This Week in Geek (5/31/21–6/6/21)

Welcome to This Week in Geek, your guide to events of interest to the Minnesota geek community for the week of Monday, May 31, to Sunday, June 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 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

Online Creative Night

What: Arts, Community
When: Monday, May 31, at 6:30 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Google Meet

Let your creativity shine with drawing, painting, crafting, or whatever your heart desires at Creative Night, a weekly event put on by Crafty Geek and the Geek Partnership Society. This is a free event and a great opportunity to work on projects in great company.

Family Science Show: Changing Materials

What: Science & Tech, Educational, Family
When: Tuesday, June 1, at 11:00 a.m. (CDT)
Where: Virtual; details provided with registration

Watch science in action as materials change with a pop and a bang. This show, hosted by the Royal Institution’s Jemma Naumann, will explore states of matter through chemistry, as well as making scientific observations. Join in on the fun at home with a do-it-yourself experiment. Tickets are pay-what-you-can with no minimum.

The Astronomer and the Witch: Kepler’s Mother

What: Educational
When: Tuesday, June 1, at 12:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Crowdcast

Learn about Katharina Kepler, the deadly witch craze that took root in Germany, and her fight against a witchcraft accusation. This free talk will also touch on the role of her son, astronomer Johannes Kepler, in her defense and how witch hysteria impacted people’s lives.

Tuesdays with a Scholar

What: Educational
When: Tuesday, June 1, at 1:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Zoom

Join the Ramsey County Library and a guest scholar for an educational dive into their specialty every Tuesday. This week, politics journalist Lori Sturdevant will discuss “Joan Growe’s Legacy.”

B&N Virtual Event: John Krasinski & Jonny Cournoyer Celebrate A Quiet Place

What: Books, Movies
When: Tuesday, June 1, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Zoom

Fans of the horror film A Quiet Place can hear stories about production and get a look behind the scenes from actor and director John Krasinski and photographer Jonny Cournoyer. The pair joins Barnes & Noble to celebrate the release of their coffee-table book A Quiet Place: The Making of a Silent World, featuring on-set photos, a peek at the sequel, and stories from both cast and crew. Tickets start at $63.97, which includes ticket fees and a copy of the book.

Lana Wood Johnson—Speak for Yourself Virtual Launch Party with Adib Khorram

What: Books
When: Tuesday, June 1, at 6:30 p.m.
Where: Virtual; details provided upon registration

Celebrate the release of Speak for Yourself with author Lana Wood Johnson and the Red Balloon Bookshop! Johnson will discuss the book, writing, and trivia with author Adib Khorram (Darius the Great is Not Okay). This event is free to attend, with additional ticket options to purchase books or donate to support continued author events.

Minnesota Zoo Virtual Yoga

What: Sports & Fitness
When: Wednesday, June 2, at 7:45 a.m.
Where: Virtual via Zoom

Start your morning with yoga at the zoo! Each week, the instructor teaches a yoga routine live from different exhibits around the zoo. These classes are appropriate for both beginners and experienced yogis. Each class is $8 for nonmembers, with reduced rates available for zoo members or when registering for multiple classes at the same time.

Benjamin Percy with Julia Whelan—The Ninth Metal

What: Books
When: Wednesday, June 2, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Zoom

Author Benjamin Percy will discuss his latest novel The Ninth Metal, which centers on a Minnesota town and the fight for rights to mine meteors that carried a new, world-changing metal to Earth. He is joined in conversation by actor and audiobook narrator Julia Whelan. This event is free.

Virtual Transmission

What: Music, Nightlife
When: Wednesday, June 2, and Saturday, June 5, at 8:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Twitch

The popular Transmission dance night is moving to virtual space every Wednesday and Saturday. DJ Jake Rudh will be bringing New Wave, Alternative, and more ’80s-centric greats to the safety of your homes. So, dance, dance, dance to the radio (or, in this case, Twitch stream).

Celebrate Pride with Five LGBTQ Mystery Authors

What: Books
When: Thursday, June 3, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Crowdcast

The Once Upon a Crime bookshop is celebrating Pride month with LGBTQ mystery authors. This free event features a discussion with writers Jessie Chandler, Nicholas DiDomizio, Robyn Gigl, Ellen Hart, and Cheryl A. Head.

Twin Cities Geek Art Club

What: Arts
When: Thursday, June 3, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Discord

The Twin Cities Geek art club meets every Thursday evening from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. on the Twin Cities Geeks Discord. Hop on voice or video and chat while you create art, then share your finished pieces on the #art-club channel! This event is open to all. You can join by visiting twincitiesgeek.com/discord.

Profs & Pints: Fictional Figures on the Couch

What: Educational
When: Friday, June 4, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Crowdcast

The Profs & Pints series continues with “Fictional Figures on the Couch.” Learn about human psychology through characters in famous films and literature, as well as which feature realistic psychological portrayals and how to better spot those that don’t get it right. This talk will be led by neurobiologist and author Dean A. Haycock. Tickets are $12.

The Ultimate RPG Game Masters Guide with James D’Amato

What: Books, Gaming
When: Friday, June 4, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Zoom

James D’Amato, host of One Shot Podcast, joins Next Chapter Booksellers to discuss his new book The Ultimate RPG Game Masters Guide: Prompts and Activities to Create and Customize Your Own Game World. This event is free and requires registration. A recording of the discussion will be made available afterwards on Next Chapter’s YouTube channel.

GalaxyCon Live

What: Community, Convention
When: Saturday, June 5, through Sunday, June 6; 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 The Boys, Justice League Unlimited, and more.

Midsummer Melody: A Virtual Symphony Ball

What: Music, Community
When: Saturday, June 5, at 6:30 p.m.
Where: Virtual via YouTube

The Minnesota Orchestra’s annual Symphony Ball fundraiser is going online and—for the first time—will be free to attend. This night of music is hosted by Sarah Hicks and will feature surprise guests. Music Director Osmo Vänskä will conduct selections from Sergei Prokofiev, Felix Mendelssohn, Duke Ellington, and more. Funds raised will support the orchestra’s artistic excellence, education, and community engagement programs. An RSVP is required and donations are encouraged.

Kids Story Time with Mượn Thị Văn & Michelle Sterling

What: Books, Family
When: Sunday, June 6, at 3:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Facebook

Settle in for a free story time featuring new children’s books about family and home. Mượn Thị Văn will read her book Wishes, which follows the immigration journey of a Vietnamese family searching for their new home and how that impacts the youngest family member. Author Michelle Sterling will read When Lola Visits, a story about the bond between a child and her grandmother and the activities they do during her annual visits from the Phillipines. Kids can also join in an activity by bringing along a drawing of their grandparents.

Daily Events

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: Community, Movies
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 Presents Daily DJ Sets

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 present live DJ sets every day that include popular dance tracks, original music, and community interaction. Noon sets are performed by the duo or guest DJs from around the world. On Tuesdays, Sofi Tukker plays an extended evening set. These shows are a great opportunity for a dance break, to interact with other music fans, and see new music evolve before it hits streaming services. 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: Music, Theater & Comedy
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!