Welcome to Event Horizon, your weekly roundup of the best events in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and beyond.
MONDAY 1.12
Minnesota Ice Castle
Minnesota State Fairgrounds
We’re talking about the good kind of ice here, which has been stacked, packed, and shaped into whimsical creations. The fairgrounds isn’t just the home of the Great Minnesota Get-Together; the site hosts festivals, showcases, and expos year-round. Winter is an especially busy time. Next week, it will welcome Saint Paul Winter Carnival revelers with all kinds of things to see and do. But first we’ve got an ice castle, which will endure through February—weather permitting. Icy things to explore include caverns, giant slides, tiny secret passageways, and twinkling trails filled with lights. There will also be a polar pub serving up warm drinks, snowtubing, live music nights, and ice sculptures created by artists both local and international. Reservations are required; find dates, times, and tickets at icecastles.com/minnesota. $13-$26. Thu.-Mon. 1265 Snelling Ave. N., St. Paul. Through February 21—Jessica Armbruster
Follow the Rain
Parkway Theater
If there was ever a municipality that could sell out the premiere of a hyped mushroom documentary, it’s Minneapolis, the greatest city on Earth. That’s the case this week with Follow the Rain, a film that follows fungi hunters Stephen Axford and Catherine Marciniak as they “trace the rain’s path through ancient forests and deserts—capturing stellar time-lapse footage and uncovering fungi both bizarre and breathtaking.” It’s all backed by an original score courtesy of Romano Crivici and Carla Thackrah, and demand is so high that the Parkway added a second screening Tuesday. (Again, greatest city on Earth.) These local premiere screenings are presented by our buddies at the Minnesota Mycological Society, whose members can score discounted tix. $12-$20. 7:30 p.m. Mon.-Tue. 4814 Chicago Ave, Minneapolis; find more info here. Also Tuesday—Jay Boller
TUESDAY 1.13
World Snow Celebration
Lowell Park
We love a giant pile of snow here in Minnesota. Remember Mt. Eden Prairie? The 40-foot hill in the Kohl’s parking lot in Bloomington? What about the car that got trapped in that snow bank at 38th & Cedar? If snow spectacles are your thing, the World Snow Celebration is going to blow your mind. Teams from around the world (Thailand! England! Mongolia! India! Canada!) will convene to create incredible (and very temporary) works of art. Watch them sculpt live and wonder at the resulting pieces. The festival will also include an open skate rink, food, and places to warm up. 201 Water St. N., Stillwater; find more info here. Through January 25—Jessica Armbruster
THURSDAY 1.15
Melvin Gibbs
Berlin
Melvin Gibbs’s CV alone would take up more space than I’m allotted for a simple preview blurb. To keep it brief: Bassist Gibbs, as a student of Ornette Coleman’s harmolodic technique, began playing jazz-funk in drummer Ronald Shannon Jackson’s Decoding Society alongside Vernon Reid in the ’80s before joining Sonny Sharrock’s band. His current regular projects include Body Meπa, which (despite its Ornettish name) updates early ’70s Miles Davis for a world steeped in modern ambient (and that doesn’t mean quiet), as well as Harriet Tubman, which updates even earlier ’70s Miles for a world don’t listen to A Tribute to Jack Johnson often enough (and that doesn’t mean derivative). Last year, Gibbs released Amasia: Anamibia Sessions 2, which revisits yet another era of ’70s Miles (there are so many, and they are all inexhaustible), enlisting Pete Cosey, the guitarist whose wah-wah excursions made Miles’s 1974 live album, Dark Magus, among his most bracing. (Cosey died in 2012, which gives you an idea how long Gibbs has been working on that album.) Tonight, Gibbs will present what’s being billed as a “live remix” of Amasia, and if you saw Harriet Tubman blow the roof off Icehouse in 2022, you know not to miss it. DJ and musician Yonci, who recently became the new music director of Jazz88, will perform both before and after. $20/$25. 7:30 p.m. 204 N. First St., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Keith Harris
FRIDAY 1.16
A Tribute to Dolly Parton
Fine Line
Here you come again, Faith Boblett’s annual tribute to the most universally popular woman in country music. (Willie holds the men’s title, and Dolly might win in a head-to-head matchup.) Ms. Parton turns 80 on Monday the 19th and, as has been customary for several years now, some of the most talented ladies in Twin Cities music are stepping up to celebrate. If you’ve been to ringleader Boblett’s annual high-spirited tribute to Shania Twain, you’ll have a good idea of what to expect (though maybe just a little less line-dancing). The lineup includes Molly Brandt, Laura Hugo, Jaedyn James, Ailea Jones, Dahlia Jones, Sarah Morris, Savannah Smith, Maddie Thies, and anni xo, as well as “special surprise guests.” They’ll be backed as always by the always versatile musicians in A Little Too Short to Be Stormtroopers. And here I go… 18+. $18. 8 p.m. 318 N. First Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Keith Harris
SATURDAY 1.17
Art Shanty Projects
Lake Harriet
Historically, it’s the Winter Carnival that gets all the national attention. But the Art Shanties are the Twin Cities’ most iconic cold weather event. For over 20 years artists, scientists, musicians, and dreamers have set up shop on a frozen lake, inviting folks to immerse themselves in a wonderland of artsy ice fishing shanties. “We are very fortunate to foster an incredibly loving and kind, aware and engaged community of artists and organizers, and we find our role in this moment to be offering nourishment—a space to gather and see each other,” a recent Instagram post states on the current political climate. “We are here for you. We stand with you.” This year, they’ll foster that community via 20 shanties and a variety of free-roaming creatives. Shanties include the Beaver Shanty, where you will become a beaver and learn about their ways; the Free Store Shanty, where you can donate warm items or take something with you; and Medusa (Club Med), a dance shanty where you can get your groove on. There will also be yoga sessions, square dancing, an art bike parade, poetry readings, and other interactive happenings during each weekend. Free; $10-$20 suggested donation. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sat.-Sun. 4135 W. Lake Harriet Pkwy., Minneapolis; find more deets at artshantyprojects.org. Through February 8—Jessica Armbruster
First Avenue’s Best New Bands
First Avenue
As always, January serves up the ultimate one-stop-shop for aging and/or lazy stay-at-homes who want to hear what’s happening in local music without hitting the clubs every night. Young alt-pop artists Mother Soki and Sophie Hiroko you may have read about last year in our Picked to Click poll. Sallyforth may be known to you as Yonder, the name they were using when we covered them for Poised to Pop last February. Ryan Kemp, who worked with Afrobeats projects including Libianca in the past, takes a new direction with the insinuating indiepop of Chutes, which released the Nothing’s Growing in the Yard EP last month. Since relocating to Minnesota, the Chicago-born rapper GR3G has made himself right at home with his EP Children of the Hood, winning a 2025 Cedar Commissions grant. Musician LASALLE has yet to record a full album, but you can hear soulful and tuneful cuts like “That Was the Moment,” perfect for the early days of VH1, here. The warm, rootsy Maygen & the Birdwatcher released The Americana Dream last year—my favorite cut playfully struggles to find a rhyme for “Rhododendron” (thank you, spell check.) You sure don’t have to be an aging and/or lazy stay-at-home to appreciate that lineup. $15. 7 p.m. 701 N. First Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Keith Harris
WrestleVérité: "Seeing Red"
Hopkins Center for the Arts
The “Red” referenced by this newish, locally based pro wrestling operation? You guessed it: Expect “blood, violence, and hardcore wrestling,” WrestleVérité warns, adding that parental discretion is advised. This evening’s card features WV champ Drew Dillon "FINALLY" stepping into a ladder match with Salem Lasher and Matthias, plus a no-rope barbed wire "concrete hell match" between Jason Rage and Tommy Trainwreck, and a fight between Celtic Wolf and A.T. Rude. Who says the sleepy 'burbs lack proper violence? All ages. $20-$25. 6:30 p.m. 1111 Mainstreet, Hopkins; find more info here.—Jay Boller
Powderhorn Art Sled Rally
Powderhorn Park
According to its official website, this is the 974th Art Sled Rally. Now, I’m no historian, but I have my doubts that this annual event has been around since 1051. And, as we saw at last week’s ICE protest, those hills know how to show people a good time, even if they’re there to fight fascism. This weekend, stakes should be more joyful, as neighbors, artists, friends, and family come together after creating big ol’ art sleds and other awkward contraptions that they send down a hill in hopes of reaching the bottom. Free. 2-4 p.m. 3400 15th Ave. S., Minneapolis; find more info at artsledrally.com.—Jessica Armbruster
Book Fair for Adults
Inbound BrewCo
I’m still pretty proud of this headline from July, “A New Way to Get Lit at Twin Cities Breweries,” which, of course, referred to literature—there are so many book events at breweries these days. This one at Inbound takes place almost a year after the brewery’s first Book Fair for Adults, which was so popular that “people were lined up before we even opened, down the block,” Inbound’s Rachel Silberman told us last year. This time around, vendors include Avant Garden, Black Garnet Books, Once Upon a Crime, Wild Rumpus, and more. Free. Noon to 6 p.m. 701 N. Fifth St., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Em Cassel
Halfway to Pride
Brühaven Craft Co.
To quote the great Bon Jovi, “Woah-ohh! We're halfway there.” There, of course, refers to Twin Cities Pride, the annual queer celebration in Loring Park (though we’re not sure if that’s what JBJ was referring to). This gathering at Brühaven will feature drag bingo, a drag meat raffle, and early announcements about Pride 2026, as well as assistance registering for the festival and parade this June. No time like now to get ready: It’s only six months away. Free. 2-6 p.m. 1368 La Salle Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Em Cassel
SUNDAY 1.18
Curling on Tap
Forgotten Star Brewing
“Learning to curl” is a birthright bucket list aspiration for Minnesotans. But it’s an easy one to kick down the road, not unlike… the big puck thing… that… curlers kick? How do they get it moving down the ice, is it kicking? Answers to that question and more will be fielded at Forgotten Star by Curling Connections owner Jill Aitchison, who’s hosting a series of free intro classes on one of the “most welcoming, social sports around.” (The 2026 Winter Olympic Games, which kick off February 6, serve as the obvious time-peg; the U.S. team, per usual, is loaded with Minnesotans.) In addition to learning how to curl, participants will receive instruction on “broomstacking”—aka the drinking, eating, and bullshitting that coincides with the sport. Slots for this week’s Curling on Tap sesh are waitlisted at the moment, but, if nothing else, this blurb is a worthwhile reminder that Forgotten Star boasts beautiful outdoor curling rinks all winter long. Free; registration required. 3 p.m. 38 Northern Stacks Dr., Fridley; find more info here.—Jay Boller
ONGOING
Winter Warm-Up
U.S. Bank Stadium
U.S. Bank Stadium needs money. In May, the Vikes encouraged lawmakers to set aside $20 million in pull-tab revenue for stadium upkeep. And, according to a 2023 report, the venue is gonna eat up at least $280 million from a variety of sources over the next decade. Someone’s gotta pay for those incoming dystopian fences and upgraded box seats, right? U.S. Bank’s side hustle, Winter Warm-Up, isn’t gonna cover it all, but it sure is a nice chunk of bonus change. Most Tuesdays and Thursdays, the stadium turns into a track where you can walk, jog, or inline skate. At the ol’ Metrodome, this kinda thing used to be free, but we’re living in 2026 America, and walking through those stadium doors is gonna cost us plebs a pretty penny. But hey, it’s a thrill that’s around the same price as a movie ticket, and that view from the makeshift “track” is pretty neat. $14.71. 5 to 9 p.m. Tue. & Thu. 401 Chicago Ave., Minneapolis; RSVP here. Through January 22—Jessica Armbruster
“Dyani White Hawk: Love Language”
Walker Art Center
Wisconsin-born Minnesota resident Dyani White Hawk got a major survey covering 15 years of work at the Walker Art Center last fall. Mostly working in abstraction, she explores her Lakota and European heritage using a variety of media. For “Love Language,” White Hawk’s work is arranged in sections, starting with paintings and quill- and beadwork, shifting to video installations featuring Indigenous languages and large-scale photography, and concluding with recent and new works of glass mosaics and beaded sculpture. 725 Vineland Place, Minneapolis; walkerart.org. Through February 15—Jessica Armbruster
Winter SKOLstice
Viking Lakes
The Vikings might train out here, but all you have to do is hang out. This winter, Viking Lakes is hosting a variety of wintertime things to do. During the holidays, there’s the Magic of Lights, a drive-thru holiday lights trail. Other festive things include weekly visits from Santa, free Christmas movie nights, and bingo sessions, as well as live music and lots of games on the big screen. There’s also a free skating rink with open skate hours (bring skates or rent them onsite) and a warming house with hot drinks. Many events are free; some are ticketed. Check online to RSVP. 2685 Vikings Circle, Eagan; find more info here. Now through February 22—Jessica Armbruster
Night Trains
Twin City Model Railroad Museum
Night—and I cannot emphasize this enough—Trains! This seasonal show at Twin City Model Railroad Museum is a winter wonderland of miniatures. The lights are turned down low, and everything has a warm glow as the vintage engines chug around their tiny landscape. It’s incredibly cute, wholesome winter fun, and while the trains typically run on Saturdays, there are bonus nights throughout January. $15, free for children ages 4 and under. 3-7 p.m. 668 Transfer Road, Ste. 8, St. Paul; find more info here. Saturdays through February—Em Cassel
