This Week in Geek (8/31/20–9/6/20)

Welcome to This Week in Geek, your guide to events of interest to the Minnesota geek community for the week of Monday, August 31, to Sunday, September 6.

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

Wizard World Virtual Experiences

What: Convention
When: Monday, August 31, and Friday, September 4; 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 Napoleon Dynamite, and the music of Ciarán Strange.

Discover: Minnesota State Fair

What: Educational
When: Monday, August 31, at 5:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Zoom

Join The Good Acre and State Fair archivist Kerri Huber for a virtual get-together focused on history. This is your chance to still take part in the State Fair spirit, and learn about the history of the fair through photos, facts, and agriculture-focused tales. (And yes: the fair has closed before due to public-health concerns). Suggested donation is $5.

Book Club: The End of Policing

What: Books, Community
When: Monday, August 31, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual; unspecified platform

This book club hosted by the Summit Hill Association will discuss The End of Policing to spark critical discussions. As America and the world wrestles with the deadly danger of systemic racism, discussions about the future (and past) of policing are increasingly relevant. Participants may be able to learn new ideas regarding what the future of public safety looks like.

Joseph-Beth Booksellers Presents: Brent Weeks and K.S. Villoso on “Creating Great Characters”

What: Books, Educational
When: Tuesday, September 1, at 5:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual; unspecified platform

Learn to create great characters, and celebrate the release of The Burning White in trade paperback. This event will feature Brent Weeks, the author of The Burning White, in conversation with fantasy writer K.S. Villoso, author of The Wolf of Oren-Yaro.

World Roulette

What: Arts
When: Wednesday, September 2, through Sunday, September 27; various times
Where: Virtual Via Kickstarter, online shop, and curbside pick up (for local participants)

Join artists from around the world for a project that imagines worlds created at random. This is a chance to see unique, fantastical, and sublime ideas presented. This project is organized by a randomizer focused on four design categories: Ecosystem, Resources, Attitudes/Attributes of People, and Imaginary Time period. The Kickstarter will be live from September 1 through October 1, and the pieces can be viewed via the virtual gallery on their website.

Merlins Rest Pub Quiz

What: Trivia
When: Wednesday, September 2, 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.

Virtual DragonCon

What: Convention
When: Thursday, September 3, through Monday, September 7
Where: Virtual via Vimeo, DragonCon.tv, and YouTube

For COVID-related safety, DragonCon has moved online this year. This means that geeks can check out the event without any need to travel down to Georgia. Throughout the event there will be three channels running with a variety of content to warm your geeky hearts, along with online games and a marketplace. For those unable to view during the livestream, there will be streaming memberships for $10. See the website for programming notes, as DragonCon covers a wide variety of geeky topics.

National Air and Space Museum Live Chat

What: Science & Tech, Arts
When: Thursday, September 3
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.

Irankarapte: An Introduction to Ainu Culture in Japan, with Dr. Christina M. Spiker

What: Educational
When: Thursday, September 3, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual

“Irankarapte” is a greeting used by the Ainu people meaning “allow me to touch your heart,” and this event seeks to open participants eyes and hearts to the Ainu. Dr. Spiker will be leading a talk focused on the culture and history of the Ainu, an indigenous people of Japan, focusing on art, language, artifacts, and connections to American history. This event is $8, or free to Japan America Society of Minnesota members.

Politically Engaged Art Amid Pandemic and Protest

What: Educational, Arts
When: Friday, September 4, at 10:00 a.m.
Where: Virtual via Zoom

We’re living in a complicated moment where an increasing awareness of systemic racism and other injustices have led to mass protests in the midst of a deadly global pandemic that necessitates social distance. This event, from the Imagining Transnational Solidarities Research Center, Mizna, AGITATE!, Pangea World Theater, and Parakh Minnesota, seeks to bring artists together to discuss the way art can be used for greater resistance, and moving away from a version of normal that is unjust and deadly for many.

Family Story Time

What: Books, Family
When: Friday, September 4, 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.

Twin Cities Water Lantern Festival Live

What: Community
When: Saturday, September 5, at 4:30 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Facebook Live

The Water Lantern Festival has gone virtual this year, but will still provide the opportunity for participants to see lanterns launched as part of a festival of hope. See the website for ticket information and further details. This is a family-friendly event.

Drink & Draw—Costumed Model Drawing

What: Arts
When: Saturday, September 5, 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 will feature BUMBLE BEE with Madaline Fleming @queenkongki.

Ron Funches: “Awakening”

What: Comedy & Theater
When: Saturday, September 5, at 9:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual; event link will be sent to attendees

Enjoy live comedy from the comfort of your browser with comedian Ron Funches’ new work: “Awakening.” Geeks may know Funches from previous comedy work, podcast appearances, or acting work on Adventure Time, Harley Quinn, or New Girl. This event will also feature Blair Socci and Gabe Dinger. Tickets run $10–50.

BaGG

What: Music
When: Saturday, September 5, at 9:30 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Twitch

This weekly online-dance night with ties to Ground Zero promises “dark dancy deliciousness downright delivered double time,” for a night of darkwave, goth, industrial, coldwave, synthpop, and more. Get your dance on from the safety and comfort of your own home!

Virtual Dungeons & Dragons for Teens

What: Gaming
When: Sunday, September 6, at 12:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Zoom

Teens are invited to take part in a weekly Zoom-based D&D 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 gaming geeks to make new friends and stretch their imaginations during the quarantine.

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 the 20th Century and Beyond, including Elektra and Nixon in China. 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!