Welcome to Event Horizon, your weekly roundup of the best events in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and beyond.
MONDAY 4.21
Ana Tijoux
Cedar Cultural Center
Chilean rapper and activist Tijoux is my kind of chin-up revolutionary. On 2024’s Vida, her first solo album in a decade, the creator of "Antifa Dance" tells “Niñx” (“Little Girlx”) that every asshole's secret weakness is that “life scares them.” And if you didn't come to party and you're thinking of knocking on her door, be warned that she closes the album with this suggestion: “If the end of the world is coming, let’s dance naked together.” She's so upbeat some doomers might even find her corny. Vida reminds me of a Raymond Williams quote I'd love to own a cross-stitch of someday: "To be truly radical is to make hope possible rather than despair convincing." All ages. $35/$40. 7:30 p.m. 416 Cedar Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Keith Harris
TUESDAY 4.22
Timberwolves vs. Lakers
Falling Knife Brewing Co.
Your sixth-seeded Timberwolves (49-33) began the postseason last Saturday night in Los Angeles against the third-seeded Lakers (50-32), and the shit-for-brains NBA punditry class didn’t give 'em a chance. Fine, very well, whatever: Ant loves the disrespect, and the Wolves buried the Lakers, 117-95, under an avalanche of three pointers. Luka Dončić acted like a foul-baiting baby; Jaden McDaniels acted like an icy-veined assassin; Lakers fans acted like Lakers fans. We simply love to see it. Keep the party going this week at the best Timberwolves bar in town for Game 2 (9 p.m. Tuesday), Game 3 (8:30 p.m. Friday), and Game 4 (2:30 p.m. Sunday)—hopefully that’ll be all we need! “It’s really a cool thing to have come together for us, because we are, like, such genuine fans,” says Dan Herman, Falling Knife’s chief revenue officer. "First and foremost, as a fan, I'm like, holy god, this is amazing.” Falling Knife co-founder Tom Berg, a beloved member of the Twin Cities beer and metal scenes, died unexpectedly earlier this month, so hoist a Tomm's lager in his honor. See the complete Wolves-Lakers schedule here. Free. 783 Harding St. NE, Minneapolis.—Jay Boller
Paul Simon
Orpheum Theatre
Simon’s farewell tour ended seven years ago, but some guys just don’t settle into retirement so easily. This tour is dubbed “A Quiet Celebration,” and the 83-year-old bard has suffered severe hearing loss so he’s chosen “intimate venues with optimal acoustics”—hence the Orpheum. Since his premature finale, Simon has released Seven Psalms, a song cycle that will take up a half hour or so of this show; depending on my mood, I find it unobtrusively slight, pretentiously overdone, or gently moving. He’ll return to the oldies for a second set, giving fans one last chance (for real this time?) to hear the romantic realist of the ’70s, the reborn middle-aged tourist who made Graceland, and the better half of & Garfunkel. Anyone who’s considered hitting multiple nights should be aware that he’s apparently sticking to the same setlist each evening. $113-$309. 8 p.m. Tue.-Wed. 912 Hennepin Ave.; find more info here.—Keith Harris
THURSDAY 4.24
Art In Bloom
Minneapolis Institute of Arts
For over 40 years, Art in Bloom has challenged florists to render iconic works from the museum in flora. The results? Often whimsical, usually abstract, and undeniably creative. This spring over 100 businesses and independent creatives will create pieces inspired by paintings, sculptures, and other works throughout the building. Pop a Claritin-D and explore the galleries, which will smell amazing. Related events this weekend include an opening night party with live music and drinks, workshops on bouquet making and Ikebana (the Japanese art of flower arranging), and family-friendly happenings. Pieces will be on display throughout the weekend (though it’s best to get there earlier before the wilting begins), and admission, as always, is free. 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thu.; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fri.-Sun. 2400 Third Ave. S., Minneapolis; find more details here. Through Sunday—Jessica Armbruster
Josh Johnson
Parkway Theater
You need to watch this prolific and rising Daily Show correspondent's recent special, The Failure, Fear, And Frenzy around Luigi Mangione. In it, the 35-year-old Louisiana native nimbly navigates the political complexities around the cultural momentum behind the assassination of a health-care executive, all while—and here’s the important part for his profession—delivering big laughs. Johnson’s comedy is clearly meeting the moment, as dates and waitlists are being piled on to his current “Flowers” tour. 18+. Sold out. 7 and 9:30 p.m. 4814 Chicago Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Jay Boller
FRIDAY 4.25
Saint Paul Art Crawl
Various Locations
What do St. Paul’s creative lofts, business districts, and galleries have to offer? A lot, as the ever-sprawling Saint Paul Art Crawl demonstrates twice each year, in the spring and fall. Over the next three weekends, artsy pockets of various neighborhoods will showcase their thriving communities via open houses, friendly happy hours, open studio demonstrations, special sales, pop-up galleries, exhibitions, and more. In past years, weekends have been divvied up by neighborhood; this year they’ve got groupings by ward, so be sure to check the map to see what areas are highlighted each week. This week is all about Ward 2, with especially active hubs including the Union Depot in Lowertown, F-O-K Studios near Harriet Island, and the Schmidt Artist lofts on West Seventh. It’s all free, and while hours vary by venue, in general they are: 6-10 p.m. Fri.; noon to 8 p.m. Sat.; noon to 5 p.m. Sun. Find more details at stpaulartcollective.org. April 25-May 11—Jessica Armbruster
SATURDAY 4.26
Cantina Roller Disco
Twin Cities Skaters Studio
A rollerskating party in the Twin Cities? You read that right. While most Minnesota rinks are located in the outer-ring ‘burbs, Uptown, which is still not dead, has a rink in the old CB2 shop. Most of the time you have to be a member to skate here, but they do open the space up for special events. One such happening is this weekend, as house music pop-up party Cantina will be stopping by this Saturday. You’ll be able to roll along in a disco-tinged atmosphere with DJ sets from Ghost Channels, Emerald Forest, HAWX, and Tee So. $15/$20. 2-7 p.m. 3045 Hennepin Ave. S., Minneapolis; find tickets and info here.—Jessica Armbruster
Wandering Leaf Brewing 2nd Anniversary Party
Wandering Leaf Brewing Co.
When Wandering Leaf opened in 2023, none other than Racket described the plant-heavy St. Paul brewery as “a conservatory all year round… a 16-tap oasis on West Seventh.” Now, as the place turns two, it’s time to party. Wandering Leaf enlisted a killer fleet of food trucks for its big b-day bash, including: (Racket fav) Wrecktangle Pizza, (Racket fav) MN Dairy Lab, Amazing Momo, Burger Fundamentals, and Tried and True Confections. Tunes-wise, you’ll get live sets from the Bugle Boys, Little Fevers, and (Racket fav) Monica LaPlante, whose last name, it must be stated, summons the many green guys littering the taproom. There’ll be activities for all ages (a bounce house, cornhole, giant Jenga), special beer releases, and “DOGS!” Write organizers: “Last year we captured photos of over 20 dogs. Let’s beat our record this year! Make sure to ask our beertenders for a dog treat!” Sounds like a plan. Free. Noon to 10 p.m. 2463 Seventh St. W., St. Paul; find more info here.—Jay Boller
Smashfest
Insight Brewing
A thin, crusty patty on a squishy-but-flat bun? Preferably with equal parts melty American cheese? Yep, we’re talking about smash burgers. These things are so beloved by burgerheads that, for the second year, Insight has decided to dedicate an entire day to the art of the smash. Burger-related happenings this day include a competition between Angry Line Cook, Private Sector Provisions, Burger Daddies, and Garillers, judged by festival-goers and a lineup of local celebrities, including Racket’s dedicated burger aficionado Jay Boller. There will be two limited-edition beer releases of SMaSH today, one made with single malt and another with single hop. Other smashed fun to be had includes a burger-themed market from Garden Witch Co. and a Super Smash Bros. tournament hosted by 2D Con, plus bluegrass tunes from Triple Fiddle, the Foxgloves, and the Roe Family Singers. Catch our recent interview with two of the participants, Angry Line Cook and Burger Daddies, here. Free. 1-10 p.m. 2821 E. Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis.—Jessica Armbruster
Farm Babies’ 25th Anniversary
Minnesota Zoo
You don’t have to wait ‘til fair time to see baby creatures at the Miracle of Birth Center; there are all kinds of adorable minis hanging out in Apple Valley. Now that we’re well into spring, the zoo's farm is bursting with new life, from fuzzy ducklings to fluffy lambs. There will be tiny piglets, ornery little goats, baby calves, and tiny chicks wandering around and doing stuff… cutely. The zoo is celebrating its 25th year of farm babies; it’s raised hundreds of animal infants over that time. Daily opportunities for cuteness overload include meet-and-greet sessions, piglet and chicklet feedings, and baby Clydesdale (!!) photo ops. If you’re someone who loves animal babies in a human baby-free zone, adults aged 18 and up can enjoy Farm Babies during the Zoo After Hours this Saturday, April 26. Free with admission: $19.95-$25.95 ($15-$20 After Hours event). 13000 Zoo Boulevard, Apple Valley; mnzoo.org. Through May 18—Jessica Armbruster
Tyshawn Sorey Trio/Tyshawn Sorey Trio with Greg Osby
Walker Art Center
Drummer Tyshawn Sorey is the kind of figure contemporary jazz always requires: deeply familiar with the music’s history yet never weighed down by the demands of tradition. Sorey has celebrated his elders—Adagio (for Wadada Leo Smith) snagged him a Pulitzer last year, and he’s composed a song cycle for Josephine Baker, Perle Noire: Meditations for Josephine—but he’s also followed the music where it leads him. Most recently, he’s focused on the trio he appears with tonight, rounded out by pianist Aaron Diehl and bassist Harish Raghavan; for the first set, they’ll draw from their two albums together, Mesmerism (2022) and Continuing (2024). Sax veteran Greg Osby sits in on the later set, and for a taste of where that might go, sample The Off-Off Broadway Guide to Synergism, a live album that Sorey’s trio recorded with Osby at the Jazz Gallery in New York. $25 for each set. 6:30 & 9 p.m. 725 Vineland Place, find more info here.—Keith Harris
Charli XCX
Target Center
As Brat goes, I stand by my year-end verdict: “The 32-year-old-est album ever made.” Also the coolest album of 2024, if that even needs saying, with all the pleasures and limitations that superlative entails, from a too-pure bitchy attitude to dubious taste in scene girls (Julia Fox OK fine, Dasha Nekrasova zzzzz). Far from expressing invulnerability, Charli’s “don’t you wish you were me” is the last gasp of a 360 party girl fessing up to everyday doubts, less trenchant when she bemoans the perils of fame (regular jobs suck too, lady) than when she frets that Lorde thinks she’s a pseud, considers motherhood, and bids farewell to late hyperpop genius Sophie. (Best party girl anthem? The bonus track where Billie Eilish eats her out.) Her state-of-the-art pop will sound great and boomy in an arena as 32-year-olds of all ages cling defiantly to their bratty youth. $101-$544. 8 p.m. 600 N. First Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here.—Keith Harris
Little Charity Book Truck 2025 Opening Celebration
Base Camp Coffee & Unmapped Brewing
Little Charity Book Truck is MN’s only nonprofit mobile bookstore, and because it’s entirely volunteer run, every dollar—every single dollar!—that the mobile bookstore brings in goes back to the community. They’ll kick off the 2025 season with a bookselling bang, stopping by Base Camp Coffee & Provisions and Unmapped Brewing Co. with a selection of books for readers of all ages and fun freebies like "Read more, help more" pencils. The pop-ups coincide with Independent Bookstore Day, which is a great chance to get out and support any local bookstore you love, and you can find more info on this year’s celebration courtesy of the Midwest Independent Booksellers Association. Free. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 14635 Excelsior Blvd., Minnetonka; find more info here.—Em Cassel
Nintendo Day
Boom Island Brewing
Gamergate? More like gamer… great! Hm, might need to workshop that one, but here’s the sitch: This Saturday is Nintendo Day at Boom Island Brewing, and costumes are very much encouraged. Pokécon is bringing Nintendo video gaming and retro games; a vendor market will welcome vendors selling video game-themed wares; and Boom Island will have special Nintendo-themed beers on tap all day. (Princess Peach Sour, Kirby Kölsch… the possibilities are endless.) There’s even a video game rave—not entirely sure what that entails—from 7-10 p.m. Free. Noon to 10 p.m. 5959 Baker Rd. #320, Minnetonka; find more info here.—Em Cassel
SUNDAY 4.27
2025 Food Truck Season Kick-Off
Gustavus Adolphus Lutheran Church
If you’re not regularly eating a meal in a parking lot, are you even enjoying the warmer months in Minnesota? For the past six years, food trucks have regularly convened in this St. Paul church parking lot to offer an asphalt food court of delights. They’re going big this year, with nearly 30 food trucks at the kickoff event this weekend. On the menu today: samosas, cheese curd tacos, pierogies, Thai street food, waffles, ice cream, and at least three different egg roll places. Find the full lineup of trucks here. Free. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 1669 Arcade St., St. Paul.—Jessica Armbruster
Minnesota Qeej and Hmong Arts Festival
Union Depot
Organizers tout the fourth-annual Minnesota Qeej and Hmong Arts Festival, which comes to Union Depot this weekend, as “the only festival of its kind in Minnesota and likely the entire United States devoted to celebrating the Qeej instrument, Hmong folk arts, and Hmong music and dance.” (The Qeej is a wind instrument made from bamboo that plays a special role in Hmong funeral rituals; you can watch it in action and learn more about it here courtesy of Twin Cities PBS.) The festival will also have crafts and cultural activities for kids, plus food vendors for hungry folks of all ages. Free. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 214 Fourth St. E., St. Paul; more info here.—Em Cassel
ONGOING
Studio Ghibli at the Parkway
Parkway Theater
Founded in 1985, Tokyo-based Studio Ghibli has been bringing us works in its unique style and whimsy for nearly 40 years. You know their schtick: Quirky characters go on an unexpected adventure, told via vibrant colors and a sweeping musical score. SG movies are also notable for what they are not: When Hanna-Barbera was recycling animations in the ‘80s, Hayao Miyazaki’s Ghibli crew was painstakingly hand-drawing and painting cells with watercolors. When Disney shuttered its hand-drawn animation department in 2009, Ghibli would keep doing its thing, save for a sole 2020 computer-animated collaboration (The Earwig and the Witch). This series at the Parkway features a selection of core offerings from Ghibli; the final week is Ponyo, about a goldfish that turns into a human girl and befriends a little boy. $7/$10 adults; $5/$8 kids; $20-$28 all-movies pass. 1 p.m. Saturdays. 4814 Chicago Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here. Through April 26—Jessica Armbruster
30 Days of Biking
All Around the World
This is more than a festival or one specific event; 30 Days of Biking is an experience, a challenge, a global community, and, maybe, a paradigm shift. 30 Days of Biking is a worldwide event with local roots; each spring participants vow to bike every day for the month of April, be it a short neighborhood trip or a full-blown multi-mile excursion. It’s a chance to feel more confident biking around town, to experience trails, and to see the world on two wheels (or one, you wacky unicyclers!). You won’t have to do it alone, as there are a bunch of friendly bike rides this month; if pastries are your thing, Perennial Cycle will host sweets-fueled jaunts every Saturday. Watch the Joyful Riders’ Facebook page for updates on group rides, and sign up for the challenge at 30daysofbiking.com. Through April 30—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
