This Week in Geek (3/13/23–3/19/23)

Welcome to This Week in Geek, your guide to events of interest to the Minnesota geek community for the week of Monday, March 13, to Sunday, March 19.

(Jump to In-Person Events)

Virtual Events

Smithsonian Associates Streaming Series–Feminist Fairy Tales: Who Needs a Prince?

What: Educational
When: Monday, March 13, at 5:45 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, learn about the complex and nuanced discussions regarding gender and fairy tales. General-admission tickets are $25, and a discount is available for members. Check out the streaming series webpage to see the many other upcoming events this week.

Virtual Pub Quiz Trivia Night

What: Trivia
When: Monday, March 13, 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.

The Mads Are Back: Night Of The Ghouls

What: Movies
When: Tuesday, March 14, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via YouTube

Join Mystery Science Theater 3000‘s Frank Conniff and Trace Beaulieu for a night of movie riffing in classic MST3K style. This show will feature a the 1959 horror flick Night of The Ghouls (from the legendary Ed Wood). After the riff will be a Q&A with the Mads and a TBA special guest. Tickets are $10, which also grants access to rewatch and download the stream. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Friends In Need Food Shelf in Minneapolis.

Minnesota Zoo Virtual Yoga

What: Sports & Fitness
When: Wednesday, March 15, 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.

Science Story Time

What: Family, Books, Science & Tech
When: Wednesday, March 15, at 9:00 a.m.
Where: Virtual via Zoom

Join WonderLab for a virtual story time featuring children’s picture books that support STEM skills, scientific concepts, and experimentation. This program is free and geared towards children 3–6 years old.

Live Stream: Her-Story of Astronomy

What: Educational, Science & Tech
When: Wednesday, March 15, at 12:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Facebook Live

Learn about critical discoveries made by women in astronomy with this event from the Marshall W. Alworth Planetarium at the University of Minnesota—Duluth. This virtual session is free.

GothiCoffee

What: Meetup
When: Wednesday, March 15, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Lost Fox (St. Paul)

The Twin Cities Elysium Society hosts a casual meetup on the third Wednesday of each month. This group is a “community and a resource for all manner of goth, not-goth, darksider, freak, punk, metal, steam, cyber, rivet, Victorian, romantic, grufti, espeluznante, emo, otaku, morbidly inclined, dark creative, what-have-you (you know who you are).”

Weird & Wonderful Wednesday Watchalongs

What: Movies
When: Wednesday, March 15, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Discord

Enjoy a free screening of an obscure film with Miss Emmy Martian and other cinephiles on Discord, every Wednesday night.

Twin Cities Geek Art Club

What: Arts
When: Thursday, March 16, and Sunday, March 19; 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.

Friday Night Comics Workshops

What: Comics
When: Friday, March 17, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Zoom

Join the Sequential Arts Workshop community and a guest artist every Friday night for a virtual comics-making workshop. This event is free and open to all skill levels. While geared towards adults, kids and teens are welcome to join with a parent. Participants are encouraged to share their workshop creations with the group or on social media.

Free Zoom Comedy

What: Theater & Comedy
When: Sunday, March 19, at 10:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Zoom

Enjoy a fresh lineup of some of the world’s best comics for free on Zoom! This long-running event is a great chance to enjoy great comedy from your home.

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 government and business policies change frequently and we cannot guarantee the safety of anyone attending an event we are not affiliated with, we do avoid featuring organizers or venues we believe to be following unsafe practices. 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.

Commander Evenings

What: Gaming
When: Monday, March 13, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: Badwolf Adventure Studios

Come on down for a free night of Magic: The Gathering played in the Commander style. Players may optionally enter a prize pool for store credit.

Read Brave: Talk Brave with Mayor Carter and Rose Oyamot

What: Books
When: Tuesday, March 14, at 10:30 a.m.
Where: Highland Park

Read Brave is St. Paul Public Library’s annual reading initiative that aims to ignite empathy and connect readers of all ages through a roster of books and events sharing one theme. This year’s theme is “Mental Health,” featuring the picture book selection of The Rabbit Listened by Corri Doerrfeld. At this free event, join St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter and Rose Oyamot for a reading from the book and a discussion.

Pundamonium: The Minneapolis Pun Slam

What: Theater & Comedy
When: Wednesday, March 15, at 8:00 p.m.
Where: Club Underground at the Spring Street Tavern

Pundamonium is a pun slam—a competition of wordplay with ten contestants, each given two minutes to make puns based on prompts they are given ahead of time. A few lucky audience members act as judges for the night, with their top four pun slingers going head to head in a final pun off.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly with Premovie Music by Mary Cutrufello

What: Movies, Music
When: Thursday, March 16, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Parkway Theater

Experience the western classic The Good, The Bad and The Ugly on the big screen at Parkway Theater. Before the show, enjoy some music by Mary Cutrufello, a St. Paul root-rocks singer with a huge impact on the Americana scene here and in Texas. Tickets are $9 in advance, or $12 at the door.

AdFed Minnesota’s 2023 The Show

What: Nightlife
When: Thursday, March 16, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Minnesota Orchestra

This event, put on by the Advertising Federation of MN, is a chance to see a celebration of the mix of creativity and capitalism that is advertising. Tickets run $35–$90.

St. Patrick Swayze’s Day Party

What: Movies, Music
When: Friday, March 17, at 3:00 p.m.
Where: Bauhaus Brew Labs

Come on down to Bauhaus for an alternative to the traditional St. Patrick’s day celebrations. This event will feature Minneapolis DJs, tunes, beer, and Patrick Swayze movies (such as Road House) on the big screen. This is a free event.

St. Patrick’s Day with the Dregs at MetroNOME Brewery

What: Music, Food and Drink
When: Friday, March 17, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: MetroNOME Brewery

Enjoy an evening of music, comedy, and fun with local band the Dregs (known for Renaissance Festival and CONvergence performances) at MetroNOME Brewery in St. Paul. This is a free event.

Nerddflix & Chill—Legend

What: Movies, Arts
When: Friday, March 17, at 7:30 p.m.
Where: Studio 42 at Miscellanea Studios

Nerddflix & Chill is a series presented by NerdDoms Universe in which classic nerdy films are screened followed by discussion and cosplay contests. For March, they are screening Legend, the 1985 Ridley Scott fantasy film with Tim Curry, Mia Sara, and Tom Cruise. Tickets are $10.

Maker Adult

What: Arts, Science & Tech
When: Friday, March 17, and Saturday, March 18, at 10:00 a.m.
Where: Ramsey County Library—Roseville

Take your creative endeavors to the next level with the Roseville library’s maker tools on Fridays and Saturdays. Available equipment includes a MakerBot Replicator+ 3D printer, Brother sewing machine, Silhouette Cameo cutting machine, and digitization converters for physical media like photo negatives and VHS tapes. Laptops are also available with the software needed for the equipment, as well as Corel photo and video editing software. Use of the equipment is free and is available through a mix of prior reservations and a first-come, first-served basis. There are limited physical materials, like filament, cloth, and vinyl, available for learning, so plan to bring your own for any projects. Check out the Maker Adult page for more information.

Sensory Friendly Saturday

What: Family
When: Saturday, March 18, at 8:00 a.m.
Where: The Bell Museum

The Bell Museum presents a monthly sensory-friendly day intended for individuals, families, and children who have sensory sensitivities. There are a number of resources available, such as quiet spaces, visual timers, weighted lap pads, hearing protection, and a social narrative. This event is included in normal museum admission.

Welcome Back the Herons

What: Educational
When: Saturday, March 18, at 11:00 a.m.
Where: Marshall Terrace Park

This is a great chance to celebrate the upcoming spring by watching the return of great blue herons to their rookery on the Mississippi River. This event will be led by a park ranger.

Shieldmaiden Sunday

What: Gaming, Meetup
When: Sunday, March 19, at 12:00 p.m.
Where: Source Comics and Games

Shieldmaiden Sundays are a dedicated space for female-identifying (including trans women/femme) and nonbinary nerds and geeks at Source Comics and Games. This is a recurring weekly event providing a space for women to play games, chat about comics, cosplay, or just enjoy the company of other geeks. Be sure to check out the Source calendar for additional events!

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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!