Doors Open, AniMinneapolis, ‘Dick’: This Week’s Best Happenings

Welcome to Event Horizon, your weekly roundup of the best events in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and beyond. 

TUESDAY 5.5

Dick

Parkway Theater

We were just gabbing around the (virtual) Racket office the other day about the (very welcome) proliferation of movie screening clubs in town, and here’s one worth paying attention to. Mille Movie Club is sponsored by/named for Michelle Le Blanc’s locally HQ’d clothing brand, and it has held a few screenings at the Parkway already. Me? I don’t know much about fashion, but I know a little something about Dick, and a recent rewatch confirmed it: Dick holds up. (So to speak.) In retrospect, it’s easy to understand why a teen comedy that required a working knowledge of a then-25-year-old scandal was not exactly a huge hit in 1999 despite two of the best actresses of their generation (Kirsten Dunst and Michelle Williams) cycling through a parade of wonderfully ridiculous period outfits. Is Dan Hedaya the best-ever onscreen Nixon? Possibly. Is Dave Foley the best-ever onscreen H.R. Haldeman? Most definitely. $15. 7 p.m. 4814 Chicago Ave. S., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Keith Harris

FRIDAY 5.8

AniMinneapolis 2026

Hyatt Regency Minneapolis

If you see a guy dressed like Goku roaming around downtown Minneapolis, don’t freak out: He’s just making his way to AniMinneapolis. (Probably.) The festival sets up shop at the Hyatt Regency every year for three days of geekery celebrating Japanese-made video games, anime, manga, and cosplay. There will be hands-on workshops, whether you’re looking for tips on how to get into voice acting, handling a katana, or perfecting your dream fur suit. Voice actors giving panel talks and hosting Q&A sessions include folks from Yuri on Ice!, My Hero Academia, Five Nights at Freddy’s, and Dragon Ball Z. Other scheduled events include a date-night auction, an evening rave, and a cosplay prom, plus there’ll be artist and vendor alleys stacked with talented makers. $40 day pass; $60 weekend; $110 VIP. 1–8 p.m. Fri.; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sat.; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sun. 1300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis; find more info here. Through Sunday—Jessica Armbruster

Arboretum Plant Sale

University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum 

Get in, loser: We’re putting the SUV seats down, laying a tarp, pulling up to Chaska, and loading that motherfucker up with all sorts of flora. The full list of the 2,000+ plants available at this annual sale, a fixture since 1968, is frankly staggering—annuals, perennials, fruits, veggies, herbs, flowers, trees, shrubs. Why, you could say they’ve got everything from abelmoschus esculentus (“Cajun Delight”) to zinnia elegans (“Benary's Giant Deep Red”). Proceeds go to maintaining the U’s 1,200-acre suburban garden, which feels better than giving your bucks to the Menards gardening department. Free but timed tickets are required. 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fri.–Sat. 3675 Arboretum Dr., Chaska; find more info here.—Jay Boller

SATURDAY 5.9

Doors Open

Various Locations

Open Doors is like an open house, but for the city. During the next two days, a variety of spaces will be open for special tours, self-led explorations, and events. Venues include breweries, theaters, music venues, and public works facilities. Visit the Ritz Theater, which is turning 100 this year; make your way through the Metropolitan Council West Meters Odor Control Facility, where you’ll learn where the water goes after you flush your toilet and how they stop it from stinking up the Mississippi River; check out the Minneapolis Club, a historic members-only venue once featured on The Bachelorette; go behind the scenes at KFAI-FM; and gaze upon millions in shredded cash at the Federal Reserve Building. For a complete list of buildings and what the folks who run ‘em will be up to, keep an eye on doorsopenminneapolis.org. Most events are free; some require tickets/RSVPs. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sat.–Sun.—Jessica Armbruster

Open Trails to the Rails

Cedar Lake Trail

What’s one of the least scary ways to bike from the southern ‘burbs (or just south Minneapolis) to the Lyndale farmers’ market or Target Field? The long, flat, car-free stretch known as the Cedar Lake Trail. But it’s been closed since 2019, due in part to never-ending construction of the LRT Green Line extension as well as the old asphalt trail itself needing a little love. Segments have been opening up this season, and that’s something to celebrate. This weekend’s event will focus on the stretch that takes you from Hopkins through St. Louis Park to Uptown (and vice-versa). Festivities include group rides and a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the West Lake Street Station, followed by family-friendly happenings along the trail. While there is still a little bit of construction near the Target Field, Kenilworth Trail has been reopened and getting around the area is easy again. Free. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Cedar Lake Trail, between West Lake Street Station and downtown Hopkins Station; find more info here.—Jessica Armbruster

Minneapolis Sculpture Garden Art Fair

Minneapolis Sculpture Garden

It’s outdoor market season, and this weekend’s art fair offers some of the best views in town. You’ve got sculptures like Spoonbridge and Cherry, skyscrapers in the distance, the Hennepin/Lyndale permanent traffic jam, and, if things repeat from last year, a gal with a sign warning you of eternal damnation. You’re on the fringes of downtown; sometimes it gets a little weird, and that’s part of the charm. Around 200 businesses, artists, and makers will be setting up shop; if you’re looking for a Mother’s Day gift you’ll have plenty of options, including flower-themed vendors in the conservatory area. Add in activities for kids, food trucks galore, and live music, and you have yourself a proper weekend fair. Free. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sat.; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sun. 725 Vineland Place, Minneapolis; find more info here. Through Sunday—Jessica Armbruster

Hopkins Food Truck Festival

Downtown Hopkins

More than 50 food trucks will descend on downtown Hopkins this weekend as the MN Food Truck Festival kicks off its 2026 series. Tacos, burgers, wings, waffles, BBQ, Pronto Pups—there’s something for everyone (and you can check out the full list of participating food trucks here). The fest is dog-friendly, and your attendance helps provide meals for those in need via charity partner Feed My Starving Children. Can’t make it on Saturday? The MN Food Truck Festival will make appearances later this summer in Minneapolis (August 1) and Anoka (August 15). Free. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mainstreet, between 11th Avenue North and Eighth Avenue South, Hopkins; find more info here.—Em Cassel

Open Season 5

Falling Knife Brewing Co.

If you enjoyed Jay’s recent feature about the cover-band boom, you’ll love the live music lineup at Falling Knife’s annual spring social, which includes Kars 4 Skids (the Cars), Permanent Record (Smashing Pumpkins), and Sepultourists (Sepultura). Plus, Karaoke Crime Scene will be on hand for live band punk-rock karaoke. Resident—ahem, wresident—food truck Wrecktangle will be serving slices all day, and it’ll be joined by a host of guest food trucks. Meteor Bar’ll be there serving seltzer cocktails, and of course, there’ll be beer releases and cellar deep cuts, including two new specialty bottles. Free. 1–10 p.m. 783 Harding St. NE, Minneapolis; find more info here.—Em Cassel

Strib Unbound

Theodore Wirth Park

Star Tribune Media Co. seems more and more interested in live events these days which, at least for this Saturday, is good news for city rats who love nature. This iteration of something called “Strib Unbound” will bring a whole day of outdoorsy to-dos to Theo Wirth Park, including bike rides, yoga, hikes, paddling, and fishing. David Huckfelt and Jeremy Ylvisaker are set to supply live music, you’ll hear from three prominent food dudes (Yia Vang, Gustavo Romero, and Nate P. of Shore Lunch fame), kiddos can enjoy a reading from author Mary Casanova, and everyone can experience three live podcast recordings. Podcasting and the great outdoors—a match made in John Muir’s vision of heaven. But seriously, there’s a lot going on (see full itinerary here), and much of it looks enjoyable. Free. 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 1241 Theodore Wirth Pkwy., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Jay Boller 

Mdou Moctar

Fine Line

The Niger-based Moctar is by far the most successful practitioner of the West African style that we’ve all agreed to call Tuareg desert blues for the sake of convenience, and local audiences have had plenty of opportunities to watch him shred with his band. Tonight, however, he’ll be solo, though that doesn’t necessarily mean acoustic. Even on his most recent release, Tears of Injustice, a quieter reimagining of the songs on his previous album, Funeral for Justice, he didn’t set aside his electric entirely. Judging from early tour reports, there’ll be plenty of volume. And while I suspect a rhythm section will be missed, Moctar is a solid enough performer to make up some of the difference. 18+. $32.49. 8 p.m. 318 First Ave. N., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Keith Harris

SUNDAY 5.10

Making Music: Channy Leaneagh

Southern Theater

Did you hear? English radio man Mark Wheat is back—in live-event form! Wheat became a familiar voice to Twin Cities radio listeners in the ‘90s, when he got his start at KFAI and REV 105, and later at 89.3 the Current, where he was one of the founding DJs. He accepted a buyout from MPR in 2020, absconded to Colorado to pursue yoga, and four years ago returned to town with an idea that’s just now taking shape. An old idea, actually. In 2005 Wheat helped organize longform Making Music conversations with musicians at places like The Whole and The Walker, and he’s bringing the concept back in collaboration with the Minnesota Music Archive. Musician/momma Channy Leaneagh of local electropop faves Poliça will serve as guest for this special Mother’s Day installment. Need a Wheat fix this very instant? Revisit his contributions to our oral history of Radio K. $15-$40. 3 p.m. 1420 S Washington Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Jay Boller

Afghan Whigs 

Varsity Theater

With Greg Dulli and his Cincinnati crew celebrating their 40th anniversary as a band, I gotta wonder if any guitar-toting youngsters have recently fallen for the Whigs’ venomous 1993 classic Gentlemen? It’s a galvanizing, unpleasant document, with guitarist Rick McCollum locked into the spot where alt-rock meets hard funk as Dulli explores the nastier side of his sexualized, manipulative, maybe even abusive persona. Coming from Dulli, “Ladies let me tell you about myself/I got a dick for a brain/And my brain/Is gonna sell my ass to you” is both a promise and threat. Always a fan of modern R&B—he used to sneak TLC covers into his set back when that was pretty adventurous—Dulli got even funkier on the follow-up called, erm, Black Love, before label politics fucked the band over. Oh also, he knows Minneapolis enough that he once changed a lyric at First Ave from “Fountain and Fairfax” to “Hennepin and Colfax.” With Mercury Rev. $52+. 6:30 p.m. 1308 Fourth St. SE, Minneapolis; find more info here.—Keith Harris

ONGOING

Art to Change the World Earth Day Exhibit

American Red Cross Headquarters

You know the old saying: One man’s trash is another man’s sculpture of an owl basking in sunlight. At least, that was the idea behind Art to Change the World’s “Mystery Trash Remix,” an artistic reuse-a-thon held last fall that invited artists to turn discarded trash and single-use items into new works of art. Starting today, some of those pieces—made with materials ranging from old potholders to dog toy stuffing to plastic buttons and caps—will be on display at the Red Cross’s regional headquarters for the org’s Earth Day celebration. Free. 1201 West River Pkwy., Minneapolis; find more info here. Through May 6—Em Cassel

“Legacy: The Women of WARM” 

Kickernick Gallery

Fifty years ago, a group of feminists came together in the Warehouse District of Minneapolis with the goal of creating a slideshow registry of Twin Cities women artists. Over the next 15 years WARM (Women’s Art Registry of Minnesota) morphed into a cooperatively run gallery—the largest women’s art collective in the country. After closing the space in 1991, it continued to show work around town and be a resource for local women artists until fully shuttering in 2021. For its 50th anniversary, Kickernick Gallery will host a show reflecting on and highlighting the 73 artists of WARM, its impact, and place in local art history. 430 N. First Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here. Through June 13—Jessica Armbruster 

“Illusive Objects”

Goldstein Museum of Design

Our human eyeballs are not the greatest in the animal kingdom. We can’t see at night like felines, we don’t see for miles like eagles, and reptiles probably detect movement better. But we sure do love looking at stuff. And, when the mood strikes, we especially love looking at stuff that tricks our eyes and our brains, whether it’s a Magic Eye poster, a cake disguised as a grilled steak, or a candle that looks like a bowl of cereal. The Goldstein’s latest show celebrates our appreciation of stuff that looks like other stuff with 50 or so examples from its permanent collection. Items include tricks of texture, like a Schiaparelli dress that looks like bark; tricks of the trade, such as fake designer handbags; and double-take tricks, like kitchenware designed to look like corn. 12 McNeal Hall, 1985 Buford Ave., St. Paul. Through July 2—Jessica Armbruster

“Cats and Dogs in Soviet Art: Workers, Teachers, Friends”

The Museum of Russian Art

Pet obsession is nothing new. Pre-internet, folks were just as into their animals, relying on them for comfort, amusement, and help with everyday work tasks. For this show at TMORA, there’ll be 40 paintings on display celebrating cats, dogs, and other animal companions, as well as a collection of porcelain cat and canine figurines. Stevens Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here. Through July 12—Jessica Armbruster 

FLUID Table Tennis Mondays

Minneapolis Cider Co.

Has Marty Supreme got you wanting to go pro in table tennis yourself? This could be your in. Minneapolis Cider Co. may be known for its pickleball courts, but that’s not the only paddle sport you can play here. On Mondays, Twin Cities Table Tennis takes over the cidery’s Haralson Room. Organizers promise a casual open play-format (nice and lowkey), but add that “games are recorded and tracked through our ratings database” (hmmmm, sounds a lot less lowkey…). Beginners through advanced players are welcome and, on the plus side, there’s no way you can make as many enemies as Marty did in such a short time. $10. 6-10 p.m. 701 SE Ninth St., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Em Cassel