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MONDAY 10.5
Kelela
Varsity Theater
Even Kelela has gone shoegaze? So said some people upon sampling the R&B singer's latest, New Avatar—but, you know, some people say a lot of things. Still, the singer/producer’s newer tracks are laced with more guitar than previously, as she integrates the rock (indie and otherwise) of her early musical forays into the electronic R&B she's known for, with the assistance of PinkPantheress and Lily Allen trackmaster Oscar Scheller. And if you’d like to read more on that musical past, Kelela had some perceptive and funny responses for Pitchfork's 5-10-15-20 feature. (On the Fiery Furnaces’ Blueberry Boat: “This is a time when white people were doing white shit, remember that?” When’s the last time you heard someone use “white shit” as a term of praise?) 18+. $56-$144. 7 p.m. 1308 SE Fourth St., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Keith Harris
TUESDAY 10.6
Chance the Rapper
Armory
Hard to believe that 34-year-old Chance is already reduced to anniversary tours, but yes, this show will celebrate his breakthrough, Coloring Book, released just 10 years ago. Three years later, the energetic Chicagoan would drop The Big Day, or maybe I should say that The Big Day would drop him—somehow a joyful album about his wedding instantly dried up all the goodwill Chance had accumulated. As not just an apologist but an actual fan of that album, I’ll stand by what I said at the time: “A lot of people who feel uncomfortable calling gospel and/or grandmas corny are super-eager to tell you they’re too cool for love songs.” In any case, the 2016 mixtape still sounds great: If gravity brings us all down to Earth, that doesn’t mean Chance couldn’t momentarily defy it. Whether he’s able to levitate back up to its level live remains to be seen. All ages. $27.50+. 8 p.m. 500 S. Sixth St., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Keith Harris
WEDNESDAY 10.7
Cine Latino
Main Cinema and other locations
Now in its 14th year, this film festival scored a big opening night movie in La Bola Negra, the Cannes- and critically-acclaimed queer epic from directors Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi (aka Los Javis). (If you don’t score a ticket to Wednesday’s screenings, don’t fret: It’ll return to the Main later this month.) And the fest closes on a jolly, crowd-pleasing note with Old Bandits, in which some seniors join in with a heist. There’s lots more in between, including short films, “kid flicks” at Mia, and a broad range of Spanish and Portuguese language films from both Europe and the Americas. In addition to opening and closing night parties at the Aster River Room, related events include a Thursday night salsa party under the Third Avenue Bridge, a Friday night filmmakers’ meetup at MCAD, family-friendly block printing activities at the Main on Saturday morning, and a parade down Main Street on Sunday afternoon. $18 per screening; festival packages available. 115 SE Main St., Minneapolis; find showtimes and more info here. Through Sunday—Keith Harris
THURSDAY 10.8
“Roots”
All My Relations Arts
This fall/winter exhibition from All My Relations Arts showcases Native artists from across the regions of Turtle Island, the name many Indigenous peoples use to refer to the Americas. It’s part of a new juried series that will “shed light on how the Western colonial construct of borders was designed to divide Native nations and perpetuate cultural divisions through the systematic removal of Indigenous peoples from their ancestral homelands,” according to AMRA. The first exhibit in this series focuses on the Midwest region. There will be an opening reception on Thursday from 6–8 p.m. 1414 E. Franklin Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here. Through December 12—Em Cassel
Valeria Luiselli
Loft Literary Center
What is the relationship between narrative and life as we’ve lived it? That’s not a new question, especially in our heavily autofictional moment, but one that Valeria Luiselli’s latest novel, Beginning Middle End, puzzles over in the much-lauded author’s distinctive way, starting with the title itself. Luiselli tracks the journey of a divorced woman and her teen daughter to Sicily, where the narrator’s grandmother once did archaeological work. As with her brilliant 2019 novel, Lost Children Archive, Luiselli melds research, memoir, and invention to investigate how our private family lives are part of a very public history. Telling the story of how four generations of women tell each other’s stories, Luiselli writes: “While we think we are simply reading and writing the world for them, our children are always, also, reading and writing us.” $10. 6 p.m. 1011 Washington Ave. S., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Keith Harris
FRIDAY 10.9
Twin Cities Oktoberfest
Minnesota State Fairgrounds
Did you miss out on last month’s Oktoberfests? Looking to keep the party going? Do you miss the fairgrounds already? No matter what brings you to this weekend’s big fest you’ll find what you’re looking for: beer. This Oktoberfest is 100% local, so don’t expect any German beers or random breweries from Seattle. Instead, you’ll be able to choose from 20 different Minnesota-made beers and ciders from the likes of Utepils, Pryes, Minneapolis Cider Co., Dangerous Man, and Haggard Barrel Brewing Co. Live music will be polka-focused, and traditional German food will be offered. $13 wristbands; $38 with mug; group packages available. 5-11 p.m. Fri.; noon to 10 p.m. Sat. 1621 Randall Ave., St. Paul; find more info here. Through Saturday–Jessica Armbruster
Trylon Horrorthon X
Trylon Cinema
This horror film fest, casually billed as “eight hours of nonstop gore and mayhem,” usually sells out before you can even check your calendar to see if you’re free. But to celebrate a decade of surprise frights, the Trylon has expanded its celebration to three screenings, and now even allows online ticket sales (normally you gotta pick ‘em up in person). You never know what you’re going to get here; event programmer John Moret reflects on some of the series’ highs (Alligator, 1980) and lows (Blue Sunshine, 1977) on Tylon's blog, Perisphere. Audiences who make it to the end of their marathon will receive a limited-edition button and screen-printed poster by Tim Holly of Tape Freaks. $50. 4 p.m. to midnight Fri.; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. or 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. Sat. 2820 E. 33rd St., Minneapolis; find more info here. Through Saturday—Jessica Armbruster
Goth Skate: Spooky Roll 2026
Cheap Skate Roller Center
Goths are suffering from bad PR at the moment. (Read about Drake and his “goth baddie” influencer if you must.) Possibly to combat this, Ground Zero dance night the Forbidden Bazaar is taking over the ‘burbs with eyeliner, leather, and roller skates. DJ Death Lily and Noise will fill the rink with genre-specific tunes, Anne Fry Photography will operate a free photobooth, and brooding vendors will happily sell you counterculture bric-a-brac. And you don’t gotta be a dyed-in-the-wool goth to participate; Goth Skate is open to all “darkly inclined folks,” organizers write. If nothing else, it’s a fun opportunity to check out a throwback roller rink. 18+. $15. 9 p.m. to midnight. 3075 Coon Rapids Boulevard NW, Coon Rapids; find more info here.—Jay Boller
SATURDAY 10.10
City of Lakes Art Fair
Bde Maka Ska
Summer isn’t the only season for outdoor art fairs. This weekend, Uptown is getting artsy at the lake with one of the most scenic fests of the season. Over 150 Minnesota artists will be setting up shop, selling wares that include homemade jams, cozy mugs, paintings of local landscapes, dog treats, and upcycled messenger bags New this year is the Harvest Market, a special corridor for foodies where you’ll find gourmet chocolates, hot sauces, drink mixes, and honeys. Live music is scheduled both days, and there will be a kids’ zone to keep the little ones entertained. Free. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sat.–Sun. West Bde Maka Ska Parkway, between W. Lake Street and W. 32nd Street, Minneapolis; find more info here. Through Sunday—Jessica Armbruster
“Posters for Parks”
Minnehaha Falls
Kind of crazy that Racket has yet to publish “Parks of Minneapolis, Ranked,” isn’t it? (We did do every playground in south Minneapolis, however.) My personal top five would probably include Theo Wirth, Boom Island… and I’d definitely throw Minnehaha Regional Park, where this annual park-themed art event is held, in the mix. “Posters for Parks” is a group show featuring limited-edition posters from a whole bunch of local artists. (For a sense of the kind of cool pieces we’re working with, check out some of the galleries from previous years.) It’s a great chance to pick up some new pieces for your home while supporting the parks system; half of sales go to the artists, with the rest benefiting the Minneapolis Parks Foundation's People for Parks Fund. Free. 2–6 p.m. 4801 Minnehaha Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Em Cassel
MNCBA FallCon 2026
Minnesota State Fairgrounds Grandstand
This independent con has been showing us a good time biannually since 1990. It’s back this weekend with all the things fans expect: There will be over 300 creatives tabling, with offerings like fan art, zines, comics, and collectibles. Play video games at an arcade hosted by 2D Con, vote for the best looks at the cosplay contest, and entertain the kids at the Arkham Asylum Carnival. Food trucks, freebies, prizes, and an art auction round out the event. $15. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sat.; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sun. 1265 Snelling Ave., Falcon Heights; find more info here. Through Sunday—Jessica Armbruster
Trunk or Treat
Morris Nilsen Funeral Chapel
Nothing spookier than a funeral chapel, considering that’s where dead bodies go before hitting the dirt. But they can also be places of community… or at least Richfield’s Morris Nilsen Funeral Chapel can be on days like Trunk or Treat, its annual candy- and biz-promoting event. The premise is simple: Local businesses show up with decorated trunks full of candy and promotional materials, and costumed kiddos go truck to truck filling their pillow sacks. Maybe mom or dad connects with a landscaper or Frenchman’s Pub in the process—who can say? This much is certain: Morris Nilsen will be filling its hearse with donated hygiene products, so show up with something useful for the charitable death car. Free. 3–6 p.m. 6527 Portland Ave., Richfield; find more info here.—Jay Boller
SUNDAY 10.11
Muna
Palace Theatre
The three members of this L.A. indie-pop band know they’ve cultivated one of the most dedicated queer fanbases in music; so much so that, in 2020, Queerty magazine literally named ‘em queer heroes. But with their new album, May’s Dancing on the Wall, Muna gently pushed away from being the "queer joy mini-skirt rollerblade band," as they’ve half-jokingly dubbed themselves, and instead released a politically charged "dark, poppy, intense, sweaty, funky dance album." Outside of the Immortal Technique-indebted subtlety of “Big Stick,” Dancing is still a Muna LP—big, shimmering synths and shout-along choruses, where the political is mostly personal. Expect no shortage of queer joy and mini skirts (though probably no rollerblades) tonight in St. Paul. Opener Hemlocke Springs, who recently played the Varsity, released her first full-length, The Apple Tree Under the Sea, earlier this year. The album sounds well-crafted but not excessively labored over. The singer deploys an arsenal of gripping voices over a variety of theatrically pop settings, with tracks like the domestic fantasy "w-w-w-w-w" and the manically revving “Head, Shoulders, Knees and Ankles” serving up confections more complex than your average sugar rush. All ages. $75 and up. 6 p.m. 17 W. Seventh Place, St. Paul; find more info here.—Jay Boller/Keith Harris
ONGOING
Heights Centennial
Heights Theater
Been up to the Heights lately? Last year, longtime owner Tom Letness entered a much-earned retirement, selling the local treasure to Chicago’s Music Box Theatre. The new folks have shown themselves to be fine stewards, launching series like Queer Cut (hosted by Racket contributor Natalie Marlin) while maintaining the theater’s commitment to silent film and making good use of the 70mm projectors. For this celebration of its 100th, the Heights will screen one film from each decade of the theater’s existence, from Harold Lloyd’s 1923 Safety Last! (the one where he hangs from a clock) to Damien Chazelle’s 2022 epic Babylon (the one with the elephant shit). It’ll be a treat to catch old faves like The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966), modern classics like Parasite (2019), and the still eye-popping Pinocchio (1940) on the big screen. And if you haven’t been to the Heights in a while (or—gasp—never), you’ll find an excuse to experience the theater’s Mighty Wurlitzer and refurbished splendor among a lineup of familiar if always rewatchable films like It Happened One Night (1934), Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975), The Shining (1980), and The Matrix (1999). The series begins Thursday night with Sunset Boulevard (1950), which doubles as the finale of the theater’s Billy Wilder series, and there’s also Chicago (2002), he concluded if-you-don’t-have-anything-nice-to-say-ly. $85 pass for all eight films. 3951 Central Ave. NE, Columbia Heights; find showtimes, prices, and more info here. Through October 8—Keith Harris
“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
Claire Atherton: Growing the Image
Walker Art Center
Film editor Claire Atherton is best known for her collaborations with the great Belgian director Chantal Akerman, a partnership that lasted for nearly 30 years, ending only with the filmmaker’s death. So this look at the editor’s work naturally begins with an Akerman film, D’Est (From the East), a remarkable 1993 journey through post-Soviet eastern Europe, and concludes with two other Akerman films: De l'autre côté (From the Other Side), a 2002 study of the border between the U.S. and Mexico, and 2003’s Demain on déménage (Tomorrow We Move), one of Akerman’s not infrequent forays into comedy. The Walker will also screen three newish films that Atherton worked on with other directors: Éric Baudelaire’s 2022 meditation on avant-garde musician Alvin Curran, When There Is No More Music to Write, and Other Roman Stories; Iranian artist Bani Khoshnoudi’s 2025 investigation into her cousin’s disappearance, The Vanishing Point, and Luc Decaster’s Le chant des oubliés (The Song of the Forgotten), about the struggle of French workers to keep a factory open. And Atherton will be present for a Q&A for several of these screenings. P.S. For you true Akermaniacs out there, the Trylon is screening the director’s 1974 Je Tu Il Elle (I You He She) Monday and Tuesday. 725 Vineland Place, Minneapolis; find showtimes, ticket prices, and more info here. Through October 10—Keith Harris
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
SpoOOoOOooky Bar Pop-Ups
Multiple Locations
Good news for people who love to drink themed cocktails while surrounded by spooky kitsch: It’s Halloween bar pop-up time! Over in south Minneapolis, Creekside Supper Club is now Creepside Supper Club (love it), with a seasonal drink menu and killer decor; Nico's Taco and Tequila Bar in Uptown has been transformed into a House of Halloween. X-mas Slay is back at Bina’s in Northeast, and the Haunted Basement Bar has returned to Travail’s Basement Bar in Robbinsdale—this year, with a horrifying harvest supper twist. (“Remember…Once you’re part of the family, you’re always part of the family.”) Meteor will transform into the Black Lagoon on Thursday, and Thursday is also the start of Tavern of Terror at Twin Cities 400 Tavern. Have fun out there, creeps and freaks!—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
“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. 2400 Third Ave. S., Minneapolis; find more info here. Through November 29—Em Cassel
“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
