This Week in Geek (6/24/2024–6/30/2024)

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In-Person Events
Virtual Events

Welcome to This Week in Geek, your guide to events of interest to the Minnesota geek community for the week of Monday, June 24, to Sunday, June 30.

Although inclusion in This Week in Geek is not an official endorsement of any event or organizer, we do our best to feature events that appear safe, responsible, and consistent with our mission and values. If you feel that one of the events below is incompatible with Twin Cities Geek as an organization, we encourage you to contact us at info@twincitiesgeek.com with your concerns.

In-Person Events

Rosefest 2024

What: Community, Family
When: Monday, June 24, through Sunday, June 30
Where: Roseville; multiple locations

Roseville’s annual city celebration returns for another week of community fun! Activities include a superhero carnival, parade, theater performances, live music, indoor skating, a car show, medallion hunt, and more. Check out the website for the full schedule of activities and their respective locations.

Music in the Parks: Thea Ennen and Dave JaVue

What: Music, Community, Family
When: Monday, June 24, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Water Works at Mill Ruins Park

Enjoy the free Music in the Parks series as it continues through summer. This week features indie-folk music from Thea Ennen and Dave JaVue. Check out the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board calendar for a complete schedule of Music in the Parks performances.

Silent Book Club Bryn Mawr

What: Books
When: Tuesday, June 25, at 11:00 a.m.
Where: Big Hill Books

If you’re looking to build some more dedicated reading time into your schedule or enjoy some quiet company while you read, Big Hill Books has the book club for you. Bring your own book and lunch, head down to their affectionately named Ugly Church Basement, and enjoy a couple hours of silent reading with others every Tuesday.

Minneapolis Institute of Art Public Tours: Inspired by Books

What: Arts
When: Tuesday, June 25, at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Where: Minneapolis Institute of Art

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 June exploring The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray. Tours meet in the General Mills Lobby on the first floor.

Minneapolis Movies in the Parks: Hook

What: Movies, Community
When: Wednesday, June 26, at 9:00 p.m.
Where: The Commons

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 Hook, the family adventure film where an adult Peter (Robin Williams) must travel to Neverland and remember his childhood as Peter Pan in order to save his children from Captain Hook (Dustin Hoffman), with some help from the Lost Boys and Tinkerbell (Julia Roberts). Check out the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board calendar for a complete schedule of Movies in the Parks screenings.

Gymnastics City USA 2024: Promenade du Nord and Flip Zone

What: Sports & Fitness, Music, Food & Drink
When: Thursday, June 27, through Sunday, June 30, at 11:00 a.m.
Where: Nicollet Mall, Target Center, Target Field

The gymnastics Olympic Trials 2024 are being held right here in Minneapolis. In celebration of this sporting event, Nicollet Mall will be transformed into a “Parisian street fair” featuring outdoor cafes, markets, gymnastics performances, live music, and more. The Promenade runs along Nicollet Mall from 12th Street South to 7th Street South and extends down 7th Street to Target Field and Target Center, where additional Flip Zone activities include autograph sessions with legendary gymnasts, an interactive parkour course, and gymnastics demos. It all kicks off on June 27 at 11:30 a.m. with 1,000 gymnasts from around the globe dancing to a Minnesota music mash-up. Entry is free for both the Promenade and Flip Zone.

For fans looking to attend the Olympic Trials, there are 4-day passes still available for $450 to $600. More information and ticket links are available on the official website.

Lowertown Sounds: The Scarlet Goodbye with the Cole Allen Band

What: Music, Community
When: Thursday, June 27, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: Mears Park

Lowertown Sounds is bringing local music, food trucks, and Minnesota-made brews to Mears Park for free all summer long! This week features performances by the Scarlet Goodbye and the Cole Allen Band. Check out the event listing for the food-truck lineup and upcoming performances.

D&D One-Shot Night

What: Gaming
When: Thursday, June 27, at 6:30 p.m.
Where: Dreamers Vault Games

This beginner-friendly event is a great way to experience Dungeons & Dragons in a bite-size format. This will be a self-contained session of the game. Tickets are $5 per session.

Twin Cities Pride Festival

What: Community
When: Friday, June 28, through Sunday, June 30
Where: Loring Park

Gather with the LGBTQ+ community and allies in Loring Park for Twin Cities Pride. There will be hundreds of booths and dozens of food vendors, along with free musical performances and fun for the whole family. There are a variety of other Pride-related activities going on throughout the weekend, including a parade on Sunday. The Twin Cities Pride website is a great central location to find Pride events that may be relevant to your interests.

Wild Nights! Concert Series: Minnesota Rockin’ Blues and Roots

What: Music, Nightlife
When: Friday, June 28, at 5:00 p.m.
Where: Minnesota Zoo

The Minnesota Zoo is back with another summer of Wild Nights! Each event will include live music, local food and drink vendors, a silent dance party, and access to animal trails and habitats. This week features performances from Church of Cash and Chastity Brown, as well as wandering musicians playing throughout the zoo. Tickets are $40 for general admission or $30 for zoo members. There are also multi-show ticket packages available.

Gabrielle Zevin Presents Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow

What: Books
When: Friday, June 28, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Parkway Theater

New York Times best-selling author Gabrielle Zevin is stopping by Parkway Theater to celebrate her tenth novel, Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow, which follows two friends as they navigate overnight success as game developers, their relationship, and their creative ambitions. She is joined in conversation by Antonia Angress, author of Sirens & Muses. Tickets are $27 and include a signed copy of the book.

History on Two Wheels: Inside Historic Fort Snelling and to the Upper Post

What: Sports & Fitness, Educational
When: Saturday, June 29, at 9:00 a.m.
Where: Historic Fort Snelling

Enjoy a picturesque bike ride while learning about Fort Snelling and the significance of the land between the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers. The 3-mile tour is 90 minutes long and includes a stop at the newly renovated Upper Post. This event is recommended for ages 8 and up. Tickets are $25 per person and Minnesota Historical Society member receive a 20% discount.

Spotlight Science: SciPride

What: Science & Tech
When: Saturday, June 29, at 10:00 a.m.
Where: Bell Museum

Spotlight Science is an event series that brings the current science happening at the University of Minnesota to the community through interactive experiences and special guests. This month celebrates Pride with LGBTQIA+ scientists sharing their research and work. Activities include using microscopes to study cells, measuring a cow stomach, creating science buttons, and more! This event is included with regular admission which is $12–21, or free for museum members and University of Minnesota students.

Wigs & Rainbows Rooftop Pride Drag Brunch

What: Theater & Comedy, Food & Drinks
When: Saturday, June 29, at 10:00 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 3:00 p.m.
Where: Crave Rooftop

Enjoy a themed drag performance and a delicious meal at one of Flip Phone’s popular brunch events. This week celebrates Pride with colorful performances of iconic Pride songs. Featured performers include Domita Sanchez (host), Mercedes Iman Diamond (RuPaul’s Drag Race), Lady Cummeal Cassadine, and Aranya. Costumes and singing along are highly encouraged. Tickets are $18 and attendees must purchase an entrée during the event.

Greenharbor LARP Amtgard Outdoor Park Day

What: Sports & Fitness
When: Saturday, June 29, at 1:00 p.m.
Where: River Park (Brooklyn Park)

Play games and face off in battle with other live-action roleplay (LARP) enthusiasts. This free event is hosted by Greenharbor LARP, a local chapter of the global medieval-fantasy combat LARP organization Amtgard. New players are encouraged and all equipment is provided for free.

Pride “Brew-unch” Drag Show

What: Theater & Comedy, Food & Drinks
When: Saturday, June 29, at 1:00 p.m.
Where: Boom Island Brewing Company

Celebrate Pride Month with brews, lunch, and a dazzling drag performance by POWER: Drag Revue. Tickets are $20 and a portion of sales will benefit the Minnesota Pride Rotary, who provide aid to homeless LGBTQ+ youth.

Shieldmaiden Sunday

What: Gaming, Meetup
When: Sunday, June 30, 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!

Stories From Indian Mythology: Bheema Visits Patala

What: Educational
When: Sunday, June 30, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: The Hive Collaborative

Join storyteller S. P. Jayaraj in a telling of an epic tale from the Mahabharat. This is the second in a three-part series and follows two princes as they travel through one of the underworlds of Hindu mythology. Tickets are $12 and are recommended for mature young adults and older.

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Virtual Events

Virtual Pub Quiz Trivia Night

What: Trivia
When: Monday, June 24, 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!

Free Virtual Yoga at Union Depot

What: Sports & Fitness
When: Tuesday, June 25, at 12:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Zoom

Get your yoga mat and water ready for a free yoga class streamed from the beautiful Union Depot in St. Paul. This event is taught by Studio 9-to-5. See the page for more info, as well as additional in-person yoga events.

Smithsonian Associates Streaming Series–The Kuiper Belt: Way Out There

What: Educational
When: Tuesday, June 25, at 7:00 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 distant Kuiper Belt, the many icy objects it contains (including Pluto!), what object orbits tell us about our solar system’s formation, and how it’s being explored through Earth-based telescopes and the New Horizons probe. This event is part of the “A Grand Tour of the Solar System” series. 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, June 26, 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 $15 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.

Science Story Time

What: Family, Books, Science & Tech
When: Wednesday, June 26, 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 three to six years old.

Weird & Wonderful Wednesday Watchalongs

What: Movies
When: Wednesday, June 26, 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, June 27, and Sunday, June 30; 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.

Summer Games Done Quick 2024

What: Gaming, Community
When: Sunday, June 30, through Saturday, July 6
Where: Virtual via Twitch

Support Doctors Without Borders while watching some of the best speedrunners around at Summer Games Done Quick. This annual video-game marathon has raised over $45 million for charity to date. There will be a packed schedule of video-game speedruns, including retro classics, modern hits, and indie darlings. Registration for the in-person event has closed, but all of the action will be streamed live on their Twitch channel.

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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!