This Week in Geek 11/6/23–11/12/23)

Welcome to This Week in Geek, your guide to events of interest to the Minnesota geek community for the week of Monday, November 6, to Sunday, November 12.

(Jump to In-Person Events)

Virtual Events

Creative Night @ GPS Online

What: Arts, Community
When: Monday, November 6, 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 the Geek Partnership Society. This is a free event and a great opportunity to work on projects in great company.

Virtual Pub Quiz Trivia Night

What: Trivia
When: Monday, November 6, 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.

Smithsonian Streaming Associates—Three Pillars of Chinese Culture: Architecture, Film, and Ideology

What: Educational, Arts
When: Tuesday, November 7, 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 Chinese culture through the lens of architecture. 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.

Minnesota Zoo Virtual Yoga

What: Sports & Fitness
When: Wednesday, November 8, 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. Classes are $8 each 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.

Orbit Presents: How to Write Your First SFF Novel—Building Your Crew/Team/Band/Fellowship

What: Books, Educational
When: Wednesday, November 8, at 4:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Crowdcast

This fall, the book publisher Orbit will be hosting a free event series exploring the different aspects of writing science-fiction and fantasy novels. Each week will feature a different topic and panel of authors, giving attendees a great opportunity to improve their writing skills and learn how published authors approach their craft. This week looks at the building a team/crew. For those unable to tune in live, all events in the series will be recorded and available to watch for free.

Club Book Presents: Elizabeth Acevedo

What: Books
When: Thursday, November 9, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual event

Join author Elizabeth Acevedo for a discussion of her latest novel, Family Lore, the author’s first novel for adults, about the burden and mystery of clairvoyance. This free event is hosted by Club Book and the Dakota County Library.

Twin Cities Geek Art Club

What: Arts
When: Thursday, November 9, and Sunday, November 12; at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Discord

The Twin Cities Geek art club meets every Thursday and Sunday 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, November 10, 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 hand washing. 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.

Double-Blind Improv

What: Theater & Comedy
When: Tuesday, November 7, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Strike Theater

Double-Blind Improv, presented by Fearless Comedy Productions, is a “short-form improv show where you never know what might happen because neither do we!” Performers and improv games are chosen at random during the show.

Sound Unseen

What: Music, Movies
When: Wednesday, November 8, through Sunday, November 12
Where: Various venues

Sound Unseen is a long-running film festival with a focus on music. There’s a variety of events happening in the Twin Cities, mostly focused on film screenings, but with parties in the mix as well. Most events are taking place at the Trylon, Parkway, or Moxy Uptown. See the events page for more details.

Nerd Nite: November Edition

What: Educational, Food & Drink
When: Wednesday, November 8, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Black Hart of St. Paul

The organizers of Nerd Nite invite you out for a night of “nice drink, good company, and some cold. hard. facts.” Those cold, hard facts come in the form of “nerdy TED talks” where community members dive into a topic they are passionate about. This month’s topics include alternative facts about the Twin Cities and zombies. Admission to this event is free.

Skins and Skulls

What: Educational
When: Friday, November 10, at 1:00 p.m.
Where: Fort Snelling State Park

Learn about the wide variety of animal species at Fort Snelling State Park by examining their skulls and skins. This event is free. Check out the Department of Natural Resources events calendar for more great activities happening this week in parks across the state.

Trippy Triptych Vol 1: Blacklight

What: Comedy & Theater
When: Friday, November 10, at 7:00 p.m.; and Saturday, November 11, at 3:00 p.m.
Where: Bryant Lake Bowl and Theater

Phantom Chorus Theater presents their latest show in three parts—all under blacklight. The first section is a psychedelic-electronica musical, followed by a comedy about a puppet, and closed with a dark fable. Tickets are $15, and this event will continue into the week of November 17.

Saturday Night Space Opera

What: Gaming
When: Saturday, November 11, 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 ahead of time to snag your spot.

Family Day: In Our Hands

What: Arts, Community, Family
When: Sunday, November 12, at 10:00 a.m.
Where: Minneapolis Institute of Art

This is a chance to be inspired by MIA’s special exhibition “In Our Hands: Native Photography, 1890 to Now,” with a variety of family activities. Activities include: printing with colorful designs, a scavenger hunt, and art making. This is a free event.

Shieldmaiden Sunday

What: Gaming, Meetup
When: Sunday, November 12, 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!