Welcome to Event Horizon, your weekly roundup of the best events in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and beyond.
WEDNESDAY 2.26
Jim Gaffigan
Orpheum Theatre
Hot Pockets! But seriously: Gaffigan is one of the biggest comics in the world, and he deserves every bit of that success. Minnesotans are likely familiar with the Indiana native’s most recent high-profile credit: portraying Gov. Tim Walz as a hyper-enthusiastic, hyper-Midwestern VP candidate last fall on SNL. But Gaffigan, whose wife Jeannie works as his close creative partner, never really takes a break. Since blowing up with his 2006 album Beyond the Pale (the one with the Hot Pockets bit), he has starred on two seasons of his own TV Land sitcom (The Jim Gaffigan Show) and four seasons of a TBS sitcom (My Boys), all while scoring plenty of movie roles (2018's Chappaquiddick, 2020's Tesla). But standup is Gaffigan’s main deal, and though he works clean, his prodigious output—including last year’s The Skinny, Hulu’s first-ever original comedy special—never feels safe or staid. $44.75-$104.75. 7 p.m. Wed.-Fri.; 5 & 8 p.m. Sat. 910 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Jay Boller
THURSDAY 2.27
Italian Film Festival of Minneapolis/St. Paul
Main Cinema
Sometimes it seems like every cultural org in the Twin Cities has its own film festival, and who’s complaining? The Italian Film Festival has always been one of the most sharply curated of the lot, and this year is no exception. In the opening night film, Il tempo che ci vuole (The Time it Takes), director Francesca Comencini tells the story of her relationship with her father, the great director Luigi Comencini. The festival closes on Sunday with Gloria!, in which a group of 19th-century orphaned girls “invent pop music.” Maybe the marquee attraction this year is C’è ancora domani (There’s Still Tomorrow); Paola Cortellesi’s directorial debut is the biggest Italian movie of 2023 and the country’s 10th-highest-grossing film of all time. As always, there are also classics tucked into the schedule, and this year that includes Antonio Pietrangeli’s “Io la conoscevo bene” (I Knew Her Well), a 1965 film about a woman who moves to Rome to become famous. $14 per screening; $5 student tickets available at the box office. 115 SE Main St., Minneapolis; find times and more info here. Through Sunday—Keith Harris
FRIDAY 2.28
Ben Katzner
Sisyphus Brewing
After a decade-plus in the Minneapolis and New York City comedy trenches, Katzner will record his debut album during this run of shows. He supplied the following teaser: "Will it be good? Will he cry? Do people even listen to comedy albums anymore? There's only one way to find out!" Katzner's album is set to be released by production/distribution company Blonde Medicine, whose output includes albums from big-name acts like Tom Segura and Beth Stelling as well as from Twin Citians like Ahmed Khalaf and Ellie Hino. Among this weekend’s local feature comics: Ethan Pederson, Ryan Kahl, and Racket advice columnist Pearl Rose. $15. 8 p.m. Fri.-Sat. 712 Ontario Ave. W. #100, Minneapolis; find more info here. Also Saturday—Jay Boller
Black Beach Art Book Fair
Glasshouse
Do you have a coffee table? Then you might be in need of an art book. This weekend, an amazing mix of art books will be available to peruse and purchase at Glasshouse. Black Beach Coffee, a Black-owned coffee company founded by Benjamin Peterson, has organized this event, which will bring together photographers, curators, and small publishers from around the world. That includes folks from Deadbeat Club (L.A.), TBW Books (Oakland), Nazraeli Press (Paso Robles, California), Mack Books (London), Stanley Barker (London), and Tim Carpenter (Brooklyn), as well as locals like Idea House 3, Paul Shambroom, and Nocturno Books. Friday’s opening reception will include the premiere of The Ice House, a kinetic installation by Erinn Springer, as well as coffee, cocktails, beer, and wine. There will also be talks from photographers Alec Soth and Pao Houa Her, NPR’s Tiny Desk host Bobby Carter, and others. 6 to 10 p.m. Fri.; 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sat.-Sun. 145 Holden St. N., Minneapolis; more info here. Through Sunday—Jessica Armbruster
SATURDAY 3.1
One Year Anniversary
A Bar of Their Own
When we got word that a sports bar airing only women’s sports would be moving into the old Tracy’s Saloon space in Minneapolis’s Seward neighborhood, people were psyched. So psyched that when A Bar of Their Own opened in February there was a line down the street to get in many nights. A year later, the business is booming and there’s still rarely a slow evening. “It’s not a surprise to me that it’s going that well,” owner Jillian Hiscock told Racket last April. “I think the people it is a surprise to are people that either weren't paying attention or were choosing not to pay attention.” This weekend, ABOTO will be celebrating one wildly successful year with drink specials, anniversary offerings, prizes and giveaways, and, as always, women’s sports on the big screens. Get there early to score some sweets; Girl Scouts will be selling cookies from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. each day. Free. 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sat.; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sun. 2207 Franklin Ave. E., Minneapolis. Through Sunday—Jessica Armbruster
Free First Saturday: Kids' Film Fair 2025
Walker Art Center
Is your child artistically enriched enough? That question should grip every parent with enough disposable income to subscribe to Racket, and thankfully we’ve got an event that could stave off your dread, if only for a couple hours. The Walker’s Free First Saturday series is going to the movies this month, with an “inspiring, family-friendly, relaxed” mini movie fest for kiddos that’ll screen selections from all over the world—Le Tout Petit Voyage (France), Fly By (Czech Republic), The Seed (India)... you get the idea. There'll also be art-making activities, Walker library access, and museum tours for the whole family. You did it! You're a loving parent! Free. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 725 Vineland Place, Minneapolis; find more info here.—Jay Boller
SUNDAY 3.2
Fiber Fest 2025
Broken Clock Brewing Cooperative
Calling all knitters, crocheters, cross-stitchers, weavers, and embroiderers—it’s time for Fiber Fest! This daylong fiber arts celebration at Broken Clock features hands-on workshops for those who are starting out or want to level up their skills, along with handmade goods from a whole bunch of local vendors (Knitting Lizard Fiber Co., ACAB Cutie, Nerdy Knits, and many more). Pair it with Broken Clock beers and food from resident kitchen Unidos Food Co. (beans are a good source of fiber, if you want to keep the theme going) and you’ve got a great Sunday in store. Free. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 1712 Marshall St. NE, Minneapolis; more info here.—Em Cassel
Adam Ray Is Dr. Phil Live
Orpheum Theatre
Ever think about how Oprah gave us Dr. Phil and Dr. Oz? Man… that sucks! In any event, Seattle-launched comedian Adam Ray has made an unlikely career out of parodying colossal shithead Phil McGraw, and the comedy world is really starting to take notice. Among the guests who’ve popped up at recent Dr. Phil spoof performances: Bull Burr, Marc Maron, Whitney Cummings, Bobby Lee, Adam Devine, Johnny Knoxville... the list really just keeps going. Ray, whose non-Phil credits include Barbie and Hacks, does do a killer impression, though (in my estimation) he could be meaner to his real-life subject, who appeared on a Netflix special of Dr. Phil Live last fall. No word on which special guests might appear at the Minneapolis stop. $60-$108. 7:30 p.m. 910 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Jay Boller
Queer Soup Night MPLS
Queermunity
Do you remember The Soup, the Joel McHale-hosted E! series that skewered celebs and recapped weekly pop culture news? This… has nothing to do with that, it just got us thinking about how much fun a queer-hosted version of the show would be. Getting back on track here: Queer Soup Night is a “Brooklyn-born queer party with soup at its center,” according to organizers, who also bring in a commitment to resistance. This Minneapolis installment will feature a menu from chefs June De of Queermunity, Nettie Colon, and Marisol and Riva of the Wicoie Nandagikendan Indigenous cultural center. Proceeds will benefit Aliveness Project, which provides Minnesotans with HIV testing, prevention, and support. $10-$20 suggested donation; no one turned away for lack of funds. 4-6 p.m. 3034 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis; more info here.—Em Cassel
Freedy Johnston
Parkway Theater
Well, this is getting to be a regular event, isn’t it? Johnston was at the Parkway this same weekend last March, but he’s certainly worth checking out once a year. It's been three decades since Can You Fly set a bar that everyone, maybe even this Kansas-born singer-songwriter himself, knew its maker would never top. And so what? Johnston hasn't released a bad record since then, which is a much rarer feat among rockers than busting out of the gate with the best that you've got. His latest, 2022’s Back on the Road to You, is top tier among the runners up, with lyrics that remain open-ended without being vague and Susanna Hoffs, Aimee Mann, and Susan Cowsill offering up harmonies, just to give you a sense of the craftswomen who appreciate his work. Highlights include "That's Life," an uncle's loving bedtime advice, and "There Goes a Brooklyn Girl" (on her way to work). With Molly Maher. $20/$25. 7 p.m. 4814 Chicago Ave. S., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Keith Harris
ONGOING
Melanin in Motion Nordic Skiing
Theodore Wirth Park
On Mondays this winter, Melanin in Motion is hosting introductory and progressive Nordic/cross-country ski lessons for members of the BIPOC community, with sessions led by BIPOC women and youth. You’ll learn all the XC basics—kinds of strides, using your poles properly, climbing and descending—and the $11 fee includes the equipment rental and a trail pass. (That’s a great deal; it’s usually $26 for a rental and day pass.) Catch up with Melanin in Motion co-founder Anthony Taylor in this 2024 Racket feature about the groups working to diversify the outdoors. $11, with scholarships available to those in need. 6-8 p.m. 1221 Theodore Wirth Parkway, Minneapolis; get more info and reserve your spot here. Mondays through February—Em Cassel
The Ice Palace
Delano
A little road trip to Delano gets you to this sprawling ice installation, which features mazes, tunnels, ice rooms, and other delights, plus occasional fireworks shows and fire performances. There’s also food from vendors including Brickside Grille & Tap and Doxy’s Donuts. $11-$23; $25-$69 VIP passes; $49-$69 season passes. 5-9 p.m. Thu.-Fri.; 4 to 9 p.m. Sat.-Sun. 657 River St. N., Delano; more info here. Through March 2—Em Cassel
Highways of Doom
The Heights
The Heights/Trylon annual noir festival goes on the road this year—without ever leaving Columbia Heights. Every Thursday in February (and one in March) they’re showing a movie that features someone on the run, and every one's a winner. In Fritz Lang’s You Only Live Once (hey, that’s where Drake got that), Henry Fonda is an innocent man sentenced to death, and man is he pissed. Ann Savage’s mean femme fatale steals the nasty Detour, while Gun Crazy more than lives up to its name. Forward to the 1970s and Steven Spielberg’s Duel, in which mild-mannered Dennis Weaver and his Plymouth Valiant are menaced across the Mojave Desert by an 18-wheeler with an unseen driver. Wrapping things up is Thelma & Louise, which really does hold up, in case you were wondering. $12. 7:30 p.m. 3951 Central Ave. NE, Columbia Heights; find dates and more info here. Thursdays through March 6—Keith Harris
“Paul Shambroom’s American Photographs”
Katherine E. Nash Gallery, University of Minnesota
Photographer Paul Shambroom has been documenting the relationship between individuals and power, in all its forms, for four decades now. This selection of his work will debut his most recent projects, Purpletown and Past Time, which look at the current political climate in the U.S. His 1979 series, Portrait of Hennepin Avenue, which has not been shown publicly since 1985, will also be on display, as well as Shambroom’s work with found objects such as unattributed photographs and business cards. Free. 405 21st Ave. S., Minneapolis; find more info here. Through March 8—Keith Harris
“Unveiling 1,000 Nesting Dolls”
The Museum of Russian Art
Did you know that the largest collection of Russian nesting dolls in the U.S. is located right off the Diamond Lake entrance to I-35W? Now that you know, how do you feel about that? The Museum of Russian Art will begin presenting its Matryoshka dolls (to use the proper Russian term) to the public; they’ll be on display until March 9. And since it’s likely been a while since you popped in at TMORA (I myself am always overdue for a visit), while you’re there, be sure to take in Alexander Viazmensky’s watercolors of Russian mushrooms, a recently opened exhibit. 5500 Stevens Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here. Through March 9—Keith Harris
“Untitled 19”
Soo Visual Arts CenterEach year, SooVAC invites a guest curator to organize a group show featuring artists at all skill levels or places in their career. Hundreds will apply; only a few dozen will make it in. The results typically yield an eclectic collection of pieces in a variety of mediums, all threaded together by the whims of the curator. This year’s juror is Keisha Williams, gallery director at MCAD, who was tasked with choosing works from a pool of 231 artists (31 of which made the cut). Her process: “As I reviewed work, I couldn’t help but reflect on the words of Adrienne Maree Brown: ‘I am fascinated by those instances when you can feel the fabric of the universe between you and another being fall away or bunch together, bringing you magnificently undeniably closer.’” 2909 Bryant Ave. S., Minneapolis. Through March 23—Jessica Armbruster
