This Week in Geek (12/20/21–12/26/21)

Welcome to This Week in Geek, your guide to events of interest to the Minnesota geek community for the week of Monday, December 20, to Sunday, December 26.

Virtual Events

SocietyX: Making a Home for Houseplants

What: Educational
When: Monday, December 20, at 10:30 a.m.
Where: Virtual event

Learn best practices for being a good host to your plant comrades in this weekly class taught by Jocelyn Perez-Blanco. Perez-Blanco is the founder of Herban Garden and an educator, herbalist, naturalist, conservationist, flower-essence therapist, essential-oil coach, and avid gardener with a background in biology, animal husbandry, ethnobotany, and agriculture.

Smithsonian Associates Streaming Series—America’s Favorite Holiday Movie: The Story of It’s a Wonderful Life

What: Educational
When: Monday, December 20, at 11:00 a.m.
Where: Virtual via Zoom

The Smithsonian Institution, home to famed museums and world-class research centers, is bringing educational programs and art courses online for all to enjoy. At this event, learn about America’s favorite holiday movie: It’s A Wonderful Life. General admission tickets are $25.

Guided Watercolour—Weekly Art Class

What: Arts
When: Tuesday, December 21, at 12:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual event via Zoon

Express yourself on a winter’s Tuesday under the guidance of Cathy Wild in this guided watercolors class. Check the event posting for detailed basic-materials recommendations.

Minneapolis Institute of Art Virtual Public Tours: Inspired by Books

What: Arts
When: Tuesday, December 21, at 1:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Zoom

Take a specially curated tour through the Minneapolis Institute of Art’s collection as inspired by books. Each month’s tour will focus on a different book for inspiration, with December exploring The Dutch House, by Ann Patchett. Tours are free, but registration is required.

Monster of the Month with Colin Dickey: Elves

What: Educational
When: Tuesday, December 21, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual event

Atlas Obscura’s Monster of the Month series highlights a monster or cryptid every month for a deep dive into the legend. This month, paranormal author and cultural historian Colin Dickey will share the lore surrounding Elves, a creature of toy-making, mystery, magic, and more. Tickets for this event are $12.

Minnesota Zoo Virtual Yoga

What: Sports & Fitness
When: Wednesday, December 22, 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 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.

Teen Geekery Trivia and Gaming

What: Trivia
When: Wednesday, December 22, at 4:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual event

Teens can hang out, put their geeky knowledge to the test, and win prizes! The afternoon will feature trivia-style games like Jackbox, Jeopardy, and more. This event is free and is presented by the Brookdale Library, Anime Twin Cities, and the Friends of the Hennepin County Library.

Virtual Transmission

What: Music, Nightlife
When: Wednesday, December 22, and Saturday, December 25, 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).

Twin Cities Geek Art Club

What: Arts
When: Thursday, December 23, and Sunday, December 26, 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.

Paint Your Own Alebrije with Puech Ikots’ Carlos Orozco

What: Arts
When: Friday, December 24, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual event

Join this virtual event for instructions on painting your own hand-carved alebrije, with instruction from master artist and Indigenous activist Carlos Orozco. Copal-wood alebrijes are a traditional art form, recently popularized in the film Coco. Attendees are encouraged to order ahead and paint along at home—or to just observe and learn.

The Mads: Santa Claus vs. the Devil Rebroadcast Watch Party

What: Movies
When: Saturday, December 25, at 9:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Twitch

Join Mystery Science Theater 3000’s Frank Conniff and Trace Beaulieu for a night of movie riffing in classic MST3K style. This pre-recorded show will feature Santa Claus vs. the Devil. After the riff will be a prerecorded Q&A with the Mads and special guests: Andy Kindler (Bob’s Burgers, Maron) and J. Elvis Weinstein (MST3K, Freaks and Geeks)!. Tickets are $12.24 (including fees), with a portion of proceeds benefiting the Friends in Need Food Shelf in Minneapolis.

GalaxyCon Live

What: Community, Conventions
When: Sunday, December 26
Where: Virtual event

GalaxyCon, a convention for fans of various genre properties, is returning to live virtual events throughout the fall. 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 Kate Mulgrew, Danny Elfman, and more.

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.

In-Person Events

Please note: Due to risks from the ongoing pandemic, we urge all readers to take appropriate safety measures when choosing to attend in-person events, such as masking, physical distancing, and frequent handwashing. We also urge all eligible Minnesotans to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and to wear a mask in indoor settings even if vaccinated. If you believe you have been exposed to COVID-19 or are experiencing symptoms, please get tested and follow Minnesota state guidelines on isolating from others. See our COVID-19 resources page for more information on vaccination, health and safety, financial and other assistance, and more.

While we cannot guarantee the safety of anyone attending an event we are not affiliated with, our aim is to include only those hosted by groups and venues that list clear, reasonable COVID safety precautions. If you feel something in this column does not meet those criteria, we encourage you to contact us at info@twincitiesgeek.com with your concerns.

GLOW Holiday Festival

What: Community, Arts
When: Thursday, November 18, through Sunday, January 2; various times
Where: Minnesota State Fairgrounds

Glow it up with a festival of lights at the State Fairgrounds! This outdoor event features holiday lights, themed displays, tasty treats, art installations, a maze, bonfires, and more. Adult tickets are $20.75, with lower rates for kids and additional options for VIP. Some attractions have additional fees, including the Sky Glider, big slide, and trolley rides. Each night of the event also supports a different charity, with $1 of each ticket being donated. Learn more about the event and charities at their website.

Gingerbread Wonderland

What: Arts, Community
When: Tuesday, November 23, through Friday, December 31
Where: Norway House

The annual Gingerbread Wonderland is a gallery collection featuring cookie recreations of famous locations in Minnesota, fairytales, and beyond by local bakers of all ages and skill levels. Tickets are $7 and visitors are highly encouraged to make a reservation to avoid wait times with their reduced gallery capacity.

Christmas in Color Animated Light Show

What: Community, Arts
When: Friday, November 26, through Sunday, January 2; various times
Where: Valleyfair Parking Lot

Millions of holiday lights come to life every night at Valleyfair. This drive-through experience features illuminated tunnels, animated characters, and seasonal favorites all timed to music that plays through car radios. Tickets start at $35 per vehicle, with a portion of proceeds benefitting the Minnesota chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

Christmas Vacation

What: Movies
When: Thursday, December 23, at 7:00 p.m. (screening at 8:00 p.m.)
Where: Parkway Theater

This your chance to see the classic comedic tale of the Griswold family’s Christmas misadventures in Christmas Vacation, starring Chevy Chase. Tickets are $9 in advance, or $12 at the door.

Nature Illuminated

What: Community, Arts, Educational
When: Thursday, December 2, through Sunday, January 16; various times
Where: Minnesota Zoo

Enjoy the beauty of larger-than-life animal art installations and light shows at the Minnesota Zoo! This popular drive-through event returns for a second year, along with a new outdoor walking-trail experience that opens on January 6. Driving-tour tickets are $35–60 per vehicle and walking-experience tickets are $14–20 per person, both of which have discounts available for zoo members.

A Christmas Carol

What: Theater & Comedy
When: Saturday, December 11, through Monday, December 27; various times
Where: Guthrie Theater

The classic holiday tale A Christmas Carol is back at the Guthrie Theater with a brand new adaptation! This production stays true to the familiar story of Scrooge and his visits with the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Future, while bringing a fresh perspective and injecting humor from the Dickens original (read our full review here). Tickets start at $15, and discounts are available.

Droid December

What: Arts, Educational, Science & Technology
When: Sunday, December 26
Where: The Bakken Museum

Droid enthusiasts are in luck with this event at the Bakken, celebrating robots and tech inspired by sci fi! This is a great chance to partake in a number of droid-focused activities, including an Art-Bot, Droid Noise, a Droid Scavenger Hunt, Stop-Motion Animation, and a Trench Run (using a remote-controlled droid to avoid obstacles). Cost is included with general admission.

Wondering why we didn’t include your geeky event? We are only including in-person events from organizers and venues with responsible, clearly advertised COVID-19 safety precautions that meet our standards. If you’d like to be considered for future listings, send your safety info to info@twincitiesgeek.com!