis During an Extended Stay