What to do in Minnesota: 9 things happening this weekend (Sept. 30-Oct. 2)

Fantastic food, bold brews, and local art can be found at events in Minnesota this weekend.

Have an event you want to see featured? Email me at adelaide.vanpelt@fox.com.

Rails and Ales: Light Rail Brewery Crawl

  • Day Block Brewing Company, Minneapolis
  • Sept. 30 through Oct. 2
  • Tickets: $52

This self-guided experience started in 2014 to highlight local breweries and create a fun-filled weekend in the Twin Cities. With a ticket purchase, you get your first two pints of beer, a Rails and Ales t-shirt, a Metro Transit pass for the weekend, and more!

Smoke Out

Mpls. St Paul Magazine and Justin Sutherland are throwing an outdoor barbecue bash featuring more than a dozen local chefs. Nur-D and Alex Rossi will take the stage as live entertainment.

This is a 21+ event.

Rivertown Fall Art Festival

  • Stillwater
  • Oct. 1-2
  • Free admission

This festival showcases over 130 artisans whose work includes jewelry, mixed media, photography, pottery, and more. Live music and entertainment are also a staple of this fall event. A beer and wine tent are just steps away from the vibrant Main Street with shops, bars, and restaurants, making this event a perfect fall activity.

Collectors Day

  • Bell Museum
  • Oct. 1
  • Included in general admission

Collectors Day is the first event of its kind at the Bell Museum to celebrate the museum's 150th anniversary. Members of the community are invited to share and showcase their personal collections. In addition, collectors will describe their gathering process and curation of their collection.

Fulton's Oktoberfest

  • Fulton HQ, 2540 NE 2nd St., Minneapolis
  • Sept. 30 and Oct. 1
  • Free Admission

Celebrate at this decades-old Oktoberfest event. Fulton's head chef will make traditional German platters of brats, red cabbage, sauerkraut, and deep-fried pretzels served al-a-carte. In addition, a secret recipe Kramarczuk's bratwurst will be available as an exclusive to this special event! 

His Haven Ranch Fall BBQ

  • 21374 Steeple View Lane, LeCenter
  • Oct. 1 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • At will donation

This faith-based non-profit horsemanship program provides mentoring to individuals going through tough times. The fall barbecue is a chance for the participants to show their families and the community what they learned at the sessions.

Hot dogs and pulled pork sandwiches will be served for lunch. Activities include a horse show, face painting, hay rides, pumpkin painting, and more!

Free events in Minnesota this week

Meander Art Crawl

This free self-guided tour of artist studios features 40 local artists at more than 30 individual studios in and near Western Minnesota.

Free First Saturdays

  • Walker Art Center, Minneapolis
  • Oct. 1
  • Free admission

Explore the galleries, make art, and get creative at this free event. This month's event highlights bookmaking techniques with teaching artists from the Minnesota Center for the Book Arts.

Llamapalooza

Learn about llamas at this weekend event! (Getty Images)

  • Mower County Fair
  • Sept. 30 through Oct. 2
  • Free admission

Learn about llamas and what makes them unique with performance and showmanship competitions on Saturday and halter competitions on Sunday.