Welcome to Event Horizon, your weekly roundup of the best events in Minneapolis and St. Paul.
MONDAY 11.7
Arcade Week
InBound BrewCo.
We’ve heard of tap takeovers, but arcade takeovers? That sounds way more awesome. And it’s exactly what’s happening at InBound this week, as over a dozen machines will be parked inside for all-you-can-play gaming each day. Games include cult classics like Big Buck Hunter and golf simulator Golden Tee; ‘80s hits such as Ms. Pac Man, Galaga, and Pac Man Battle Royale; old-school pinball machines; racing games such as Nascar Twin Car Racing and Fast and Furious Super Bikes Racing; and analog fun like skee ball, bubble hockey, and darts. Oh, and there will be a Rubber Duck Claw Machine if you feel like losing all your money. It’s $5 for unlimited play each day, and all ages are welcome. 701 N. Fifth St., Minneapolis. Through Sunday –Jessica Armbruster
WEDNESDAY 11.9
Sound Unseen
Various Locations
Now in its 23rd year, the ever-restless music-and-movies festival stretches out even further in directions it hadn’t before. Yes, there are still rock documentaries, from the opening night’s look at the Strokes-driven rock-is-back moment Meet Me in the Bathroom to surveys of smaller scenes in Athens, Georgia (The Elephant 6 Recording Co.) or Wichita, Kansas (We Were Famous, You Don’t Remember: The Embarrassment). But there are also films like Finding Her Beat, which examines how women have been shut out of Taiko drumming (accompanied by a live performance), or the silent 100-year-old film about witchcraft, Haxan, presented with original live musical accompaniment. Then there are also some music-adjacent movies you haven’t seen in years, including Wayne’s World and Desperately Seeking Susan. Look, I could list stuff here all day, but just go to the site and see what you like. Bet you’ll find something. Find complete info here. Through November 13—Keith Harris
FRIDAY 11.11
The Black Foxes Film Screening
Cedar Cultural Center
The Black Foxes is a collective of Black cyclists and outdoors-people that got its start in June 2020. This Friday is your exclusive chance to catch a screening of their 2021 short film, The Black Foxes (unless you’re in New York or Amsterdam, where it’s been accepted to the Bicycle Film Festival). After the screening, local Black Fox Raequan Wilson will lead a discussion and answer any questions from the audience; then, on Saturday, Wilson will lead a 13.1-mile ride starting at noon at Venture North Cafe. Free (but RSVPs are required to ensure your seat). 7 p.m. doors. 416 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis.—Em Cassel
Twin Cities Con
Minneapolis Convention Center
This weekend, Twin Cities Con convenes downtown for another three-day nerd summit. For those unfamiliar, this is a fan-run, volunteer-fueled event covering just about anything with a fandom, whether you're a superhero superfan, a fantasy follower, or just really into zombies. During festivities guests will be able to shop from artists and vendors, do some tabletop gaming, and join a variety of panel talks covering things like cosplay on the cheap, gay geeks and where to find them, and The Golden Girls. Celeb guests include Elijah Wood and Sean Austin, plus cast members from Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, voice actors from My Hero Academia, pro-wrestling stars, and character actors from Star Wars. Find all the details and more at twincitiescon.com. $25-$30; $55 weekend pass; $125 VIP. Noon to 7 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. 1301 Second Ave. S., Minneapolis. Through Sunday –Jessica Armbruster
SATURDAY 11.12
THC Festival
Minneapolis Cider Company
Fall brings chili tasting contests, stein foisting contests, Halloween costume contests, and, now that weed is kinda sorta legal, we now have bong-rip contests. Hell yeah. This Friday, Minneapolis Cider Company hosts THC Festival, and even filled with friendly competition, sampling, vendor sales, and more. Contest categories for makers include awards for best gummies, tinctures, beverages, and CBD products. Attendees, meanwhile, can win prizes via rolling the best joint, taking the best flower rip, and dabbing. Live music and a smoking room round out offerings. RSVP for a free ticket here; and find more deets in general online. 21+. Free; $150 to judge. 1-7 p.m. 701 9th St. SE, Minneapolis. –Jessica Armbruster
Grrrl Scout: Cloud Nine 9th Birthday Party
The Hook and Ladder Theater & Lounge
For nearly a decade, LBGTQIA+ dance night Grrrl Scout has been roaming the city, throwing parties at a variety of locations, from smaller music venues like Icehouse and Part Wolf (RIP) to big-ass concert spots like Varsity Theater and the Cabooze. This weekend, they'll be showing their south side pride at their b-day bash at Hook and Ladder. There will be DJ tunes, pop-up performances, special cocktails, and beer. Oh, and an outdoor patio to chill out on (or, depending on the weather, get chilled). Bring proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test result if you want to party. As they say on the event page: Cheers, queers! 21+. $10-$14/$20 at the door. 8:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. 3010 Minnehaha Ave., Minneapolis. –Jessica Armbruster
SUNDAY 11.13
Vintage Arcade Ride
Graze Provisions + Libations
This month’s Joyful Riders Club group ride takes participating pedalers to Starcade, a vintage arcade at Rosedale Center that boasts the largest collection of classic arcade games in Minnesota. We’re talking more than 150 machines from the 1970s through the 1990s, which you can play to your heart’s content with a discounted $10 play-all-you-want wristband for folks on the group ride. Battletoads, Tekken 2, Wayne Gretzky's 3D Hockey—they’ve got it all! 11 a.m. The ride begins at 520 N. Fourth St., Minneapolis; RSVP and find more info here.—Em Cassel
ONGOING
पौर्णि मर्णि ा: Gazing Into The Full Moon Night
Soo Visual Arts Center
Projects by Roshan Ganu are less about straightforward gallery shows, more about presenting a storytelling experience. If that sounds pretentious, rest assured that it’s not—it just means that you’ll probably have a good time simply walking through “पौर्णि मर्णि ा: Gazing Into The Full Moon Night.” Her most recent collection is part space voyage, part romp through urban nightlife. There are starry landscapes, a rock that hangs like a disco ball, collages of Pan Indian serials, and neon signs. Language is a key player here, too. The Goa-born, Minneapolis-based Ganu speaks Marathi, English, Konkani, Hindi, Portuguese, and French. 2909 Bryant Ave. S., Minneapolis. Through November 12 –Jessica Armbruster
Fall Forward Festival
The Cowles Center
The monthlong Fall Forward Festival is a crash course on the local dance scene, offering two to three new performances each evening from an impressive array of Minnesota dancers and troupes. Participating artists include Aparna Ramaswamy from Ragamala Dance; Black Label Movement, whose Riding the Maelstrom personifies chemotherapy; Twin Cities Ballet, who mix classic works with more experimental jaunts; and HIJACK, a long-running duo who describe themselves with words like “ecofeminist,” “queer,” “sex party,” “hoarder-house,” and “pandemic garden.” Whew. $30; find tickets here. 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 29-30, Nov. 5-6, 12-13, 19-20. 528 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis. Through November 20 –Jessica Armbruster
Harriet Bart: Reckoning
NewStudio Gallery
“We live in a broken world,” warns Harriet Bart. “‘Reckoning’ is a cautionary tale.” This time, the St. Paul-based, international artist cautions us through creating a unique, site-specific space filled with a variety of items. Some hold cultural significance (a bronze owl, a model of a barn), some have been found in nature (a burl, animal bones), and others have been tampered with in-studio (a gold-leaf embossed stone). Will you be able to decipher and heed the warning? 2303 Wycliff St., St. Paul. Through December 3 –Jessica Armbruster
Rosy Simas Danse: She Who Lives on the Road to War
Weisman Art Museum/All My Relations Arts
Part art installation, part dance performance, She Who Lives on the Road to War examines potential paths to a peaceful future via indigenous history. The exhibit’s title is inspired by the life of Jigonhsasee, an ancient Haudenosaunee woman, known as the Mother of Nations, who once touted war between tribes but eventually changed her ways and advocated for peace. Can you imagine what that kind of turnaround would look like in today’s world? That’s kind of the point of this show, which encourages people to rest, grieve, and “consider how we can all work towards reconciliation during the dual pandemics of systematic racism and COVID-19.” You can see installations at both WAM and All My Relations Arts, and both venues will host dance performances during the show’s run. RSVP for free tickets and find the entire performance schedule here. Weisman Art Museum’s (333 E. River Rd., University of Minnesota, Minneapolis) show runs through February 5, while events at All My Relations (1414 E. Franklin Ave., Minneapolis) are through December 15. –Jessica Armbruster
We Are Working All the Time
Weisman Art Museum
Polish-born, Minneapolis-based artist Piotr Szyhalski creates posters that look like propaganda. But instead of promoting patriotism, he challenges the status quo, as his pieces proclaim things like, “Seek Truth From Facts,” “Rise Up!,” and “I can’t Breathe. If It’s No Covid, It’s the Police.” Szyhalski has been exploring “extreme historical phenomena” – think wars, labor movements, and protests against bad world leaders – since the ‘90s. In 2020, Szyhalski was set to have a retrospective exhibition at WAM. That show, of course, had to be postponed when the pandemic hit – an extreme historical phenomenon! During that time of lockdown and chaos, he entered another creative era, posting a new hand-drawn poster every day for 225 days. The resulting project, “COVID 19: Labor Camp Report,” was a hit, not just locally but internationally, with many pieces going viral. You can see some of these efforts in “We Are Working All the Time,” an epic exhibition showcasing Szyhalski’s 40-plus years of work, which includes posters, plates, installation, media, and other curious items. 333 E. River Rd., Minneapolis. Through December 31–Jessica Armbruster
