Freeloader Friday: 80 Free Things To Do 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. For our picks of the week's best events, cost be damned, click here.

FRIDAY

Schmidt Spring Art Crawl

Part of the the Saint Paul Art Crawl, features open studios, sales, parties, and more with 75 artists, artisans, and makers, plus Buna Coffee Cart and Egg Roll Queen and Red Rocket Pizza food trucks. 6-9 p.m. Fri.; noon to 7 p.m.  Sat.; noon to 5 p.m. Schmidt Artists’ Lofts, 900 - 876 West Seventh St., St. Paul.

Saint Paul Art Crawl

While Art-A-Whirl in Minneapolis packs everything into three days, sleepy St. Paul takes a more chill approach, spreading its big crawl across multiple neighborhoods over several weekends. Now in its 33rd year, this celebration of creatives features open studios, parties, performances, tours, demonstrations, and more at over 40 galleries, collectives, and pop-up spaces, showcasing over 350 artists working in just about every medium imaginable. Last week offered events across four neighborhoods (Summit-Grand, West Side, Merriam Park, Little Mekong Cultural District), this week keeps it relatively simple with happenings along West Seventh and Cathedral Hill (including the Schmidt Spring Art Crawl), and the final week is an outright blowout, with things planned throughout downtown, Lowertown, Como, Payne-Phalen, and Raymond Station. Whew! It’s all free, and while hours vary by venue, in general each weekend they are: 6-10 p.m. Fri.; noon to 8 p.m. Sat.; noon to 5 p.m. Sun. Find more details at ​​stpaulartcollective.org. Through April 28—Jessica Armbruster 

Market Collective MN’s Art & Craft Market 

Featuring 11 artists. 5-10 p.m. Büch Fermentary Taproom, 1121 Quincy St NE, Minneapolis.

sinatra to slayer: A Variety of Video & Vinyl

21+. 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. Dusty's Bar,  1319 Marshall St. NE, Minneapolis. 

Bicycle Day Group Ride

Meet at Angry Catfish Bicycle Shop and Coffee Bar for a friendly ride to Wild Mind Ales (6031 Pillsbury Ave., Minneapolis), which is releasing a Bicycle Day Grapefruit Radler. Angry Catfish will also be offering free bike safety checks in the taproom from 4-8 p.m. Meet at Angry Catfish at 6:30 p.m. for the group ride. Angry Catfish Bicycle Shop and Coffee Bar, 2900 E. 42nd St., Minneapolis.

Lines & Landmarks 

Featuring work by Mike Jones, Isaiah Okongo, and Soon-Wai Wongexploring depictions of physical structures and architectural landscapes. 6-9 p.m. Fresh Eye Gallery, 4238 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis.

Luke Callen

With Old Pup. 8-11 p.m. White Squirrel Bar, 974 W. Seventh St., St. Paul.

Marsgarb, Colonel Mustard’s Orchestre Mecanique

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

Taylor Swift Trivia

Featuring free friendship bracelet making, listening party of the new album, and trivia. 6-10 p.m. Forgotten Star Brewing, 38 Northern Stacks Dr., Fridley. 

Bunside Market

Vintage and handmade items. 2-7 p.m. Fri.; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sat.-Sun. 2756 Hennepin Ave. S., Minneapolis.

A Wake in the Current

A collection of 40+ poems and paintings from writer Kyle Feldman and visual artist Jon Reischl. 4-8 p.m. Viewpoint Gallery, 595 Hamline Ave. N., St. Paul.

Rich Mattson & the North Stars

With Rob the Carpenter. 8-11:30 p.m. Schooner Tavern, 2901 27th Ave. S., Minneapolis.

30 Days of Biking

The premise is simple: For the month of April, hop on your bike once a day and go somewhere. It doesn’t have to be a big deal—once around the block counts—but the idea is to get into the habit of riding and enjoying the world around you via bicycle. The 30-day challenge started as a Minnesota thing, but quickly became a worldwide phenomenon, with folks from around the globe pledging to participate. Here in town, there’s usually a variety of events throughout the month, including weekly rides with the Joyful Riders Club. Watch the org’s Facebook page for updates on group rides, and sign up for the challenge at 30daysofbiking.com. Through April 30—Jessica Armbruster

A Red Herring

An original comedic noir created by Cahoot?! Physical Theatre. It’s free, but reservations are recommended. 7:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat.; 2 p.m. Sun. St. Croix Festival Theatre, Franklin Square Black Box, 125 N Washington St., St. Croix Falls, WI. Through April 21

Faydra Lagro

7-10 p.m. Steele & Hops, 2800 39th Ave. NE, St. Anthony. 

Friday Night Open Mic

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

SATURDAY

Modist’s 8-Bit Anniversary Party

For its eighth b-day party, North Loop brewhall Modist is leaning heavily into the 4/20 holiday by appealing to the inner stoner skater kid inside all of us (you know he’s in there!). In the taproom, folks will find a selection of arcade games, special beer and THC releases, and tunes from Mike Davis and Boombox. Starting around 5 p.m. it’s a skater gathering in their new(ish) event space. After Hours Skate Shop will be setting up with skate videos and a killer live music lineup featuring Crush Scene, Black Widows, and Gay Witch Abortion. Outside and in the warehouse? Well, that’s where you’ll find a THC market of sorts, with glass-blowing demos and local companies selling their wares. Other things on wheels at this party: food trucks and a beer truck offering even more beer. Free. Noon to midnight. Modist Brewing Company, 505 N. Third St., Minneapolis.—Jessica Armbruster

420 Party

Featuring music from Smokin’ Joe, sampling, freebies, a 42.0% discount, and more. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. In-Dispensary, 250 Second Ave. S., Minneapolis.

Powderhorn 4:20

The Powderhorn 24—a 24-hour alleycat race-slash-community hang in South’s Powderhorn neighborhood—hasn’t happened for several years now. (Since the pandemic? My old brain struggles to remember.) In any case, it’s coming back in 2024… sort of. The Powderhorn 4:20 will be a 4 hour, 20-minute long bike race that, like its daylong antecedent, finds cyclists completing as many laps as possible before time runs out. Register here, individually or as part of a team, and head to Venture Bikes on the Greenway this Saturday to ride, party, and pay homage to one of Minneapolis’s most iconic annual cycling events. Free. 2 p.m. Venture Bikes, 1000 Midtown Greenway, Minneapolis; more info here.—Em Cassel

Vintage Market

Shop vintage from local shops. With Parlor food truck stopping by. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Disco Death Records, 721 W. 26th St., Minneapolis.

Minneapolis Makers Market & Bar Hop

Malls? Pffft. These days you can do your window shopping at bars and brew pubs. For this spring installment of the Minneapolis Markers Market, you can shop from upcyclers, candle makers, jewelry artists, print artists, foodie artisans, soap makers, and so much more. We’re talking over 60 local businesses and artists in total. Visit all four stops or pick one or two and hang while enjoying a drink. Free. 1-6 p.m. Participating venues include: Indeed Brewing Co., 711 NE 15th Ave.; Padraigs Brewing, 945 Broadway St. NE; Tattersall Distilling, 1620 NE Central Ave. #150; Dashfire Distillery, 1620 Central Ave. NE Dock #10.—Jessica Armbruster

Kaleidoscope Makers’ Market

The Market Collective MN hosts this event featuring 10 makers. Noon to 5 p.m. Inbound Brewing, 701 N. Fifth St., Minneapolis.

Record Store Day & 47th Anniversary

Featuring tunes from Chad Erickson & The Untimely, All The Pretty Horses, and July Fighter. 1-3 p.m. Know Name Records, 6009 Portland Ave., Minneapolis.

Record Store Day at Electric Fetus

Featuring rare and exclusive releases, five guest DJs including Jack Rudh and Bad Bad Hats, live music from Durry outside, El Burrito Mercado food truck, coffee and donuts from Dabbler Depot, THC beverages for sale,  and more. 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Electric Fetus, 2000 S. Fourth Ave., Minneapolis.

Record Store Day at Barely Brothers Records

Featuring shopping and tunes all day from The Adam Linz Quartet Minus One Linz, Murray and Hey; Institutional Green, The de'Lindas, Chickaboom & Troglodyte, Muun Bato, and The 99'ers. Noon to 6 p.m. Barely Brothers Records, 783 Raymond Ave., St. Paul.

Record Store Day 2024

Featuring sales, freebies, and tunes from Thee Mod Garage at noon. 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Hymie's Records, 3820 E. Lake St., Minneapolis. 

Record Store Day
Here’s a complete list of participating Minnesota stores if you’re looking to make multiple stops today.

Breakwall

New prints by Dan and Lee Ross explore the push and pull of human planning and natural intervention. 2-5 p.m. Groveland Gallery, 25 Groveland Ter, Minneapolis.

Misfit Market 420 

Featuring upcyclers, weed people, glassworkers, and more. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Misfit Coffee, 207 N. Humboldt Ave., Minneapolis.

Pryes Paradise Music Fest

Featuring tunes from Mae Simpson, New Primitives, The Black Atlantics, Sleeping Jesus, Dani Erin, and Emmy Woods. Noon to midnight. Pryes Brewing Company, 1401 W. River Rd. N., Minneapolis.

The Great Minnsect Show

Folks, there’s no bigger date on the U of M Department of Entomology’s calendar than today. And, to hear department head Dr. Sujaya Rao tell it, the Great Minnsect Show gives curious and/or adventurous Minnesotans their best opportunity to eat bugs. She knows a thing or two about chomping insects, having presented the TEDx Minneapolis talk “Why We Should All Eat Bugs.” (We chatted with Dr. Rao last week, and she reported she’s baking batches of her famous cricket brownies for the bug, er, sorry, big event.) Beyond sampling tiny critters, the family-friendly bug bash will feature live insects, insect-themed games, crafts, prizes, and educational talks from the region's top entomologists. Channel your inner Timon and Pumbaa and get on down to the St. Paul campus. Free. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. U of M St. Paul Student Center, 2017 Buford Ave., St. Paul; find more info here.—Jay Boller

‘80s Rooftop Dance Party

21+. 7 p.m. Up-Down Minneapolis, 3012 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis.

Is thing On?, Lazy Scorsese, Grand Couriers

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

Altruit

With Lo Mismo, Jason Probst. 9 p.m. White Squirrel Bar, 974 W. Seventh St., St. Paul.

Pop Wagner Tavern Trio

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

Mammoth Moth

With Railroad Island. 1 p.m. White Squirrel Bar, 974 W. Seventh St., St. Paul.

Clothing Swap

Hosted by Zero Waste MN. Noon to 2 p.m. Tare Market, 945 Broadway St. NE, Minneapolis.

Earth Day Cleanup

Generally during the winter, the piles of trash around the Twin Cities are covered in snow; they won’t reappear until it melts each spring, along with tulips and tree buds. But this warm, snowless winter provided no such reprieve—perhaps you too noticed far more trash along the roadways this year, with no snow cover providing a false sense of clean. We’re sick of looking at filth, in other words, and this year’s annual Earth Day cleanup can’t come soon enough. There are 44 park sites hosting volunteer cleanup efforts in Minneapolis, from Armatage to Webber (9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.). No need to register, or to BYO anything, just show up and grab the provided trash bag and gloves. Same deal in St. Paul: Find a site, pick up your materials, and get ready to beautify the neighborhood (9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.).—Em Cassel 

Spring Litter Outta Lyndale

Beautify the neighborhood in honor of Earth Day. 10 a.m. Lyndale Neighborhood Association (LNA), 3537 Nicollet Ave. S., Minneapolis.

Earth Day Community Resource Fair & Clean-Up

Help with the Bethune Park clean-up from 9:30 a.m. to noon, followed by a Community Resource Fair from 1 to 3 p.m. Phyllis Wheatley Community Center, 1301 N. 10th Ave., Minneapolis.

Earth Day Clothing SwapBring your gently used items and take something new (to you) home. Score free tickets to this event here. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Live TV Events, 2409 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis.

Wonderlands: Occupying the Space Between Whimsy and Mystery

Last call for the closing reception for Michael Lizama’s stained glass exhibition. 1-3 p.m. Foci MN Center for Glass Arts, 2213 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis.

ArtJuice 4/20

A makers’ market with live music. Noon to 5 p.m. Pizza Luce Seward, 2200 E. Franklin Ave., Minneapolis.

Kids Yoga and Music Class

Featuring a kids’ storytime and yoga at 10:30 a.m., followed by Rockin' Robins Music and Movement Class at 11 a.m. Midtown Global Market, 920 E. Lake St., Minneapolis.

Tyler Herwig

7-10 p.m. Steele & Hops, 2800 39th Ave. NE, St. Anthony. 

Odd Market Fun 20

Featuring local artists, zines, baked goods, and more. Noon to 4 p.m. Odd Mart, 2520 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis.

Spring Craft Fair

10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Edgcumbe Recreation Center, 320 Griggs St. S., St. Paul.

Co-Op Kidsfest

A kids’ fest at a brew pub? Yes, sometimes dreams come true, imbibing parents. This weekend, Broken Clock—one of Racket's picks for the best kid-friendly breweries in the Twin Cities—will be stacked with kiddo-approved things to do all while their taps will be fired up and ready to go. Activities include karate/self defense demonstrations, local children’s authors sharing and reading from recent works, make-and-take crafts for all ages, and folks from the Minneapolis Library and Parks and Rec teams. There will also be facepainting, visits from superheroes, kid karaoke, and more. Free. Noon to 4 p.m. Sat.-Sun. Broken Clock Brewing Collective, 3134 California St. NE, Minneapolis.—Jessica Armbruster

sinatra to slayer: A Night of ‘90s Pop and Alternative Rock

With DJ Crooked Zebra. 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Apostle Supper Club, 253 Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul.

St. Dominic’s Trio

8-11:30 p.m. Schooner Tavern, 2901 27th Ave. S., Minneapolis.

Open Mic Comedy

7:30-10 p.m. The Joint, 913 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis. 

Mill City Farmers Market

Local farmers, artisans, makers, and artists convene here. More info at: millcityfarmersmarket.org. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mill City Museum, 704 S. Second St., Minneapolis.

Lowertown Winter Farmers Markets

Lowertown’s pride and one of the state’s largest markets. 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays. 290 5th St. E., St. Paul; stpaulfarmersmarket.com.

SUNDAY

2024 Food Truck Kick Off

One of the best signs of spring? The return of food trucks. And you don’t have to work downtown to find a few good ones parked in one spot. Throughout the spring and summer, you only need to find this church parking lot, where 25 or so trucks will be parked and serving up eats. We’re talking about grilled corn, fresh waffles, BBQ, pierogi, samosas, and egg rolls from the Egg Roll Queen. Speaking of which, if you’re a fan of egg rolls you’ll want to stop by in June for the group’s Eggroll Festival, where vendors will be serving up 40 varieties of ’em. Check out the full lineup here. Free. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church, 1669 Arcade St., St. Paul.—Jessica Armbruster

The Mill City Reading Series

Students in the U of MN MFA in Creative Writing share recent work. 5 p.m. Magers & Quinn, 3038 Hennepin Ave. S., Minneapolis.

Textile Center’s Textile Garage Sale

On Sunday, this mega sale featuring everything textile, from reams of fabric to tiny notions, is free and everything is 50% off. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Textile Center, 3000 University Ave. SE, Minneapolis.

Hewing's Earth Day Xchange

Donate a gently used clothing item, jewelry, bag, or other fashion piece worth beforehand to score a ticket to this event, which will have a swap, eco- and ethical-fashion companies, a marketplace, and more. Hosted in collaboration with the Global Fashion Exchange. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Hewing Hotel, 300 N. Washington Ave., Minneapolis.

Northeast Earth Day Clean-Up

Lend a helping hand cleaning up the blocks around the Northeast taproom and receive two free beers afterward. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Indeed Brewing Co., 711 15th Ave. NE, Minneapolis. 

Quincy Street Makers’ Market

An indoor market hosted by Minneapolis Craft Market. Find free tickets here. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Quincy Hall, 1325 Quincy St NE, Minneapolis.

Silverwood Clothing Shop

Donate, swap, or donate and swap. 1-3 p.m. Silverwood Park, 2500 Cty. Rd. E W, St. Anthony.

Robert Wilkinson

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

Your Friends Mom’s Infamous Disco Art Showcase

Dang, I am here just for the name of this event. Hosted by Nine Lives in conjunction with the Saint Paul Spring Art Crawl. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Center for Lost Objects, 957 7th St. W., St. Paul.

Switchyard 

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

The Bad Companions

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

Morning Sex and The Good Weed

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

Garden Variety Mini Market

Featuring eco-artists, houseplants, beer, and more. 2-6 p.m. 56 Brewing, 3055 NE Columbia Ave., Minneapolis.

Carlaoke

Karaoke with Carla. 10 p.m. White Squirrel Bar, 974 W. Seventh St., St. Paul.

Sustainable Sunday Tours

Learn about the Mall’s green practices at these free, 45-minute walks every Sunday in April. Meet at the North Guest Services Desk. 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. through April. Mall of America.