This Week in Geek (8/24/20–8/30/20)

Welcome to This Week in Geek, your guide to events of interest to the Minnesota geek community for the week of Monday, August 24, to Sunday, August 30.

Please note: Due to risks from the global COVID-19 pandemic, and in following current health guidelines recommending both social distancing and limited travel, this column will exclusively share virtual events that can be enjoyed from the comfort and safety of home. During this time we will be including local, national, and international events, as well as separating them into weekly and daily categories. As time goes on and guidelines change, in-person events may be reintroduced.

One-Time and Weekly Events

Minnesota Night Skies in September

What: Educational, Science & Technology
When: Monday, August 24, at 4:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Facebook

Join the Bell Museum’s planetarium educators for a brief discussion and Q&A about what celestial wonders are visible in our September skies, including how to best see Mars.

Street Show–Live Performances

What: Music
When: Tuesday, August 25, and Thursday, August 27, at 12:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via StreetShowMPLS

Live performances on busy streets are a hallmark of summers past, but in the time of COVID, physically attending such performances is risky. So, this event brings street performances to you, and has been extended through August 27. This week, see performances by Tom Siller and Pleasure Horse.

1918 × 2020: Global Fashion in the Age of Pandemics Webinar

What: Educational
When: Tuesday, August 25, at 12:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual; details provided upon registration

In 2020, masks have become a big part of fashion and staying healthy. But it’s not the only time in history when a pandemic has influenced fashion. This webinar explores the looks that evolved during major health crises, focusing mainly on the 1918 flu pandemic, the use of masks and veils, and bizarre trends. This event wraps up with a Q&A with fashion historian Caroline Elenowitz-Hess. Tickets are $10, and a replay video is available for a week after the event.

Online Board Game Afternoon for Teens

What: Gaming
When: Tuesday, August 25, at 3:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Zoom

Teens are invited to take part in a weekly Zoom-based board-gaming session put on by the Ramsey County Library. This is a free event intended for teens, and preregistration with an email address is required in order to receive an invite to the Zoom meeting. This is a great opportunity for young board-game geeks to make new friends and try new games during the quarantine.

YA Panel | Shelf Queens: Literary Ladies Who Rule

What: Books
When: Tuesday, August 25, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual; details provided upon registration

In this panel, young-adult authors Deb Caletti (Girl, Unframed), Jennifer DeLeon (Don’t Ask Me Where I’m From), Kit Frick (I Killed Zoe Spanos), Sandhya Menon (10 Things I Hate About Pinky), and Siobhan Vivian (We Are the Wildcats) discuss their latest novels, strong female protagonists, and the complexities of modern life. Moderated by Kiersten White. Tickets are free, but attendees are encouraged to support author programming through a donation or book purchase.

Ellie Goulding’s The Brightest Blue Experience

What: Music
When: Wednesday, August 26; multiple times
Where: Virtual via LIVENow

To celebrate the release of her latest album, Ellie Goulding will be streaming an exclusive performance from the iconic Victoria & Albert Museum in London. The show will feature new tracks from Brightest Blue and fan favorites accompanied by an ensemble of musicians. There will also be “a very special guest” yet to be announced. The performance will be streamed three times, at 2:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m., and 9:30 p.m., to accommodate fans across different time zones. All times listed here are in Central Time and are linked to their respective event pages. Tickets are $15.

Escape Velocity Extra: Race and Resistance in Science Fiction

What: Community, Educational
When: Wednesday, August 26, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual; details provided upon registration

Through the Escape Velocity Extra event series, the Museum of Science Fiction explores the depictions of scientific and cultural issues in science fiction with the help of topic experts and celebrity actors. This month’s topic is “Policing Blackness: Incarceration, Resistance, and Respectability Politics in Science and Speculative Fictions.” The first session is free and features a conversation with expert authors andré carrington, Isiah Lavender, De Witt Kilgore, and Lisa Yaszek. The second session is $5 and features a panel with guest actors Tim Russ (Star Trek: Voyager), Peter Macon (The Orville), and Garrett Wang (Star Trek: Voyager). One-on-one meet and greets with the actors are available for $50.

Online Books & Bars: Educated

What: Books, Food & Drink
When: Wednesday, August 26, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Facebook

Books & Bars is an “open public book club show” hosted and moderated by former Minnesota Public Radio producer Jeff Kamin that provides attendees with “a unique atmosphere for a lively discussion of interesting authors, fun people, good food, and social lubrication.” The book being read and discussed this month is Educated, a memoir of a girl who was raised in isolation among survivalists, denied education as a child, and how she later earned a PhD from Cambridge University.

Merlins Rest Pub Quiz

What: Trivia
When: Wednesday, August 26, at 8:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Facebook

Merlins Rest will be presenting its weekly pub quiz via Facebook! Get ready to quiz and have some fun with pals from the safety of your own home. Karina will be running the quiz.

GalaxyCon Live

What: Community, Conventions
When: Thursday, August 27, through Sunday, August 30
Where: Virtual via video chat

GalaxyCon, a convention for fans of various genre properties will be returning to live virtual events throughout the summer. These events are a great way to bring the convention experience home with panels, chats, autographs, virtual shout-outs, and more. Check the website for full details and pricing information, but this week includes events for fans of Altered Carbon, Arrow, Star Wars, My Hero Academia, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, RWBY, Henry Winkler, and William Shatner.

gamescom 2020

What: Gaming
When: Thursday, August 27, through Sunday, August 30
Where: Virtual via gamescom.global

gamescom is one of Europe’s largest video-game events and this year they’re not only going digital, but also making content free for everyone. Expect game announcements, trailers, demo videos, cosplay, e-sports, and exclusive merchandise. Check this official schedule (in Eastern Time) for a list of daily livestreams.

National Air and Space Museum Live Chat

What: Science & Tech, Arts
When: Thursday, August 27
Where: Virtual via Facebook

Join the National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution for a live chat with one of their experts every Thursday. Ask questions and learn about different topics with subject-matter experts. This series will continue until the museum reopens; check the Facebook page for up-to-the-minute information.

David Henry Hwang: In Conversation with John Ridley

What: Community, Theater & Comedy
When: Thursday, August 27, at 4:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual; details provided upon registration

Accomplished writer, producer, and librettist David Henry Hwang will be sitting down in candid conversation with John Ridley, the founder of Milwaukee-based Nō Studios. Hwang’s works include Aida, Disney’s Tarzan, Soft Power, and the Tony Award-winning M. Butterfly, as well as a co-writing song credit with Prince. He is currently writing the live-action adaptation of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Tickets are $5 for Nō Studios members and $10 for non-members.

Wizard World Virtual Experiences

What: Convention
When: Friday, August 28; various times
Where: Virtual via Twitch, Facebook, and YouTube

If you’re getting stir-crazy, and want to connect with fandoms, Wizard World’s Virtual Experiences may be able to help bring some of the convention experience to the comfort of your home. Check the website for details regarding particular events, but know that they include a free Q&A livestream and additional options for paid experiences. This week, there are events related to Borderlands 3 and Power Rangers: Lost Galaxy.

Family Story Time

What: Books, Family
When: Friday, August 28, at 10:30 a.m.
Where: Virtual via Facebook

Library story time is live in your home with the Ramsey County Library. Expect story-time staples like colorful picture books, toy props, and large easels for learning fun. Videos of the streams are available for 24 hours, so you can watch it when it works best for your schedule, and have the opportunity to hit repeat on family favorites. Check the Ramsey County Library page for other virtual events as well.

Vilification Tennis on a Stick

What: Theater & Comedy
When: Friday, August 28, at 10:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Twitch, YouTube, and Facebook

Vilification Tennis, a local structured improv show focused on insult contests, is taking its show online with a night of comedy skewering the Minnesota State Fair. This show is free, but a virtual tip jar is available for those who’d like to contribute.

Independent Bookstore Day

What: Books
When: Saturday, August 29
Where: Independent bookstores everywhere

This Saturday, indie bookstores around the country are celebrating Independent Bookstore Day with sales, online author appearances, giveaways, and more. Because of COVID, this year’s celebration will look different as stores adapt to and follow their local safety measures. Check out your faves to see what they have planned, as well as the Independent Bookstore Day website for featured virtual events.

Flint Hills Virtual Family Festival Presented by the Ordway

What: Family, Music
When: Saturday, August 29, at 10:00 a.m.
Where: Virtual via video stream

The Ordway presents a day full of free musical performances, sing-a-longs, and interactive activities. Guests include St. Paul’s Mayor Carter, Cat & David, Los Alegres Bailadores, Sons of Mystro, Rush Benson, and more. Videos go live starting at 10:00 a.m. and will be available to watch through Monday, September 7.

Drink & Draw—Costumed Model Drawing

What: Arts
When: Saturday, August 29, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Zoom

Gallery Girls is a Los Angeles-based event organizer popular for their themed drawing nights, often featuring models in fantasy, comic-book, and science-fiction costumes. Now, due to the pandemic, they’ve shifted to online sessions that can be enjoyed by anyone, anywhere. Each session is $10 and offers a mix of posing times. Artists of all levels are encouraged to dress up (if they like), grab a drink, and share their work on social media. This week’s costume theme is “Bird Goddess” with model Xine.

Daily Events

Virtual Sound for Silents 2020

What: Movies, Music
When: Thursday, August 20, at 7:00 p.m., through Tuesday, September 8, at 5:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via walkerart.org

Each year, the Walker Art Center commissions local artists to create scores to accompany experimental films in their Ruben/Bentson Moving Image Collection. This year, the 50-minute program will be available online for free and includes sounds from Beatrix*JAR, Andrew Broder, Lady Midnight, Cody McKinney, and Dameun Strange.

MSP Film Society Virtual Cinema

What: Movies
When: Daily, various times
Where: Virtual via video stream

The MSP Film Society is continuing to make independent films available to the community while theaters are closed and under reduced occupancy through their virtual cinema. Check out their website for full details, including current and upcoming films, as well as ticket pricing.

Kidz Bop Daily Dance Break

What: Family, Music
When: Weekdays, at 2:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via YouTube

Get your little ones moving with Kidz Bop’s daily dance break. Every weekday, they’ll be livestreaming a different dance along video to help kids stay active and burn off some energy.

Met Opera Streams

What: Theater & Comedy, Music
When: Daily, at 6:30 p.m.
Where: Virtual via video stream

Even though the Metropolitan Opera in New York has gone dark in these challenging times, the show will go on. “Each day, a different encore presentation from the company’s Live in HD series is being made available for free streaming on the Met website.” This week’s performances highlight Verdi, including Rigoletto, Un Ballo in Maschera, and Don Carlo. Streams will be available for a full 23 hours and can also be accessed through the Met Opera On Demand apps.

Get Your Pets

What: Community
When: Daily (most days), at 3:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Instagram

John Hodgman, humorist, writer, actor, and Webby Award-winning podcaster best known for his performances on The Daily Show and performances as “a PC” in Apple advertisements, has been hosting a pet-focused talk show on Instagram Live. On the show, participants will video chat with the host and allow him to chat with their pets.

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!