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.
FRIDAY
Fred Abong (Throwing Muses)
WIth guests. 8 p.m. White Squirrel Bar, 974 W. Seventh St., St. Paul.
The Art of Drag
Hosted by Larry Gaga and Rustina Phoenix-Nuttz with performances by Sher DeWealth, Pippin Panic, Blackberry, Esteé Rhettie, Alexandro Rox, Primordial Chaos, and Miss Honesty Jackson, plus guest vendor TIGERRS (Transgender, Intersex, Gender-Expansive Revolutionary Resources & Services). 7-10 p.m. LUSH Lounge & Theater, 990 NE Central Ave., Minneapolis.
Artist Sander Kolodziej
Opening gallery reception with live music from John Forrest and the Model Citizens. 6:30-8:30 p.m. Sociable Cider Werks, 1500 Fillmore St. NE, Minneapolis.
Lab’s Collective Fall Market
A holiday market featuring local businesses, food, and music. 4-8 p.m. Fri.; 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sat. Hennepin Made (Hennepin Made at Glass House), 553 Holden St., Minneapolis.
Olio Vendor Welcome Happy Hour
It’s a vintage party for this month’s guest vendors. With bubbly, NA drinks, live 3-minute portrait sessions with Harper Steinbach. The vendors: Mom & Pop Vintage, twigminn leather goods, and Cynical Fool art. 4-6 p.m. Olio Vintage, 21 Fifth St. NE, Minneapolis.
The Roe Family Singers (20th Anniversary), pine & fire, Molly Brandt
10 p.m. 331 Club, 331 13th Ave. NE, Minneapolis.
Funky Little Shack: Pete Snell Quartet
7-10 p.m. Smack Shack Bloomington, 3801 Minnesota Dr., Minneapolis.
Friday Night Open Mic
21+. 10 p.m. The Comedy Corner Underground, 1501 S. Washington Ave., Minneapolis.
SATURDAY
This Is What You Liked Before
New work by Daniel Buettner. 7-10 p.m. Rosalux Gallery, 315 W. 48th St., Minneapolis.
Día de Muertos
This weekend, La Doña is celebrating Día de Muertos with a variety of things to see and do. The fun actually begins on Friday, when work from local artist Luis Fitch will be on display with limited-edition prints for sale. Then on Saturday, there’s a Día de Muertos market with handmade arts and crafts, Mexican folk dance from Nuestra Lucha, and you can bring photos of your departed loved ones for La Doña’s community altar. Starting at 6 p.m., it’s a Día de Muertos dance party, with Tropical Zone Orchestra (salsa), Guarachas (cumbia), Vhaltta (rock), and DJ Angel. There’s also a calavera contest, face painting, beer releases… honestly, just get down there at some point Saturday, and there’ll be something cool going on. Free during the day; $10 in advance/$15 at the door for live music. Noon to 2 a.m.; 6 p.m. music. La Doña Cervecería, 241 Fremont Ave. N., Minneapolis. Find the full rundown of the day’s events here; tickets are available here.—Em Cassel
Ferm Fest
Featuring a vendor market, demos on fermentation, and info. 2-6 p.m. Buch Hard Seltzer, NE 1121 Quincy St., Minneapolis.
The Roe Family Singers (20th Anniversary), Lucy Michelle
10 p.m. to 1 a.m. 331 Club, 331 13th Ave. NE, Minneapolis.
Early Show with Mother Banjo
1 p.m. White Squirrel Bar, 974 W. Seventh St., St. Paul.
EAR CANDY: VOL. 3
Electronic tunes. 6 p.m. White Squirrel Bar, 974 W. Seventh St., St. Paul.
The Black Mariah Theater
With Time Room, Wish Wash. 9 p.m. White Squirrel Bar, 974 W. Seventh St., St. Paul.
(Welcome to) The Desert of the Reel-to-Reel
A science fantasy exhibition where 12 artists explore analog technologies, machine anatomies, alternate timelines, historical fantasies, and more. 7-10 p.m. With live music by Lilac Fortress. Squirrel Haus Arts, 3450 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis.
Machinery Hill and Datta Hartman
3-5 p.m. Sociable Cider Werks, 1500 Fillmore St. NE, Minneapolis.
Twin Cities Record Show
Shop albums, 45 RPM records, and music memorabilia from the Minneapolis-St. Paul Music Expo. Noon to 4 p.m. Minneapolis Cider Company, 701 SE Ninth St., Minneapolis.
Market Collective Maker’s Markets
Local Vendors and beer. 1-5 p.m. Insight Brewing, 2821 E. Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis.
Prospect Park United Methodist Church Fall Arts & Food Fest
Featuring an artisan sale, breakfast and lunch available for dine in or to-go, fresh, homemade baked goods for purchase. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Prospect Park United Methodist Church, 22 E. Orlin Ave., Minneapolis.
Minnesota Tabletop Market
Meet and shop from local board game makers. Noon to 3 p.m. Broken Clock Brewing Collective, 3134 California St. NE, Minneapolis.
Diwali: Festival of Lights at Midtown Global Market
The Hindu Society of Minnesota presents an afternoon of dancing, live music, and a fashion show. Noon until 3 p.m. Midtown Global Market, 920 E. Lake S., Minneapolis.
Open Studio Saturdays
Open studios, sales, special receptions, and more. Noon to 4 p.m. Northrup King Building, 1500 Jackson St. NE, Minneapolis.
A Handmade Holiday Market
Minneapolis Craft Market hosts local artists and makers. Noon to 5 p.m. Lakes & Legends, 1368 LaSalle Ave., Minneapolis.
Planty Queens and Plantytude Plant Swap
Noon to 2 p.m. Fair State Brewing Cooperative, 2506 Central Ave. NE, Minneapolis.
Manchester City FC vs. Bournemouth (PL)
10 a.m. Brit's Pub, 1110 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis.
Beauty from Ashes
Join Kelly Frankenberg and Barbara Bridges for the latest exhibition in Nikki McComb’s Art is My Weapon project, where artists make pieces using gun parts from a Minneapolis gun buy-back program. 3-6 p.m. 9 Mile Gallery, 7777 Washington Ave. A, Edina.
Free First Saturday
Featuring art kits, activities, film screenings, and more. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Walker Art Center, 725 Vineland Place, Minneapolis.
Funky Little Shack: The Riffin’ Trio
7-10 p.m. Smack Shack Bloomington, 3801 Minnesota Dr., Minneapolis.
RHX
Cover tunes, from AC/DC to Led Zeppelin. 7:30 p.m. Excelsior Brewing Company, 421 Third St., Excelsior.
Farmers Markets
Field and Festival Holiday Market
Another Minneapolis Craft Market jam, with local farmers, foodies, and artists. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sat.-Sun. through Dec. 17. Wagners Garden Center, 6024 Penn Ave. S., Minneapolis.
Minneapolis Farmers Market
Possibly the city’s largest and most popular market, with hundreds of vendors weekly. 9 a.m. to noon Sat.-Sun. through Dec. 30, plus Jan. 6 and 20, Feb. 3 and 17, March 2 and 16, and Apr. 6, 13, 20, 27, and 28. 312 E. Lyndale Ave. N., Minneapolis; mplsfarmersmarket.com.
Bachman's Winter Farmers Markets
This indoor market includes seasonal goods, music, and food. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Bachman's Apple Valley, 7955 150th St. W., Apple Valley; Bachman's Eden Prairie, 770 Prairie Center Dr., Eden Prairie.
Lowertown Farmers Markets
Lowertown’s pride and one of the state’s largest markets. 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays; 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays. Through Nov. 19. 290 5th St. E., St. Paul; stpaulfarmersmarket.com.
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.
SUNDAY
Reflections on Reality
Art collectors Gabe and Yvonne Weisberg discuss their collection, which focuses on Belgian and French Realists (1830-1930). Get your free tickets here bit.ly/3s4ZoQN. 2 p.m. Minneapolis Institute of Art, 2400 Third Ave. S., Minneapolis.
Ghost Notes Fall Music Block Party
A beer-free brewery? That’s the idea today at Bauhaus, where mental health nonprofit Dissonance will host a block party that promises “a hangover-free guarantee.” There’ll be NA beer and cocktails, of course, as well as a stacked lineup of local musicians: Surge & the Swell, the debut of Favourite Girl, hip-hop standout MaLLy, and reliably great rockers Rogue Valley. (Ambient artist Jason Chaffee will offer sensory breathers in a designated “calm zone.”) Click here to read Dissonance discussing the importance of sober events with a couple of Bauhaus bros, and revisit our boozeless colleague Keith writing long on different approaches to sobriety here. Free. 1-6:30 p.m. Bauhaus Brew Labs, 1315 Tyler St. NE, Minneapolis; find more here.—Jay Boller
Old St. Anthony Holiday Bazaar
Yep, yet another event by Minneapolis Craft Market. With two floors of shopping and music. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Machine Shop, 300 2nd St SE, Minneapolis.
Twin Cities Synthwave Meetup
2-5 p.m. Bauhaus Brew Labs, 1315 Tyler St. NE, Minneapolis.
Brass Messengers
7 p.m. 331 Club, 331 13th Ave. NE, Minneapolis.
Corpse Reviver
3 p.m. 331 Club, 331 13th Ave. NE, Minneapolis.
Tiny Daggers
With Luddgang, Les Deux Magots. 8 p.m. White Squirrel Bar, 974 W. Seventh St., St. Paul.
The Toolbox Collective Makers’ Market
Featuring a dozen vendors, including Cool Trash. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Toolbox Collective, 3400 42nd Ave. S., Minneapolis.
The Warmup Beer Garden
Vikings pregame features draft beer from Indeed Brewing, food from Giulia, live music with appearances from DJ Mad Mardigan, a Bloody Mary bar, lawn games, and more. 9 a.m. to noon. Hotel Emery, 215 Fourth St. S., Minneapolis.
Varsity Gaymes
Weekly event features spots on TVs, beer pong, and other bar games. 2 p.m. LUSH Lounge & Theater, 990 NE Central Ave., Minneapolis.
FARMERS MARKETS
Northeast Minneapolis Farmers Market
It’s an indoor market with eats and artisans. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 5, Dec. 3, Jan. 7, Feb. 4, Mar. 3, Apr. 14. Quincy Hall, 1325 Quincy St NE, Minneapolis