Geek Craft Expo returns to Minneapolis
In 2016, the comic book writer behind Deadpool and Wolverine created a craft expo for the geeks. Now this market is held all over the country including the Twin Cities. The Geek Craft Expo is happening this weekend at the Minneapolis Convention Center. It’s a curated market featuring handmade geek goods by local crafters and makers. Show dates and time: Saturday, April 20, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, April 21, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Corgi plushie maker at Geek Craft Expo
In 2016, the comic book writer behind "Deadpool" and "Wolverine" created a craft expo for the geeks. Now this market is held all over the country including the Twin Cities. The Geek Craft Expo is happening this weekend at the Minneapolis Convention Center. It’s a curated market featuring handmade geek good by local crafters and makers. Show Dates and Time: Saturday, April 20 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday April 21 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Great Minnsect Show returns to the University of Minnesota
Insect enthusiasts have a reason to celebrate. The Great Minnsect Show will take place on Saturday, April 20 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. It is free and open to the public. The Department of Entomology will host the event in the St. Paul Student Center North Star Ballroom on campus. Attendees can expect to have meet and greets with live insects, dabble in six-legged snacks and creepy crawly games like maggot races.
New program bringing musicians to Minneapolis animal shelter
Local music students have the opportunity to play for the most adorable audience through a new program called Play for Paws. The program is a partnership between Minneapolis Animal Care and Control (MACC) and MacPhail Center for Music. It started after MacPhail guitar instructor, Dr. Austin Wahl asked if he could play for the animals at the shelter after playing for the foster kittens at his house. He noticed how calm they would become when he was strumming and that was the start of Play for Paws. MACC was on board as this lined up with their goal to make the kennel environment less stressful.
Minnesota Card Show to bring out collectors
An event in St. Paul this weekend is bringing together quite the cast of characters including Dennis Rodman, Mike Tyson and the casts of The Sandlot and The Mighty Ducks. They’ll all be signing autographs at the Minnesota Card Show. This is year two for the show and after the success of last year, they’re going big. They’ve moved into the St. Paul RiverCentre and will have more than 450 tables spread out over 100,000 square feet. The show will bring out collectors, dealers and enthusiasts looking to buy, sell and trade. The event runs April 18 (VIP night) through the April 21.
Weekend of geeky fun on tap at Boom Island Brewing
Boom Island Brewing in Minnetonka breaking out the consoles for a full day of Nintendo and brews themed to the games. There will also be a string quartet playing video game tunes followed by a DJ. The Nintendo Event is April 13 from 12:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. On Sunday it’s the Geeky Craft Fair from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Boom Island Brewing is located at 5959 Baker Road in Minnetonka near 494 and Crosstown.
Going inside the 'Puppet Lab'
For the last six months, a group of artists at the Open Eye Theatre have created works of "experimental puppetry". Starting April 12, the theatre will host the Puppet Lab festival.
Gale Woods Farm welcomes dozens of lambs
There’s a baby boom in Minnetrista. Gale Woods Farm has welcomed 42 lambs already this season, and two sheep are still expecting. Gale Woods Farm is run by Three Rivers Park District. It is free to visit and open to the public from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. However, the barn is only open during scheduled events like ‘Saturday Morning on the Farm’, and because of the cooler temperatures, the lambs are still in the barn. You can register on the Three Rivers Park website to attend the Saturday event, which runs from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
New café and coffee shop moves into northeast Mpls
A busy corner in northeast Minneapolis has a new spot for coffee and clean eats. Parcelle Organics took over the New Bohemia spot at Hennepin and University. The shop boasts a Wesley Andrews coffee counter with Japanese siphons. There’s also smoothies, bakery items plus breakfast and lunch options. They make everything they can in-house, including the breads and milks. The smoothies are also available as a new food item at Twins games this season. The restaurant is from Kamal Mohamed of STEPCHLD and Nashville Coop. Parcelle is open seven days a week, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Friends themed dining experience opens at Travail
The sitcom "Friends" first aired 30 years ago and the folks at Travail Kitchen & Amusements were feeling nostalgic, so they’re bringing their love of "Friends" to the Basement Bar. The space has been transformed into an ode to memorable moments and locations in the show. Even the menu was created utilizing real moments from the sitcom. They’ve named it Buddies Bar and if they had to name the episode, it would definitely be "The One Where they Ate at Travail." The pop-up will run through June. It offers an 8+ course tasting menu that includes an ode to Monica’s famous lasagna and Chandler’s stolen cheesecake.
Drum along at Can Can Wonderland’s Drumeoke event
Karaoke gives people the chance to belt out their favorite tunes like a pop star. Take that idea and apply it to drums and you have Drumeoke. Can Can Wonderland provides the drum kit, the music and the stage on the first Thursday of every month. No experience is necessary to try it out and you do not need to sign up ahead of time. The next Drumeoke event is happening April 4 at 7 p.m. in the Red Room of Can Can Wonderland which is located at 755 Prior Avenue North, Suite No. 004 in St. Paul.
Elaborate floral displays bring the crowds to Galleria
A spring Twin Cities tradition is underway now at The Galleria in Edina. The Floral Experience is the continuation of the Dayton’s flower show that had a 50-plus year run in downtown Minneapolis. The Galleria partnered with Bachman’s to fill the mall with 20 lush displays reflecting the theme, "Into the Deep." The displays took five overnights to set up with 20 garden designers on hand. The Floral Experience runs through Sunday April 7 and is free to the public. There is also free valet parking near the east entrance by Cōv restaurant.
Twin Cities Auto Show returns for 51st year
The Twin Cities Auto Show is underway at the Minneapolis Convention Center. There are roughly 400 cars to check out. Most of the cars are brand new and the prices range from $18,000 for the Mitsubishi Mirage to $325,000 for a Maserati in the color Digital Mint. There’s also an entire section of famous crime-fighting cars from movies and TV shows. The Twin Cities Auto Show runs through April 7, 2024.
St. Paul Saints season includes nods to Taylor Swift, others
For the second year in a row, snow has ruined plans for the St. Paul Saints home opener. It was supposed to be Friday, March 29, but instead they’re aiming for Saturday, March 30. Clearing the field has been a challenge because it has to be done delicately so the turf isn’t damaged. With most of the snow removed, they’re prepping for another season of fun promos, from a Taylor Swift night (April 12) including friendship bracelets and a chance to win tickets to her Miami show, to a salute to the Peanuts (April 28) with a Peanuts replica jersey and a celebration of classic films, "Weekend at Bernie’s" (July 24) and "Sixteen Candles" (May 17).
Egg Flip dishing up Korean-style egg sandwiches
One of the hottest dining destinations in the Twin Cites is in an unexpected location, the skyway. Egg Flip is dishing up an oversized Korean-style egg sandwich. It’s located in the skyway of the Six Quebec building at 601 S. Marquette Ave. The shop is open from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Spring blooms inside Como Zoo and Conservatory
The 2024 Spring Flower Show is open now in the Sunken Garden of the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory in St. Paul. This years’ show features blue delphinium, purple foxglove and snapdragons along with daffodils and a blend of red, pink and purple tulips. The show runs through April 28, 2024. It is free to explore the Como Zoo and Conservatory but they do ask visitors to consider making a voluntary donation of $4 for an adult and $2 for a child to help them care for the plants and animals.
‘The Name Jar’ opens at Stages Theatre Company
A world-premiere play debuted over the weekend at Stages Theatre Company in Hopkins. "The Name Jar" is based on a book that’s a top teachers’ pick. To create the show, Stages teamed up with Theater Mu. It’s a family-friendly show about celebrating the meaning behind your name, based on the book by Yangsook Choi. The show runs through April 14. Stages Theatre Company will host a special meet and greet with the author Yangsook Choi and the playwright Sue Pak on April 14. Yangsook will be signing copies of her book before the show, and will be hosting a talk back after the show. The event is reserved for ticketholders to the 1 p.m. performance.
Norwest Sportshow features boats, fishing, and hunting
The great outdoors is indoors this weekend. The Northwest Sportshow runs from March 15-17 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. It is one of the country’s largest outdoors consumer shows. There will be 300 vendors covering everything from fishing and hunting to travel and outdoor gear, along with the Discover Boating show. It will take place on Friday from noon to 8 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
World’s quietest place opens for tours
A private testing facility that studies noise and silence is opening their Anechoic Chamber for tours. That chamber is recognized by Guinness as being the quietest place on Earth. The chamber is used by companies to test product volume and sound quality. The tour includes a 60-minute session in the chamber. There are plenty of stories online claiming that a person can only spend about 45 minutes in the chamber without going mad, but the staff at Orfield Labs said that isn’t accurate.
The Raptor Center celebrates 50 years
Every year, The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota treats 1,000 birds of prey. But sadly, not every raptor that comes into the center is able to be released into the wild. Those birds become winged ambassadors and help teach an important lesson about the role we play in the health of raptors. The Raptor Center does welcome the public for guided tours Tuesday through Sunday. Book the tour ahead of time online.