This Week in Geek (11/25/2024–12/1/2024)

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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, November 25, to Sunday, December 1.

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

A Christmas Carol

What: Theater & Comedy
When: Now through Sunday, December 29; various times
Where: Guthrie Theater

The classic holiday tale A Christmas Carol is back at the Guthrie Theater with their fun adaptation that debuted in 2021. This production stays true to the familiar story of Scrooge and his visits with the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Future, while bringing a fresh perspective and injecting humor from the Dickens original. This year the Guthrie is also celebrating 50 years of this holiday stage tradition with special festivities. Tickets are $29–$139. (Read our 2021 review of A Christmas Carol.)

GLOW Holiday Festival 2024

What: Family, Arts
When: Now through Sunday, January 1
Where: CHS Field

Enjoy a fun holiday experience at CHS Field, home of the St. Paul Saints. GLOW is a holiday spectacle featuring over a million holiday lights, illuminated trees, playful activities, and art installations. Tickets are $12.75 for children, and $21.75 for adults.

Gingerbread Wonderland

What: Arts, Community
When: Now through Saturday, January 5
Where: Norway House

The 10th annual Gingerbread Wonderland is a gallery collection featuring cookie recreations of famous locations in Minnesota, fairy tales, and beyond by local bakers of all ages and skill levels. Tickets are $15; kids 5 and under are free.

Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

What: Theater & Comedy, Family
When: Now, through Saturday, January 5
Where: Children’s Theatre Company

Dr. Seuss’s classic Christmas tale about the holiday-hating Grinch comes to life on stage at the Children’s Theatre. This is CTC’s 12th production of the show, but our reviewer reports that this performance stays fresh with a new director and impressive visual design. Tickets are $15 to $98. Select performances include preshow adventures led by the theater’s teaching artists. (Read our 2024 review of How the Grinch Stole Christmas.)

Winter Lights 2024

What: Community, Arts
When: Now through Sunday, January 5
Where: Minnesota Landscape Arboretum (Chaska)

Take a stroll through the illuminated gardens at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. These outdoor light displays highlight the beauty of nature, including flowers, trees, a giant tribute apple, and a weeping willow. Other activities include a color-changing tunnel, live music on select nights, and marshmallow roasting in the S’mores Village. Check out the event page for more information on hours, performers, and theme nights. Tickets are $30 with discounts available for members and Indigenous peoples; kids 15 and under are free on nonthemed nights with a ticketed adult.

Minneapolis Institute of Art Virtual Public Tours: Inspired by Books

What: Arts
When: Tuesday, November 26, 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 November exploring The Country of the Blind: A Memoir at the End of Sight by Andrew Leland. Tours meet in the General Mills Lobby on the first floor. Check the event page for additional dates throughout the month and future book selections.

Books & Bars: Mercury Pictures Presents

What: Books, Food & Drink
When: Tuesday, November 26, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: Urban Growler

Books & Bars is an “open public book club show” hosted and moderated by former Minnesota Public Radio producer Jeff Kamin that provides attendees with “a unique atmosphere for a lively discussion of interesting authors, fun people, good food, and social lubrication.” The book being discussed at this meeting is Mercury Pictures Presents by Anthony Marra. Next month’s read is The Future by Naomi Alderman.

Comedy Night at the Mudd Room

What: Theater & Comedy
When: Wednesday, November 27, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: The Mudd Room

Enjoy a night of laughs every week at the Mudd Room’s local comedy showcase. This week features Kjell Bjorgen. This event is 21+ and cover charge is $10, which gets added to your bill. There are no seat reservations or advanced ticketing, so be sure to get there early to grab a prime spot and some tasty bites.

St. Paul European Christmas Market

What: Arts, Community, Food & Drink
When: Weekends, Friday, November 29 through Sunday, December 22
Where: Union Depot

Enjoy the warmth of your community at this open-air, European-style Christmas market in St. Paul, with handmade local gifts and decor, European-inspired food and delicacies, and of course, Glühwein (spiced mulled wine). These markets are popular in Germany and Austria during the advent season and bring warmth and cheer in spite of looming winter. Check out Union Depot’s Holiday Hub webpage for more seasonal events and free Metro Transit ride passes.

Name That Insult: A Vilification Tennis Game Show

What: Theater & Comedy
When: Friday, November 29, at 9:30 p.m.
Where: Strike Theater

Vilification Tennis, a local structured improv show focused on insult contests, returns for a night of comedy where cast members will compete in NSFW versions of classic game shows. Tickets are $15 in advance, or $20 at the door.

Holidays on the Hill

What: Educational
When: Saturday, November 30 through Sunday, January 5
Where: James J. Hill House

Experience a Gilded Age Christmas at the James J. Hill House. Admission includes a 60-minute guided tour of the railroad titan’s mansion that highlights holiday stories from the family and their staff as well as self-guided access to holiday-themed exhibits. Tickets are $25, and there are discounts available for seniors, children, military, and college students.

World Oddities Expo

What: Convention
When: Saturday, November 30, at 11:00 a.m.
Where: Hyatt Regency Minneapolis

Shop unique wares and explore the weird at the World Oddities Expo. Artists and small businesses will be selling taxidermy, jewelry, macabre art, décor, and more. There will also be workshops, live music, guest speakers, and burlesque performances. Tickets are $20 for general admission, kids under 12 get in for free, and workshops do require additional tickets.

Sound of Music Sing-Along Drag Brunch

What: Theater & Comedy, Food & Drinks
When: Sunday, December 1, at 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.
Where: Union Rooftop

Enjoy a themed drag performance and a delicious meal at one of Flip Phone’s popular brunch events. The hills are alive this week with Flip Phone’s annual tribute to the Sound of Music. Costumes and singing along are highly encouraged. Tickets are $18, and attendees must purchase an entrée during the event.

Shieldmaiden Sunday

What: Gaming, Meetup
When: Sunday, December 1, 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!

Un-Silent Night: An Epic Holiday Sing-Along with Choir! Choir! Choir!

What: Music, Community
When: Sunday, December 1, at 8:00 p.m.
Where: Fine Line

Join Choir! Choir! Choir! for an interactive holiday concert that invites the audience share their voices and feel the glow of community through song. This sing-along show will feature a mix of seasonal pop songs and holiday classics. Tickets start at $26.50.

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Virtual Events

Smithsonian Associates Streaming Series—Music and the Visual Arts in the Early Modern Era

What: Educational
When: Monday, November 25, at 11:00 a.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. In this art course series, learn about the relationship paintings had with music in Europe’s 15th to 17th centuries, from the competition between mediums to their use of musical motifs. This event will explore Italian Renaissance works, including those by Bellini, Piero della Francesca, and Titian. General-admission tickets are $120. Check out the streaming series webpage to see the many other upcoming events this week.

Virtual Pub Quiz Trivia Night

What: Trivia
When: Monday, November 25, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Twitch

Get your trivia on from the comfort of home with Geeks Who Drink’s free online trivia night. Prove your mettle, and maybe learn a little something!

Free Virtual Yoga at Union Depot

What: Sports & Fitness
When: Tuesday, November 26, 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 event page on the Union Depot website for more info, as well as additional in-person yoga events.

Minnesota Zoo Virtual Yoga

What: Sports & Fitness
When: Wednesday, November 27, 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 regis tering 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.

Twin Cities Geek Art Club

What: Arts
When: Wednesday, November 27, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Discord

The Twin Cities Geek art club meets every Wednesday 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.

Weird & Wonderful Wednesday Watchalongs

What: Movies
When: Wednesday, November 27, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Vimeo

Enjoy a free screening of an obscure film with Miss Emmy Martian and other cinephiles on the Dumb Industries website every Wednesday night.

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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!