Nearly two months after the death of Prince, Minnesotans honored their home state musical hero on what would have been his 58th birthday.
Governor Mark Dayton officially declared June 7 Prince Day "in honor of the Purple's One's enduring legacy." An official proclamation, posted on the governor's blog, described the singer as "a music industry innovator, a mentor and a humble philanthropist."
Fans were encouraged to wear purple.
Fans take pictures of a makeshift memorial to musician Prince outside the fence of Paisley Park, his home and recording studio in Chanhassen, Minnesota, a day after his death on Apr 22, 2016. (Reuters)
#PrinceDay trended high on Twitter's top 10 for much of the day, yet more confirmation of the singer's immense popularity.
Prince died April 21 from an accidental overdose of the narcotic painkiller Fentanyl. He performed in the days leading up to his death, but was often seen used a cane. The singer had both hips replaced and suffered from chronic ankle pain—the result of years of notably acrobatic performances in high heels.