Skip to Content
Events

Freeloader Friday: 62 Free Things To Do This Weekend

Holiday markets, 'Paris is Burning,' and a mega open studio event in northeast Minneapolis.

Artwork by Amy Rice, who can be found at California Dreamin’ in the California Building this weekend.

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.

"Super Charged Printmakers" at Open Casket

FRIDAY

Northeast Fall Art Crawls

Didn’t make it to Art-a-Whirl this year? Or did you go and miss it already? Well you’re in luck, because this weekend pretty much every major artists’ building in Northeast is doing something special before the gift-giving season really cranks up. What to expect? At each stop there will be hundreds of open studios hosting a variety of happenings, including sales, meet-and-greets, special receptions, pop-up shops, and shop-and-sip events. Some places will have food trucks (Solar Arts, Casket), some will boast live music (Casket Arts), some will have coffee (California Building, Casket), some will have beer (Indeed is at Solar!), and others will have a bunch of free workshops and classes (California Building). The general hours for events: 5-10 p.m. Friday; noon to 8 p.m. Saturday; noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. –Jessica Armbruster

The venues:

Art this Way at Solar Art Building, 711 15th Ave. NE, Minneapolis.

Art Attack at Northrup King Studios, 1500 Jackson St. NE, Minneapolis.

Open Casket at Casket Arts, 681 17th Ave. NE, Minneapolis.

Blok-Party at 2010 Artblok, 2010 E Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis.

California Dreaming at the California Building, 3134 California St. NE, Minneapolis.

Art Ache at Grain Belt Bottling, 79 13th Ave. NE, Minneapolis.

Fall in Q.arma at the Q.arma Building, 1224 Quincy St. NE, Minneapolis.

Holland Days at Holland Arts, 607 22nd Ave. NE, Minneapolis.

Thorpe Warp at the Thorpe Building, 1618 Central Ave. NE, Minneapolis.

Paris Is Burning

Free, but it’s recommended you RSVP here. 7 p.m. LUSH Lounge & Theater, 990 NE Central Ave., Minneapolis. 

The Dead Century (album release), Zippo Man

21+. 9 p.m. 331 Club, 331 13th Ave. NE, Minneapolis.

Silent Treatment, Barker, Lifestyle Shakes

8 p.m. White Squirrel Bar, 974 W. Seventh St., St. Paul.

Bato Bato

A student marimba band. 5:45 p.m. Midtown Global Market, 920 E. Lake St., Minneapolis.

Get Up, Stand-Up Comedy Open Mic

Sign up at 6 p.m.; show at 6:30 p.m. Mortimer’s, 2001 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis.

Go Into the Light"

Don't Go Into the Light: New Work by Frank James Meuschke

6:30-9:30 p.m. Rosalux Gallery, 315 W. 48th St., Minneapolis. 

Open Mic Comedy Night

Sign up at 7:30 p.m.; show at 8:30 p.m. Dual Citizen Brewing Company, 725 Raymond Ave., St. Paul.

Friday Night Open Mic

21+. 10 p.m. The Comedy Corner Underground, 1501 S. Washington Ave., Minneapolis.

Moises Salazar

SATURDAY

Moises Salazar: It’s My House

New paintings and sculpture by the Chicago-based artist celebrates queer survival and liberation. 7-10 p.m. HAIR + NAILS, 2222 1⁄2 E. 35th St. Minneapolis.

Sacred Siren Grand Re-Opening & 5 Year Anniversary

Featuring prizes and raffles, art on display in the gallery, pop-up vendors, snacks, mini consultations, and more. 6-9 p.m. Sacred Siren Tattoo & Art Parlor, 1920 Central Ave. NE, Minneapolis.

Juniper Lou Markets’ Vintage & Makers Market

Featuring the opening of the Earl Giles restaurant, distillery, and apothecary, with Hausle Shop, Kollektiv, Mallorie Kushel, Mom & Pop Vintage, Thread Finds, and the Vintage Bowl. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Earl Giles Distillery, 1325 Quincy St. NE, Minneapolis.

Field and Festival

Field & Festival Fall Market

Featuring goods from local farmers, artisan foods, and makers. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through December 18. Wagner Garden Centers, 6024 Penn Ave. S., Minneapolis. 

Market Collective MN Makers Market
Shop from BIPOC and queer vendors and allies. 2-6 p.m.  Indeed Brewing, 711 NE 15th Ave., Minneapolis.

Lovely Dark, whispered the rabbit, Aesha Minor

10 p.m. 331 Club, 331 13th Ave. NE, Minneapolis.

Emmet Kowler for WAC

Free First Saturday: Offerings

Featuring a papel picado (cut-paper design) craft, Día de los Muertos traditions with artist and designer Luis Fitch, author Kao Kalia Yang, and more. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Walker Art Center, 725 Vineland Place, Minneapolis.

Airship Caravan, the Skalectric Company, Through the Kitchen Hole

Pop, ska, rock, and more. 8 p.m. White Squirrel Bar, 974 W. Seventh St., St. Paul.

Kingsview

7 p.m. Inbound BrewCo., 701 N. 5th St., Minneapolis.

ManiFest Small Business Pop-Up Market

A pop-up market featuring over 10 female makers. Noon to 6 p.m. La Doña Cervecería, 241 Fremont Ave. N., Minneapolis.

Holiday Fair Trade Market

2022 Holiday Fair Trade Market

Shop handcrafted or sustainably grown products from more than a dozen fair trade vendors. 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. New Life Presbyterian Church, 965 Larpenteur Ave. W., Roseville.

Hertha Berlin vs Bayern Munich

Sports! Football sports! 9:30 a.m. Brit’s Pub, 1110 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis.

Maple Grove's Holidaze Craft & Gift Expo

Featuring 90+ Minnesota crafters and vendors. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Maple Grove Community Center, 12951 Weaver Lake Rd., Maple Grove.

Yoga at Union Depot

Hosted by Studio 9-to-5. Bring a mat and some water; sign up here. 9 a.m. Union Depot, 214 Fourth St. E., St. Paul.

Farmers’ Markets

Mill City Farmers’ Market

Now outside through October! With local farmers, artisans, ceramics, giftables, food, and more. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mill City Museum, 704 S. Second St., Minneapolis.

St. Paul Downtown Farmers’ Market

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. 20. 290 5th St. E., St. Paul; stpaulfarmersmarket.com.

Transcendental Bluegrass Band

SUNDAY

The Transcendental Bluegrass Band

5:30 p.m. Big River Pizza, 280 Fifth St. E., St. Paul.

Hunny Bear

Funk. 8 p.m. White Squirrel Bar, 974 W. Seventh St., St. Paul.

Corpse Reviver

3 p.m. 331 Club, 331 13th Ave. NE, Minneapolis.

Korean Culture Festival

Featuring K-pop dance performances by MKDC, K-hip hop, and traditional Korean dance performances, Taekwondo demonstrations, a fashion show featuring traditional Korean attire, and more. 1-5 p.m. Mall of America – Huntington Bank Rotunda.

Senior Showcase 

Featuring Middle Eastern dance, Argentine tango, live music, Japanese drumming, poetry and author readings, and jazz. Noon to 2 p.m. Midtown Global Market, 920 E. Lake St., Minneapolis.

Linden Hills Farmers Market

Linden Hills Farmers Market - Extended Season

Featuring live music and a selection of local products. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Settergren of Linden Hills, 2813 W. 43rd St., Minneapolis.

Pop Up @ St. Anthony Main

Minneapolis Craft Market hosts this mega-makers event covering two floors, with coffee from The Get Down Coffee Co. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Machine Shop, 300 Second St. SE, Minneapolis.

Standup Sundays

Hosted by Grant Winkels and Courtney Baka. 7:30 p.m. Fair State Brewing Cooperative, 2506 Central Ave. NE, Minneapolis. 

Open Mic Night

Music, poetry, comedy, whatever is welcome. Sign up at 4:30 p.m. The Cave at Keg and Case Market, 928 W. 7th St., St. Paul.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter