This Week in Geek (10/21/19–10/27/19)

Welcome to This Week in Geek, your guide to events of interest to the Minnesota geek community for the week of Monday, October 21, to Sunday, October 27.

Twin Cities Monday Night Backgammon

What: Gaming
When: Monday, October 21, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: Minneapolis Richfield American Legion

Enjoy a night of backgammon with two tournaments. Entry to this event is $5, and this is a great chance for both pros and newcomers to learn this classic game of strategy.

Creative Night

What: Arts, Community
When: Monday, October 21, at 6:30 p.m.
Where: Event Horizon at the Waterbury Building

This event invites participants to let their creativity shine with drawing, painting, crafting, or whatever their hearts desire at Creative Night, a weekly event put on by Crafty Geek and the Geek Partnership Society. Meet at the Waterbury Building at 6:30 and carpool or walk to see creativity in action.

mc chris

What: Music
When: Monday, October 21, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Turf Club

Prolific nerd rapper, voice actor, and former Adult Swim animator mc chris returns to the Twin Cities on a tour for his latest album, #mcchrisisgoodmusic. Concertgoers can expect a good helping of fan-favorite songs featuring Star Wars, Dungeons & Dragons, ninjas, and nerd culture. He is supported by Schäffer the Darklord and Lex the Lexicon Artist.

Pokémon Go Trainer Tuesdays at Parkway Pizza

What: Gaming, Food & Drink
When: Tuesday, October 22, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: Parkway Pizza

A trainer strives to catch them all, and gain prowess and respect. This weekly event at Parkway Pizza is an opportunity to catch fun drink and food specials, meet other aspiring trainers, and square off against worthy opponents to win status and power. You can and will win, even if winning may just mean having a good time meeting other pocket-monster fans.

The Loft Presents If: Celebrating Octavia Butler

What: Books, Community
When: Tuesday, October 22, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: The Loft Literary Center

The Loft’s If event series explores speculative fiction, their big “what if” questions, and how the genre can help imagine solutions to complex issues. This month’s event features a conversation between authors Autumn Brown and Chaun Webster celebrating Octavia Butler, author of the highly influential works Kindred, Parable of the Sower, Blood Child, and more. Tickets are $5 for Loft members, or $10 for general admission.

An Evening with Dr. Temple Grandin: Connecting Animal Science and Autism

What: Science & Tech, Educational, Books
When: Wednesday, October 23, at 5:30 p.m.
Where: FIVE Event Center

Renowned professor of animal science and autism spokesperson Dr. Temple Grandin will be discussing the advantages of autism when working with animals. After her talk, there will opportunities for book signings and photos. Tickets are $60 in advance, or $70 at the door.

Mystic Dawn/Amtgard: Park Days

What: Gaming, Sports & Fitness
When: Wednesday, October 23, at 6:30 p.m.
Where: Oak Grove Park

Amtgard, a global organization focused on the sport of medieval-fantasy combat, will be hosting a gathering in Oak Grove Park. Participants can take part in glorious quests, battle, and more, all with the use of foam weapons for the sake of safety. Garb is encouraged, but not required, and loaner weapons are available. This is a free-to-play event, but long-term players are expected to support the organization with $6 or $10 dues.

Motherlanded: A One-Woman Show About Life as a Chinese Adoptee

What: Theater & Comedy
When: Wednesday, October 23, through Sunday, October 27; various times
Where: Dreamland Arts (St. Paul)

Motherlanded is a one-woman show written and performed by Julia Gay, focused on her life as a Chinese adoptee. This story chronicles a journey from China to the United States, and makes that journey using poetry, memoir, and music. Tickets are $10 to $20, and there are a variety of showtimes available, including an ASL performance on Saturday, October 19.

Queens of Adventure: Minneapolis Style

What: Theater & Comedy, Gaming, Food & Drink
When: Wednesday, October 23, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: LUSH

“Dungeons & Dragons & Drag Queens come together for a live comedy show” with the Queens of Adventure podcast. Host and dungeon master Matt Baume is joined on stage with local queen adventurers Kamaree Williams, Utica Queen, and the Other Jeannie Retelle. Tickets are $10 in advance, or $12 at the door. Food and drink specials are available all night.

Wibbly Wobbly Wednesday

What: Trivia
When: Wednesday, October 23, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Driftwood Char Bar

Join your fellow Whovians and trivia fanatics at the Driftwood Char Bar on Wednesday night for Minnesota’s only regular Doctor Who–themed trivia night, brought to you by the creators of TC Trek Trivia. This is an all-ages event with no cover, so expect seats to go quickly. This month’s theme is “Scary Stuff.”

Twin Cities Horror Festival Season 8

What: Theater & Comedy
When: Thursday, October 24, through Sunday, November 3
Where: Southern Theater

The Twin Cities Horror Festival returns for its eighth year with “11 terrifying days of onstage horror” at Minneapolis’s Southern Theater. See the festival website for the full lineup of horror-themed performances, which include theater, dance, and more. This is a chance to explore deep-seated fears through theater. Individual tickets start at $15, with additional festival-pass options available.

Haunted Basement

What: Theater & Comedy
When: Thursday, October 10, through Thursday, October 31; various times
Where: Rosedale Shopping Center

The Haunted Basement conjures up psychological horror, artist-created environments, and immersive performances in the 14th terrifying season of their legendary haunted attraction. Brave thrill seekers can embark on their traditional, full-contact experience, or go in solo with an Invocation ticket for maximum frights. The Haunted Basement also offers no-touch, low-intensity, and “fraidy cat” tours to accommodate attendees’ individual needs and spook preferences, and teen 15+ tours that require a parent or guardian. Tickets are $15–30, and all attendees must bring an ID and sign a waiver. A full list of showtimes and an FAQ on what to expect can be found on the Haunted Basement website, and check out our take on the new event’s new location here.

Social Science: Spooky Science

What: Science & Technology, Community, Nightlife
When: Thursday, October 24, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: Science Museum of Minnesota

The Science Museum of Minnesota will be presenting a Halloween-themed night that celebrates the spookier side of science. Meet local scientists, get hands-on with science activities, do some stargazing, jam out to Dreamboat, and be sure to dress in costume for a chance at prizes. Social Science is 21+ with cash bars throughout the museum. Tickets are $24.95 at the door and include admission to the new Body Worlds Rx exhibition.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in Concert

What: Music, Movies, Books, Family
When: Thursday, October 24, through Sunday, October 27; various times
Where: Minnesota Orchestra

Enjoy a magical night of cinema and music with dragons, witchcraft, and wizardry, with the accompaniment of the Minnesota Orchestra at this kid-friendly event. Ticket prices vary by seat, starting at $30.

Double Dare Challenge: Double Scare Edition

What: Family, Gaming, Sports & Fitness
When: Friday, October 25, through Sunday, October 27; various times
Where: Mall of America

Live out a Nickelodeon dream at the Mall of America at the Double Dare Challenge, based on the popular TV-game show. Take on physical challenges, answer trivia, dive onto the obstacle course, and, best of all, get slimed. This event is free and showtimes can be found on MOA’s website.

Cole Sarar’s SciFi Reading Hour

What: Books
When: Friday, October 25, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: Bryant Lake Bowl & Theater

This event will bring you new science fiction by local luminary Cole Sarar, with special guest Abra Staffin Wiebe. This is your chance to take in local science-fiction literature, and travel to distant places and times. These tales will be further supported by the futurist musical talents of Dameun Strange. Tickets are $11.49 with service fee.

Ghostly Garden

What: Family, Educational
When: Friday, October 25 at 6:30 p.m.
Where: Bell Museum

The Bell Museum gets slightly creepy as they drop the lights in their Ghostly Garden. Explore the Wicked Plants exhibit, create some monstrous plants of your own, learn about DNA extraction, listen to spooky sounds from space in the Dome of Doom, and go on a scavenger hunt. Tickets are $15 for youths and $20 for adults.

BareBones Puppets Halloween Extravaganza: . . . And the Fires Will Burn 

What: Comedy & Theater, Family, Arts, Community
When: Friday, October 25, and Saturday, October 26, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Hidden Falls Regional Park (St. Paul)

BareBones celebrates its 26th anniversary with the larger-than-life puppetry extravaganza. This annual event “honors the circle of life by celebrating its seasonal arc of death in the fall.” This event also includes a public naming ceremony and other opportunities to honor those who have passed. Live music from local bands and complementary food by Sisters Camelot will be provided at the end of each performance. There is a suggested donation of $10 to 20, but this event is intended to be open to all. ASL interpretation is provided for the October 26 show.

Tsuinishi Anime Club

What: Movies
When: Friday, October 25, at 8:30 p.m.
Where: Event Horizon at the Waterbury Building

Anime Twin Cities has joined forces with the Geek Partnership Society “to bring a little bit of fun to you on the second and fourth Fridays of each month with this cosponsored anime club.” The group will show various anime movies and series.

It’s Alive! Vilification Tennis Does the Mash

What: Theater & Comedy
When: Friday, October 25, at 10:00 p.m.
Where: Bryant-Lake Bowl

Vilification Tennis, a local structured-improv show focused on insult contests, will return to the Bryant-Lake Bowl for a night of comedy that directs the spotlight on monsters, both fictional favorites and the less-fictional jerks that haunt everyday life. Tickets are $15, or $12 with either a Minnesota Fringe button or CONvergence badge.

Minnesota Bat Festival

What: Educational, Family, Science & Tech
When: Saturday, October 26, at 9:00 a.m.
Where: Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge

Celebrate International Bat Week at the free third-annual Minnesota Bat Festival. Learn all about their lives and discover what the myths got wrong with live bat shows, special guests, trivia, a bat cave, and demonstrations. Other activities include puppet shows, face painting, reading corner, food trucks, and more.

Boo-ology

What: Educational, Science & Tech, Family
When: Saturday, October 26, at 12:00 p.m.
Where: Science Museum of Minnesota

Come for a day of family fun at the Science Museum of Minnesota and see the way that science can make this spooky holiday even more fun! This is a family-friendly day full of tricks, treats, and spooky exhibits! Kids under 12 can get free museum admission if they come in costume, so expect a wide variety of cute/spooky costumes, kids, and more.

The Daily Show Writers Stand-Up Show

What: Theater & Comedy
When: Saturday, October 26, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: The Cedar Cultural Center

The writers behind The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, the late-night news satire program on Comedy Central, head out on tour to perform their own stand-up material. Featured comedians include Matt Koff, Kat Radley, David Angelo, and Joe Opio. Learn more about each of the writers on the Cedar’s website. This is a 16+ seated show, with $25 tickets.

Transvestite Soup Presents: The Rocky Horror Picture Show

What: Film, Theater & Comedy
When: Saturday, October 26, at 11:55 p.m.
Where: Uptown Theatre

At 11:55 p.m. on the last Saturday of every month, the Uptown Theatre screens The Rocky Horror Picture Show, the “longest-running midnight movie of all time.” Transvestite Soup is the Twin Cities’ shadow cast for the showings, performing for your pleasure as part of the cult classic’s well-established tradition.

Wordbrew 7

What: Books, Arts, Food & Drink
When: Sunday, October 27, at 12:00 p.m.
Where: Kieran’s Irish Pub

Wordbrew returns for its seventh year of readings from sci-fi, horror, and fantasy authors. This is a free event, and a great chance for genre-lit geeks to geek out with their favorite authors, and discover writers they’ve never been exposed to. After attending this event, you’ll understand why the organizers describe it as “speed dating for speculative fiction.”

Shieldmaiden Sunday

What: Gaming, Meetup
When: Sunday, October 27, at 12:00 p.m.
Where: Source Comics & Games

Shieldmaiden Sundays are a dedicated space for female nerds and geeks at Source Comics & Games. This is a recurring weekly event providing a space for women to play games, chat about comics, cosplay, or just enjoy the company of other geeks. See the calendar for more events!

So, which of these events will you be attending? What events would you like to see featured in the future? Let us know in the comments section below or contact us via email. And don’t forget to add your events to the Twin Cities Geek Community Calendar!