Welcome to Event Horizon, your weekly roundup of the best events in Minneapolis and St. Paul.
TUESDAY 11.22
Gingerbread Wonderland
Norway House
The biggest cookie village in town returns this winter to Norway House. Each year, 250 or so pieces come together, creating a sweet-smelling wonderland for all to explore. Creations range from cozy cabins in the snow to multi-story abodes topped with icing, to familiar Twin Cities structures, to incredibly complex recreations of historical landmarks. The neighborhood includes submissions from creative kids, artsy hobbyists, and professional bakers, making it a really cool variety of skill, technique, and imagination. Find tickets and more information at norwayhouse.org/gbw2022. $10; $5 members; free for kids under 12. Noon to 4:00pm Sun. and Tue.; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wed.-Fri.; 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sat. 913 E. Franklin Ave., Minneapolis. Through January 8–Jessica Armbruster
FRIDAY 11.25
Holidazzle
Loring Park
Holidazzle was once an illuminated parade that ran through downtown Minneapolis. But, like many things that have been around for decades, a few years ago it had to pivot and transform. These days, the event is a festival in Loring Park. Each weekend, there’s a ton of stuff to see and do. A few of their greatest hits include a carousel, a 17-foot-tall illuminated Yeti sculpture, and a beer garden, where you can enjoy wifi and brew and seltzers from Fulton. Kids can enjoy a playground area plus visits from Santa, while teens and grownups might get a kick out of weekly drag bingo. There will also be dog-friendly fun, live music, local artists and makers, and fireworks every Saturday evening. Find the complete schedule here. Free. 5-9 p.m. Fridays; noon to 9 p.m. Saturdays; noon to 6 p.m. Sundays. 1382 Willow St. S., Minneapolis. Through December 18–Jessica Armbruster
Ben Katzner
Comedy Corner Underground
Minneapolis-launched, New York City-based comic Ben Katzner will be home for Thanksgiving, and he decided to gift the Twin Cities with an hour of fresh material at CCU. Effortlessly charming and approachably political, he manages to weave long bits about romance novels, ass eating, body image, adoption, and impending civil war into sets that make sense. "And like yeah, I don't like some white people, sure,” he riffed last year at Sisyphus Brewing about growing up with white parents. “But other white people taught me how to jet ski, so what am I supposed to do?" Katzner—who, after the murder of George Floyd, wrote this powerful essay about growing up Black in central Minnesota—also happens to be an up-’n’-coming children’s author; his debut graphic novel, Hello, My Name is Poop, arrived last year via Simon & Schuster. Comrade Tripp opens tonight's show. $15. 8 p.m. Fri.-Sat. 1501 Washington Ave. S., Minneapolis; find more info here.–Jay Boller
Night Moves
Fine Line
Eons ago, back in the golden age of blogs, Night Movies emerged from Minneapolis as a “buzz band,” which was a term we veterans of the blog era used to deploy rather indiscriminately to promising ‘00s indie bands. Unlike many of their peers, Night Moves managed to forge rock-solid discography of twangy, psych-tinged rock that carries frontman John Pelant’s mesmerizing voice. After 2019’s Pennied Days, their third LP, the band didn’t make much of a peep until the July release of their The Redaction EP via Domino Records. On single “Fallacy Actually,” longtime producer pal John Agnello (Kurt Vile, Hold Steady, Sonic Youth) coaxed perhaps the most danceable, mainstream-friendly sounds from Night Moves yet. Opening are Lamar and Dark Bunny. $20-$40. 7:30 p.m. 318 N. 1st Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here.–Jay Boller
Yung Gravy and BBNO$
The Armory
Somehow, someway, Racket lucked into a Yung Gravy interview back in July, moments before the Rochester-raised rapper blew up in a mainstream fashion. “At this point if you’re a rap listener or a college girl, you know of me,” Gravy told us during a 40-minute phone conversation that was interrupted three times by sidewalk selfie requests from fans. “It spreads out beyond the cult fanbase kinda slowly, because these hardcore fans spread things word-of-mouth; I don’t really have mainstream radio music. Right now, it feels like I’m getting more attention from a lot more places than I ever have before.” Following a viral VMA stunt in August, the real-life Matthew Hauri saw his fame expand beyond TikTok and onto Top 40 radio. Marvelous, Gravy's fourth album in just three years, dropped late last month. The playful, catchy, MILF-obsessed MC will enjoy this hometown victory lap alongside frequent collaborator BBNO$, the Canadian rapper who has also cracked TikTok’s hit-song algorithm. Among tonight’s many openers: Terror Reid, DJ Tiiiiiiiiiip, Kaycyy, J Plaza, P Will, and Envy Rose. $60-$158. 6:30 p.m. 500 South 6th St., Minneapolis; find more info here.–Jay Boller
European Christmas Market
Union Depot
Yeah, Americans know how to decorate a mall real fancy, but Europeans definitely trump us with their classy, old world-style markets. The best attempt at one of these in the Twin Cities is at the Union Depot, where the festive European Christmas Market offers wholesome fun each winter. Events take place indoors and outdoors each weekend, with plenty to see and do. Traditional eats available for purchase include baklava, raclette, pierogi, spätzle, brats, and Glühwein (aka mulled wine). Shop from local and international vendors selling wooden toys, glass ornaments, and other giftables. Traditional music, dance, and other entertainment rounds out the event. Check out stpaulchristmasmarket.org for more info. 4-9 p.m. Fridays; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays. 240 E. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul. Through December 18–Jessica Armbruster
Choreographers’ Evening
Walker Art Center
Choreographers’ Evening is celebrating an incredible 50th anniversary this year. This event, always hosted over Thanksgiving weekend, invites a guest choreographer to come in and curate an evening showcase of up-and-coming, mid-career, and established performers. This installment will feature Alanna Morris, whose I A.M. Arts is rooted in African Caribbean dance that celebrates Black female choreographers. Morris will be joined by Carlton College dance professor Judith Howard. So who are they inviting to take the stage for their dance sampler of an evening? The list includes Aloe AoLiu, Romeo Cannady, Colin Edwards and Canaan Mattson, Elizabeth Flinsch, Averie Mitchell-Brown, Alys Ayumi Ogura, Kayla Schiltgen, Kristin Van Loon with J. H. Shuǐ Xiān, and Laurie Van Wieren. That’s a great mix! $31.50. 4 and 7 p.m. 725 Vineland Place, Minneapolis. –Jessica Armbruster
SATURDAY 11.26
Trampled by Turtles
The Armory
Expect a much older and more heavily bearded crowd as The Armory shifts from Yung Gravy to the kings of Minnesota bluegrass. Strangely, Rolling Stone said Trampled’s latest album, last month’s Jeff Tweedy-produced Alpenglow, is “best described as ‘Midwestern Gothic,’” yet the author failed to attribute that descriptor and explain what it means. Presumably he said it himself; it’s getting harder to find good music writing these days, despite what Steve Hyden thoughtfully said in response to my recent accusation. Anyway! Alpenglow, the Duluth band’s 10th LP, has been warmly received by critics, and you know their Dead-like following will gobble the strum-loaded meditations on life and death. (The previous sentence is also bad music writing, but hey, this is a humble blurb not a glossy feature.) A fellow Minnesota picker, Charlie Parr, opens. $76-$200. 6:30 p.m. 500 South 6th St., Minneapolis find more info here.–Jay Boller
Housegiving
Inbound BrewCo
Look, as for-profit aggregators of entertainment information, we pride ourselves on supplying you with more Saturday going-out options than just Trampled by Turtles. It’s a weird week, however, when activities take a breather following the day of overeating and the day of trampling your fellow man to score a discount 4K TV. Thankfully (reason for the season!), Inbound assembled this Friendsgiving-themed day of “tunes, delicious beers, and good vibes!” Nothing wrong with that. Among the performers curated by Backyard Boombox: Eudaimonia, Rain Drop, Still Phresh, Wartro, WKND BNDR, Alvin Stone, Drop Dead Fred b2b Azn Persuasion, John Phillips, Lucky the Unfortunate, Pearlescent, Bok Choy Boi, SNRS. Free. 2-11 p.m. 701 N. 5th St., Minneapolis; find more info here.–Jay Boller
ONGOING
Georgina & Kitty: Christmas at Pemberley
Jungle Theater
Jane Austen may have only written one Pride and Prejudice, but thanks to public domain and a still-active fanbase the Darcys and Bennets continue to entertain us with wacky hijinks and biting social commentary via Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon’s nationally lauded plays. First there was Miss Bennet, which followed bookish middle sibling Mary as she sought love and intellectual stimulation, next The Wickhams took a look at that same story via the perspectives of the servants behind the scenes. Georgina & Kitty, the final installment in the series, follows the youngest Darcy and Bennet sisters as they plan for their futures, hope for love, and deepen their friendship. 2951 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis. Through December 23 –Jessica Armbruster
Paul Chan: Breathers
Walker Art Center
Can those inflatable tube guys used to drive people to sales be art? If it’s in the Walker Art Center then, yes, it can. But that would be oversimplifying the work of Paul Chen, a Hong Kong-born, Nebraska-raised, NYC-based writer, publisher, and artist. In the ‘90s and ‘00s, Chan garnered attention releasing videos, animations, fonts, and more, often for free on his website, nationalphilistine.com. These pieces explored pleasure, war, politics, and human interactions. But by 2009, he had burned out, tired of looking at a screen. Relatable. Five years later, after a brief, you know, “breather,” he found a new way to explore movement and meaning without a computer, instead using physics, fabrics, and fans to create shapes that move about in interesting ways (and, thankfully, won’t try to sell you a car). You can see these kinetic sculptures at the Walker; the show will also include some video installations as well as pieces from his publishing company, Badlands Unlimited, which releases poetry, erotica, artists’ writings, and more. 725 Vineland Place, Minneapolis. Through July 16, 2023 –Jessica Armbruster
Harriet Bart: Reckoning
NewStudio Gallery
“We live in a broken world,” warns Harriet Bart. “‘Reckoning’ is a cautionary tale.” This time, the St. Paul-based, international artist cautions us through creating a unique, site-specific space filled with a variety of items. Some hold cultural significance (a bronze owl, a model of a barn), some have been found in nature (a burl, animal bones), and others have been tampered with in-studio (a gold-leaf embossed stone). Will you be able to decipher and heed the warning? 2303 Wycliff St., St. Paul. Through December 3 –Jessica Armbruster
Rosy Simas Danse: She Who Lives on the Road to War
Weisman Art Museum/All My Relations Arts
Part art installation, part dance performance, She Who Lives on the Road to War examines potential paths to a peaceful future via indigenous history. The exhibit’s title is inspired by the life of Jigonhsasee, an ancient Haudenosaunee woman, known as the Mother of Nations, who once touted war between tribes but eventually changed her ways and advocated for peace. Can you imagine what that kind of turnaround would look like in today’s world? That’s kind of the point of this show, which encourages people to rest, grieve, and “consider how we can all work towards reconciliation during the dual pandemics of systematic racism and COVID-19.” You can see installations at both WAM and All My Relations Arts, and both venues will host dance performances during the show’s run. RSVP for free tickets and find the entire performance schedule here. Weisman Art Museum’s (333 E. River Rd., University of Minnesota, Minneapolis) show runs through February 5, while events at All My Relations (1414 E. Franklin Ave., Minneapolis) are through December 15. –Jessica Armbruster
We Are Working All the Time
Weisman Art Museum
Polish-born, Minneapolis-based artist Piotr Szyhalski creates posters that look like propaganda. But instead of promoting patriotism, he challenges the status quo, as his pieces proclaim things like, “Seek Truth From Facts,” “Rise Up!,” and “I can’t Breathe. If It’s No Covid, It’s the Police.” Szyhalski has been exploring “extreme historical phenomena” – think wars, labor movements, and protests against bad world leaders – since the ‘90s. In 2020, Szyhalski was set to have a retrospective exhibition at WAM. That show, of course, had to be postponed when the pandemic hit – an extreme historical phenomenon! During that time of lockdown and chaos, he entered another creative era, posting a new hand-drawn poster every day for 225 days. The resulting project, “COVID 19: Labor Camp Report,” was a hit, not just locally but internationally, with many pieces going viral. You can see some of these efforts in “We Are Working All the Time,” an epic exhibition showcasing Szyhalski’s 40-plus years of work, which includes posters, plates, installation, media, and other curious items. 333 E. River Rd., Minneapolis. Through December 31–Jessica Armbruster
