Welcome to Event Horizon, your weekly roundup of the best events in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and beyond.
WEDNESDAY 6.18
Pundamonium! The Minneapolis Pun Slam
Club Underground @ Spring Street Tavern
Did you know that, for over 10 years, a group dedicated to competitive pun-making has held monthly tournaments in northeast Minneapolis? “It’s its own kind of madness,” founder Art Allen told the Minnesota Daily in 2019. “It’s not structured like any other comedy show, and, of course, it’s all pun-themed. And it’s great because people who don’t want to hear puns don’t come.” The slam-style competition sees contestants receiving punny prompts, and their on-the-fly wordplay receives scores on a scale of one to 10 from selected members of the audience. A pun-off between the final four crowns the month’s champ. $10. 7 p.m. 355 Monroe St. NE, Minneapolis; find more info here.—Jay Boller
THURSDAY 6.19
Juneteenth Minnesota Block Party
West Broadway
Once again, West Broadway turns into a street festival for Juneteenth with hundreds of things to see and do. That includes the community parade that kicks things off, multiple live entertainment stages, food trucks and tons of healthy eats, and a local vendor mart. Contests throughout the day include searches for the best drill team, best Black cowboy, and best BBQ, while cultural exhibits will showcase Black history. You can also find free health services at the wellness fair, and a kids’ carnival will keep the little ones engaged. Free. Noon to 6 p.m. West Broadway, from Lyndale to Emerson Avenues North, Minneapolis; find more info here.—Jessica Armbruster
FRIDAY 6.20
World Refugee Day
Pilllar Forum
By definition, it’s never a great time to be a refugee. But in a moment of severe backlash worldwide, with militarized goons in the U.S. snatching the vulnerable off the streets or shoving them into prisons (sorry, detention centers) at the border, and bureaucrats stripping away legal protections, this is a really bad one. So this benefit for the Karen Organization of Minnesota, the first resettlement group in the state formed by actual refugees, is a timely one. Why shouldn’t you just write ’em a check? Because in this instance, good intentions are backed with a great lineup. The Taxpayers are punks scattered throughout the country, including right here in MN, and their excellent new album, Circle Breaker, offers the sort of engaged, earnest anthemry you could build a DIY community on. There are even horns. With Ywa Hay Moo, Reback Moo, Eh Ler Tha & Eh Wah & Family, and Ti Ter Haw Min. $15. 7 p.m. 2300 Central Ave. NE, Minneapolis; find more info here.—Keith Harris
Rock to Restore Research
Cedar Cultural Center
Tina Schlieske happens to be everywhere this week. The local rock mainstay performs at Mears Park as part of Lowertown Sounds on Wednesday and at the Hewing Rooftop on Sunday. But there’s no better setting in which to catch Schlieske than this benefit for Unite 2 Fight Paralysis, a local nonprofit that’s fighting federal cuts to spinal cord injury research. Also performing will be Freaque, the artistic alter ego of Gabriel Rodreick, who happens to have some spine in the game—the musician’s C5 spinal cord injury informs his music and the rest of his interdisciplinary work. Rounding out the bill are Americana rockers Zoe Says Go. $40. 7 p.m. 416 Cedar Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Keith Harris
Twin Cities Jazz Festival
Various Venues
Don’t worry, I won’t repeat the corny “free jazz” joke I made last year. But once again, this fest will treat the Twin Cities to a weekend of jazz, for free. As always the festival centers on Mears Park in Lowertown and largely takes place in St. Paul, with venues including Metronome Brewing and the White Squirrel. But it also stretches beyond city limits to sites as far flung as Berlin in Minneapolis’s North Loop and Crooners up in Fridley. Friday’s headliners on the main stage at Mears this year are the Emmet Cohen Trio, as well as the venerable vocal group the Four Freshman, which now features Minneapolis trumpeter Jake Baldwin. On Saturday night Catherine Russell will take the main stage along with Sean Mason. And the festival is a good chance to catch up with terrific local artists as well, such as Racket-approved drummer L.A. Buckner who’ll play the main stage with his group Big Homie. Free. Find more info here. Through Saturday—Keith Harris
SATURDAY 6.21
Twin Cities Vintage Fest
North Loop Green
Old clothes are pretty rad—both in a “cool” and a “radical” sense. They’re better for the environment, they can be easier on the wallet, and, if done well, they look pretty damn fashion-forward. So shout out to the neighborhood garage sales, the old items in your closet you still wear and love, and the thrift and vintage shops offering unique wares that are old but new to you. This summer, the folks behind Totally Rad Vintage mega events will be hosting a free monthly market offering sweet secondhand finds that need a new home. Think T-shirts for things time forgot, sports jerseys from past seasons, and costume jewelry that has survived the test of time. Vendors will have items from just about every decade except this one, with fashions ranging from high to low, and plenty in between. Free. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. 350 N. Fifth St., Minneapolis; find more info at tcvintageflea.com. Also July 19, Aug. 16, and Sep. 20—Jessica Armbruster
Juneteenth at the Capitol
Minnesota Capitol
Bring Me the News compiled this nifty roundup of 21 Twin Cities celebrations of Juneteenth, the federal holiday that commemorates slavery’s actual ending in 1865. We’re here to highlight the annual Minnesota Capitol cookout, organized by local nonprofit the ANIKA Foundation and Black Lives Matter, which’ll feature food, family activities, live music, vendors, and history displays. Writes the ANIKA Foundation: “We celebrate our ancestors, our food, our music, our families...our LEGACY!” Free. Noon to 6 p.m. 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul; find more info here.—Jay Boller
Fantasy & Sci-Fi Book Fair
Inbound BrewCo
Got your summertime reading stack assembled yet? If sci-fi or fantasy is your jam, then you’ll want to stop by Inbound this Saturday, when it will turn into a books and beers party. Providers of paper today include delightful indie bookstores Avant Garden (Anoka) and Cream & Amber (Hopkins). During the festivities, folks from Mermaid Cove, Tako Collective, and Ezra Snail will host artsy crafts stations, while teams can test their knowledge during themed book trivia at 1 p.m. Starting around 4 p.m., local authors will be stopping by for readings and signings. Free. 1-8 p.m. 701 N. Fifth St., Minneapolis.—Jessica Armbruster
Hopkins Food Truck Fest
Downtown Hopkins
You know about July’s Raspberry Festival, which has been going down in Hopkins since 1935. But this first-rate first-ring ‘burb boasts another tradition, the annual Food Truck Fest, that’s well worth your trip across Hwy. 100. The food truck angle really just serves as an excuse to get folks to charming Mainstreet, where there’ll be craft beverage gardens, live music (Jezebelle, Whiskey Stone, Jacuzzi Puma), games (giant Jenga, cornhole, hammerschlagen, mechanical bull), and, yes, fleets of four-wheeled food vendors. You can view this year's roster of 50+ trucks here, and it includes some dandies: Pizza Karma (our No. 3 fav local pizza chain), Anchor Fish & Chips (whose counterintuitive burger should not be slept on), and Eggroll Queen (a community-loved victim of crime). The roving MN Food Truck Festival is set to visit Minneapolis and Anoka later this summer. Free. 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. 902 Mainstreet, Hopkins; find more info here.—Jay Boller
Robby Hoffman
Parkway Theater
You might know this “small, ex-Hasidic, queer comedian” from HBO’s hit series Hacks. Deadline describes Hoffman as the “breakout” star, and recently revealed that she’ll soon get her own HBO vehicle, Unentitled, in which she’ll portray a version of herself. The Daily Beast has anointed Hoffman “the future of comedy”—jeez, no pressure! “When it rains, it pours,” the comic told TDB, reflecting on her success from Hacks and FX's Dying for Sex. “If I’m acting, I’m going to really be acting.” You can watch Hoffman’s 2019 special, I’m Nervous, right here. 18+. $30/$35. 8 p.m. 4814 Chicago Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Jay Boller
SUNDAY 6.22
Fat Splash
Bloomington Family Aquatic Center
A body-positive pool party? Hell yes. But not just one—this summer secondhand clothing shop Cake Plus-Size Resale is hosting four of their popular events. This Sunday things kick off with an all-ages get-together where folks can lounge poolside, play in the water, and enjoy the company of friends. Organized fun at these events include a cannonball contest, music to groove to, and food and drink, and permanent jewelry vendors and tarot readers. Other events this season will be 18+, and will alternate between morning parties at Bloomington Family Aquatic Center and nighttime swims at St. Louis Park’s Aquatic Park (3700 Monterey Dr., St. Louis Park). All ages. $26; no tickets will be sold at the gate. 201 E. 90th St., Bloomington; find tickets and more info at cakeplussize.com/fatsplash. Also July 12 and 20, August 2—Jessica Armbruster
Wrestlepalooza Pre-Pride Party
First Avenue
The kids who called you “gay” in elementary school for liking wrestling? Well… at the end of the day, they may have had a point. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that! You can ask them—wrestling is “super queer now,” with indie performers from coast to coast embracing their identity in the ring. Local promoters F1rst Wrestling have always said that wrestling is for everyone, and they’re once again bringing a big-time Pride party to First Avenue. Read our 2021 profile of badass, boundary-smashing local wrestler Devon Monroe here, and then snag your tickets and find more info here. With musical guests Denim Boys and Cheap Bouquet, burlesque by Sweetpea, and draglesque by Del the Funky Homosexual. 18+. $35+. 6 p.m. 701 N. First Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Em Cassel
ONGOING
All’s Well That Ends Well
Various Locations
Classical Actors Ensemble is bringing free Shakespeare to the public this season. It will be interesting to see what they do with All’s Well That Ends Well, a 400-year-old comedy where a woman of low status uses sexual deception, intellectual wiles, and high-stakes gambling to marry up. (Is the Real Housewives series a Shakespearean reboot?) Prepare to get a little trashy with some fancy language. This summer you can see it in the parks of the Twin Cities and surrounding ‘burbs. Find times and locations here. Through July 13—Jessica Armbruster
“Embracing Fallibility: A Neon Exhibition”
Foci - Minnesota Center for Glass Arts
Humans are imprecise, messy, and flawed, and Brooklyn-based neon/glass artist James Akers wants us to celebrate this. “In today's era of surveillance and automation to enhance business objectives, human fallibilities are often framed in a negative light, to be replaced by seemingly infallible ‘machine intelligence,’” he says. So while neon work is often clean and precise, Akers creates sculptures that are chaotic, haphazard, and, sometimes, even smudged; an overpacked machine with a giant red button or an electric rat’s nest. It’s an absolute mess, and it’s wonderful. 2213 Snelling Ave., Minneapolis; more info here. Through July 19—Jessica Armbruster
"Creation.Story"
All My Relations Arts
For this group show, artists blend the oral histories of the Očhéthi Šakówiŋ (Sioux Nation’s Lakota, Nakota, and Dakota tribes) with the modern-day people, ideas, and language. Think portraits featuring computer tech flourishes or fluffy felt buffalos rendered as collectible figurines. Co-curated by Keith BraveHeart and David Meyer, this touring exhibition changes with each location, inviting local artists to contribute works that make each event gallery specific. Fourteen artists will be showcased here, including James Star Comes Out, Dyani White Hawk, Jaida Grey Eagle, and others. 1414 E. Franklin Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here. Through July 26—Jessica Armbruster
Under the Canopy
Hook and Ladder
The Hook’s summerlong, pandemic-spawned outdoor series returns this week with 15 excuses to enjoy great music and fresh air while avoiding the sun’s poisonous rays. The jazzy, bluesy, and otherwise rootsy Davina and the Vagabonds kicked things off, and the series wraps up in early August with Dr. Mambo’s Combo paying tribute to two funk/soul powerhouses of the ’70s: Sly & the Family Stone and Rufus featuring Chaka Khan. Between those two dates you can catch soulful rockers Mae Simpson, astute singer-songwriter Chastity Brown, the THC-fueled dance party Doinks N’ Dubstep, a tribute to the Dead’s storied 1977 set at Cornell, and—you guessed it!—much more. 3010 Minnehaha Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here. Through August 8—Keith Harris
Lowertown Sounds
Mears Park
Downtown St. Paul could use a flicker of good news, and that's what we're here to provide: Lowertown Sounds, the reliably terrific—and free!—summertime concert series at Mears Park is back for 2025. More than half of this year's genre-spanning local performers are LTS first-timers, according to organizers, and as always they’ll be joined throughout the summer by craft bev vendors (Gambit Brewing, Pryes Brewing, Utepils Brewing, Alexis Bailly Vineyard) and a rotating fleet of "almost 10 food trucks” (we’re guessing that means eight or nine). Free. 6-10 p.m. Thursdays. 221 Fifth St. E., St. Paul; find more info here. Through August 14—Jay Boller
Twin Cities River Rats
Mississippi River
Fresh off their hit 2024 show, Ratagascar, the River Rats return with another spoof, this time of The Office. The cartoon poster appears to depict Dwight Schrute and Michael Scott being pulled behind a speedboat captained by a rat, suggesting at least some high-concept hijinks will be related to the beloved NBC sitcom. Here’s what organizers tease: “With high flying jumpers, towering pyramids, and our ballet ladies there is something for everyone! It’s a show you won’t want to miss.” Hm, sounds a lot like all River Rats shows, but there ain’t a damn thing wrong with that. As always, this team of rivertop tricksters performs for free and for the whole family. Bring some chairs and blankets, buy some concessions, and enjoy a Minneapolis summertime institution. Free. 7 p.m. 1758 West River Rd. N., Minneapolis; find more info here. Thursdays through August—Jay Boller
Skyline Mini Golf
Walker Art Center
Putt-putt is all about the challenge of using a stick to control a tiny ball amid quirky chaos. Sometimes you scoot right though without a problem, other times you end up hitting a hot dog too hard and bounce off course. Is that a metaphor for life? Maybe! All I know is that mini golf is back at the Walker, and playing it well requires a mix of patience, a light touch, and preparation for worst-case scenarios. This year’s course is 10 holes, all familiar hits that pay tribute to the Twin Cities and local culture with a few nods to the museum’s collection thrown in. Sometimes the obstacles are a bump in the road, sometimes it's a giant French fry, and sometimes the obstacle is you. Hey, this game really is a metaphor for life! $12. 725 Vineland Place, Minneapolis; find more info here. Through October 5—Jessica Armbruster
“ALEBRIJES: Keepers of the Island”
Raspberry Island
Alebrijes are a Mexico City folk-art tradition born out of a fever dream—literally. In 1936, artist Pedro Linares fell ill and found himself hallucinating a forest filled with magical creatures that were shouting “alebrijes!” at him. Once better, he knew that he had to recreate what he had experienced. Nearly 90 years later, Mexican artists continue this tradition, using papier-mâché to create beautifully surreal neon beasts—think chicken-fish-unicorns and butterfly-dog-frogs—ranging from four to 15 feet tall. This summer and fall, alebrijes will be at Raspberry Island thanks to four Mexico City-based artists who have created 16 large-scale papier-mâché sculptures for an installation organized by the Minnesota Latino Museum. You can venture through this colorful wonderland during the park’s regular hours (dawn to 11 p.m. daily). For more info, visit mnlatinomuseum.org/alebrijes. 2 Wabasha St. S., St. Paul. Through October 26—Jessica Armbruster
