This Week in Geek (5/30/22–6/5/22)

Welcome to This Week in Geek, your guide to events of interest to the Minnesota geek community for the week of Monday, May 30, to Sunday, June 5.

Virtual Events

Virtual Pub Quiz Trivia Night

What: Trivia
When: Monday, May 30, at 8:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Twitch

Get your trivia on from the comfort of home with Geeks Who Drink’s online trivia night. Prove your mettle, and maybe learn a little something! Watch for other Monday night virtual pub-trivia events going forward.

Guided Movement Workshop with Kayla Hamilton

What: Arts
When: Tuesday, May 31, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Zoom

Join artist Kayla Hamilton for an interactive workshop exploring movement and choreography. At the event, she will share movement prompts that she uses during her creative process while choreographing new pieces. Hamilton’s art explores the intersection of race and disability, as well as the stories of disabled BIPOC creatives. Attendees don’t need any dance experience to participate, and are encouraged to move along with the prompts. This free event is hosted by the Walker Art Center in conjunction with their Carolyn Lazard–Long Take exhibit.

Minnesota Zoo Virtual Yoga

What: Sports & Fitness
When: Wednesday, June 1, 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. Sessions are recorded and available to view during the week for those who are unable to tune in live.

Smithsonian Associates Streaming Series–Smithsonian Knits: The War Years

What: Educational, Science & Tech
When: Wednesday, June 1, at 5:30 p.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, get a look at six knitted and knitting-related objects from the Smithsonian’s collection and learn all about their war-time histories. General admission tickets are $30, and a discount is available for members.

Check out the streaming series webpage to see the many other upcoming events this week.

Virtual Transmission

What: Music, Nightlife
When: Wednesday, June 1, and Saturday, June 4, 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, June 2, and Sunday, June 5; 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.

Society X: Night Owls

What: Arts
When: Friday, June 3, at 9:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual event

Get together with other creative night owls to hang out and make some art. This is a great chance to work, bounce ideas off of folks, and be a little social. Bring your own art supplies.

GalaxyCon Live

What: Community, Conventions
When: Friday, June 3, and Saturday, June 4
Where: Virtual event

GalaxyCon, a convention for fans of various genre properties, is hosting virtual events and autograph signings. These events are a great way to bring the convention experience home with panels, one-on-one chats, autographs, virtual shout-outs, and more. The Q&A panels are free, but additional interactive experiences or autographs do have variable prices; see website for full details. This week includes events and signings for fans of Yu-Gi-Oh!, RWBY, 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 the 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.

A Raisin in the Sun

What: Theater & Comedy
When: Saturday, April 30, through Sunday, June 5
Where: Guthrie Theater

See the Guthrie’s performance of A Raisin in the Sun, an essential American play which in 1959 was the first Broadway show with an all-Black principal cast. This play follows three generations of a family grappling with visions of the American dream and how to achieve it. Tickets are $15–80.

The Art of Banksy

What: Arts
When: Thursday, May 12, through Friday, June 10
Where: Lighthouse ArtSpace

This is a chance for fans of the mysterious artist and political activist known as Banksy to see over 100 works in person. This will include rare works from private collections that are rarely seen by the general public. Tickets are $39.99 for adults, $29.99 for children 16 and under.

Moulin Rouge! The Musical

What: Theater & Comedy, Music
When: Wednesday, May 18, through Sunday, June 5
Where: Orpheum Theatre

The spectacular (spectacular) Moulin Rouge! The Musical is coming to the Orpheum Theatre to share a tale of truth, beauty, freedom, and love. Based on the 2001 Baz Luhrmann film, this production brings all the glitz, grandeur, and iconic jukebox music mash-ups to life in a Broadway extravaganza. Tickets are $50–149.

Minnesota State Parks Track Chairs Preview

What: Community, Science & Tech
When: Wednesday, June 1, at 12:00 p.m.
Where: Myre-Big Island State Park (Albert Lea)

This summer, Minnesota state parks will be introducing track chairs to their available equipment offerings. These powered, off-road chairs will be available for use on designated trails that aren’t always navigable by traditional wheelchairs. At this event, get a preview of the track chairs and try them out. While this event is free, all vehicles entering the park will need a vehicle permit, which are $35 per year or $12 per year with a disability hang tag. Check out the event page for more information about the track chairs, which parks will have them, and how to make a reservation for your future park adventures.

Kraftwerk 3-D

What: Music
When: Wednesday, June 1, at 8:30 p.m.
Where: State Theatre

Kraftwerk is bringing their immersive 3-D tour to Minneapolis! The iconic and influential band helped to popularize electronic music around the world through their early use of synthesizers, computerized rhythms, and robotic voices. This tour celebrates their 50th anniversary as a band and will feature performance art that includes 3-D visuals. Tickets are $59.50–144.

Flint Hills Family Festival

What: Arts, Family, Music
When: Friday, June 4, and Saturday, June 5
Where: The Ordway

This family event will transform the parks and other public spaces around the Ordway into a magical wonderland for children of all ages with a variety of performances, activities, and spaces to make art. There’re a wide variety of performances planned for this two-day festival of fun; please see the website for specific performance details, including a helpful visitor’s guide. Some planned highlights from the festival include Cirque Mechanics: Birdhouse Factory, Polkadots: The Cool Kids Musical, and Shapeshift’s Be Your Own Superhero. Many of the events and activities are free; some indoor performances are ticketed at $8.

Movies in the Parks: Back to the Future

What: Movies, Community, Family
When: Friday, June 3, at 8:00 p.m.
Where: Armatage Park

Enjoy a night of community and movie magic under the stars! Movies start at dusk and are free and open to the public. Screening this week is Back to the Future, a classic 1980’s time travel adventure starring Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd. Check out the website for a complete schedule of screenings this week, including other geeky and family favorites like Ratatouille and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.

Cinderella: Presented by the Metropolitan Ballet

What: Theater & Comedy, Family
When: Saturday, June 4, and Sunday, June 5
Where: Pantages Theatre

The Metropolitan Ballet is bringing some fairy-tale magic to the dance stage with their performance of Cinderella. Tickets are $52–82.

Free First Saturday: Friend Fest

What: Arts, Community, Family
When: Saturday, June 4, at 10:00 a.m.
Where: Minneapolis Sculpture Garden (Walker Art Center)

Celebrate art and community on the first Saturday of every month with free gallery admission and special events at the Walker Art Center. This month’s theme is “Friend Fest,” which will include guided tours of the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, performances by Young Dance, and hands-on crafts of collages and friendship bracelets.

Music in the Parks: Issues (Tribute to Fleetwood Mac)

What: Music
When: Sunday, June 5, at 5:30 p.m.
Where: Lake Harriet Bandshell

Enjoy an evening of live music in the park! This week features a performance by Issues, a Minneapolis-based tribute band that plays the hits of Fleetwood Mac. Check out the website for a complete schedule of performances this week, including Pavel Jany, the Linden Hills Chamber Orchestra, and more.

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!