Welcome to Event Horizon, your weekly roundup of the best events in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and beyond.
TUESDAY 7.16
Drone Not Drones
Cedar Cultural Center
A summer edition of Drone Not Drones? Why not? Every January for nine years, the Cedar has hosted a 28-hour continuous drone, mixing local experimental musicians “to protest the extrajudicial and immoral drone program and raise money for the victims of the United States military-industrial complex.” For this more limited version, several local musicians will cycle in to create a two-hour continuous drone out on the Cedar plaza. Performers include Mary Hanson Scott, Gallope/Olveira/Papach, Paul Metzger, and Crystal Myslajek and Dosh. Free. 6 p.m. 416 Cedar Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Keith Harris
WEDNESDAY 7.17
Raspberry Fest
Hopkins
Since 1935, Hopkins has been a raspberry town. That’s when the first-ring ‘burb threw its first fest honoring the hairy berry, and you better believe it’s not stopping anytime soon. Raspberry Fest is a weeklong affair, beginning with the annual Hunt for the Golden Raspberry and pie-eating contests. There’s the coronation of the Raspberry Royalty, of course, as well as live music, fun runs, fishing, live music, softball, and pickleball. Saturday begins with the much-loved Chalk Art event, and culminates with fireworks in Central Park. Sunday’s main event is the Grande Day Parade down Mainstreet, though we encourage you to check out the entire sweet and sprawling itinerberry here. Wednesday-Sunday—Jay Boller
THURSDAY 7.18
Boat-In Movie Nights
Various Locations
Movies on brewpub patios, on parks lawns, and in private backyards may be a common occurrence here during the summer months, but you only get the chance to watch a flick from a boat a few times a year. This week, there will be not one, but two opportunities to cruise over to a big screen where you can watch on the water. Over at Surfside Beach (2670 Commerce Blvd.) in Mound, they’ll be screening Guardians of the Galaxy III on Thursday night as part of their Spirit of the Lake Festival, a three-day celebration featuring kids’ fun, fireworks, live music, a business showcase, artists’ market, and more. Then on Saturday, Silverwood Park (4121 NE Stinson Blvd.) will host a screening of James and the Giant Peach on the lake, where folks are invited to view the screen via canoe, paddleboard, or kayak (or the grassy lawn, if you can find a spot). Bring a radio/well-powered smartphone; audio will be available via speakers as well as by tuning into 89.7 FM. Both events are free. Thursday, Saturday—Jessica Armbruster
FRIDAY 7.19
Minnehaha Falls Art Fair 2024
Minnehaha Falls
There’s plenty to love about this easygoing festival. First of all, there are lots of vendors—potters, jewelry makers, T-shirt printers—but not an overwhelming amount. You can speed through this thing in 30 minutes, or take several laps over a few hours. Another bonus: All artists, businesses, and orgs will have at least a few items under $30 (take that, Uptown Art Fair!). There’s live music all day on stage, and if the line at Sea Salt is too much for you there are also food trucks, beer trucks, and a quick-serving beer bar. You’re also right by the falls, and a short walk to the dog park. And, if you need a break from the sun, the covered picnic spots are usually pretty quiet and shady. Find more info online. 3-8 p.m. Frid.; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sat.; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sun. Through Sunday—Jessica Armbruster
Minnesota Yacht Club
Harriet Island
The cryptically named new fest on the block may not have a very clear brand identity (at least the Basilica Block Party is committed to “bands you once listened to on Cities 97”) but it does offer up the best single-day retro lineup of any 2024 local music festival. Too bad that line up is divided between two days. My personal preference is for Day One, with Alanis and Gwen headlining, the unwavering Joan Jett and the fiery Morgan Wade in support, and Durry and Gully Boys representing their hometown. But if you wanna see the Hold Steady, you’ll have to buy tix for Day Two with the Chili Peppers mamafrazzawhossawoppin’ in the headlining spot and put up with the Offspring as well. (Click here to revisit our Flea-inspired investigation into why Minneapolis barely offers public toilets.) Can’t Craig and the boys swap places with the Black Crowes? If you’re concerned about how recent flooding might impact Harriet Island, we asked festival organizers about it but never heard back. Single-day tickets start at $135; two-day tickets start at $255. Harriet Island Regional Park, 49 Harriet Island Rd., St. Paul; find complete lineup, ticket prices, and more info here. Also Sunday—Keith Harris
Chief Keef
Armory
This Chicago rapper was just 16 in 2012 when he distilled rap’s antisocial (or maybe just plain anti-) instincts into the killer drill classic “I Don’t Like.” In the time since, Keef hasn’t so much developed as a rapper as maintained his intensity and belligerence, and the sequel to his 2013 mixtape Almighty So is his most ambitious effort in years. High profile guests include Quavo as well as Tierra Whack (who steals “Banded Up” from him) and Sexyy Red bringing some much needed female counterbalance. Where the original mixtape featured several up-and-coming Soundcloud trackmasters, Keef almost exclusively handles the production himself bringing a hard rat-a-tat drill energy leavened by touches like the brilliantly flipped Wilson Pickett sample on “1,2,3.” With Lil Gnar and The Glo Boyz. 8 p.m. $56-$80. 500 S. 6th St., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Keith Harris
Urban Growler 10th Anniversary Party
Urban Growler
Has it really been 10 years since Urban Growler debuted in the Saint Anthony Park neighborhood? We have no reason to doubt it, considering the brewery is throwing its big 1-0 celebration this weekend. Things kick off Friday with live music from B+ Brass, and things get conceptual Saturday with “all-day adult recess.” Among the games, only some of which we’re familiar with: four square, hopscotch, Growlerschlagen, cornhole, and FlyBean. There’ll also be live drummers, face painting, and a beer garden dance party featuring DJ Sleepless Dragon to cap off the night. On Sunday, you’re encouraged to ride your bike to the brewery for honey cream soda floats and brand-new cocktails unveiled hourly. 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fri.-Sat.; 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Sun. 2325 Endicott St., St. Paul; find more info here. Through Sunday—Jay Boller
SATURDAY 7.20
40th Annual Rondo Days
Hallie Q. Brown Community Center
During the first half of the 1900s, the Rondo area of St. Paul thrived as a cultural hub where many African Americans bought homes, owned businesses, went to school, went to church, and lived. Then, from 1956 to 1968, its core was demolished to make way for I-94, effectively cutting the area in half with cars and displacing close to 700 community members. But over 50 years later, the Rondo neighborhood is still here, and Rondo Days—Now in its 40th year—celebrates the area as it was and as it is today. Folks who stop by this free and open to the public event will find a variety of vendors, cultural exhibits, kids’ fun, and tunes. The stage lineup includes MC Lyte, Rakim, Lady Midnight, Juice Lord, St. Paul Slim, and others. Free. Noon to 7 p.m. 270 Kent St., St. Paul; find more info here.—Jessica Armbruster
Twin Cities Record Show
Minneapolis Cider Co.
The Minneapolis-St. Paul Music Expo regularly throws pop-ups for vinyl-crazed crate diggers, and today that means taking over Minneapolis Cider Co.’s taproom. Organizers promise a “fresh and exciting mix” of albums from its rotating cast of sellers; the host’s in-house crepe creator, Breizh Crêperie, will be dishing up LP-shaped treats for hungry collectors. If you wanna make a whole day of it, we recommend helping this nice fella part with his vast collection of albums. Free. Noon to 4 p.m. 701 SE Ninth St., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Jay Boller
SUNDAY 7.21
Fredstock
Brit’s Pub
Did you visit Brit’s Pub at any point between 1990 and 2019? Then you probably met Freddie Manton. As one patron told Fox 9 in a 2017 profile of the the 87-year-old “soul of Brit’s Pub”: “If you know Brit’s, you know Freddie.” Manton was the gregarious host of Brit’s from the time it opened until he passed away in 2019 at age 90, but his memory lives on at Fredstock, an annual outdoor party with beer specials and lots of live music—this year, that comes courtesy of Oasis tribute band Nicollet & Alcohol, Two Harbors, and the Belfast Cowboys. Free. 3-9 p.m. 1110 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis; more info here.—Em Cassel
#KidsLit is Lit Festival 2024
Arbeiter Brewing Company
Who says book festivals are just for grownups? At #KidsLit is Lit, south Minneapolis’s Half Pint Co.—a group with a goal of creating “fun, non-cheesy activities for kids and their families”—are bringing the books to Arbeiter Brewing. (No surprise: Arbeiter was one of our picks for the Twin Cities’ best family-friendly breweries.) Children’s book authors and other kid-friendly vendors will be there selling books, treats, and treasures; there’s going to be a crafting station; and (weather permitting) they’ll even have a bouncy house. Free, but you can RSVP for headcount purposes. Noon to 4 p.m. 3008 Minnehaha Ave., Minneapolis; more info here.—Em Cassel
ONGOING
Liz Goes Boom!
The Heights
In the mid ’60s, dissatisfied with her career and ready to take chances, Elizabeth Taylor began actively seeking out directors she wanted to work with and roles she wanted to play. This effort resulted in what the Heights is calling her ”five insane masterpieces.” The earliest of these you probably know: Watching a middle-aged, alcoholic wife and husband (Taylor and her frequent husband, Richard Burton) joust with each other and torment a younger couple over the course of an evening in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? remains a wonderfully excruciating experience. The other four films in the series rarely screen anywhere. Reflections of a Golden Eye is a John Huston film adapted from a Carson McCullers novel that places Taylor opposite Marlon Brando. Andy Warhol appears in The Driver’s Seat (Identikit), a 1974 adaptation of a Muriel Spark novella that broke audience brains at the time. Secret Ceremony is one of two collaborations with director Joseph Losey that will be screening, the other of which, BOOM!, is John Waters’s favorite movie. An exciting series. $12. 3951 Central Ave. NE, Columbia Heights; find dates, showtimes and more info here. Through July 31—Keith Harris
The Long Take
Trylon
This series brings you just what it says: movies featuring long, uninterrupted takes. And fittingly, it’s a long series, running throughout the summer. But though they all include at least one bravura sequence, these films offer much more than just flashy technique. Orson Welles’s Touch of Evil (showing again tonight and tomorrow) got things rolling over the weekend, and in the weeks to come you’ll get a chance to check out international arthouse champs like Tarkovsky and Antonioni, modern Asian greats like Hong Kong action master Johnnie To and Park Chan-wook, and movies you can never see too often, like Children of Men and Goodfellas. Let me put in a special word for the elegant The Earrings of Madame de…, directed by the incomparable Max Ophuls, a man so in love with long takes that James Mason once wrote a poem about him that began *extremely James Mason voice* “A shot that does not call for tracks/Is agony for poor old Max.” 2820 E. 33rd St., Minneapolis; find complete showtimes and more info here. Through August 27—Keith Harris
Lowertown Sounds
Mears Park
Proper, functioning cities should rock. With the annual, free, weekly, outdoor Lowertown Sounds program St. Paul is privy to this in ways Minneapolis could really learn from. When this year’s lineup was announced, organizers noted that over half of the acts are new this summer. Non-musical offerings include great beer from Wabasha Brewing Co., Dual Citizen Brewing Co., Utepils Brewing, and MetroNOME Brewing, plus wine from Alexis Bailly Vineyard and a rotating cast of 20 food trucks. Free. 6-9:30 p.m. 221 5th St. E., St. Paul; find more info here. Weekly through August 29—Jay Boller
TC River Rats
Mississippi River
What is Ratagascar? It’s not a place (we checked); it’s not a movie about a vermin chef (we think). It’s this summer’s thematic show from the Twin Cities River Rats, the local water skiing crew that has been carving up the Mississippi River since 1979. Specifically, the Rats say, “Ratagascar is filled with adventure, including high-flying jumps, tall pyramids, powerful balancing acts, and barefoot tricks.” 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. 6:30 p.m. 1758 West River Rd. N., Minneapolis; find more info here. Thursdays through August—Jay Boller
Keith Haring: Art Is for Everybody
Walker Art Center
Keith Haring was a hugely influential artist in the 1980s and, whether you know it or not, he still is today. The Pennsylvania-raised, NYC-based artist first gained notoriety in the early ‘80s for his subway graffiti art, adorning unused black ad space with crawling babies, barking dogs, and UFOs. A year or two later, he would emerge with projects above ground, including a billboard in Times Square, a mural on the Lower East Side, and the covers of Vanity Fair and Newsweek. His friends and collaborators included Madonna, Grace Jones, and Jean-Michele Basquiat. Regardless of his meteoric rise, Haring wanted his art to be approachable, accessible, and affordable, so he kept most of his pieces in the public sphere. Though his work was crowd pleasing, it was also political, whether it was celebrating queer love, calling for an end to apartheid in South Africa, or promoting safe sex. Though Haring died in 1990 from complications from AIDS, his prolific collection and enduring messages live on. For “Art Is for Everybody,” over 100 works and archival pieces will be on display at the Walker, including ephemera from his 1984 residency at the museum. 725 Vineland Place, Minneapolis. Through September 8—Jessica Armbruster
Skyline Mini Golf
Walker Art Center
Speaking of stuff to do on rooftops, Skyline Mini Golf is also back this week. While some putt-putt courses aim for putting green realism others go full spectacle. At the Walker, it’s all about the latter, with holes featuring giant hot dogs, mirrored surfaces, tiny odes to the cities, and wacky opportunities to become an obstacle for putters yourself. Don’t expect to work on your handicap here; this course takes mini golf almost to the point of parody as you’ll find yourself testing your skills at ping pong, pool, and Plinketto. Just roll with the chaos–that’s part of the fun. $12 ($10 Walker members and ages 7-18); free for ages 6 and under with paid adult. 725 Vineland Place, Minneapolis. Through October 6—Jessica Armbruster
Warehouse District Live
Downtown Minneapolis
The fate of Open Streets may be uncertain, but every weekend a part of First Avenue will be closed to cars—and not just for construction reasons. Described as “an enhanced pedestrian zone,” Warehouse District Live will offer things that big cities normally have in their downtown areas: food trucks, extended seating areas, and more public bathrooms. Wow! So do some bar-hopping, sit outside and eat, walk in the middle of the street, and wonder why so many exurban Twitter users are so scared of downtown. Free. 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. Fri.-Sat. First Avenue, between Fifth and Sixth Streets, Minneapolis; find more info here. June 7 through October —Jessica Armbruster
