Minnesota continued to mourn its music legend over the weekend, since his unexpected death on Thursday that shocked fans all over the world.
His home state is coming up with ways to honor the late icon – from making Minnesota’s official state color purple to starting petitions to rename places after him.
State Senator Karin Housley is planning to introduce a bill Monday which would make Minnesota the first state to have purple as its official color; only 23 other states have official colors, reported the Pioneer Press.
“It’s the least I could do,” said the Republican – who represents part of Washington County including Stillwater – via Twitter on Saturday.
https://twitter.com/SenKarinHousley/status/723969374646865920
A Minneapolis 3rd Ward City Council member also tweeted his idea to honor Prince.
We should name our downtown commons park – Prince Park or Purple Rain Park
Tough to lose a Minneapolis legend.
— Jacob Frey (@Jacob_Frey) April 21, 2016
A petition to change the Lindbergh Terminal at the Minneapolis–St. Paul International Airport, named after Charles Lindbergh, to the Prince Rogers Nelson Terminal had over 10,000 signatures as of Sunday afternoon.
“Our institutions should be named in honor the Minnesotans we’re most proud of,” says the petition on Change.org. “As a globally recognized and admired musical hero, Prince Rogers Nelson would be a splendid choice to replace Charles Lindbergh as the namesake of our state’s busiest airport terminal. Let’s make it happen.”
Another petition on Change.org calling to rename the Green Line extension to the Purple Line, had just over 1,300 signatures as of Sunday. The first station of the proposed line is just blocks from First Avenue and the last stop is a few miles from Paisley Park, points out the petition.
A third Change.org petition is asking to change the Minnesota Wild’s goal song to “Let’s Go Crazy.” By Sunday afternoon that petition had garnered just over 400 signatures.
According to SB Nation, the Wild tested out the song on Sunday as one of the many ways they honored Prince at Game 6.
Arena announcer Adam Abrams alters his welcome for the Wild by saying, “Alright Minnesota, Let’s Go Crazy!"
— Dan Myers (@DanMyers) April 24, 2016
Go Wild #MNWild #RIPPrince pic.twitter.com/bvQQEcT9B2
— 9 (@Just9Guy) April 24, 2016
Let's Go Crazy, #StateOfHockey. @Prince pic.twitter.com/Xw15NdxnsC
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) April 23, 2016
#Prince pic.twitter.com/kjqJd8fy6i
— Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) April 24, 2016
https://twitter.com/mnhockeymag/status/724316662174896129/photo/1
The City of Minneapolis also paid a tribute to Prince over the weekend. The bells at Minneapolis City Hall rang to the tune of some of Prince’s classics Sunday afternoon, including “Kiss,” “1999,” “Nothing Compares 2 U” and “When You Were Mine” said WCCO.
Here is a 30 minute video of the entire tribute. We recommend fast-forwarding to the 30 second mark when the chiming begins:
LIVE on #Periscope: Minneapolis City Hall bells playing four #Prince songs. https://t.co/pFRbDywVrU
— Leif Pettersen (@leifpettersen) April 24, 2016
The bells were played by this guy:
Tony Hill, performing the Minneapolis City Hall tribute of Prince songs pic.twitter.com/AnVwlbKpsu
— Jennie Matthew (@jenniematthew) April 24, 2016
The City of Minneapolis also honored the late icon on billboards over the weekend and by lighting up the 35W bridge in purple.
https://twitter.com/CityMinneapolis/status/723619952809271300/photo/1
The 35W bridge in Minneapolis will remain lit purple this weekend. pic.twitter.com/4HweEfT1fA
— City of Minneapolis (@CityMinneapolis) April 23, 2016
“Purple Rain” was broadcasted for free to the public on Saturday at Target Field and the Mall of America, reported KSTP. If you missed it, the film will be shown at 6 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Minneapolis Sabathani Community Center – the same building that was once Bryant Junior High School where Prince attended.
