Freeloader Friday is your weekly guide to having fun no matter what your budget looks like. Each week we have a list of 100% free events like gallery parties, music, and films in the park, as well as free admission events like special happy hours, markets, and more. For picks of the week's best events, price be damned, click here.
FRIDAY
Pride Palooza
This event kicks off with tunes form DJ Nicky James spinning followed by a performance from POWER: Drag Revue. 6:30 p.m.; drag show at 8 p.m. Eat Street Crossing, 2819 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis.
Northeast Minneapolis Dog Parade
Folks, we don’t just love cats. We also love dogs. So I gotta give a shout out to this humble fido fest that is impossibly cute. Bring your gentle buddy to the park right by St. Anthony Main to make new furry friends. The event kicks off with a parade around the neighborhood, where pets and their people will bless bar-hoppers and patio diners with a barrage of cuteness. Once back at the park, there will be a casual hang with contests and prizes for best trick, best lookalike, and best costume. Free. 5:30-7:30 p.m. SE Main Street at 96 Hennepin Avenue (across the street from FRGMNT Coffee), Minneapolis.—Jessica Armbruster
Promenade Du Nord Flea Market
Featuring a street fair with 60+ local vendors, street performers, gymnastics demonstrations, music, and more. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. now through Sun. 901 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis.
Throttle & Thrift
Featuring motorcycle enthusiasts, thrift vendors hosted by Clubhouse MArket, live music, drinks, and more. 6 p.m. Moto Collective, 211 St. Anthony Pkwy, Minneapolis.
Minnehaha Park Market
Featuring local makers, food, and drinks. 4-8 p.m. Minnehaha Falls Park Pavilion, 4825 Minnehaha Ave., Minneapolis.
McKain Lakey, Lake Davi
10 p.m. 331 Club, 331 13th Ave. NE, Minneapolis.
The Collaboratory 4th Fridays
Hosted by Carnage the Executioner and DJ Piecemeal. 8-11 p.m. White Squirrel Bar, 974 W. Seventh St., St. Paul.
Sugar Factory, Heartfelt
Free tunes at the Plaza on Nolan Mains. 5-8 p.m. 50th & France, Edina.
O’Keefe Brothers
7-9 p.m. Urban Forage Winery and Cider House, 3016 E. Lake St., Minneapolis.
MN Sinfonia
7:30 p.m. Lake Harriet Bandshell, 4135 W. Lake Harriet Pkwy, Minneapolis.
Land o’ Dixie Rented Mules Band
7 p.m. Minnehaha Falls, 4801 Minnehaha Ave., Minneapolis.
The Fairly Odd Dogs Frisbee Show
It’s no squirrel on waterskis, but this show should be pretty dang cute. Shows are at 1 and 3 p.m. Fri.-Sun. Mall of America, Huntington Bank Rotunda.
The Long Honeymoon
Acoustic power-pop tunes. 5-7 p.m. The Trailhead, 1221 Theodore Wirth Pkwy, Minneapolis.
Vinyl Friday in the B-Side Lounge
Bring your own vinyl. 7-10 p.m. Broken Clock Brewing Collective, 3134 California St. NE, Minneapolis.
Judd Hailey
7-10 p.m. Steele & Hops, 2800 39th Ave. NE, St. Anthony.
Elemental
9 p.m. Bottineau Park, 2000 Second St. NE, Minneapolis.
Minnesota Philharmonic Orchestra: Open Spaces
Free; RSVP here. 7:30 p.m. St. Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral, 519 Oak Grove St., Minneapolis.
Rosefest
If we ever reach peak bottom-feeding content, we’ll rank the Twin Cities suburbs. And ya know what? I have a suspicion that Roseville would appear pretty high on that clickable list. It’s a good ‘burb! Somebody should Better Know it! In the meantime, enjoyers of this first-ring, 35,000-resident community can celebrate their town with this weeklong tip o’ the cap to Roseville. (Side note: My Roseville-raised friends tell me that the town was derisively called “Hoesville” by rival schools in the ‘00s.) Civic-pride-boosting activities include: parades, garage sales, medallion hunts, superhero carnivals, Taste of Rosefest, community theater performances, golf (disc and round) and pickleball tournaments, roller skating, live music, 5K runs, and the Midwest's largest Porsche festival—whew! Rosefest fully blooms on Saturday with a party that features food trucks, live music, and, ultimately, fireworks. Find a complete list of events, times, and locations here. Through Sunday—Jay Boller
Blaine Festival
Featuring live music, a parade, a carnival, a car show, bag tournaments, and more all weekend. Find the full schedule at blainefestival.org. 5 p.m. to midnight Fri.; 10 a.m. to midnight Sat.; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sun. Aquatore Park, 9191 NE Lincoln St., Blaine.
Twelfth Night or What You Will
At one time, theater was entertainment for the masses. And this may be most apparent in one of Shakespeare’s most soapy works, Twelfth Night. The hallmarks of great trash TV are all here: mistaken identities, twins, forged love letters, romantic overtures. When twins Sebastian and Viola are separated via a shipwreck, Viola opts to disguise herself as a gent and the women (and men) come calling. Throw in the antics of a drunk uncle and you have yourself a 400-something-years-old romcom. This summer you can see it in the parks of the Twin Cities and surrounding ‘burbs thanks to Classical Actors Ensemble’s free summer series. Fri.: 7 p.m. at Newell Park (900 Fairview Ave. N., St. Paul) Sat.: 7 p.m. at Lakes of the Isles (2500 Lake of the Isles Pkwy. E., Minneapolis) Sun: 7 p.m. at Vermillion Falls (215 21st St. E., Hastings). Find more times and locations at classicalactorsensemble.org. Through July 14—Jessica Armbruster
Shredding Flannel
Tunes and celebration of the release of Prodigal Pub Ale. 7 p.m. Padraigs, 945 Broadway NE, Minneapolis.
Jiggs Lee Invasion
8-11:30 p.m. Schooner Tavern, 2901 27th Ave. S., Minneapolis.
Warehouse District Live
The fate of Open Streets may be uncertain this season, but every weekend a part of First Avenue will be closed to cars—and not just for construction reasons. Described as “an enhanced pedestrian zone,” Warehouse District Live will offer things that big cities normally have in their downtown areas: food trucks, extended seating areas, and more public bathrooms. Wow! So do some bar-hopping, sit outside and eat, walk in the middle of the street, and wonder why so many exurban Twitter users are so scared of downtown. Free. 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. Fri.-Sat. First Avenue, between Fifth and Sixth Streets, Minneapolis; find more info here. Through October —Jessica Armbruster
The Clifford Place Collection
Featuring Brian and Teresa McMahon’s collection of Polish art and posters collected in the 1980s while living in Brooklyn. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fri.-Sun. through June. Vandalia Tower, 550 Vandalia St., St. Paul.
Friday Night Open Mic
21+. 10 p.m. The Comedy Corner Underground, 1501 S. Washington Ave., Minneapolis.
FARMERS MARKETS
House of Hope Market
1:15-5 p.m. Fridays through October 25. Hope Church, 797 Summit Ave., St. Paul; stpaulfarmersmarket.com.
Minneapolis Farmers Market
Arguably the city’s largest and most popular market, with hundreds of vendors weekly. 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wed.-Fri.; 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sat.-Sun. through October. Good to know: The EBT booth is open 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Fri.-Sun. 312 E. Lyndale Ave. N., Minneapolis; mplsfarmersmarket.com.
Signal Hills Farmers Market
Featuring fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables sold direct from producer to consumer, located in the lot of West St. Paul’s Signal Hills Mall. 8 a.m. to noon Fridays through October 25. 1225 S. Robert St., St. Paul; stpaulfarmersmarket.com.
Minneapolis Parks Markets: Minnehaha Regional Park
4-8 p.m. Fridays through August 30 (no market July 12 or 29). 4801 S. Minnehaha Dr., Minneapolis; more info here.
SATURDAY
52th Annual Twin Cities Pride
Twin Cities Pride isn’t just a festival anymore; it’s evolved into a month-long string of events that includes film screenings, family picnics, fairs in the suburbs and outstate Minnesota, gallery exhibitions, sports nights, gender-affirming clothing swaps, and queer markets. The LGBTQ+ community isn’t a monolith, after all, so over the decades Pride has expanded and adapted. But the big event that brings everyone together is the two-day fest in Loring Park. This year’s event will feature a mind-boggling 650 or so vendors, organizations, political groups, and charities. There will be four stages of entertainment, from kiddie fare to drag shows. The beer garden is a good hang spot (or head to the Sculpture Garden for Friday’s Beer Dabbler event) and, as always, the after parties at nearby clubs and bars will be epic. One place that’s sadly not in the mix this year is the 19 Bar; after a fire, the space has closed indefinitely. You can follow them on Facebook for new news and any upcoming fundraisers. Find the complete schedule of Pride events this June (and beyond!) at tcpride.org/events. Free. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sat.; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sun. Loring Park, 1382 Willow St., Minneapolis. Through Sunday—Jessica Armbruster
Minneapolis People’s Pride: An Alternative Pride Celebration
As recommended by a Racket reader in the comment section below! Organizers bill this corporation/cop-free celebration as: "A space for all queer folks to experience joy, eat food, trade art, and various other activities. Making space for and feeding queer joy is a radical act of resistance that both uplifts the queer community and resists white supremacist heteropatriarchy. We aim to create a space for rest, collaboration, and love, centering those most marginalized and affected by systemic xenophobia." Free. Noon to 4 p.m. Powderhorn Park, 3400 15th Ave. S., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Jay Boller
Somali Independence Day Festival
Featuring Somali musicians, food, cultural showcases, family fun, visits from community leaders, and more. Find more info here. 2-8 p.m. West Lake Street, from Blaisdell to Stevens Avenues, Minneapolis.
Jackalope Tattoo Pride Queer Market
Featuring a pop-up market, walk-up tattooing, and more. Check out our profiles on Jackalope Artists Emi Nijiya here and Jun Osaki here. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jackalope Tattoo, 3753 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis.
Pride Celebration
Sure, there are going to be parties all around town this week. But there’s also low(er)-key stuff scheduled too for folks looking to be quietly queer. Take this book celebration, for example. Irreverent Bookwork is a queer-, neurodivergent-, and woman-owned shop in south Minneapolis that serves up lots of good gay stuff: LGBTQ+ lit and non-fiction, plus rooms dedicated for kids’ stuff and witchery/magic. This weekend folks can shop from new and used books, many priced at $1 a pop and shoppers will also score free pride flags while supplies last. Free. Noon to 5 p.m. Sat.; noon to 4 p.m. Sun. The Irreverent Bookworm, 5163 Bloomington Ave., Minneapolis. Through Sunday—Jessica Armbruster
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
9 p.m. Phelps Field Park, 701 E. 39th St., Minneapolis.
ConFluence Mini-Event
Join BIPOC creatives prepping for the upcoming event. Featuring a panel discussion, Pepakura workshop, and a cosplay fashion swap. RSVP and find cosplay swap info at bit.ly/CosplayRSVP. Noon to 4 p.m. Public Functionary, Northrup King Building, 1500 Jackson St. NE, Minneapolis.
Soul Food Festival
Featuring tasty eats and live entertainment. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Farmers’ Market Annex, 200 E. Lyndale Ave. N., Minneapolis.
Chicken Fiesta “Best in Show” Competition
Backyard chickens compete for top honors. Also with a bounce house, a petting zoo, and other family-friendly fun. Enter your chicken here. Noon go 1:30 p.m. Stewart Park, 2700 12th Ave. S., Minneapolis.
Hmong International Freedom Festival
Featuring sporting events, food, arts, and more. 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sat.-Sun. McMurray Fields, 1155 W. Jessamine Ave., St. Paul.
Bakermiller Pink Band, d’Lakes, Jonger
10 p.m. 331 Club, 331 13th Ave. NE, Minneapolis.
The Gene Pool
Rock and country tunes. 6-9 p.m. Inbound BrewCo., 701 N. 5th St., Minneapolis.
Lisa Ganser
The author discusses What's My Address? 1 p.m. Moon Palace Books, 3032 Minnehaha Ave., Minneapolis.
Open Studio Saturdays
Open studios, sales, special receptions, and more. Noon to 4 p.m. Northrup King Building, 1500 Jackson St. NE, Minneapolis.
Lena & The Lovekills
8 p.m. Schooner Tavern, 2901 27th Ave. S., Minneapolis.
Early Show
With Not Your Baby, the Thirst Giants, Chris Cashin. 1-4 p.m. White Squirrel Bar, 974 W. Seventh St., St. Paul.
Saturdays Are Instrumental
With Big Trouble. Outside. 6-8 p.m. White Squirrel Bar, 974 W. Seventh St., St. Paul.
Mik Cool Electric Church Serpents of Serenity
9 p.m. White Squirrel Bar, 974 W. Seventh St., St. Paul.
Shredding Flannel
Alt-rock from the ‘90s. 7-9:30 p.m. Basement Bar, 511 N. Washington Ave., Minneapolis.
Minneapolis POPs
7:30 p.m. Lake Harriet Bandshell, 4135 W. Lake Harriet Pkwy, Minneapolis.
Healing Hearts Rescue
Meet adoptable dogs. 2-4 p.m. Buch Hard Kombucha Seltzer, 1121 Quincy St. NE, Minneapolis.
Cars and Caves: Italian Cars Edition
This popular monthly indoor/outdoor auto extravaganza features 300+ antique, classics, collector, exotic, muscle, and street rod cars, as well as open house garage condos. Donations at this installment benefit Ronald McDonald House. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Chanhassen AutoPlex, 8150 Audubon Rd., Chanhassen.
Night Market
Featuring over 30 vintage, makers, and vinyl vendors, plus DJ tunes from the Ring Toss Twins. 7-11 p.m. Forgotten Star Brewing, 38 Northern Stacks Dr., Fridley.
Wolf Tales
DanceCo presents a family-friendly mashup of classic stories like Peter and the Wolf, Little Red Riding Hood, and The Three Little Pigs. 10 and 11:30 a.m. Capri Theater Paradise Hall, 2027 W. Broadway Ave., Minneapolis.
Sound Garden
This ain’t no “Black Hole Sun” kinda party. Billed as "a concert you can move through," the Sound Garden first sprouted up six years ago in St. Anthony’s Silverwood Park. More than 50 speakers are installed around the island, each playing an individual part of a single piece of music by composer JG Everest. (The selection is from his four-part work Water Suite: Four Seasonal Sound Gardens.) There will also be dancers and poetry and visual art and other miscellaneous sorts of merriment, and the park itself, located on Silver Lake, is reason enough to swing by on a nice day. Free. Noon to 4:30 p.m. Silverwood Park, 2500 County Rd. E., St. Anthony; find more info here.—Keith Harris
Honeymoon Madness
7 p.m. Padraigs, 945 Broadway NE, Minneapolis.
The Sauce
Psychedelic soul blues. 7-9 p.m. Boom Island Brewing, 5959 Baker Rd., Minnetonka.
MacPhail Presents: Sounds of Summer
Student tunes in the park. 4-8 p.m. Water Power Park, 200 Main St. SE, Minneapolis.
Excelsior Flea Market
Hang out on Lake Minnetonka while shopping from local vendors, artisans, artists, and more. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays. 10 Water St., Excelsior. Through September 21
Open Mic Comedy
7:30-10 p.m. The Joint, 913 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis.
FARMERS MARKETS
Mill City Farmers Market
Long running market in the shadow of Mill Ruins Park, featuring local, sustainable, and organic groceries and produce. 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays year round. 750 2nd St. S., Minneapolis; millcityfarmersmarket.org.
Fulton Farmers Market
Traditional and heirloom vegetables, fruits, breads, and pastries. 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturdays through October 26. 4901 Chowen Ave. S., Minneapolis; neighborhoodrootsmn.org.
Midtown Farmers Market
Urban market serving produce and more to Powderhorn, Phillips, and Longfellow. 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays through October 28. 2225 East Lake St., Minneapolis; facebook.com/MidtownFarmersMarket.
Downtown St. Paul Farmers Markets
Lowertown’s pride and one of the state’s largest markets. Find free parking on Prince Street, where they have pedicab rides from the lot to the market. 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sat.; 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sun. now through Nov. 24. 290 5th St. E., St. Paul; stpaulfarmersmarket.com.
Apple Valley Farmers Market at the Government Center
8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays, June 7 through October 26. 7100 147th St. W., Apple Valley; stpaulfarmersmarket.com.
Burnsville Farmers Market at the School District
8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays, June 7 through October 26. 200 Burnsville Pkwy. W., Burnsville; stpaulfarmersmarket.com.
Lakeview Terrace Farmers’ Market
Formerly known as the Camden Farmers Market, this small market has teamed up with Robbinsdale to offer fresh produce and artisanal goods plus free fitness classes, chef cook-offs, and more. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays through September 21. Find it on the northeast corner of Bottineau Blvd. (CR 81) and Lakeland Avenue in Robbinsdale, across from HyVee; thenewmpls.info/farmersmarket.
Northeast Farmers Market
Seasonal market featuring food vendors, local produce, and artisanal goods. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays, through October 12. St. Boniface Church parking lot, 629 2nd St. NE (corner of University and Seventh Ave. NE), Minneapolis; northeastmarket.org.
St. Luke’s Farmers Market
Locally grown produce, baked goods, plants, flowers, honey, pickles, and more. EBT, debit, credit cards, and Market Bucks accepted. 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays through October 5 (no market July 6). St. Luke Lutheran Church, 1807 Field Ave., St. Paul; saintlukechurch.org/farmers-market.
SUNDAY
2024 Twin Cities Pride Parade
It’s always a big one, folks. 11 a.m. The parade starts at Third Street and Hennepin Avenue, then proceeds down Hennepin to Spruce Street.
Pride Parade Watch Party
Featuring TV screens with a live feed of the parade, drag queens, and a dance party. 21+. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tom's Watch Bar, 609 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis.
Shop Small Sunday
Featuring a dozen makers and businesses, including chip dip, woodworking, and succulent vendors. Noon to 3 p.m. OMNI Brewing Co., 9462 Deerwood Ln., Maple Grove.
Poetry and Pie
Sweet words and eats with your neighbors. Find them on the south slope of the park. 11 a.m. Powderhorn Park, 3400 15th Ave. S., Minneapolis.
Private Oats
Cover tunes on the lawn. 3:30-5 p.m. Surly Brewing Co. Festival Field, 520 Malcolm Ave. SE, Minneapolis.
Matt Trost
Acoustic tunes. 3-5 p.m. 56 Brewing, 3055 NE Columbia Ave., Suite 102, Minneapolis.
Warrior Dog Rescue
Meet adoptable dogs. 1-4 p.m. Boom Island Brewing, 5959 Baker Rd., Minnetonka.
Free Meat Raffle and Beer Bingo
11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Forgotten Star Brewing, 38 Northern Stacks Dr., Fridley.
Gabriella Sweet
3 p.m. 331 Club, 331 13th Ave. NE, Minneapolis.
Becky Kapell and The Fat 6
7 p.m. 331 Club, 331 13th Ave. NE, Minneapolis.
Early Show
1-4 p.m. White Squirrel Bar, 974 W. Seventh St., St. Paul.
Witness
With Ungrateful Little String Band, Whispered the Rabbit. 7-10 p.m. White Squirrel Bar, 974 W. Seventh St., St. Paul.
Minneapolis Brass Ensemble
2 p.m. Lake Harriet Bandshell, 4135 W. Lake Harriet Pkwy, Minneapolis.
Minneapolis POPs
5:30 p.m. Lake Harriet Bandshell, 4135 W. Lake Harriet Pkwy, Minneapolis.
FARMERS MARKET
Inver Grove Heights Farmers Market
8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays, June 9 through October 27. 8055 Barbara Ave., Inver Grove Heights; stpaulfarmersmarket.com.
Kingfield Farmers Market
Featuring a large selection of local produce, artisanal crafts, and prepared foods in a new location this year at MLK Park. 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays through October 27. MLK Park, 4055 Nicollet Ave. S., Minneapolis; neighborhoodrootsmn.org.
Woodbury Farmers Market
8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays through October 27. Red Rock Elementary, 3311 Commonwealth Ave., Woodbury; stpaulfarmersmarket.com.
Linden Hills Farmers Market
Featuring ethical meats, baked goods, ready-to-eat items, locally grown veggies and fruits, and live musical entertainment. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays, through October 27. Settergrens of Linden Hills, 2813 W. 43rd St., Minneapolis; lindenhillsfarmersmarket.org.
Market in the Valley
9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays starting June 16 through September. 7800 Golden Valley Rd., Golden Valley; marketinthevalley.org.
Minneapolis Parks Markets: Lake Harriet
2:30-6:30 p.m. Sundays right by the bandshell through August 25. Lake Harriet, 4135 W. Lake Harriet Parkway, Minneapolis; more info here.
Savage Farmers Market
8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays through October 27. 4800 W. 123rd St., Savage; stpaulfarmersmarket.com.
