Welcome to Event Horizon, your weekly roundup of the best events in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and beyond.
WEDNESDAY 5.14
MNmicro Film Festival
Marcus West End Cinema
Good to see that Marcus Theatres, which took over the Showplace ICON in St. Louis Park last summer, is continuing the former chain’s commitment to community programming. For two years now, the Twin Cities Film Fest has been presenting a series of one-day “micro” festivals, and the latest iteration of this coincides with Asian American Pacific Islander Month. The fest will present four films and a selection of shorts from filmmakers of that descent. The films are Gift of Grace, The Strangers, River Rats—Part 1, and Hmong Organization, and the event will be hosted by FilmNorth member and producer Laura Fries. Free. 4-7:30 p.m. 1625 West End Blvd., St. Louis Park; find more info here.—Keith Harris
THURSDAY 5.15
Megan Moroney
Armory
Maroney is one of the few gals that country radio currently acknowledges, and if you guessed that means she has to write smarter and sing prettier than the boys while also playing it cute enough that no one’s ego gets bruised, well, ding, ding, ding. Her 2023 debut, Lucky, showcased her witty turns, with Moroney telling a bro it won’t work out “Cause I sleep on my side/And you sleep with everyone” and apologizing to her Georgia fam after falling for a Volunteers fan on “Tennessee Orange.” Though “28th of June” (about a former anniversary that’s now just another day) and “No Caller ID” (don’t answer, Megan!) display her more lovelorn side on her 2024 follow-up Am I Okay, there’s some residual spunk on tracks like “Man on the Moon,” about putting an ex where he belongs. I’ll try not to hold it against her that she had “a little thing” (her words) with Morgan Wallen a few years back. With Charlie Worsham. $296 and up. 8 p.m. 500 S. Sixth St., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Keith Harris
RiffTrax & Friends
Parkway Theater
The ol’ RiffTrax/Mystery Science Theater 3000 gang won’t be riffing on flicks tonight. Bill Corbett, Mary Jo Pehl, and Kevin Murphy will instead host a night of standup and storytelling featuring a murderers' row of funny local guests: Brandi Brown, Shanan Custer, Ben Katzner, Mary Mack, Bryan Miller, John Moe, and Eric Webster. But don’t listen to me! Here’s Corbett’s direct pitch for the Parkway party. Last fall, the RiffTrax team inked a deal with indie streamer Nebula for Saturday Cinema, a weekly program which features wisecracks set to B-movies of yore—you know the drill. All ages. $15/$20; $55 VIP. 7:30 p.m. 4814 Chicago Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Jay Boller
Cheekface
Fine Line
Much as I’ve loved this wry little L.A. band from the start, I didn’t expect them to have so much staying power. But their cleverness hasn’t dimmed on their new album, Middle Spoon, their fifth in seven years (and that’s not counting the five additional EPs). Greg Katz begins with the blunt statement “Cigarettes can kill but if they don’t they make you stronger” and drops talky asides like “We love dust because it is so cool/So of course we can't wait to be it/Dust I mean, not cool.” But for all their smarts and tunes, what keeps these hopelessly online wise guys and gal humming along is that they’re a slick little rhythm machine. I mean gosh, “Military Gum,” featuring McKinley Dixon, is actual rap-rock. With Pacing. $29.06. 8 p.m. 318 N. First Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Keith Harris
FRIDAY 5.16
Art-A-Whirl
Northeast Minneapolis
It’s a major birthday this year: Art-A-Whirl is turning 30. What started as a humble open-studio crawl has morphed into the country’s largest event of its very specific kind. The crowds are big, but so are your options. Once you get here (biking or using a free Metro Transit pass is highly recommended), you’ll find over 100 locations to explore featuring over 1,600 artists. That might sound terrifying, so we recommend you think small. Choose a building (Northrup, California, Grain Belt, Solar, or Casket are great places to start), hop a free trolley to another location (breweries and coffee shops count!), then, if you’re still going strong, make your way to a bar or restaurant (no matter where you are, there will be at least one nearby) offering even more music and art (brewery concert events Whirlygig and Liquid Zoo are both usually free and a good time, and of course there’s always 331 and Grumpy’s). Find more info for AAW online. 5-10 p.m. Fri.; noon to 8 p.m. Sat.; noon to 5 p.m. Sun. Through Sunday—Jessica Armbruster
Midtown Arts and Music Festival
Midtown Global Market
This weekend, Midtown Global Market’s hosting its first-ever Music & Arts Festival. Interactive activities for families and kids include mural painting with Melodee Strong, who’s painted more than 80 murals around the world (including several on Lake Street), along with henna and face painting. There’ll be cooking demos from MGM chefs on Saturday and Sunday, and though there are way too many music and dance performances scheduled for us to name ‘em all, we can at least rattle off a few: Ballet Folklorico, Cole Thomas, Debbie Briggs Jazz Duo, Afrocontigba, Mirah Ammal & Al-Bahira Dance Theater. Free. Noon to 8 p.m. Fri.; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sat.; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sun. 920 E. Lake St., Minneapolis; find more info here. Through Sunday—Em Cassel
Kate Berlant
Fitzgerald Theater
According to promoters, this night of comedic entertainment promises: “An hour of brand-new standup comedy from the people’s clown, Kate Berlant.” She’s truly the best. You might know Berlant, 37, from her hilarious 2022 Peacock sketch special with onetime Racket interviewee John Early, Would It Kill You to Laugh? Or possibly from the two boundary-toying, Bo Burnham-directed standup specials that dropped that same year—Cinnamon in the Wind and Kate. Or, maybe, from her popular Poog podcast that was recently spun off into this similar pod. In any event, here’s Berlant’s earnest Insta pitch to attend this Fitz show; we truly are superior to Rome. $50-$75. 7 p.m. 10 E. Exchange St., St. Paul; find more info here.—Jay Boller
SATURDAY 5.17
Crush-A-Whirl
Turbo Tim’s Anything Automotive Northeast
Perhaps you’re the kind of multitude-containing person who loves art but also loves watching cars get crushed up, demo derby-style? If that’s the case, you’ve gotta get to Crush-A-Whirl, Turbo Tim’s annual car crushing Art-A-Whirl contribution. There’s something for everyone: balloon animals, live magic, face painting, music, burgers from recent RacketCast guests Angry Line Cook, coffee from Misfit. Oh yeah, and art—the Crush-A-Whirl art market runs the length of the event, so you can also pick up new prints, jewelry, or even tiny terrariums. But above all, don’t miss the car crush, which is scheduled for 4 p.m. Free. Noon to 6 p.m. 2823 NE Central Ave., Minneapolis; more info here.—Em Cassel
Twin Cities Bird Festival
Mississippi Gateway Regional Park
If the hourslong screaming session outside my window the past few mornings is any indication, birds are very much back for the season. You can celebrate World Migratory Bird Day with this free festival, which includes several sessions of guided bird walks (including kid-friendly walks at 10:30 a.m. and 1:15 p.m.), a chance to meet live raptors, plus exhibits, activities, raffles, and food trucks. Last time I saw a raptor show I was so overwhelmed by how cool and beautiful the birds were that I cried! So this is a fun opportunity to see if your children are tougher than a 30-something Racket editor. Free. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 10360 W. River Rd., Brooklyn Park; more info here.—Em Cassel
Fortune Feimster
State Theatre
Over the past decade, Feimster has quietly built a powerhouse comedy career. The North Carolinian began as a panelist on Chelsea Lately, broke out with a three-season role on The Mindy Project, and now, at 44, she’s headlining theaters. And hosting a podcast on Sirius XM (What A Joke with Papa and Fortune). And developing (separate) projects with Tina Fey and Steven Spielberg's production company. And starring in her own breakout Netflix comedy special, 2020’s Sweet & Salty, where the gregarious southerner drawls through animated longform bits about growing up gay, the many charms of Hooters, and her slow rise to Hollywood stardom. (Two strong Netflix specials, Good Fortune and Crushing It, have since followed.) Feimster even has a neat local connection, according to this Lavender profile: “Minneapolis has a very special place in my heart, too, because I performed at the Pride on the night it was announced that marriage equality had been passed.” $49-$144. 7 & 9:30 p.m. 805 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis; find more info here.—Jay Boller
Doors Open
Various Locations
Civically curious folks who like to snoop and explore: This festival is for you. Doors Open invites everyone to visit local businesses, theaters, music venues, and public institutions, wandering and learning about areas rarely seen or open to the public. The venue roster for 2025 has been announced, and locations include the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis (last year’s tour included an opportunity to look at $4.7 million in cash), the Elmer L. Andersen Library’s huge underground archives, House of Balls’ ball-inspired arts and oddities, Foshay’s viewing deck and museum, and the Star Tribune’s vast North Loop newspaper printing facility. For a complete list of buildings and what they’ll be up to, keep and eye on doorsopenminneapolis.org. Most events are free; some require tickets/RSVPs. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sat.-Sun. Through Sunday—Jessica Armbruster
Knights & Pints
Boom Island Brewing
Are you ready for Ren Fest? You’re going to have to wait a couple of months before ye olde Shakopee faire returns, but in the meantime Boom Island has a one-day party with renaissance vibes and a (hopefully) less stressful drive to get there. Costumes are encouraged, whether you’re going for historical accuracy, looking for an excuse to bust out the fairy wings, or just feel like dressing like a hobbit. There will be real steel-on-steel battles during the day, with the Twin Cities Wyverns Armored Combat Team throwing down the gauntlet against each other (revisit our feature on ‘em here). A themed vendor market will have wares to explore, and the Loreweavers will play tavern songs in the evening. Special beers will be on tap, and Potter’s Pasties food truck will be stopping by. Free. Noon to 11 p.m. 5959 Baker Rd., Minnetonka.—Jessica Armbruster
SUNDAY 5.18
Al’s Breakfast 75th Anniversary Party
Al’s Breakfast
God willing, there’ll always be Al’s Breakfast. Al Bergstrom opened Al's in 1950, back when railroad workers swarmed Dinkytown for lunch. Since then, the 14-seat, 790-square-foot, cash-only greasy spoon diner has come to resemble the rickety house from Pixar’s Up—an improbable throwback holdout amid a sea of glitzy development. Doug Grina and Jim Brandes purchased Al’s when Bergstrom retired in 1973, and in 2016 they sold it to veteran server Alison Kirwin. "Al's Breakfast itself hasn't changed very much, but Dinkytown since the '90s has changed a lot,” Kirwin, who covered a shift for a friend in 1996 and never looked back, told me for this recent feature on Dinkytown. For its big 75th anniversary bash, Al’s will stage a pancake cookout in the parking lot, followed by a day of memories (Kirwin encourages guests to bring songs, poems, stories, and artifacts related to Al’s) and music (Taylor Donskey, the Summit Hill Brass Quintet, U of MN Alumni Marching Band). In the aforementioned feature, this reporter broke from his typical Cronkite-ian composure and, practically begging, asked Kirwin if Al’s will remain open and changeless forever. “That’s the plan,” she responded with a patient chuckle. Well then! Here’s to at least 75 more years. Free. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. 413 14th Ave. SE, Minneapolis; find more info here.—Jay Boller
ONGOING
Farm Babies’ 25th Anniversary
Minnesota Zoo
You don’t have to wait ‘til fair time to see baby creatures at the Miracle of Birth Center; there are all kinds of adorable minis hanging out in Apple Valley. Now that we’re well into spring, the zoo's farm is bursting with new life, from fuzzy ducklings to fluffy lambs. There will be tiny piglets, ornery little goats, baby calves, and tiny chicks wandering around and doing stuff… cutely. The zoo is celebrating its 25th year of farm babies; it’s raised hundreds of animal infants over that time. Daily opportunities for cuteness overload include meet-and-greet sessions, piglet and chicklet feedings, and baby Clydesdale (!!) photo ops. Free with admission: $19.95-$25.95. 13000 Zoo Boulevard, Apple Valley; mnzoo.org. Through May 18—Jessica Armbruster
“Embracing Fallibility: A Neon Exhibition”
Foci - Minnesota Center for Glass Arts
Humans are imprecise, messy, and flawed, and Brooklyn-based neon/glass artist James Akers wants us to celebrate this. “In today's era of surveillance and automation to enhance business objectives, human fallibilities are often framed in a negative light, to be replaced by seemingly infallible ‘machine intelligence,’” he says. So while neon work is often clean and precise, Akers creates sculptures that are chaotic, haphazard, and, sometimes, even smudged; an overpacked machine with a giant red button or an electric rat’s nest. It’s an absolute mess, and it’s wonderful. 2213 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis; more info here. Through July 19—Jessica Armbruster
"Creation.Story"
All My Relations Arts
For this group show, artists blend the oral histories of the Očhéthi Šakówiŋ (Sioux Nation’s Lakota, Nakota, and Dakota tribes) with the modern-day people, ideas, and language. Think portraits featuring computer tech flourishes or fluffy felt buffalos rendered as collectible figurines. Co-curated by Keith BraveHeart and David Meyer, this touring exhibition changes with each location, inviting local artists to contribute works that make each event gallery specific. Fourteen artists will be showcased here, including James Star Comes Out, Dyani White Hawk, Jaida Grey Eagle, and others. There will be an opening reception this Thursday, May 8, from 6-8 p.m. 1414 E. Franklin Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here. Through July 26—Jessica Armbruster
Under the Canopy
Hook and Ladder
The Hook’s summerlong, pandemic-spawned outdoor series returns this week with 15 excuses to enjoy great music and fresh air while avoiding the sun’s poisonous rays. The jazzy, bluesy, and otherwise rootsy Davina and the Vagabonds kicked things off, and the series wraps up in early August with Dr. Mambo’s Combo paying tribute to two funk/soul powerhouses of the ’70s: Sly & the Family Stone and Rufus featuring Chaka Khan. Between those two dates you can catch Racket faves Vial, soulful rockers Mae Simpson, astute singer-songwriter Chastity Brown, the THC-fueled dance party Doinks N’ Dubstep, a tribute to the Dead’s storied 1977 set at Cornell, and—you guessed it!—much more. 3010 Minnehaha Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here. Through August 8—Keith Harris
