This Week in Geek (4/3/23–4/9/23)

Welcome to This Week in Geek, your guide to events of interest to the Minnesota geek community for the week of Monday, April 3, to Sunday, April 9.

(Jump to In-Person Events)

Virtual Events

Smithsonian Associates Streaming Series–Wonder Tales from Japan

What: Educational
When: Monday, April 3, 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 Japanese fairy tales, a.k.a. otogi-banashi, their supernatural creatures, and how they influence modern media like manga and anime. 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, April 3, 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.

Geeks Read Book Discussion

What: Books
When: Tuesday, April 4, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Discord

Geeks Read, from Geek Partnership Society, is a monthly book club for folks who want to explore horror, science fiction, and fantasy. Social time typically runs from 7:00 to 7:30 p.m., followed by a discussion of the book at 7:30. April’s selection is He Who Fights With Monsters, by Shirtaloon.

Cinema’s First Nasty Women: Silent Cinema Shorts with Live Music Featuring Dreamland Faces

What: Movies
When: Tuesday, April 4, at 7:30 p.m.
Where: Virtual event

Check out a curated selection of early silent-film shorts that spotlights trailblazing women and feminist imagery. The films range of content includes female rebellion, slapstick comedy, burlesque, and more. The screening will be accompanied by original music scored and performed by Dreamland Faces. Livestream tickets are $10 per household, or free for University of Minnesota students.

Minnesota Zoo Virtual Yoga

What: Sports & Fitness
When: Wednesday, April 5, 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, April 5, 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.

Marshall W. Alworth Planetarium Live Stream: What’s Up?

What: Educational, Science & Tech
When: Wednesday, April 5, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Facebook Live

Learn about current astronomical events and get your space questions answered by staff from the Marshall W. Alworth Planetarium at the University of Minnesota—Duluth. This virtual session is free.

Weird & Wonderful Wednesday Watchalongs

What: Movies
When: Wednesday, April 5, 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, April 6, and Sunday, April 9; 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, April 7, 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.

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.

Immersive Disney Animation

What: Movies, Family
When: Monday, April 3, through Sunday, June 18
Where: Lighthouse Immersive Studios

Be surrounded by the art and music of Disney’s animated worlds at this immersive, walk-through experience. See scenes from Disney favorites like The Lion King, Encanto, Aladdin, and The Little Mermaid projected on the massive walls accompanied by audio and some interactive elements, like bubbles to simulate being under the sea. The experience also features installations exploring the processes behind making the films, like storyboarding, real-life geographic inspirations, and animation effects. Individual tickets start at $28 and discounted rates are available for family and group packs.

Commander Evenings

What: Gaming
When: Monday, April 3, 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.

Hamilton

What: Theater & Comedy
When: Tuesday, April 4, through Saturday, May 6; various times
Where: Orpheum Theatre

The smash Broadway hit Hamilton is bringing its hip-hop infused story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton to the Twin Cities. While tickets may be hard to come by for this popular show, there is a weekly lottery drawing that folks can enter through the show’s official app for the opportunity to buy $10 reserved tickets.

Buzzed Bee

What: Trivia
When: Tuesday, April 4, at 7:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.
Where: Arts + Rec Uptown

Put your spelling skills to the test every first and third Tuesday of the month and see if you have what it takes to become an Uptown Spelling Bee Champion. This event is free and includes opportunities to win prizes. Competitors are encouraged to arrive early to secure their spot.

Cinema’s First Nasty Women: Silent Cinema Shorts with Live Music Featuring Dreamland Faces

What: Movies
When: Tuesday, April 4, at 7:30 p.m.
Where: Northrup Carlson Family Stage

Check out a curated selection of early silent film shorts that spotlights trailblazing women and feminist imagery. The films range in content includes female rebellion, slapstick comedy, burlesque, and more. The screening will be accompanied by original music scored and performed by Dreamland Faces. Adult admission tickets are $21, and there are multiple discounts available; University of Minnesota students receive free admission.

Minneapolis Institute of Art Public Tours—Current Conversations: Wild Places

What: Arts
When: Thursday, April 6, through Sunday, April 9, at 1:00 p.m.
Where: Minneapolis Institute of Art

Take a specially curated tour through the Minneapolis Institute of Art’s collection based around a conversation topic. Each month’s free tour will focus on a different topic for inspiration, with April exploring the beauty and challenges found in nature. Tours meet in the General Mills Lobby on the first floor.

Martha Wells Signing

What: Books
When: Thursday, April 6, at 6:30 p.m.
Where: DreamHaven Books & Comics

Martha Wells, author of the Murderbot Diaries series, is stopping by DreamHaven to sign books before her appearance at MiniCon this weekend. This event is free, and copies of her books will be available for purchase.

Kaiju Electric Battle Masterpiece: Reverend Matt’s Monster Science vs. 10 Items or Fewer

What: Comedy & Theater, Educational, Family
When: Thursday, April 6, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Bryant Lake Bowl

Reverend Matt’s Monster Science is teaming up with the band 10 Items or Fewer for a night of facts and songs about giant kaiju monsters and their propensity to attack human cities. Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the door.

Vibe Check: A Poetry Reading Across Generations

What: Books
When: Thursday, April 6, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Open Book

Poets from different generations are teaming up for this collaborative reading hosted by The League of Minnesota Poets. Readers include Anthony Ceballos, John Medeiros, Ashley Richardson, Kathryn Kaiser, Mark Ehling, Mollie Lacy, and Eric Tu. This is a free event with a suggested donation of $5 to support their young writer programs.

Minicon

What: Convention
When: Friday, April 7, through Sunday, April 9
Where: DoubleTree Park Place (St. Louis Park)

Come to Minicon 56 for a volunteer-run science-fiction convention, with special guests Martha Wells, Sara Felix, and Greg Ketter. This con covers a wide variety of interests, including: science-fiction literature, gaming, cosplay, science displays, film screenings, live music, and more—see their website for a full listing of panels and activities. Preregistration is closed, but there are a variety of options for registering at the door, ranging from $75 for the whole weekend to $20 for just Sunday.

Maker Adult

What: Arts, Science & Tech
When: Friday, April 7, and Saturday, April 8, 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.

Next Chapter Booksellers Manga Club

What: Comics
When: Saturday, April 8, at 5:00 p.m.
Where: Next Chapter Booksellers

Discuss a new manga title every month at Next Chapter Booksellers. This free manga-book club also provides tasty Japanese snacks and discounts on manga purchases in the store. Check out the event page for more information, including the tentative upcoming schedule. For April, the read of choice is Sazan & Comet Girl, by Yuriko Akase.

Saturday Night Space Opera

What: Gaming
When: Saturday, April 8. at 5:00 p.m.
Where: Source Comics and Games

Join Saturday Night Space Opera on the second Saturday of every month for an evening of sci-fi role playing games. This is a free event, all rules will be taught, and no materials are required—just RSVP through the website to snag your spot.

Shieldmaiden Sunday

What: Gaming, Meetup
When: Sunday, April 9, 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!