This Week in Geek (9/21/2026–9/27/2026)

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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, September 21, to Sunday, September 27.

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

Minnesota Renaissance Festival

What: Arts, Comedy & Theater, Educational, Family
When: Now through Sunday, October 4
Where: 12364 Chestnut Boulevard (Shakopee)

The Minnesota Renaissance Festival is celebrating its 55th season and will be open weekends through October 4! Come experience a wide variety of Renaissance-themed activities, including musical acts, comedy shows, artisan markets, food and drink, actors in costume, games, demos, jousting, and kid-themed events. The fest is open rain or shine, and tickets are $29.95 for adults, $27.95 for seniors, and $19.95 for children at the gate, and there are other discounted ticket and pass options available on the website. Please note, some events will require an additional ticket and those making the drive to the festival will either need to purchase a prepaid parking pass at $18 to park on the Minnesota RenFest grounds or plan on using the park-and-ride lots with round-trip bus rides for $6.

Pinehaven Farm Fall Festival

What: Family, Food & Drink
When: Weekends, Now through October 31, at 10:00 a.m.
Where: Pinehaven Farm (Wyoming)

Enjoy a weekend of autumnal family fun at Pinehaven Farm. There will be 30+ activities and attractions, including picking pumpkins, launching them from a cannon, swimming through a corn pit, and more. There will also be sweet and savory snacks and drinks. Tickets are $15–29. The festival runs weekends through October 31.

The Dead End Hayride

What: Nightlife
When: Now through Sunday, November 1
Where: Pinehaven Farm (Wyoming)

Experience the terror of the night on this haunted hayride/walk featuring deranged horror scenes and dazzling pyrotechnics. Explore as much of the 160 acres as you dare! Recommended for ages 13+. Tickets start at $20.

Free Yoga at Union Depot

What: Sports & Fitness
When: Monday, September 21, and Wednesday, September 23, at 5:30 p.m.
Where: Union Depot

Get your yoga mat and water ready for a free yoga class at the beautiful Union Depot in St. Paul. This event is taught by Studio 9-to-5 in the Depot’s Waiting Room or in the East Plaza when the weather is nice. Monday’s class focuses on a total-body sculpt workout, while Wednesday’s class is less-intense general yoga for all levels. See the event page on the Union Depot website for more information.

Minneapolis Institute of Art Public Tours: Inspired by Books

What: Arts
When: Tuesday, September 22, 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 September exploring Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel. Tours meet in the General Mills Lobby on the first floor.

Twin Cities Arab Film Festival

What: Movies
When: Wednesday, September 23, to Sunday, September 27
Where: Multiple locations

Mizna’s Twin Cities Arab Film Festival returns for its 20th year! There will be a variety of films screening at The Main Cinema and a closing reception at Walker Art Center, as well as additional events at the Bryant Lake Bowl, Walker Art Center, and the A-Mill Artist Lofts. See the event page for full screening and schedule details. All-access passes start at $85 for the festival; individual screening tickets are $16 with four-pack bundles available for $42, and discounts are available for low-income individuals, seniors, and students.

Dungeons & Dragons Weekly One-Shot

What: Gaming
When: Wednesday, September 23, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: The Forge (Chaska)

All levels of experience are welcome at this weekly one-shot D&D adventure. Tickets are $36.86 and include a premade character sheet, seven-dice set, a boba tea, and appetizers.

Crimes Against Nature Release Party

What: Comics
When: Wednesday, September 23, at 8:00 p.m.
Where: The Comedy Corner Underground

Eliot Rahal is celebrating the first-issue release of his latest comic book, Crimes Against Nature, with a full-cast live read and comedy show. The comic is a “Hollywood neo-noir buddy crime comedy” that follows a famous animal trainer and his gorilla best friend as they try to clear their names and keep their friendship alive after being framed for a crime they didn’t commit. Performers include Phoebe Bottoms, Pearl Rose, and Ben Katzener. Tickets are $20 and include a signed copy of the comic.

Free Thursday Nights at the History Center

What: Educational, Family
When: Thursday, September 24, at 4:00 p.m.
Where: Minnesota History Center

Explore Minnesota’s history with free admission and parking to the Minnesota History Center on Thursday nights. Exhibits include Then Now Wow, Our Home: Native Minnesota, Weather Permitting, and more. This week also features a free panel discussion inspired by the Ken Burns documentary The American Revolution that will explore the war’s local connections and national significance.

Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular

What: Family, Community
When: Friday, September 25, through Sunday, November 1
Where: Minnesota Zoo

This is a chance to explore a trail of artistically carved glowing pumpkins at the Minnesota Zoo. This year boasts 5,000 carved pumpkins, glowing displays, and scattered trivia questions where the answers are the pumpkins. Tickets range from $19–30, and zoo members receive a discount. There are also specially themed 18+ nights with tickets at $45.

Gorillas on the Line

What: Educational, Science & Tech
When: Saturday, September 26 and Sunday, September 27, at 10:00 a.m.
Where: Como Park Zoo & Conservatory

Bring your old earbuds, cell phones, tablets, and other small electronics to recycle at Como Zoo and support gorilla conservation at the same time. This free, weekend-long event kicks off an 11-month recycling campaign that aims not only to keep items out of landfills, but also reduce demand for newly mined materials and generate direct donations to AZA Gorilla Safe from each cell phone collected. The weekend will also feature themed activities including arts and crafts, zookeeper talks about gorillas, rainforest selfies, games, and more.

National Public Lands Day BioBlitz & Park Cleanup

What: Science & Tech, Community, Educational
When: Saturday, September 26, at 10:00 a.m.
Where: Fort Snelling State Park

Take part in a day of community science and giving back! A BioBlitz brings people together to record sightings of as many different species as possible in a designated location within a time limit. This event welcomes drop-in participation for the BioBlitz or park cleanup activities from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.; materials will be provided but bringing work gloves is recommend.

And if you want to mix a little learning into your outdoor adventure, there is also Where the Waters Meet at 10:00 a.m. that explores the history of the region and Minnesota Mussels at 1:00 p.m. that looks at the species found in our freshwater ecosystems.

Many other National Public Lands Day events are happening across the state. Check out the website or social media for your local park or city to see if one is taking place near you.

Twin Cities Board Game Marathon

What: Gaming
When: Saturday, September 26, at 10:00 a.m.
Where: 2D Con HQ

Join the 2D Con community for an all-day gaming marathon. Bring your favorite games along to share or try something new from 2D Con’s gaming library. Tickets are $5.

POP Cats Twin Cities 2026

What: Convention
When: Saturday, September 26, through Sunday, September 27, at 11:00 a.m.
Where: Union Depot

You and your feline friends can enjoy a weekend of cat-themed activities and shopping at the POP Cats convention. Activities include arts and crafts stations, photo ops, a vendor marketplace, and more. There will also be catios to meet and interact with cats available for adoption. Cosplay and cat-inspired looks are encouraged! Weekend passes are $28 for adults or $18 for kids; day passes and bundles are also available.

LARP House Presents—Mozog Station is Falling Down

What: Gaming
When: Saturday, September 26, at 12:00 p.m.
Where: Merriam Park Library

Enjoy a free live-action roleplaying experience organized by LARP House. Mozog Station is Falling Down is a game inspired by science-fiction TV that explores the drama, adventure, and intrigue on a deteriorating space station being pulled into a wormhole. This game is light in tone and first-time LARPers are welcomed. Players are encouraged to register in advance.

Red Bull Flugtag Minneapolis

What: Sports & Fitness
When: Saturday, September 26, at 12:00 p.m.
Where: Bohemian Flats Park

Marvel at the wacky engineering of homemade flying machines and the fearless teams piloting them off a ramp into the river to see who can make it the furthest and maybe set the Flugtag record. This competition’s crafts feature designs inspired by Lord of the Rings, SPAM, Anka Anka Grå Anka, the Spoonbridge and Cherry, Spaceballs, and more. The event is free to attend. Note that there will be no on-site parking available and there will be some street closures; spectators are encouraged to utilize the free shuttle buses and free bike valet. Check out the event site and FAQ for more information, including transportation recommendations.

Greenharbor LARP Amtgard Outdoor Park Day

What: Sports & Fitness
When: Saturday, September 26, 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 to join in on the fun and all equipment is provided for free.

Avengers: Endgame Encore + Q&A Stephen McFeely

What: Movies
When: Saturday, September 26, at 2:00 p.m.
Where: State Theatre (Hutchinson)

Join Emmy Award-winning screenwriter and producer Stephen McFeely for an encore screening of Avengers: Endgame and post-film Q&A session at the State Theatre in Hutchinson. McFeely’s credits include some of the biggest films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including Avengers: Endgame, Avengers: Infinity War, Captain America: Civil War, and Captain America: The Winter Soldier. He is also the screenwriter of this year’s highly anticipated Avengers: Doomsday. Tickets are $18.19 and please note that only the 2:00 p.m. screening includes the Q&A event.

ArtScraps Block Party: An ArtStart’s Community Celebration

What: Community
When: Saturday, September 26, at 3:00 p.m.
Where: ArtStart’s ArtScraps

Every year, ArtStart saves thousands of pounds of materials from landfills and gets it in the hands of creatives through their ArtScraps store. Last year, they celebrated purchasing their building after more than 30 years in business and they’re turning it into an annual community party! Stop by for hands-on art activities, live music, The Poetry Bus, a performance by Hijinks Stilts, a free-treasures table, and more.

Cosplay Roller Skating Party

What: Sports & Fitness, Cosplay
When: Saturday, September 26, at 4:30 p.m.
Where: Skateville (Burnsville)

Break out your cosplay for an afternoon skate party! There is a $15-suggested donation for admission, which includes skate rental and supports future community activities hosted by Anime Fusion’s parent organization, FUSE Inc.

Law & Order Drag Brunch

What: Theater & Comedy, Food & Drinks
When: Sunday, September 27, at 10:00 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
Where: Crave

Enjoy a themed drag performance and a delicious meal at one of Flip Phone’s popular brunch events. This week “grab your legal team and join us for a morning of objection-worthy performances” from the “members of an elite squad known as the Special Queens Unit.” DUN DUN. Costumes and singing along are encouraged. Tickets are $20.98 and attendees must purchase an entrée during the event.

Minneapolis Central Craft Club

What: Arts, Meetup
When: Sunday, September 27, at 12:00 p.m.
Where: Hennepin County Library–Minneapolis Central

Craft it up on a Sunday afternoon with community at this free club that focuses on knitting, crochet, papercrafts, embroidery, and hand-sewing. Bring your own materials to make progress on your current project or begin something new with the materials provided.

Shieldmaiden Sunday

What: Gaming, Meetup
When: Sunday, September 27, 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

825 Arts Minecraft Club

What: Gaming, Meetup
When: Monday, September 21, at 4:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Minecraft and Discord

St. Paul’s 825 Arts hosts a virtual gathering space “by kids for kids” in Minecraft with a club meetup every Monday where teens and preteens can play, design, participate in theme challenges, and just hang out. Check out the website for information on joining their server, a technical FAQ, moderation and safety information for parents, and other Minecraft events.

Virtual Pub Quiz Trivia Night

What: Trivia
When: Monday, September 21, 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!

Virtual Makers Mornings

What: Community, Arts
When: Tuesday, September 22, at 10:30 a.m.
Where: Virtual via Zoom

Join fellow makers at this morning social hour hosted by the American Swedish Institute. This free event is open to all kinds of crafts and is intended as a place to share projects, make some progress, and socialize. Registration is required.

Gaming Wednesdays for Teens: Virtual Gaming

What: Gaming
When: Wednesday, September 23, at 4:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Zoom

Weekly gathering to play online board and video games for grades 6–12. Hosted by the Ramsey County Library. Registration required.

Weird & Wonderful Wednesday Watchalongs

What: Movies
When: Wednesday, September 23, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual event

Enjoy a free screening of an obscure film with Miss Emmy Martian and other cinephiles every Wednesday night. The film kicks off at 7:00 p.m., but drop in early for the pre-show and stick around after for the Cartoon Funhouse.

MN VR and HCI September 2026: Jetpack Clankers

What: Science & Tech, Meetup
When: Wednesday, September 23, at 6:30 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Twitch

The MN VR & HCI group, a subsection of the local International Game Developers Association chapter, hosts regular meetings that explore projects and topics around virtual reality, augmented reality, human-computer interaction, and interactive art. This month’s meetup features a deep dive into the development and design of Jetpack Clankers, from an experimental add-on in the social platform Wooorld to a “standalone free social VR world built for racing, Clankball, combat, basketball, music, toys, and general chaos.”

Twin Cities Geek Art Club

What: Arts
When: Wednesday, September 23, 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. Join the server by visiting twincitiesgeek.com/discord.

entoL!VE–Discoveries After Dark: How Insects Connect Us to Nature

What: Educational
When: Thursday, September 24, 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 explores the benefits of interacting with nature after dark, and the research that shows how it “may enhance connection to nature and the night sky, promote conservation-oriented behaviour, and support well-being.”

Smithsonian Associates Streaming Series—The History of Flight in the Digital Age

What: Educational
When: Thursday, September 24, 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 impact of the digital technology on flight, including space-based navigation, improved efficiencies, advancements in autonomy, and how drones are making dramatic changes around the world.

Virtual Transmission

What: Music, Nightlife
When: Saturday, September 26, at 8:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Twitch

The popular Transmission dance night is hosting a weekly virtual music-video stream. DJ Jake Rudh will be bringing New Wave, Alternative, and more ’80s-centric greats directly to your home. So, dance, dance, dance to the radio (or, in this case, Twitch stream).

Virtual Dungeons & Dragons for Teens

What: Gaming
When: Sunday, September 27, at 10:00 a.m.
Where: Virtual via Zoom and Roll20

Online D&D for grades 6–12 hosted by the Ramsey County Library. All experience levels welcome. Registration required.

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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!