This Week in Geek (12/30/2024–1/5/2025)

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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, December 30, to Sunday, January 5.

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

Pan-African Kwanzaa Celebration

What: Community, Music, Food & Drink, Family
When: Now through Tuesday, December 31, at 11:00 a.m.
Where: Midtown Global Market

Celebrate Kwanzaa with the community at Midtown Global Market! Each day will recognize a different principle of Kwanzaa, host a variety of activities, and begin with an opening ceremony that honors ancestors. Activities include storytelling, live music, art showcases, performances, a fashion show, youth-led activities, and more. This celebration is hosted by the Cultural Wellness Center.

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 one-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 more 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 $15–98. 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 non-themed nights with a ticketed adult.

Sparklerama: A New Year Celebration

What: Family
When: Monday, December 30, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: Minnesota Children’s Museum

Little ones and their families can get in on the New Year’s Eve excitement a day early at the Minnesota Children’s Museum. The celebration kicks off at 6:00 p.m. with live music, crafts, and other activities. General admission tickets are $25, or $10 for members, which includes museum admission.

Minneapolis Institute of Art Virtual Public Tours: Inspired by Books

What: Arts
When: Tuesday, December 31, 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 December exploring Jacqueline in Paris by Ann Mah. 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.

No Cover New Year’s Eve Party

What: Nightlife, Gaming
When: Tuesday, December 31, at 3:00 p.m.
Where: Up-Down

Celebrate New Year’s Eve with retro games, prizes, and a midnight balloon drop at Up-Down. This 21+ event will feature happy hour specials, hourly prize drawings from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., and a free champagne-of-beers toast.

Candlelight and Ice New Year’s Eve

What: Family
When: Tuesday, December 31, at 5:00 p.m.
Where: Wood Lake Nature Center (Richfield)

Enjoy a New Year’s Eve stroll along a luminary-lit trail through nature. Lucky eagle-eyed attendees might even spot some deer, coyotes, or owls in the distance. Afterward, head to the Wood Lake Nature Center and warm up at the fire while roasting marshmallows and sipping hot cocoa. Tickets are $8 and must be purchased in advance online by clicking the Enroll Now button on the event page.

New Year’s Eve with Davina & The Vagabonds

What: Music, Nightlife
When: Tuesday, December 31, at 6:00 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.
Where: Dakota

Davina & The Vagabonds ring in the new year with a night of wit and soulful Americana music for their 15th year on the Dakota stage. In-person tickets start at $105, and livestream tickets for the 10:30 p.m. show are $15.

New Year’s Eve Party

What: Nightlife, Music
When: Tuesday, December 31, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Can Can Wonderland

Say goodbye to 2024 with a “night of magic, music, and mayhem” at Can Can Wonderland! This 21+ party will feature a face-bedazzling glitter bar, tarot readings, free champagne toast, and surprises, as well as live music from Purple Queen Zen, Amber Debellis, Sky Island, and more. Entry is $20.

0% Alcohol – 100% Fun! New Year’s Eve Game Night

What: Nightlife, Gaming
When: Tuesday, December 31, at 9:00 p.m.
Where: Roxy’s Cabaret

Ring in the New Year with an alcohol-free night of gaming. Expect a selection of classic tabletop games, interactive challenges, and Mario Kart up on the big LED video wall. Attendees are also welcome to bring along their favorite games to share. There will also be a charcuterie spread, sparkling bubbly toast at midnight, and mocktail specials. Tickets are $15.

Feral Dance: A Very Feral New Years

What: Nightlife
When: Tuesday, December 31, at 9:00 p.m.
Where: Trichrome Lounge

Dress to impress and dance your way into 2025 to music from DJs Evilynda, Zenos, Theology, Saxon, and MangaBookGuy. At midnight there will be a champagne toast. Tickets for this 21+ event are $15.

New Year’s Eve 2024

What: Nightlife
When: Tuesday, December 31, at 9:00 p.m.
Where: Green Room

Sing in the New Year with a night of live band karaoke. Hop on stage with the band A Little Too Short to be Stormtroopers to belt out your favorite songs. DJ Hamster Dance will also be performing. This event is 21+ and tickets are $20.

Transmission Presents: A Totally Rad New Year’s Eve

What: Music, Nightlife
When: Tuesday, December 31, at 9:00 p.m.
Where: First Avenue Mainroom

Come on down and see why Jake Rudh is one of the most enduring and well-known DJs in the Twin Cities at this New Year’s Eve celebration. There will be an ’80s and ’90s theme, so feel free to style it up in your best/worst throwback looks, or just come as you are. For those unfamiliar with the Transmission dance night, expect a focus on new-wave, post-punk, punk, and indie jams, mixed in with top hits. Tickets are $20 in advance.

Game-A-Thon 2024

What: Gaming, Family
When: Wednesday, January 1, at 10:00 a.m.
Where: Buffalo Community Center

The Wright County Geeks, a geeky Minnesota organization that focuses on RPGs and science fiction, returns with its traditional New Year’s Day family-friendly gaming day. Play board games, tabletop role-playing games, miniatures games, card games, computer games, and more. There will also be a movie lounge playing sci-fi and fantasy titles throughout the day and attendees are welcome to bring along a pillow and blanket to get cozy in the glow of the screen. The weather might be cold, but a room full of friendly geeks with games and door prizes could warm anyone up. This event is free.

Catzen Coffee Grand Opening

What: Food & Drink, Community
When: Wednesday, January 1, at 12:00 p.m.
Where: Catzen Coffee 

Catzen Coffee, a new cat café in St. Paul, is celebrating their grand opening with giveaways, tasty treats, and a movie screening. The first customers through the door will receive a gift bag, there will be free food samples while supplies last, and a raffle for a prize book worth 50 free drinks. Visit the café’s den to meet new furry friends, including Halloween Blizzard of ’91 (a.k.a Holly) and Leeroy Jenkins. At 6:00 p.m. there will be a screening of the 1934 classic horror film The Black Cat starring Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi.

Comedy Night at the Mudd Room

What: Theater & Comedy
When: Wednesday, January 1, 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 Brandi Brown. 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.

Reverend Matt’s Monster Science: Trigger Warning: Birds

What: Comedy & Theater, Educational
When: Thursday, January 2, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Bryant Lake Bowl

Reverend Matt’s Monster Science, a recurring comedic-lecture series with a focus on monsters, returns this month to explore some feathery flying monsters and special guest Xan Mattek’s ornithiphobia. Tickets are $12 in advance or $14 at the door. (Read: Matt Kessen Wants to Make You Laugh about Monsters.)

F1rst Wrestling Presents: Wrestlepalooza

What: Sports & Fitness, Music
When: Friday, January 3, at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, January 4, at 8:00 p.m.
Where: First Avenue

Pro-wrestling is back at First Avenue with two back-to-back nights of Wrestlepalooza! Expect plenty of action in the ring, live music, and more. Friday night features music from Viva Knievel and burlesque by Sweetpea and Phoenix De La Rosa. Saturday night features music from the Gully Boys and burlesque Emerald Eve and Sweetpea. Tickets are $35 in advance.

Scream It Off Screen

What: Movies
When: Friday, January 3, at 8:00 p.m.
Where: The Parkway Theater

Scream It Off Screen is a short-film contest with an audience interaction element! Come together with other film nerds in one of the Twin Cities greatest revival theaters. Audiences will cry out “Gong!” or “Let it play!” in order to determine which films will be shown in full. Tickets are $13 in advance or $19 at the door. (Read: “With Scream It Off Screen at the Parkway Theater, Everyone’s a Critic”)

Free First Saturday at Walker Art Center

What: Arts
When: Saturday, January 4, at 10:00 a.m.
Where: Walker Art Center

Head over to the Walker Art Center on the first Saturday of every month for an afternoon of free activities and gallery admission. This month explores the theme “Fabulous, Fierce, Fun” in celebration of the New Year.

Secrets from a Forest–Special Guests: Minnesota Youth Symphonies

What: Music
When: Saturday, January 4, at 1:30 p.m.
Where: Bell Museum

Celebrate the return of the winter planetarium show Secrets from a Forest with young musicians from Minnesota Youth Symphonies. They’ll be playing short sets throughout the afternoon in the galleries to make your visit special. This event is included with regular admission with no pre-registration needed, and seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

The Lion King Drag Brunch

What: Theater & Comedy, Food & Drinks
When: Sunday, January 5, 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, be prepared for a sensational tribute to The Lion King. 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, January 5, 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

The Secrets of Ancient Windows

What: Educational
When: Monday, December 30, at 7:00 a.m.
Where: Virtual via Zoom

Learn about what ancient windows can tell us about the lives of humans of the past and how they are used for dating structures in archaeology. This talk will be led by award-winning archaeologist James Wright, who is also the author of Historic Building Mythbusting, and conclude with a Q&A session. Tickets are donation-based with no minimum or set amounts.

Virtual Pub Quiz Trivia Night

What: Trivia
When: Monday, December 30, 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!

entoL!VE–Tiny Midges, Devastating Diseases

What: Educational
When: Tuesday, January 31, at 7:00 a.m.
Where: Virtual event

Learn about insects and the science of invertebrates with the free entoL!VE webinar series. This week’s event takes a look at the ecology of midges, the effects from the disease-causing viruses they carry, and the increasing threat that they pose.

Free Virtual Yoga at Union Depot

What: Sports & Fitness
When: Tuesday, December 31, 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.

Virtual New Year’s Eve (VNYE)

What: Nightlife, Gaming
When: Tuesday, December 31, at 5:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Webcast and Fortnite

The Times Square New Year’s Eve celebration and ball drop are returning to virtual space. Multiple live feeds and livestreams of the event can be viewed in a web browser, as well as on the Times Square Island within Fortnite. For those joining in Fortnite, there will also be special New Year’s Eve games and surprises. Check out the website for more information about this free event, including the Fortnite island code.

Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve

What: Nightlife, Music
When: Tuesday, December 31, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via ABC broadcast channel, ABC website, and iHeart Radio app

This long-standing New Year’s Eve event is hosted by Ryan Seacrest and will feature live broadcasts from celebrations in Times Square, Las Vegas, Puerto Rico, and the west coast. Featured musical performers include Alanis Morisette, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, TLC, the Jonas Brothers, Luis Fonsi, Lenny Kravitz, Reneé Rapp, and many more. This free event can be watched on broadcast channel ABC or through a livestream on ABC’s website, as well as listened to through the iHeart Radio app.

New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville’s Big Bash

What: Nightlife, Music
When: Tuesday, December 31, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via CBS broadcast channel and Paramount+

Country music fans can ring in the New Year with live performances and the big music note drop at midnight. This celebration is hosted in Nashville, which is in the central time zone, so the countdown will line up with Minnesota local time. Expect performances from Keith Urban, Kane Brown, Jelly Roll, Shaboozey, Miranda Lambert, Big & Rich, Post Malone, and many more. The event can be watched on broadcast channel CBS or through a Paramount+ subscription.

New Year’s Eve with Davina & The Vagabonds

What: Music, Nightlife
When: Tuesday, December 31, at 10:30 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Vimeo

Davina & The Vagabonds ring in the new year with a night of wit and soulful Americana music for their 15th year on the Dakota stage. Livestream tickets are $15.

Twin Cities Geek Art Club

What: Arts
When: Wednesday, January 1, 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 and Wonderful Wednesday Watchalongs

What: Movies
When: Wednesday, January 1, 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 the Dumb Industries Discord every Wednesday night.

Fashion’s Most Famous Designers, Part 1: The First Couturiers

What: Educational
When: Friday, January 3, at 4:30 p.m.
Where: Virtual event

Join fashion historian Summer Anne Lee for a three-part series exploring designers who left their mark on the industry and continue to influence contemporary fashion. This first part will dive into the early history of haute couture in the 1800s, including pioneering designers, the shift away from corsets, and revolutionary changes in garment construction. The webinar will end with a Q&A session. Tickets are $12 for an individual event or $36 for the full three-part series.

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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!