This Week in Geek (11/4/2024–11/10/2024)

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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 4, to Sunday, November 10.

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

Drawing Lessons

What: Theater & Comedy
When: Now through Sunday, November 10
Where: Children’s Theatre Company

Drawing Lessons follows the story of a young artist as she is creating her first manhwa graphic novel while simultaneously navigating school, friends, and her Korean heritage in America. The innovative play also uses a screen to enhance the story and bring drawings to life. Tickets are $15–73. Select performances include preshow adventures led by the theater’s teaching artists.

Games + Grains

What: Gaming
When: Wednesday, November 6, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: Rail Works Brewing Depot

Join 2D Con for a night of games and drinks at Rail Works Brewing Depot. There will be both tabletop and video games available to play on the first Monday of every month. The brewery’s menu features craft beer, cocktails, and mocktails, as well as a burgers and BBQ.

Walker Art Center’s Art Club

What: Arts
When: Thursday, November 7, at 5:00 p.m.
Where: Walker Art Center

Get creative at the Walker Art Center’s weekly Art Club during the museum’s free Thursday nights. Explore different mediums and ideas through themed activities designed to be accessible for all ages and levels of experience. Materials are free while supplies last. This week’s theme is “Giant Poems,” which will feature creating and arranging oversized magnetic poetry.

Twin Cities Con

What: Conventions
When: Friday, November 8, through Sunday, November 10
Where: Minneapolis Convention Center

Twin Cities Con is a convention celebrating TV, film, comics, cosplay, and all things nerdy. This three-day event will be held at the Minneapolis Convention Center and includes panels, celebrity guests, vendors, costume contests, gaming, and on-site tattoos. Special guests include Hayden Christensen, Grant Gustin, Stephanie Beatriz, John DiMaggio, Troy Baker, Diane Guerrero, and many more. Event tickets range from $40 to $199. Be sure to visit the Twin Cities Geek table!

MiniARTure Exhibition

What: Arts
When: Friday, November 8, and Saturday, November 9, at 5:00 p.m.
Where: ALTR Gallery

The MiniARTure exhibition is a showcase of intricate miniatures and small-scale art. Lean in for a closer look at these detailed sculptures, paintings, and more. Tiny treats will also be available fore purchase from Foxcakes.

Collector’s Day 2024

What: Community, Family, Educational
When: Saturday, November 9, at 10:00 a.m.
Where: Bell Museum

Check out a wide variety of collections from the community and nerd out with others over the passion and act of collecting. Collection displays will include MAD Magazine comic books, photographs from the 1800s, Lake Superior agates, historical medical equipment, and more. This event is included with regular museum admission, which is $12–15 or free for University of Minnesota students.

Saturday Night Space Opera

What: Gaming
When: Saturday, November 9, 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.

Jonathan Van Ness

What: Theater & Comedy
When: Saturday, November 9, at 8:00 p.m.
Where: Mystic Lake Casino

Jonathan Van Ness is bringing a night of comedy and joyful celebration to the Mystic Showroom. JVN is best known for their Emmy Award-Winning work starring on the series Queer Eye. They are also an accomplished hair stylist, the host of the podcast Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness, and the author of Over the Top: A Raw Journey to Self-Love. Tickets start at $39.

Watch the Skies!

What: Gaming
When: Sunday, November 10, at 9:30 a.m.
Where: Wicked Wort Brewing

Watch the Skies! is a strategic roleplaying mega-game that puts players in a first-contact scenario where aliens, national leaders, scientists, and news media shape what happens next. The game runs from 9:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and supports up to 40 players. Tickets are $40.

Family Day: Wonders of Nature

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

Family Day is a free monthly event at the Minneapolis Institute of Art that gives the young and the young at heart an opportunity to check out performances, hands-on activities, tours, and more. This weekend’s theme is “Wonders of Nature” and will feature activities honoring Native American Heritage Month.

Jurassic Park Drag Brunch

What: Theater & Comedy, Food & Drinks
When: Sunday, November 10, 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. This week, hold on to your butts for a celebration of Jurassic Park. 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, November 10, 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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Virtual Events

Johannes Gutenberg: Legacy of the Modern Printing Press Inventor

What: Educational
When: Monday, November 4, at 12:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual event

Learn about the life and legacy of Johannes Gutenberg, and how his invention of the printing press impacted the societal and religious foundations of Europe. This webinar will be led by art historian and museum educator Sylvia Laudien-Meo and also feature a virtual tour of Gutenberg’s hometown of Mainz, Germany. Tickets are $12.

Virtual Pub Quiz Trivia Night

What: Trivia
When: Monday, November 4, 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 5, 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 6, 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.

Twin Cities Geek Art Club

What: Arts
When: Wednesday, November 6, 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 6, 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.

Smithsonian Associates Streaming Series–Understanding Dinosaur Behavior

What: Educational
When: Thursday, November 7, 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. At this event, learn about the new discoveries and cutting-edge technology leading to advances in our understanding of dinosaur behavior. 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.

Club Book: Lisa See

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

Join author Lisa See for a discussion of her latest novel, Lady Tan’s Circle of Women. Her previous books include Shanghai Girls, Dreams of Joy, and On Gold Mountain: The One-Hundred-Year Odyssey of My Chinese-American Family. This free event is hosted by Club Book and the Washington County Library.

Death by Cheese with Samba Schutte

What: Food & Drink
When: Saturday, November 9, at 12:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual event

Actor Samba Schutte will be leading a baking class where he will be sharing his infamous mac n cheese recipe that was a favorite of the cast and crew on the Our Flag Means Death filming set. Tickets are $30, and a portion of sales supports the Los Angeles Food Bank.

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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!