This Week in Geek (11/23/20–11/29/20)

Welcome to This Week in Geek, your guide to events of interest to the Minnesota geek community for the week of Monday, November 23, to Sunday, November 29.

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 23, 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.

Virtual Makers Mornings

What: Community, Arts
When: Tuesday, November 24, at 10:30 a.m.
Where: Virtual via Zoom

Join fellow makers at this morning social hour hosted by the American Swedish Institute. This event is open to any kind of crafters, and is intended as a place to share project progress and socialize.

Brit’s Virtual Pub Quiz

What: Trivia
When: Tuesday, November 24, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Facebook Live

Brit’s Pub, a downtown institution for Twin Cities Anglophiles (and soccer geeks), will be hosting their pub quiz online. Get together with a team, or have the hubris to go it solo, and take on four rounds of 10 questions. This is a free event, but Brit’s does encourage attendees to support a GoFundMe for their employees in the face of COVID.

Mid West Music Fest Sessions

What: Music
When: Wednesday, November 25, at 10:00 a.m.
Where: Virtual

Mid West Music Fest will be presenting weekly music-video debuts. This is your chance to see highlights of the Midwest music scene with weekly videos from artists like: Bad Posture Club, Them Coulee Boys, Night Moves, Dr. Goon and the Daily Tribune, Luke Hendrickson, Seaberg & the Black Velvet Punks, The Immaculate Beings, The Von Tramps, and Ghostland Radio.

The MST3K Turkey Day Marathon

What: Movies
When: Thursday, November 26, at 8:00 a.m.
Where: Virtual via Shout! Factory TV and other outlets

The MST3K Turkey Day tradition continues! Mystery Science Theater 3000, the legendary movie-riffing show with robot puppets, invention exchanges, and other delightful chaos, will be returning for a Turkey Day Marathon. Join in fellowship with bad-movie nerds nationwide and enjoy episodes voted on by fans, new host segments, and more. See the website for details on how to watch.

The Virtual Walk to End Hunger

What: Community
When: Thursday, November 26, at 10:00 a.m.
Where: Virtual via Facebook Live

Help support nine Twin Cities-based hunger-relief organizations with this virtual walk. This is a great time to bring new perspective to an old tradition of helping others when many people are facing serious economic challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. See the event listing for the nonprofit orgs the walk supports.

Geek Partnership Society Holiday Emporium, Online Edition

What: Community
When: Friday, November 27, through Friday, December 11
Where: Virtual Emporium

Help support the mission of the Geek Partnership Society (and the STEM programming it provides to youth) by picking up holiday presents or a little something special. GPS is bringing the emporium online this year, and will post a link to the Facebook page linked above.

The Holidazzle Show

What: Community
When: Friday, November 27; continuing through December
Where: Virtual via Holidazzle.com

Come together in holiday spirit from the comfort and safety of your home with this weekly show featuring Santa, local stores, music, entertainment, pets, holiday food, and more.

The Hip Hop Nutcracker

What: Comedy & Theater, Music
When: Friday, November 27, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual event

This is your chance to enjoy a performance of The Hip Hop Nutcracker, recorded live. This production features talented dancers, a DJ, a violinist, and living legend of hip-hop, MC Kurtis Blow. This is a modern take on the classic story that the whole family can enjoy. Tickets start at $20. This event is presented by the Ordway.

Atlas Obscura: Dino 101—Dinosaur Families

What: Science & Tech, Nightlife
When: Friday, November 27, 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 dino families. Tickets are $7–10.

GalaxyCon Live

What: Community, Convention
When: Saturday, November 28, through Sunday, November 29; 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 Power Rangers and Happy Days.

Wizard World Virtual Experiences

What: Convention
When: Saturday, November 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 features events for fans of Sons of Anarchy.

A (Virtual) Christmas Vacation with the Griswolds: An Evening with Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo

What: Movies
When: Saturday, November 28, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual event

Fans of Christmas Vacation are in for a treat with this virtual evening with the Griswolds. This is your chance to hear stories about the production of this holiday classic, and have questions answered in a Q&A session. Tickets start at $25. This event is presented virtually by the Ordway.

Drink & Draw—Costumed Model Drawing

What: Arts
When: Saturday, November 28, 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 “Dominatrix” with Alex Shanahan.

Among Us Charity Fundraiser

What: Gaming, Community
When: Sunday, November 29; various times
Where: Virtual via Zoom

There’s nothing “sus” about raising money for the Children’s Emergency Fund for Save the Children while playing Among Us, the hottest new Mafia-style game of social deduction. This is a fundraiser, so donations are recommended. Please note, Among Us was streamed by Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District Representative Ilhan Omar, so this event can appeal to political geeks as well as gamers.

WAP + Beyoncé Digital Drag Brunch

What: Music
When: Sunday, November 29, at 1:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Zoom

The pandemic may have you down, but let the enthusiasm and fun of a Flip Phone Digital Drag Brunch brighten your Sunday. So, pay your virtual cover, sign into Zoom, and make sure to tip your drag performers using PayPal or Venmo (PS: If you need mimosas with brunch, you’ll need to prepare your own).

Daily Events

Virtual Owámni Falling Water Festival

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