By supporting Racket, you're subsidizing dozens of local freelance writers who produce the wonderful stories you see below—$20K+ of our annual budget goes to getting 'em paid fairly. Enjoy revisiting these bangers. (To see our 20 favorite articles produced by Racket's four owner/editors, click here.)
I Went to Karaoke 7 Days in a Row
Creepy guys, a sore throat, an incredible amount of Chris Stapleton—and a lot of fun. Here's what happens when you commit to a solid week of karaoke.
A U of M Reporter Explores BORG, the Latest Binge-Drinking Craze
What the hell is it? Why is it everywhere? How dubious are the health claims? What should I name mine?
What’s the Deal With St. Paul?
After spending 72 hours in the other city, this Racket reader has some ideas.
How I Got and Promptly Quit 6 Jobs in 6 Weeks
Let's hear from Racket's Special Employment Correspondent.
Friends and Neighbors Mourn the Loss of Dancer, Community Gardener Robert Howard Skafte
'Somebody walks in and they can't afford coffee, he’ll just pour them a cup.'
Is Minnesota Forever Doomed to Smoky Summer Skies?
We asked a forest ecologist, multiple scientists, a tribal forest manager, a lung doctor, a respiratory therapist, and a sociologist.
WreckIt Rage Room Promises to Be Cheaper and More Fun Than Therapy. So I Tried Both.
How one depressed person became an apologist for senselessly breaking things.
8 Books by Minnesota Authors We’re Excited for in 2023
Read more, read local.
‘Grasshopper, Grasshopper, Go to Hell!’: Inside the MN-Hatched Holiday of St. Urho’s Day
The wacky holiday has resonated with Finnish-Americans for decades.
A N00b Goes to Twin Cities Con
And discovers that 'nerd' is truly a state of mind.
12 Hours Freaking People Out at the Dead End Hayride
These actors are working the graveyard shift, literally.
Why Does the Hy-Vee Bar Fuck So Hard?
The best place to drink in Robbinsdale is at the grocery store.
36 Photos of the Charred, Soon-to-Be-Demolished Lake Street Kmart from Its ’80s Heyday
The infamously located Minneapolis store appeared hoppin' one day in 1987.
Doin' Beers
We're cheating and including the entire series from our new suds columnist.
A Teenage Swiftie Checks in on the Biggest Movie in the Country
‘Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour’ is as much an event as the live concerts were—but come on, turn off your phone’s flashlight.
How to Eat Like It’s the State Fair, Every Day of the Year
Who cares what your doctor says? You can do it.
I Talked to Strangers at Strangers Meeting Strangers’ ‘Talk to Me Day’
The community-building event at Loring Park was worth attending, even for the less-than-outgoing.
Why the 2023 Twins Snapped the Franchise’s Woeful Playoff Losing Streak
A rosy postseason guide for the casual Twinkies fan.
Dining Pregnant in the Twin Cities, a Trimesterly Guide
Including a bonus fourth trimester of eating/drinking advice.
‘It’s Like a Renaissance’: Baba’s to Open Hummus House, Bakery, and Market
Hummus, mana’eesh, and more head for the old Galls uniform store this July.
My First Visit to Margaritaville Was Jimmy Buffett’s Wake
After the beachcombing bard died Friday, we took a pilgrimage to the Mall of America restaurant chain bearing his name.
Reevaluating Gov. Ventura: Unpredictable Policies, Wild Quotes, and Celeb Politician Legacy
Let's revisit Minnesota's loud, complicated, and reliably outrageous Ventura years.
I Took the 19-Meal Twin Cities Vegan Challenge
And I only made it to six places. But wait! Here are all the delicious (and kinda meh) things I discovered along the way.
8 Things I Miss About Living in the Twin Cities
Racket's ex-beer columnist gets blog-ily wistful from his new home in Maine.
How Savory Bake House Become a Cult-Loved Longfellow Fixture
Open only a handful of hours each week, this south Minneapolis favorite always has a line down the block.
What’s the Deal With Hastings?
A new-ish resident’s deeply subjective guide to Rivertown.
Enjoy 22 Wonderful Portraits of Minnesotans Thriving at the MN State Fair
At the Great Minnesota Get-Together, humanity shines as bright as the midday Midway sun.
A Cheapskate’s Guide to the Minnesota State Fair
Here's one family’s Blue Ribbon Bargain Book strategy.
A Very Biased Guide to Duluth’s Best Dive Bars
Cheap beer. Free biscuits 'n' gravy. 'Odd smells.' Here's where to drink in Duluth.
I Baked a Coffee Cake With Local Social Media Celebrity Sam Schedler
Turns out he's a corner slice kind of guy.
Inside MN’s Newest, Queerest, Raunchiest Sex-Toy Company
Founded by three pals, Bedroom Besties goes where other adult retailers wouldn't dare.
World War P: Which Minneapolis Theater Wins the Popcorn Wars?
Four theaters. Lots of shit talking. One definitive taste test.
What’s the Best Local Beer to Cook Your Brats in?
Stop using the Coors Light that's been sitting in your garage fridge and reach for one of these Minnesota beers instead.
Witch Hunting in the Twin Cities
Someday, maybe, I’ll call myself a witch. For now, I’m Pagan-curious.
Striptease and the Cities: A Performer’s Guide to Burlesque in Minneapolis and St. Paul
Where to see hot, nearly naked folks—and why it's important.
Yup, There Is Such a Thing as Minneapolis Historical Fiction
Meet Erik Rivenes, the author and podcaster who applies literary flair to real-life Twin Cities history.
Meet the Twin Cities Wyverns, Your Local Armored Combat Squad
Still less violently self-destructive than the Wolves.
Phonics Fundamentalism Comes to Minnesota
Inside the perils of legislating literacy with suspect science.
Meet the Most Absurdly Positive Timberwolves Tweeter
Jake Kelly, aka @jakesgraphs, reminds us that T-Wolves fandom can be fun.
San Francisco Is in Minnesota
San Francisco Township, that is. Located in Carver County, it's home to a historic one-room schoolhouse, rolling farmland, and lots and lots of gravel.
The 10 Best Liquor Stores in St. Paul
If you’re getting tipsy in the Saintly City, stop here first.
I Had the Best Muffin of My Life
The Heiruspecs bassist/Jazz 88.FM personality/Trivia Mafia co-owner shares an elite pistachio muffin recommendation.
A Complete Guide to the Ghost Towns of Hennepin County
Don't be scared: These g-g-g-g-ghost towns offer few specters but lots of lessons into the past.
Urban Lights, MN’s Only Black-Owned Record Store, Turns 30
In the heart of University Avenue, there’s a living monument to hip-hop history. (And now it's old enough to wear knee braces at the gym.)
In Tiny Watkins, MN, Keek’s Restaurant Revels in Literal Farm-to-Table Cooking
How chef/owner Colin Kuechle is bringing Thai steak salad and chicken dijonnaise to cow country.
The St. Paul Shoveling Problem
Repeat offenders, miscommunication between agencies, resistance to municipal shoveling… what can St. Paul do to get its sidewalks clear?
Seward Community Cafe Reopens Today—With Some Changes
The Minneapolis institution's longstanding cooperative tradition remains, but there are new people in charge.
