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, price be damned, click here.
FRIDAY
Northeast Minneapolis Open Studio Events
There are multiple open studio events in northeast Minneapolis this weekend, but really, it’s one massive event with four different names. Think of it as the Art-A-Whirl of the fall, but slightly less intense. At each location you'll find an astounding four to six floors of stuff to explore, with special gallery receptions, exhibitions, sales events, studio tours, demonstrations, and other fun. There will be live music, performances, and pop-up lounges in the basements and open areas of buildings, and all events have a bar, pub, or restaurant within walking distance (if not already in the dang building). Pick one and make a casual afternoon of it, or aim for a marathon do them all.
The events/locations:
Art This Way
Free. 5-9 p.m. Fri.; noon to 8 p.m. Sat.; noon to 5 p.m. Sun. Solar Arts Building, 711 NE 15th Ave., Minneapolis.
Art Attack
Free. 5-9 p.m. Fri.; noon to 8 p.m. Sat.; noon to 5 p.m. Sun. Northrup King Building, 1500 Jackson St. NE, Minneapolis.
Open Casket
Free. 5-9 p.m. Fri.; noon to 8 p.m. Sat.; noon to 5 p.m. Sun. Casket Arts, 681 17th Ave. NE, Minneapolis.
Fall Open Studios
5-10 p.m. Fri.; noon to 8 p.m. Sat. California Building, 2205 California St. NE, Minneapolis.
Lit in the Lot: Parking Lot Party
About a month ago, Fair State announced that their lovely backyard beer garden was going away because the outdoor space was no longer available to lease. That stinks! But the cooperatively owned brewery isn’t done with outdoor fun—who needs a beer garden when you’ve got a parking lot, baybeee! A two-day Lit in the Lot party takes over beginning on Friday, when they’ll have s’mores all day, plus beer poking and fare from the Amazing Momo Dumplings food truck. Saturday is an even bigger affair, with free screen printing (BYO shirt), Que Tal Street Eats, local maker pop-ups, and live music from Ahem, Cult Vibes, and Lifestyle Shakes. It’s all followed up with an outdoor movie screening from 7-9 p.m. 4-9 p.m. Fri.; 1-9 p.m. Sat. Fair State Brewing Cooperative, 2506 Central Ave. NE, Minneapolis; more info here. Through Saturday—Em Cassel
FriGAY Night
Featuring DJ’d tunes, rotating drag performances, $2 specialty shots, and more. 21+. 9 p.m. LUSH Lounge & Theater, 990 Central Ave. NE, Minneapolis.
MinARTure Art Night
Featuring small-scale art in a variety of mediums, plus tiny treats for purchase from Foxcakes. 5-10 p.m. Fri.-Sat. 451 NE Taft St., Minneapolis.
Vendor Happy Hour
Meet the three new vendors: Palisaint Vintage, Great Northern Vintage, and Nothing New. With snacks, sips, and holiday setups. 4-6 p.m. Moth Oddities, 13 Fifth St. NE, Minneapolis.
Money Bones, Keagan Metyer & The Rumor, The Meyer Brothers
10 p.m. 331 Club, 331 13th Ave. NE, Minneapolis.
Broommaker
Funereal chamber folk. With ShugE. 5-7 p.m. White Squirrel Bar, 974 W. Seventh St., St. Paul.
Ramson (Debut & Vinyl Release)
With Billy The Shoe, Electric Church. 9-11 p.m. White Squirrel Bar, 974 W. Seventh St., St. Paul.
The Daily Norm
7-9 p.m. Urban Forage Winery and Cider House, 3016 E. Lake St., Minneapolis.
Natasha Trethewey
The former U.S. Poet Laureate, author of eight books, and winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry discusses her new work, The House of Being: Why I Write. Free with registration. 7 p.m. Pillsbury Hall, room 412, 310 Pillsbury Dr. SE, Minneapolis.
Maurice Jacox & We Still R
8-11:30 p.m. Schooner Tavern, 2901 27th Ave. S., Minneapolis.
Textile Center's Holiday Gallery Shop Open House
Here’s a chance to shop local, with all kinds of local-made items including home goods, decor, books, and more. 1-4 p.m. Fri., Nov. 1; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tue.-Sat. (7 p.m. Thu.). Textile Center, 3000 University Ave. SE, Minneapolis. Through December 24
The Game is Not the Thing: Sport and the Moving Image
This film series explores the intersection of art and athleticism, challenging what it means to be a sports film. This weekend’s screening is No Goal, a doc about playing sports for the joy of sports. Wear a sports jersey to get in for free; find more info here. 7 p.m. Walker Art Center, 725 Vineland Place, Minneapolis.
Model Collapse
Featuring new work from Piotr Szyhalski/Labor Camp. 6-9 p.m. NE Sculpture/Gallery Factory, 1720 Madison St. NE, Minneapolis.
Shawn O’Laughlin, Khloe
6-8 p.m. Heavy Rotation Brewing Co., 9801 Xenia Ave. N., Minneapolis.
Merry Marketplace: A Holiday Boutique
Holiday shopping. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fri.-Sun. through November. Carver Junk Company, 206 N. Chestnut St., Chaska.
Tunes in the Tent: Pickle!
7-9 p.m. OMNI Brewing Co., 9462 Deerwood Ln., Maple Grove.
Reese Glover
6:30 p.m. Padraigs, 945 Broadway NE, Minneapolis.
Friday Night Open Mic
21+. 10 p.m. The Comedy Corner Underground, 1501 S. Washington Ave., Minneapolis.
SATURDAY
Fall in Q.arma
Noon to 6 p.m. Q.arma Building, 1224 Quincy St. NE, Minneapolis.
Grunge Day
Featuring vendors, live music from Grunge Unplugged, and more celebrating the ‘90s alternative era. 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Utepils Brewing Co., 225 Thomas Ave. N., Minneapolis.
Canary Room
With Kat & The Kodachromes, Embahn. 9 p.m. to midnight. White Squirrel Bar, 974 W. Seventh St., St. Paul.
Uspop, Absolutely Yours
10 p.m. 331 Club, 331 13th Ave. NE, Minneapolis.
Voltage Controller
3 p.m. 331 Club, 331 13th Ave. NE, Minneapolis.
Burning Blue Rain
With The Daily Norm. 6-7 p.m. White Squirrel Bar, 974 W. Seventh St., St. Paul.
Thomas Richey
With Lexie Modica, Tarias & The Sound. 1-4 p.m. White Squirrel Bar, 974 W. Seventh St., St. Paul.
Queermunity Grand Opening Celebration
Featuring donuts and sweet treats at the 10 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony, followed by a family fun party with games, refreshment and food, crafts, drag storytelling, a photobooth, and more from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Queermunity, 3036 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis.
Queerminunity After Hours Variety Show
Featuring emcee Cuntessa and local arts and acts. 18+. 8-11 p.m. Queermunity, 3036 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis.
Twin Cities Pride You Belong Community Gathering
The space will be open to all who wish to connect, reflect, and be surrounded by a caring and inclusive community, with group activities, sharing stories, and therapists available to talk. 11 a.m. Loring Social, 1629 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis.
Peter Morales: EggSail Saga
Featuring an artist Q&A, reception, and tunes from Raycurt Johnson (aka Fiddla). Noon to 3 p.m. JROW, located between the Huxley Apartment building (657 22nd Ave. NE) and the Hook & Ladder Apartments (23rd Ave. NE at Jefferson St. NE) in Minneapolis.
Bridging Troubled Waters: Open Studio Saturdays
Noon to 4 p.m. Gallery Immaginé, Studio 183, Northrup King Building, 1500 Jackson St. NE, Minneapolis.
Re-Imagined
Gloria Larsen and Tammy Ortegon create new works using repurposed materials. 4-7 p.m. ColorWheel Gallery, 319 W. 46th St., Minneapolis.
In Tension
Featuring art by Rachel Breen, Kehayr Brown-Ransaw, Laura Wennstrom, and Michelle Westmark Wingard. 5-8 p.m. Form+Content Gallery, 210 N. Second St., Minneapolis.
Nordic Village: Season 3
Shop for local-made holiday giftables sold via a tiny winter village designed by MartinPatrick 3. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sat.-Sun. through December 22. Four Seasons Hotel Minneapolis, 245 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis.
New Havoline Supremes
8 p.m. Schooner Tavern, 2901 27th Ave. S., Minneapolis.
The Black Market: BBIB Market
Shop clothing, beauty items, jewelry, food, and more from local BIPOC-owned businesses. Reserve a free ticket at theblackmarketmpls.com. 2-6 p.m. The Case Building, 767 N. Eustis St., Minneapolis.
A Handmade Holiday Market
Minneapolis Craft Market hosts this weekly holiday market featuring local markers. Noon to 5 p.m. Saturdays through December 22. Brühaven Craft Co., 1368 LaSalle Ave., Minneapolis.
Field + Festival Holiday Market
Minneapolis Craft Market hosts this weekly series featuring local artists, artisans, farmers, and more. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sat.-Sun. Wagners Garden Center, 6024 Penn Ave. S., Minneapolis. Through December 22
TMORA’s Holiday Shop
The museum’s gift shop gets extra festive in time for the season. Opening day goes from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and runs through the holidays. The Museum of Russian Art, 5500 Stevens Ave., Minneapolis.
Holiday Farmers Market
Featuring fresh produce, crafts, local meats, and seasonal goods. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Bachman's, 6010 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis.
MN Dream Art Fall Open Studio
Noon to 4 p.m. MN Dream Art, 2200 University Ave. NE, Minneapolis.
William E. Murray: Northern Watercolors
3-4:30 p.m. Groveland Gallery, 25 Groveland Terrace, Minneapolis.
Dog Adoption Event
Meet adoptable dogs. Noon to 2 p.m. Forgotten Star Brewing, 38 Northern Stacks Dr., Fridley.
Hennepin County Fix-It Clinics
Bring all kinds of household items and clothing and get tips and ideas on how to fix it. Noon to 4 p.m. Mount Olivet Lutheran Church, 12235 Old Rockford Rd., Plymouth.
Gothic Gift Gala’s Makers’ Market for Misfits
Hosted by the Curio Collective, with all kinds of items in the goth, steampunk, raver, macabre, and other dark oeuvres. 3-8 p.m. Lift Bridge Brewery, 1900 Tower Dr. W., Stillwater.
Gus the Bard
7 p.m. Merlin’s Rest Pub, 3601 E. Lake St., Minneapolis.
Trench Size Trio
7-9:30 p.m. Padraigs, 945 Broadway NE, Minneapolis.
Open Mic Comedy
7:30-10 p.m. The Joint, 913 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis.
FARMERS MARKETS
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.
Downtown St. Paul Farmers Markets
Lowertown’s pride and one of the state’s largest markets. Find free parking on Prince Street, where they have pedicab rides from the lot to the market. 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sat.; 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sun. now through Nov. 24. 290 5th St. E., St. Paul; stpaulfarmersmarket.com.
SUNDAY
Emmy Woods & The Red Pine Ramblers
7 p.m. 331 Club, 331 13th Ave. NE, Minneapolis.
DEVO Appreciation Night
With Unattractive Giant Monster, Wet Denim, Shrimp Olympics, My Kid Banana, Obchod Na Korze. 8-11 p.m. White Squirrel Bar, 974 W. Seventh St., St. Paul.
Amazing Grace (2018)
Aretha Franklin, live and in church. What more could you want? Free. 2:30 p.m. More info here. Minneapolis Central Library, 300 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis.
Northeast Farmers’ Winter Market
Featuring produce and holiday treats. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 10, Dec. 8, Jan. 12, Feb. 9, Mar. 9, Apr. 13. Quincy Hall, 1325 Quincy St. NE, Minneapolis.
The Toolbox Collective Makers’ Market
10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Toolbox Collective, 3400 42nd Ave. S., Minneapolis.
Paikka’s Holiday Bazaar
Featuring 16 makers and businesses, including Black Garnet Books, Nikki Ceramics, ROMI Apothecary, and others. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Paikka, 550 Vandalia St., St. Paul.
R&R Sundays
With Jeff Ray. 1-4 p.m. White Squirrel Bar, 974 W. Seventh St., St. Paul.
Macarons and Beer
Featuring free macaron sampling and macaron and beer pairings on the menu. 1-5 p.m. Falling Knife Brewing Co., 783 Harding St. NE, Minneapolis.
Story Time: The Moons
Featuring authors Chan Poling and Lucy Michelle. 10:30 a.m. Forgotten Star Brewing, 38 Northern Stacks Dr., Fridley.
Tom Kenny + the Hi-Seas
Meetup and tunes from the SpongeBob Squarepants band. 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mall of America.
