This Week in Geek (11/16/20–11/22/20)

Welcome to This Week in Geek, your guide to events of interest to the Minnesota geek community for the week of Monday, November 16, to Sunday, November 22.

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 and drive-through events. 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

Virtual Family Story Time

What: Books, Family
When: Monday, November 16, 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.

Designing Hamilton

What: Theater & Comedy
When: Monday, November 16, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Zoom 

Join Tony Award-winner Paul Tazewell for a conversation about his costume designs for the Broadway production of Hamilton and his career. Other credits include the musical Bring in ‘Da Noise, Bring in ‘Da Funk, the HBO film The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, and NBC’s The Wiz! Live. This event is free, but organizers the National Arts Club ask attendees to consider donating with their ticket to benefit their Artist Fellows program.

Wizard World Virtual Experiences

What: Convention
When: Tuesday, November 17, through Sunday, November 22; 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 features Wiz Quiz trivia, as well as events for fans of Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Summer Bishil, and Hallmark movies.

The Mads: The Brain From Planet Arous—Live Riffing with MST3K’s The Mads

What: Movies
When: Tuesday, November 17, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual; details provided after registration

Join Mystery Science Theater 3000‘s Frank Conniff and Trace Beaulieu for a night of movie riffing in classic MST3K style. The film of choice for the evening is The Brain From Planet Arous, the 1957 cult classic where a criminal space brain takes over a scientist’s body and proceeds on a mission of world domination. After the riff will be a Q&A with The Mads and a special guest yet to be announced. Tickets are $12.24 (including fees), which also grant access to rewatch and download the stream.

Trivia Tuesdays for Teens: Marvel and DC Trivia

What: Trivia
When: Tuesday, November 17, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Zoom & Kahoot

Teen superhero fans can flex their knowledge at a night of themed trivia with the Ramsey County Library. Participants can be in grades 6–12 and will have a chance at winning gift-card prizes.

Virtual Book Launch with Mike Alberti and Charles Baxter

What: Books
When: Tuesday, November 17, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Zoom

Celebrate the recent release of Some People Let You Down by Mike Alberti and The Sun Collective by Charles Baxter during a free event with the authors. They’ll be in conversation with the cohosts of the Fiction/Non/Fiction podcast VV Ganeshananthan and Whitney Terrell. Copies of the books are available for purchase through the event host, Moon Palace Books.

Not-So-Silent Planet: Air and Water

What: Books, Arts
When: Tuesday, November 17, at 8:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual; details provided upon registration

The Twin Cities’ “first open-mic dedicated to speculative interpretations of myth” returns with stories of air and water. The featured performers for November’s session are Vu Dang, Pat Harrigan, Michael Merriam, Tim Wick, and Matthew Stoffel. Tickets are free and there is a suggested donation of $5.

Probable Meets Possible: Learning to Speak Microbe

What: Science & Tech
When: Wednesday, November 18, at 4:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Zoom

Probable Meets Possible is a free event series from the Bell Museum and the University of Minnesota’s College of Biological Sciences that explores humanity’s impact on Earth, the challenges we face, and how scientific developments could shape the future. At this month’s event, learn about microbial languages and their effects on human health with assistant professor Mikael Elias and associate professor Will Harcombe.

Twin Cities Playtest

What: Gaming
When: Wednesday, November 18, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Twitch

This online-only playtest event ran by the Twin Cities chapter of the International Game Developer’s Association seeks to highlight in-development games by streaming them to Twitch, and by allowing participants to test them with a service called Parsec. See the event for all of the details on how to participate.

Online Books & Bars: The Glass Hotel

What: Books, Food & Drink
When: Wednesday, November 18, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Zoom

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 meeting is The Glass Hotel by Emily St. John, a story about a missing woman, a collapsing Ponzi scheme, and ghosts from the past.

Merlins Rest Pub Quiz

What: Trivia
When: Wednesday, November 18, at 7:30 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.

Virtual MCAD Art Sale

What: Arts
When: Thursday, November 19, through Saturday, November 22
Where: Virtual via the Minneapolis College of Art and Design

Held every year on the weekend before Thanksgiving, the annual Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD) Art Sale “is your chance to buy one-of-a-kind art created by students and recent graduates at unbeatable prices.” This year, the showcase will be digital with curbside pickup available for any purchases. VIP early access on Thursday costs $50; Friday and Saturday are free. All sales and proceeds from this event “go directly to the individual artists or to the MCAD Art Sale Scholarship Fund.”

Virtual Third Thursday: Resiliency Care Package

What: Arts
When: Thursday, November 19, at 9:00 a.m.
Where: Virtual via Mia’s website

Minneapolis Institute of Art’s Third Thursday event has gone online. This month presents a Resiliency Care Package of creativity in collaboration with local Native artists to help spark hope, healing, and joy during our extended crisis. There will be a community arts project with Angela Two Stars, stories of local plant medicines with Hope Flanagan, a Dakhota language lesson with Šišóka Dúta, recipe preparation with Robert Rice, and music curated by Bluedog.

The Power of Music in Anime

What: Music, Movies
When: Thursday, November 19, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via YouTube

Musicologists Stacey Jocoy, Kunio Hara, and Rose Bridges will be diving into anime music, from music’s role in storytelling and hidden meanings, to the collaborative relationships between directors and composers. Expect conversation cameos from beloved classics like Cowboy Bebop, My Neighbor Totoro, The Grave of the Fireflies, and more. After the discussion will be a Q&A. This event is free.

#BeHeard2020 Showcase

What: Theater & Comedy
When: Friday, November 20, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual

Be Heard is a youth poetry-slam series hosted by St. Paul-nonprofit TruArtSpeaks that culminates in an annual showcase. After extended delays for COVID, protests, and the election, these young writers will finally be hitting the virtual showcase stage and sharing their voices. This event is free, but attendees can support the program and organization with a donation.

This Is Minnesota Orchestra: Music Originals 

What: Music
When: Friday, November 20, at 8:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via website, Facebook, TPT, and Classical MPR

This Is Minnesota Orchestra is a reimagined concert series for COVID times. These free performances will be livestreamed on their website and Facebook, as well as broadcasted on Twin Cities PBS and Classical MPR. The “Music Originals” show will feature small ensembles performing music by Alberga, Ravel, and Beethoven. Learn more about the series and its upcoming events on the Minnesota Orchestra website.

Atlas Obscura: Dino 101—Thanksgiving Dinner is a Dinosaur

What: Science & Tech, Nightlife
When: Friday, November 20, at 8:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Zoom

Dino 101 is an interactive, socially distanced party for adult dinosaur fans and science fans. This event series is hosted by Dustin Growick from the YouTube channel The Dinosaur Show and features weekly activities like trivia, drawing, scavenger hunts, and games. This week, learn about turkeys and their connection to dinos with special guest and “sassy paleontologist” Dr. Yara Haridy. Tickets are $7–10.

GalaxyCon Live

What: Community, Convention
When: Saturday, November 21, through Sunday, November 22; various times
Where: Virtual via video chat

GalaxyCon, a convention for fans of various genre properties will be returning to live virtual events throughout the year. These events are a great way to bring the convention experience home with a mix of free and premium 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 Sailor Moon, Felicia Day, Once Upon a Time, and more.

#NETHERRAP

What: Music
When: Saturday, November 21, at 5:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Twitch and Minecraft

Rappers hit virtual stages in Minecraft during the #NETHERRAP concert. The show is hosted by Scroobius Pip, with performances by B. Dolan, Kimya Dawson, Rob Sonic, Sammus, Mega Ran, Eligh, E-Turn, Wheelchair Sports Camp, and Digital Monster. This concert can be viewed for free in Minecraft or on their Twitch stream. Attendees can support the artists and event by purchasing a $5 VIP Package (which includes custom in-game items), subscribing to Patreon, or buying #NETHERRAP merch.

Drink & Draw—Costumed Model Drawing

What: Arts
When: Saturday, November 21, 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 theme is “5th Element Flight Attendant” with Britney Siren.

Math Night @Home

What: Gaming, Educational
When: Sunday, November 22, at 5:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Zoom

Mathnasium, an international math-tutoring organization, is hosting a free and open night of math-based games for kids in grades 2–6. Friends and family can also participate, but it’s recommended that kids use their own devices to get the full experience.

Daily Events

Virtual Owámni Falling Water Festival

What: Educational, Community, Arts, Music
When: Throughout November, various times
Where: Virtual via YouTube, other platforms

The Owámni Falling Water Festival is a yearly event offering opportunities to learn about Dakota and other Indigenous cultures, and share those cultures with the Minnesota community. The festival is named Owámni—“falling water” in the Dakota language—as it normally takes place beside the Mississippi River’s waterfall. However, due to COVID-19, this event is going online, bringing art, music, exhibits, and other partners to a virtual space. See the website for more details.

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.

Alamo Drafthouse OnDemand

What: Movies, Community
When: Daily, various times
Where: Virtual via Scener

The Alamo Drafthouse has taken its curated approach to film online to keep bringing the weird, great, bad, and amazing to the public in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic. Check this space for live events like watch parties, exclusive releases, and more (only this time you’ll be required to provide your own snacks and drinks). Check the website for all of the current and upcoming films, events, and prices.

Sofi Tukker Daily DJ Set

What: Music
When: Daily, at 12:00 p.m., and Tuesdays, at 9:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Twitch, Instagram, and Facebook

House-music duo Sofi Tukker go live everyday at noon for a DJ set that includes popular dance tracks, original music, and community interaction. Fans can chat with the band, as well as send in recordings of themselves ahead of time that may be mixed into daily sets. On Tuesdays, Sofi Tukker plays an extended set at 9:00 p.m., and features a guest DJ during the noon time slot. Be advised that the music and hosts are not censored and this may not be the best livestream for younger music fans.

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.” Check the website for this week’s schedule. Streams will be available for a full 23 hours and can also be accessed through the Met Opera On Demand apps.

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!