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WEDNESDAY 9.23
Mizna’s Twin Cities Arab Film Fest
Main Cinema + Walker Art Center
Now in its 20th year, this festival is bringing 35 films, roughly centered on the theme “Looking Forward, Looking Back,” to an array of venues, primarily the Main and the Walker. Opening night film The Stories concerns an Egyptian man and an Austrian woman who correspond as pen pals throughout the ’70s, and is followed by a Q&A with director Abu Bakr Shawky. The closing day films are With Hasan in Gaza, which uses 2001 footage that director Kamal Aljafari discovered, and the animated feature Bouchra, built around queer U.S.-based filmmaker Meriem Bennani’s conversations with her mother. Among other highlights is a “secret movie” screening outdoors Thursday night underneath the Third Avenue Bridge (hint: it’s a classic Lebanese musical) and a retrospective of the short work of Lebanese-born filmmaker Hadi Moussally. Find tickets, the full schedule, venue information, and more info here. Through Saturday—Keith Harris
THURSDAY 9.24
Nels Cline & Yuka Honda: River Mouth, Unseen Green
Walker Art Center
You probably know Cline as the longtime guitarist for Wilco and Honda for her work in the ’90s with art-poppers Cibbo Matto, but this weekend these musicians will showcase their more Walker-appropriate experimental sides. For All-Star Gathering on Thursday, Cline will be joined by recent Dylan guitar fill-in Julian Lage, My Brightest Diamond vocalist Shara Nova, Wilco drummer Glenn Kotche, and the great Minneapolis bassist Anthony Cox. Honda takes over on night two, debuting the opera she has written with Glen Kaino, I Am Yoko, about you-know-who; she’ll then lead an ensemble in a performance of the Ono/Lennon avant-garde film, Fly. $30. 7:30 p.m. Thu.–Fri.725 Vineland Place, Minneapolis; find more info here. Through Friday—Keith Harris
“Cream of the Crop: The Second Harvest”
Minneapolis Institute of Art
Last year, for the first time, the Minneapolis Institute of Art exhibited a selection of crop art from the Minnesota State Fair. “[Crop art is] an interesting crossover between folk art and fine art, it’s a kitschy Minnesota tradition, and it’s something sort of uniquely Minnesotan,” Rob Bedeaux, Mia’s head of marketing and communications, told Racket at the time. “Cream of the Crop,” as the show was perfectly titled, was a hit. It was so popular that Mia brought the show back this year, with more than 20 pieces of art, including five that won best in show ribbons from the fair. There’s an opening reception tonight from 6–8 p.m. (it’s free, but tickets are required). 2400 Third Ave. S., Minneapolis; find more info here. Through November 29—Em Cassel
FRIDAY 9.25
Papa Mbye
Icehouse
In April, Racket’s first-ever Picked to Click winner released his seven-track EP, Jakaarlo, the much-anticipated follow-up to Parcelles 16. The title means “to be close to” in Wolof, and, fittingly, his singing is more sensual than ever here while high-profile local collaborators Young Dervish and (Meatloaf Dipper co-inventor) Ryan Olson ensure that his music is even more stylistically varied than in the past. Mbye wrote the material for Jakaarlo over the course of a relationship, which ended just as he completed the album, and the title track is influenced by two of old-school Senegalese mbalax stars; N'dongo Lo released a song by the same name, and Mbye samples the great Youssou N’Dour’s song “Lima Wesu.” With Bird Dog, Major Sosa, and a DJ set from Kaya. 21+. $15/$22 at the door. 8 p.m. 2528 Nicollet Ave. S.; find more info here.—Keith Harris
Fulton Oktoberfest
Fulton NE Production Brewery
Before the big holidays arrive later this season we’ve got one of the more underrated to-dos: Oktoberfest, which is basically beer Christmas, with a beer tent instead of a beautifully lit fir tree. One such tent is popping up at Fulton’s manufacturing facility, where revelers will find a variety of seasonal brews from Fulton as well as historic German breweries like Paulaner and Hacker-Pschorr. Each day there will also be plenty of traditional entertainment, from Bavarian dancers to live music of oompah origin. Or be the entertainment yourself at the stein-holding competition or the weiner toss (the meat, not the dog). Typical German festival eats will be on the menu, including a three-foot-long brat (meterwurst) and schnitzel, as well as traditional American fair food (cheese curds and jalapeño poppers). It’s free to attend, but drink tokens will set you back about $10.50 a piece. All ages. 4–10 p.m. Fri.; noon to 10 p.m. Sat. through Sep. 26. 2540 Second St. NE, Minneapolis; find more info here. Also Saturday—Jessica Armbruster
SATURDAY 9.26
Legacy Cup
Surly Brewing Festival Field
If you say you remember Legacy Cup, man, that means you weren’t there, man—heh, heh, heh. But seriously: This thing has ballooned into "the Midwest's largest cannabis festival," per organizers, and this year it appears larger than ever. As always, weed companies will compete for awards (that's where the "cup" comes in), but there'll also be weed-adjacent activities like pro-skater spectacles, video games, art displays, a car show, and killer munchies from Parlor, Wrecktangle, El Burrito Mercado, Muddy Tiger, D-Spot, and Dairy Lab. But back to weed: There'll be "ganja games" (joint rolling, most epic bong hit and dab hit, headiest pipe, and bong pong), pop-up dispensaries, and samples galore. Oh, yeah! It’s a full-blown music festival, too, with performances from pot-championing hip-hop acts Big Boi, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Nappy Roots, and Sa-Roc. Still having trouble visualizing what Legacy Cup will look like? Consult this photo gallery we commissioned last year. 21+. $40; $175 VIP. Noon to 8 p.m. 520 Malcolm Ave. SE, Minneapolis; find more info here.—Jay Boller
Willi Carlisle
Cedar Cultural Center
"I want to write songs that prove the old weird America didn't go anywhere," queer leftist country singer Carlisle proclaims. His latest, The Universal Bubba (which sounds like a Drive-By Truckers title), is produced by Tyler Childers, and Childers’s band, the Food Stamps, and won’t be out till November 6. But you’ll get a taste of it tonight, and judging from advance tracks “The Mason Jar at the Center of the World” and “Marlboro Vinyasa,” about a small-town redneck who seeks refuge in “the last place you can smoke inside” (which “has got free yoga on Saturday night”) the young weird America seems to be doing just fine. With William Matheny. $25.15. 8 p.m. 416 Cedar Ave. S., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Keith Harris
Dakota Block Party
Nicollet Mall
The Dakota rocks, Minneapolis rocks, and those two truths will be on full display during this free downtown block party that’s taking over Nicollet Mall for another year. Live music will go down at three locations: jazzy stuff inside, with the New Standards headlining at 9:30 p.m.; music education from MacPhail and swing dancing with Southside Aces at the Quinlan Room; and the outdoor main stage is set to host L.A. Buckner & Big Homie (see Racket’s profile here), Nathan & the Zydeco Cha Chas, Liv Warfield, Dylan Salfer, and reliably excellent headliners Sounds of Blackness featuring Jamecia Bennett. Adults can peruse a craft and vintage market, while youngsters can go nuts in the Treble Makers Kids' Corner that features tunes from the Bazillions, an instrument "petting zoo," face painting, donut decorating, tie-dying, sparkly hair extensions, and sidewalk chalk art. The Dakota's excellent kitchen will handle grub with an assist from area food trucks; intoxicating bevs will be served up by Pryes and the Wine Co. Free. 2–10 p.m. 1010 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis; find more info here.—Jay Boller
Selby Days
Selby Avenue & Grotto Street
This neighborhood festival is part art fair, part nature celebration, and part boot-scootin’ boogie. That may sound like a weirdo combo, but like peanut butter and jelly it just works. At Selby Grove (736 Selby Ave.) there will be line-dancing, acoustic jams, and singalongs all day, along with mechanical bull rides, a beer tent, and food trucks. The Butterfly Grove (741 Selby Ave.) is all about mural making and kids’ activities, while the Creative Hearts Yard (622 Selby Ave.) is where makers, artists, and artisans will sell their wares. Other pockets to explore in the area include a plant sale, a fresh food market, and sidewalk sales from the nearby vintage vendors. Free. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Selby Avenue & Grotto Street, St. Paul; find more info here.—Jessics Armbruster
Nicollet Open Streets
Nicollet Avenue
I may be biased because it’s in my neighborhood, but this is the best Open Streets event of the year. This Saturday, two miles of Nicollet Avenue will close to cars to make it easier to bike and walk along one of south Minneapolis’s main drags. This is a street that’s got it all: fancy restaurants, dive bars, ethnic grocers, thrift shops, yoga studios, salt caves, daycare centers, auto repair garages, single-family homes, apartment complexes, and parks. That makes for an Open Street with a lot going for it; last year’s event included pop-up concerts, folks selling fruit out of coolers, secondhand-clothing sidewalk sales, tabletop gaming, fired-up grills offering all kinds of meats, and cheap beer. Hell yeah, Nicollet Avenue. Free. 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nicollet Avenue, from Lake Street to 46th Street, Minneapolis; find more info here.—Jessics Armbruster
Fright Night Market
Falling Knife Brewing Co.
The cloudy skies, the chill in the air, the rain… these dreary days can only mean one thing: Mice are making their annual invasion of my house. Oh and also, it’s almost Halloween! Start your spooky season early with this free horror market, where you can find memorabilia, VHS tapes, original art, vinyl, and books. Falling Knife will also have DJs and live tarot readings from 6–9 p.m., and at 9 there’ll be a mystery horror movie on the big screen in the parking lot. Bring a lawn chair and come hungry/thirsty; there’ll also be plenty of bevs and burgs from the Burger 101 Food Truck. Free. 6–10 p.m. 783 Harding St. NE, Minneapolis; find more info here.—Em Cassel
Sever’s Fall Festival
Sever’s Farm
Getting lost in a corn maze is wholesome fun—or the start of a horror movie. It’s probably going to be the latter when we’re talking ‘bout this annual Shakopee harvest fest. Since 1997, Sever’s has created a huge maze annually for you to explore (generally it takes 30–40 minutes from start to finish), but once you make your way out there’s still a ton to see and do. There’s a petting zoo, there are hay rides, there are hay sculptures, there’s a live music stage, fields of pumpkins, zip lining, and corn pits. New this year is a mega-jump BMX bike show. $19. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sat.–Sun., plus Thu.–Fri. Oct. 15–16 (MEA week). 3121 150th St. W., Shakopee; find more info here. Through November 1—Jessica Armbruster
Harvest Moon Festival
East Phillips Park
Join the East Phillips Neighborhood Institute for this third-annual Harvest Moon Festival. It’s not a celebration of Neil Young (though we’re sure he’d approve) or the venerable farm RPG franchise (unclear how Nintendo would feel), but rather a community-led event that recognizes the hard work neighbors have put in “to make collective stewardship of the Roof Depot site a reality,” as organizers put it. If you haven’t heard, the EPNI’s purchase of the site is moving forward after the Legislature finally approved $4 million in funding for the project earlier this May—that alone is worth celebrating, and should make this year’s Harvest Moon Festival a little extra special. Expect food, live art and music, resources and skill-sharing from local groups, and the warm and fuzzy feeling you get when neighbors come together for a common cause. Free. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 2399 17th Ave. S., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Em Cassel
SUNDAY 9.27
Czech and Slovak Fest
Czech and Slovak Sokol Minnesota
God bless the organizers of this 37th annual celebration of this Czechoslovakian/Slovakian culture for the broad promise of "ethnic food." In practice, that'll mean delicious Central European street fare like lángos, schnitzel, and koláč, the latter of which will be consumed in vast quantities during an eating contest. You can also expect traditional music, folk dancing, puppetry, gymnastics, and juggling, plus Czech-style beer flowing like the damn Vltava River. They may say "zadarmo ani kuře nehrabe" (translation: "chickens don't dig for free"), but this Prague-style party proves good, free things do still exist... unlike Czechoslovakia. Free. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 383 Michigan St., St. Paul; find more info here.—Jay Boller
ONGOING
Taking the Scenic Route
Trylon
Road trips? In this economy? Fortunately, to save you the cost and hassle of driving across our large, dumb country, the Trylon is screening 14 cinematic road trips throughout the summer. And we’re working with a very expansive definition of “road trip” here, broad enough to take in both Chantal Akerman’s Je Tu Il Elle and The Muppet Movie, at least one of which is sure to sell out quickly. You can catch the muppets on Trylon’s fancy new laser projector, as well as Paris, Texas, because Nastassja Kinski deserves to be seen in the highest definition possible. A mess of these will be on 35mm film, including Ingmar Bergman’s Wild Strawberries (a stone classic even if the dream sequence bored you in film class), It Happened One Night (simply one of the funniest movies of all time), and Two-Lane Blacktop (the definitive ’70s American road race movie). And each screening will only cost you $8, which wouldn’t get you enough gas to get out of the metro area. 2820 E. 33rd St., Minneapolis; find complete listings, showtimes, and more info here. Through September 29—Keith Harris
The 10th Neighborhood Garage Tour
Various Locations
That’s right, Off-Leash Area’s summertime tradition of bringing theater to the backyards, driveways, and, yes, garages of the Twin Cities turns 10 this year. Over the past decade, they’ve traveled through 44 neighborhoods producing 120-plus kid-friendly shows. This year, they’ll present Stardust Rendezvous, a piece about three space travelers from different worlds who must learn how to communicate and work together to get off the asteroid they’re trapped on. Locations this year include homes in St. Paul, Brooklyn Park, south Minneapolis, and Turbo Tim’s northeast Minneapolis location. $5–$30 suggested donation. 7 p.m. Fri.–Sat. Find tickets and more information here. Through October 3—Jessica Armbruster
The Minnesota Renaissance Festival
Festival Site
Huzzah! Ye olde faire has returned to Shakopee for another epic meeting of the realms. These realms are not beholden to any time or place or reality, but loosely include: fairies, Arthurian knights, miscellaneous hobbits, Rococo French folks, ancient Celts and Scots, a handful of mermaids, and some old-school Oktoberfest Germans. Some years, there’s even a decent smattering of Whovians. The crowd is part of the fun, but there are plenty of things to see and do, including jousting, mini plays, concerts, free wine and beer samplings on themed weekends, and giant turkey legs. Shop handmade wares, try a few feats of strength, and return to 2026 safely via steel horse (aka the park-and-ride shuttlebus). $16.95–$29.95. 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sat.–Sun., plus Festival Friday (Oct. 2). 12364 Chestnut Blvd. (Queen's Gate) and 3525 145th St. W. (King's Gate), Shakopee; find more info here. Through October 4—Jessica Armbruster
“Your Favorite Artists’ Favorite Artists”
Southside Preservation Society
Following its recent “Full House” exhibit, Southside Preservation Society, the newish Seward gallery space from BRLSQ, asked participating artists about their favorite artists. The resulting show? It’s “Your Favorite Artists’ Favorite Artists”! Alexis Politz, Maw Reh, Tshab Her, Amy Rice, Jennifer Davis, and Magdalena Mora are among those featured, and though they differ widely in media and style they have one thing in common: If you don’t already know their names, you should. 2619 28th Ave. S., Minneapolis; find more info here. Through October 9—Em Cassel
Skyline Mini Golf
Walker Art Center
Warmer weather means it’s putt-putt season in Minnesota. Yeah sure, you can play mini-golf year-round in the North Loop, but it’s just not as whimsical an experience when you drop a course into a dimly lit bar with a “hot young singles only” vibe. The Twin Cities’ only putt-putt in the sky is back at the Walker, featuring 10 quirky holes made by local artists. New this year is Indhaha Dayaxa–Eyes of the Moon by Ifrah Mansour, a Minneapolis-based Somali artist who you may have seen performing at the Minnesota State Fair, featured on TPT’s Minnesota Original, or exhibiting works at the Mia. Return holes this year include the hot dog one, the one where you race via color, the one with ping-pong paddles, and the pool-hall one. Bring sunscreen and enjoy those views of Loring Park, downtown Minneapolis, and the endless Hennepin-Lyndale traffic jam. $12. 725 Vineland Place, Minneapolis; reserve a time and find more info here. Through October 18—Jessica Armbruster
“Olalekan Jeyifous: Hydricosmic Litanies”
Walker Art Center
Recently, Racket ran a story by Drew Ross about what trash and treasures might surface if we were to drain the Mississippi River gorge. By curious coincidence, a new exhibit at the Walker constructs imaginary artifacts from composite, fictional cultures that might be found in the river. In his first solo show, “Hydricosmic Litanies,” the Nigerian-born artist Olalekan Jeyifous, also known as Lek, draws upon Yorùbá, Dakota, and Ojibwe traditions to create stories about the interaction between peoples and the river. You should check out Jeyifous’s Insta for a taste of what his art is like. 725 Vineland Place, Minneapolis; find more info here. Through January 3, 2027—Keith Harris
