Twin Cities' October Events

Whassup!!!! Sep 30, 2026

The musical picks this month have been held up by the additional time required for audio production of podcasts (Blunstone, Kaufman & Wynn). The additional work for this audio production neophyte, accompanied by the modest monthly increase in stories has left us badly behind. (The sections outside of music picks are fully completed, however.)

While we picked shows for the month, we haven't managed write-ups, and won't get to them until next week. We apologize, but the workflow for the site remains a work in process. We hope to advantage the winter (near) cessation of concerts to get a better grip on our workflow, and even get ahead on stories, if possible. Thanks for your patience with our growing pains.

Week's Top Picks

Live Performances (Mon-Thur)

Live Performances (Fri-Sun)

Key Upcoming Concerts (Nov. & Dec.)

Live Performances (Theatre)

Live Sports (Twins, Vikings, Saints, United, Lynx, Aurora, Vixen, Gemini)

Niche / Off-Beat

Book Readings

Weekly Free Activities

Vital Haps This Week

Updated Every Monday Morning (Note: Not everything happening in monthly calendar, makes this weekly list)

Flip the Script Queer Film Festival, Thur – Sun, Oct. 1 – 11, Main Cinema (& Online)
The 7th annual film festival features a variety of feature length and short films highlighted by the Minnesota premiere of She’s the He! An irreverent coming-of-age comedy written and directed by Siobhan McCarthy. Just before graduation, Ethan and Alex pose as trans women in a last ditch effort to quell gay rumors about them. It's all a joke until Ethan realizes: she really is trans. As the school year ends, the two best friends must reckon with their changing friendship, coming out, and coming-of-age. Other features include My Sunnyside and Hunky Jesus, six different collections of short films, and the Minnesota premiere of Beginning While Ending: A Life Like Most Others, celebrating aging and resilience.

Peter Bognananni’s How To Lose Yourself Completely, Next Chapter, Thurs, Oct. 1 (6pm)
Macalester professor Peter Bognanni’s third novel explores a teen grappling with grief and anxiety that is sent to wilderness "adventure therapy,” where he meets a group of friends—and a girl from his past—who will change his life forever. Bognanni’s first novel, The House of Tomorrow, won the L.A. Times Book Award for First Fiction and was adapted into a feature film starring Ellen Burstyn and Nick Offerman. His second novel, Things I’m Seeing Without You, was published in four countries and is currently in development for television.

Record Night, Thur, Oct. 1 (6 – 8), Fulton Taproom
Stop by the taproom on the first Thursday of every month with your favorite vinyl – on theme – to share with the taproom! If they play it, you get a pint on them.

Sinclair Lewis Writer’s Conference, Sauk Centre High School, Fri – Sat, Oct. 2 – 3
One of the longest-running, most respected writers’ conferences in the Midwest is back in Sauk Centre for its 36th year! This year’s conference keynote speaker will be Marcie Rendon, mystery writer, who will speak on Writing Rural. Other 0presenters include Douglas Wood regarding The Writer’s Path, Payal Doshi about Creating Immersive Worlds with Authentic Cultural Representation, and Peter Geye will discuss the Ten Questions to Get You Started on Your Novel. The evening before the Saturday conference, attendees are invited to Babbit’s Wine Bar at 7pm for its 8^th Annual Cocktails and Conversation, free Friday conference kick-off event, focusing on Rendon’s novel, Where They Last Saw Her, and impromptu discussion. Tickets include a catered lunch and breaks.

Minnesota International Dance Festival: Ecuador, Fri – Sat, Oct. 2 – 3, Southern Theatre
A vibrant performance that brings together the unique voices of Ecuadorian artists from Minnesota and beyond. Celebrate the rich culture that Ecuador has to offer. Stay after the Saturday matinee show for an artist panel with featured

ConFABulous 2026, Fri – Sat, Oct. 2 – 4, Crown Plaza Suites (Bloomington)
ConFABulous is a small, exuberant, fan-run convention with a more relaxed feel while still providing tons of fun! You’ll have access to numerous games (board, console, RPGs, and more); chances to hear from and play games with professionals in the gaming and science fiction arenas; a track of panels on speculative fiction, gaming, and media; and a fabulous con suite for snacks throughout the day, all in one easy-to-reach location.

LIZZIE: The Rock Musical, Open Eye Theatre, Thur – Sun, Oct. 1 – Nov. 1
Back by popular demand after last fall’s sold-out run, Open Eye brings back the raw energy, rage, and razor-sharp vocals that made it a local favorite, just as public fascination with the 1892 Borden family murders surges alongside Netflix’s latest true-crime release. Winner of 8 “Best Musical” awards, LIZZIE is a suspenseful, queer, and rebellious production laced with political depth and a mischievous sense of humor.

Doctor Faustus, Open Window Theatre (Inver Grove Heights), Fri – Sun, Oct. 2 – 25
Season 13 kicks off in the fall of 2026 with an Elizabethan classic, Christopher Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus —a powerful cautionary tale about the pitfalls of limitless personal ambition, asking the question: “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, but lose his soul?” The play follows Faustus’s rise as a magician through his pact with Lucifer—facilitated by the demon Mephistopheles—and his ultimate downfall as he fails to repent before his damnation. Directed by Jeremy Stanbary.

Off-Leash 10^th Annual Garage Tour presents Stardust Rendezvous, Fri, Oct. 2 – 3, NE Mpls
Off-Leash is a grass-roots, community-building program that each fall brings professional, family friendly contemporary dance & theater directly into neighborhoods across the Twin Cities & 7-county area. In the magical and comical Stardust Rendezvous, three wayward space travelers from three remote galaxies simultaneously crash-land on an asteroid at the edge of nowhere. As they comically circumnavigate their wildly different cultures, will they finally come together to defy the gravity of their situation, and succeed in a valiant attempt to shoot for the stars?! This show is at a garage on 2800 block of Central Ave NE.

Known / Unknown: A Dancer’s Place Productions, Fri – Sun, Oct. 2 – 4, Luminary Arts Center
Placing new choreography alongside established works, KNOWN | UNKNOWN brings together dances still taking shape and repertory revisited for a new moment. Highlights include the Minneapolis premiere of Zach Manske’s DEEP CAVE – presented in full following a June preview—along with premieres by Remi Blakesley, Emily Pitts, and Levi Sherman. The performance also features works by Loyce Houlton and Lise Houlton, transformed for today’s dancers. The program will evolve over the weekend as the repertory unfolds in real time.

Bread and Puppet Performance Workshop, In the Heart of the Beast Theatre, Powderhorn Park, Sat – Sun, Oct. 3 – 4
This extraordinary event known as the Upside Down World Circus features a workshop on Saturday from 6 to 9 pm in the Powderhorn Park Gym, followed by an afternoon dress rehearsal on Sunday from 3 to 5 pm, a dinner provided to workshop participants by the theatre, and finally the live performance from 6:30 to 7:45 pm. No prior experience in theater or puppetry required. Participants are able to watch the parts of the circus they are not in. If possible, workshop participants should bring an all-white (and long sleeve) outfit to perform in.

9^th Annual AuSMN Jigsaw Puzzle Competition, Sat, Oct. 3, Mall of America (Bloomington)
There has been a swell of team jigsaw competitions at breweries around town, but his is national-level competition at TmoA, sponsored by the Autism Society of Minnesota. This 9^th annual competition can also be enjoyed over zoom. There are beginner and advanced divisions and divisions for 2, 4 person teams as well as an open division.

The Future We Choose, Sat, Oct. 3 (11-1pm), State Capitol Rotunda
Registration required for this special community gathering designed to connect people across cultures, backgrounds, generations and communities. Let’s start a conversation and discover together.

Bloody Mary Festival, Sat, Oct. 3 (10am-5:30), Union Depot (St. Paul)
An odd but delicious choice for a cocktail extravaganza, this 8^th annual event features unlimited Marys created over 15 restaurants, and snacks from a variety of sponsors. Two session, from 10 to 1 and from 2:30 to 5:30. Photos, temp tattoos, live music, and vote for the Best Bloody Mary in the Twin Cities.

Rivertown Fall Art Festival 2026, Sat – Sun, Oct. 3 – 4 (10 – 5), Lowell Park (Stillwater)
The arts festivals are winnowing down as we pass into the Fall and Winter. So what better time to head down to Stillwater, at just about the perfect time to witness the fall color, as well as this beautiful border town on the St. Croix River.choreographers.

Min Jin Lee’s American Hagwon: Talking Volumes, Sun, Oct. 4, O’Shaughnessy Auditorium (St. Catherine’s)
Min Jin Lee, the National Book Award finalist and bestselling author of Pachinko, returns with a sweeping, intimate epic about the Koh family’s journey from Seoul to Sydney to southern California. American Hagwon reckons with ambition and sacrifice, personal dreams and family duty, across generations chasing the promise that education leads to security. Lee speaks with journalists Kerri Miller and Catharine Richert for deep conversations about Lee’s work pursuit of moral clarity, literary grace, and deep compassion for ordinary lives lived under extraordinary pressures.

Mike Maimone’s Guess What? I Love You, Black Hart (St. Paul), Sun, Oct. 4
Maimone got his start as a touring member of Chicago’s Company of Thieves in the late aughts before forming garage rockers The Mutts with fellow CoT member Bob Buckstaff. They released four albums before ending and Maimone continued as a solo artist in Nashville. The show showcases not only his 14^th album but a book of the same name, dedicated to his emotional journey in the wake of his partner, Howard Bragman’s death, and tribute to Bragman's work in the LGBT community.

Live Performance

Weekdays

They Might Be Giants, Thur – Sun, Oct. 1 – 4, First Ave
Alana Springsteen, Thur, Oct. 1, Fine Line
DJ Shadow (Endtroducing), Thur, Oct. 1, Palace
Kaatwalk Album Release, Adam Bohannon, Thur, Oct. 1, Crooners

Rufus Wainwright, Teddy Thompson, Mon – Wed, Oct. 5 – 7, Dakota
AJJ (aka Andrew Jackson Jihad), Greet Death, Mon, Oct. 5, Cedar
Ouija Macc, Mon, Oct. 5, Underground Music

Chasing Abbey, Áit Ait, Tue, Oct. 6, Turf ClubSunn0))), Stebmo, Bill Herzog, Tue, Oct. 6, Palace
Pertinence, Tue, Oct. 6, Green RoomTricky, Tue, Oct. 6, Fine Line

W ren + Wilde Album Release, Haley E Rydekk Trio, Wed, Oct. 7, Icehouse
J. Killen,Ditchweed, Aeris and the Piggies, & D.C. Leonhardt, Wed, Oct. 7 Underground Music
Failure, Quannic, Wed, Oct. 7, Fine Line
Pinhead Gunpowder, Wed, Oct. 7, First Avenue

Ellie Jackson, Hemma, We are the Willows, Thur, Oct. 8, Cloudland
Deerhoof, Thur, Oct. 8, Turf Club
Amélie Farren, Lilith Max, Rabbitology, Thur, Oct. 8, Fine Line
Anna Johnson debut album release, Matthew Rahaim & Davu Seru, GLASS, Thur, Oct. 8, Cedar

Asha Banks, Alfie Jukes, Mon, Oct. 12, Amsterdam
Shaffer the Darklord, Mon, Oct. 12, Underground Music
Acid Mother Temple, Magick Potion, Mon, Oct. 12, Turf Club

Jesse Roper, Mae Simpson, Tue, Oct. 13, Cedar
Silly Goose, Cheem, MUTTLEE, Tue, Oct. 13, 7^th St.
Jake LaBotz, Tue, Oct. 13, 331 Club (6-8)

Armand Hammer, Quelle Chris, Wed, Oct. 14, Fine Line
Hiss Golden Messenger, Wed, Oct. 14, Icehouse
Robert Plant & Saving Grave, Rosie Flores, Wed, Oct. 14, State Theatre
Slift, Cor de Lux, Wed, Oct. 14, Turf Club

Emily Bjorke, Clovers Daughter, Anni XO, Thur, Oct. 15, 7^th Street Entry
Passion Mango, Cherry Pick, Thur, Oct. 15, Zhora Darling
Rakim, Room 3 Collective, Thur, Oct. 15, Dakota
Joshua Burnside, Thur, Oct. 15, Cedar
Friko, Nine Perfect Lives, Thur, Oct. 15, Fine Line

Lloyd Cole, Mon, Oct. 19, Dakota
Rav, Fatboi Sharif, Mon, Oct. 19, 7^th St. Entry
The Army The Navy, Ella Woolsely, Mon, Oct. 19, Fine Line

We Are Scientists, Tue, Oct. 20
Windborne, Tue, Oct. 20, Cedar

Indigo Girls, Linda Perry, Wed, Oct. 21, State Theatre MC Lyte, Wed, Oct. 21, Dakota
Jack Wharff Band, Jonas Conner, Wed, Oct. 21, Fine Line
Baby Bugs, Elliot Lee, Wed, Oct. 21, 7^th St Entry

Fruit Bats, Thur, Oct. 22, Fine Line
Ghost Wagon Album Release Party, Thur, Oct. 22, Icehouse
Palace, Rollo Doherty, Thur, Oct. 22, First Ave

Shakey Graves, Wild Pink, Mon, Oct. 26, First Ave
Delicate Steve, Yellow Ostrich, Mon, Oct. 26, 7^th Street Entry

Yana, Emma Anderson, Tue, Oct. 27, 7^th Street
Greg Freeman, Walker Rider, Tue, Oct. 27, Amsterdam
Dresden Dolls, Tue, Oct. 27, Palace Theatre
All Them Witches, Emma Ruth Bundle, Tue, Oct. 27, First Ave

Sweeping Promises, Panel, Constant Insult, Wed, Oct. 28
Sienna Spiro, Summer Joy, Wed, Oct. 28, First Ave
Dweezil Zappa, Wed, Oct. 28, Palace
Winyah, Foxtide, Wed, Oct. 28, Fine Line

Amble, Vincent Lima, Thur, Oct. 29, First Ave
Todd Snider Tribute, Thur, Oct. 29, 331 Bar
Airborne Toxic Event, Fri, Oct. 30, Uptown Theatre

Weekend

Mon Rovia, Sydney Rose, Sarah Julia, Fri, Oct. 2, Palace // moony, underground
Edgehill, Trophy Wife, Syncline, Fri, Oct. 2, Amsterdam
The Inspector Cluzo, Crimson Boys Jaw Knee Vee, Fri, Oct. 2, Hook & Ladder
Cardinal Bloom, Holdfast., Fri, Oct. 2, 7th Street Entry
Ben Noble Album Release, Conzemius, The Weeping Covenant, Fri, Oct. 2, Icehouse

The Droppers, Sat, Oct. 3, Icehouse
Mastodon, Deafheaven, Alcest, Sat, Oct. 3, Palace
Bright Eyes, Lullaby for the Working Class, Sat, Oct. 3, First Ave
IAMJOY album release show, Anna Houston, Maddie Thies, Sat, Oct. 3, Cedar
Hot Flash Heatwave, Bleary Eyed & High, Sat, Oct. 3, Underground Music

Don Was, Sun, Oct. 4, Dakota (Two shows)
Dream Syndicate, Sun, Oct. 4, Turf Club
Militarie Gun, Softcult, Shady Nasty, Dazy, Sun, Oct. 4, Fine Line
Lorraine-Dietrich, Solana & the Sunsets, BLVCKBVRN, Sun, Oct. 4, Underground Music

Weedeater, Zeke, Royal Thunder, a Homage to Little Matt, Fri, Oct. 9, Underground Music
Bebe Stockwell, Khatumu, Fri, Oct. 9, 7^th Street Entry
Chastity Brown featuring Laurels String Quartet, Fri, Oct. 9, Parkway Theatre
Copeland, Jenny Dee, Fri . Oct. 9, Cedar

Roger Clyne, Trapper Schoep, Sat, Oct. 10, Turf Club
SYML, Roger Weeks, Sat, Oct. 10, Cedar
Snail Mail, Soccer Mommy, Brennan Wedel, Sat, Oct. 10, Palace
Waylon Wyatt, Tristin Trincado, Sat. Oct. 10, First Avenue

Mike Dawes, Sun, Oct. 11, Dakota
Karina Rykman, Sun, Oct. 11, 7^th Street Entry
Sawyer Hill, Never Ending Fall, Sun, Oct. 11,

Telescreens, The Runner & Bobby, Nautics, Fri, Oct. 16,
Arcwelder, Deep Tunnel Project, New Age Healers, Fri, Oct. 16, Turf Club
Menzingers, Hot Water Music, Weakened Friends, Fri, Oct. 16, Varsity Theatre
Heavens to Betsy, Tuffie, Scrunchies, Fri, Oct. 16, Fine Line
Judah & the Lion, Breakfield, Fri, Oct. 16, First Avenue

Digable Planets, Sat, Oct. 17, Fillmore
Steve Aoki, Sat, Oct. 17, Armory
Laura Viers, Karl Blau, Sat, Oct. 17, Cedar
Crush Scene Album Release, Products Band, Panel, Sat, Oct. 17, Cloudland
The Lowest Pair, Sat, Oct. 17, Turf Club
Martin Zellar & the Hardways, Ali Gray, Sat, Oct. 17, Parkway Theatre

Welby June, New Found Footabe, Nu Nova, Barrister, Sun, Oct. 18, Underground Music
Richard Shindell – All Acoustic, Sun, Oct. 18, Cedar

Zac Brown, Brothers Osborne, Fri, Oct. 23, Target Center
Dogstar, Fri, Oct. 23, Fillmore
Ryan Bingham and the Texas Gentlemen, Fri, Oct. 23, Palace
Maggie Koerner, Fri, Oct. 23, Cedar
Jeremy Messersmith, Fri – Sat, Oct. 23 – 24, Fitzgerald
The Tubs, Mopar Stars, Fri, Oct. 23, Cloudland
Ian Sweet, Meg Eisler, Fri, Oct. 23, 7^th Street

Duane Betts & Palmetto Hotel, Sat, Oct. 24, Fine Line
DICE, The Back Alley, Sat, Oct. 24, 7^th Street Entry
Cindy Lawson, Toilet Rats, Mad Mojo Jett, Sat, Oct. 24, Cloudland
Ben Folds, Sat, Oct. 24, Orchestra Hall
Buena Vista Orchestra, Sat, Oct. 24, Fillmore

American Aquarium, Sun, Oct. 25, Turf Club
Afro-Cuban All-Stars, Sun, Oct. 25, Dakota
Aaron Tinjum & The Tangents Album Release, Sun, Oct. 25, Amsterdam
Shawn James, Evan Bartels, Sun, Oct. 25, Fine Line
Arcadian Wild, Addison Agen, Sun, Oct. 25, Parkway Theatre

Big Upcoming Concerts

Rhiannon Giddens, Sat, Nov. 1, Walker art Center
The Damned, Flamin Groovies, The Courettes, DJ Jake Rudh, Sun, Nov. 2, First Ave
L7, Mon, Nov. 3, Fine Line
Mary Gauthier, Jaimee Harris, Wed, Nov. 5, Parkway Theatre
Bill Callahan, Thur, Nov. 6, Cedar Cultural SOLD OUT
Jack White, Sun, Nov. 8, The Armory
Lucinda Williams, Sun, Nov. 13 – 18, Dakota
Saosin, Silent Planet, Like Moths to the Flame, Save Us, Wed, Nov. 18, Fillmore
Andrew Bird (wth the MN Orchestra), Mon, Nov. 21, Orchestra Hall
The Jayhawks, Mon, Nov. 21, State Theatre
Brother Ali, Mon. Nov. 21, Dakota
Underoath, August Burns Red, Atreyu, As Cities Burn, Wed, Nov. 23, Armory
Bonobo, Thur, Nov. 24, First Ave
Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Tue, Dec. 1, Orchestra Hall

Theatre

For definitive Twin Cities Theatre Listings, check out 79 Seconds

Opening, Short Runs / One Night Only

Female Figures, An Original Movement Play, Phoenix Theatre, Thur – Sun, Oct. 8 – 11
A sensual Femme Queer Movement Play about three young witches struggling with traumas of their own until they discover they are much more powerful than they thought. Joining a coven the witches use their powers to uplift each other and themselves turning on their abusers in a feminist revenge plot. Ancient entities, the undead, and a powerful Mother Superior collide to create a perfectly spooky and heartfelt evening at the theater in October.

Katha Dance Theatre Presents Rang-E-Ishq Colors of Love, The O’Shaughnessy, St. Catherine University, Sat – Sun, Oct. 10 – 11
"Rang-E-Ishq - Colors of Love" explores the universal power of love in all its iterations (divine, earthly, and in between) via classical North Indian Kathak dance and Sufi poetry. Choreographed by Rita Mustaphi and heavily influenced by Sufism, "Colors of Love" follows the journey of an unnamed narrator on his journey toward inner peace as expressed by dance and poetry.

Hollywood: Lights! Camera! Dance!: Collide Theatrical Dance Company, Thur – Sun, Oct. 15 – 25, Luminary Arts Center
When a struggling movie director learns that the studios have decided to stop making movie musicals, he refuses to let the genre disappear without one final celebration. With his cast of performers and only one night to prove that musicals still belong on the silver screen, they set out to create the greatest movie musical ever made, reimagining some of the most iconic dance numbers made famous by legends like Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Gene Kelly, Cyd Charisse, and more.

VOTING/RIGHTS: A Performance, University of MN, Fri – Sun, Oct. 16 – 18, Rarig Xperimental Theatre
Voting Rights Project is a timely, collaborative devised theatre performance created in the urgent style of the Federal Theatre Project’s historic Living Newspaper. Fusing historical documents, speeches, songs, and modern headlines, this studio piece traces the evolution of American suffrage—from the nation’s founding documents and the Civil Rights Movement to current Supreme Court rulings and ongoing voting restriction debates—to creatively respond to the challenges facing democracy today. Directed by Alsa Bruno.

The Madness of Lady Bright, Mannakin Theater & Dance Company, Phoenix Theatre, Fri – Sun, Oct. 16 – 25
The Madness of Lady Bright is a poignant one-act play by Lanford Wilson about Leslie Bright, an aging Drag Queen living alone in a New York City rooming house. Over the course of one evening, a series of encounters force him to confront his loneliness, isolation, and fear of growing old. Drawing on Leslie's fascination with Giselle and her own dedication to an ephemeral love, Mannakin Theater & Dance weaves choreography into the production for a fresh experience with this modern classic.

Bizartica: Late Night Horror, Dark Pony Productions, Sat, Oct. 17 (9:30pm), Bumbling Fools Mead
One night of late-night horror theatre — three short pieces. HAUNTED LAMENT by Raed Hojiej, directed by Megan Guidry, from Dark Pony Productions — winner of the Cambridge Script Festival for best stage play, Summer 2026. THE HAUNT, improvised, from Last Action Movie Improv. SUMMONED by Andrew Rosdail, from World Crime League. Starring Kelly Desiree, Craig Hotestler, Raed Hojiej.

Picnic, University of MN Theatre, Thur – Sun, Oct. 22 – 25, Rarig Center
This 1953 Pulitzer Prize winning play is set in the shared backyards and porches of two small town Kansas houses on a sweltering Labor Day morning. The play is remarkable in its structure, which builds tension with Chekhovian grace and ferocity. Everyone in “Picnic” wants something he or she cannot have: beauty, status, escape, love. And no one quite knows how to express it. One of the most compelling aspects of the play is that the actual picnic never takes place on stage. It is all preparation of frilly dresses, cakes, deviled eggs, and the anticipation of proper dancing and other carefully prescribed and restrained social interactions between the sexes. Directed by Samantha Martinsen.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame Silent Film w/Live Orchestration, Fri – Sat, Oct. 30 – 31 (7:30 – 10), Luminary Arts Center
Based on Victor Hugo’s timeless 1831 gothic novel, The Hunchback of Notre Dame tells the story of Quasimodo, the bell-ringer of Notre Dame Cathedral, set against the tragic backdrop of 15th-century Paris, this dark romance explores themes of compassion, prejudice, heroism, and virtue. Crafted by local composer Philip Shorey, the production combines an original score with an international 50-piece orchestra, choral ensemble, Renaissance band, theatrical special effects, and a rock ’n roll inspired light show. Shorey has an international reputation for reimagining classic silent films for modern audiences, headlining festivals and sold-out concert halls across the world. This Halloween he returns to Minneapolis for the world premiere of his latest original work. Guests are encouraged to embrace the spirit of the evening by dressing in their favorite Renaissance-inspired costume attire.

Opening (Major)

Gorgons: The Taming, Yellow Tree Theatre, Fri – Sun, Oct. 9 – Nov. 1
Tweetering, panda shrews, and undying giddiness for James Madison – what else could you expect to find at a Miss America pageant? In this hilarious, raucous, all-female “power-play” inspired by Shakespeare‘s Shrew, contestant Katherine has political aspirations to match her beauty pageant ambitions. All she needs to revolutionize the American government is the help of one senator‘s aide on the cusp of a career breakthrough, and one bleeding-heart liberal blogger who will do anything for her cause. Well, that and a semi-historically-accurate ether trip. Directed by Austene Van.

Kunene And The King, Guthrie, Sat – Sun, Oct. 10 – Nov. 8, McQuire Proscenium
In post-apartheid South Africa in 2019, Lunga Kunene, a no-nonsense Black caregiver with little patience for privilege or hubris, finds himself providing in-home care for Jack Morris, a celebrated (and stubborn) white actor facing a life-changing diagnosis as he rehearses for the title role in King Lear. The two men are different in every way — race, class and politics, to start — yet they find unexpected common ground in the words of Shakespeare. The humorous play by Tony winner John Kani, who also plays Kunene, traces the fragile work of truth-telling in a nation still shaped by its history. Directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson.

Twelve Angry Men, Lyric Arts, Fri – Sun, Oct. 16 – Nov. 1
On a sweltering summer day, twelve jurors enter a deliberation room believing their decision will be simple—but one dissenting voice changes everything. As tensions rise and personal biases come to light, Twelve Angry Men unfolds into a gripping examination of justice, prejudice, and the weight of reasonable doubt. Directed by Julie Phillips.

Memento Vivere: Remember To Live, The Moving Co, Thur – Sun, Oct. 22 – Nov. 22, Southern Theatre
Everything changes, nothing perishes. Created and Written by Dominique Serrand, Nathan Keepers and Steven Epp, directed by Dominique Serrand, Featuring: Tracey Maloney, Luverne Seifert, Kenzi Allen, Nathan Keepers, Anna Schloerb and Steven Epp.

Continuing

Great Gatsby, Theatre in the Round, thru Oct. 4
In this famous Jazz Age story, Nick Carraway, a young man from Minnesota, moves to New York in the summer of 1922. As he navigates the unfamiliar social scene, he is invited to a lavish party thrown by the mysteriously wealthy Jay Gatsby, who is trying to rekindle a relationship with Nick’s cousin, Daisy. This faithful adaptation of the novel uses theatricality to capture the lyric and poetic nature of Fitzgerald’s prose. With themes of greed, love, disillusionment, and inequality, this Great American Classic feels both mythic and familiar in a new century.

Mothership, Penumbra Theatre, thru Oct. 4
In a not-too-distant future, humans are forced to flee a broken planet. Five souls board a ship traveling into the unknown, shedding everything of their former lives. Their journey is shepherded by a sentient ship that urges each passenger toward a necessary and sometimes painful transformation. An Afro-futuristic parable from healer and bestselling author Resmaa Menakem (My Grandmother’s Hands) and award-winning playwright Kristen Adele Calhoun (Black Cypress Bayou), Mothership asks how far we must go to retrieve our truest selves.

Merrily We Roll Along, Lyric Arts, thru Oct. 4
Friendship, ambition, and the price of success take center stage in this bold and deeply moving musical from. Told in reverse chronological order, Stephen Sondheim’s musical tells the story of how three friends' lives and friendship devolve over the course of 20 years, beginning in 1976 at the friends' lowest moment and ending in 1957, at their youthful best. It focusing on composer Franklin Shepard’s career and travels the hopes, choices, and relationships that shaped his journey.

Fancy Dancer, History Theatre, thru Oct. 4
Lara/Larissa is a misfit in rural South Dakota—half-Native and half-White, weighed down by physical limitations. She takes beginner ballet class for physical therapy and hates it—until the story of Osage prima ballerina Maria Tallchief inspires her to pursue a professional dance career. Based on the author’s own story, Fancy Dancer is a rich, multi-generational experience that speaks to the power of storytelling and the beauty of finding your own community.

Wife of a Salesman, Girl Friday Productions, thru Oct. 4, Gremlin Theatre
When a devoted housewife–from a certain classic American drama–tracks down the woman who is sleeping with her husband, the two discover that they have more in common than society would like them to believe. Important questions of marriage, duty, and happiness rise to the surface in this frank exposé of the ways in which the world has (and hasn't) changed across generations.

Head over Heels, Minneapolis Musical Theatre, thru Oct. 10
A bold, glittering, and gloriously irreverent celebration of love, set to the electrifying music of the iconic 1980s all-female rock band the Go-Go’s. Inspired by a 16th-century English poem, and featuring a book by Jeff Whitty adapted by James Magruder, this wildly entertaining romp follows a royal family on a madcap quest to save their kingdom from extinction — only to discover that the key to its survival lies within their own hearts.

A Star Full of Skies: The Values Play Experience, Wonderlust Productions, thru Oct. 11, Frey Theatre, St. Catherine University (St. Paul)
Wonderlust convened more than 300 Minnesotans from across the political spectrum to build a play out of what they still share. The result reimagines Euripides' The Bacchae in a parallel universe where a contested election splits a society between those who want revolution and those who want order — and the audience votes, at each performance, on the order the scenes are played in. Directed by Leah Cooper, written by Alan Berks.

The Hired Man, Theatre Pro Rata @ Crane Theatre, thru Oct. 11
A magical realism epic set in the modern-day American West where a restless cattlewoman is hired onto a family cattle ranch in Wyoming. Here the stability of the family collides with her life of itinerant working, hard living, and harder choices.

Waiting for Godot, Guthrie Theatre, thru Oct. 11
Beneath a lonely tree on a country road, two companions wait for the mysterious Godot. As time moves along, Vladimir and Estragon fill their day circling the largest of questions: Why are we here? What are we here for? Who are we to be? Samuel Beckett’s tragicomedy uses wit and poignant dialogue to create an existential world that is both humorous and heartbreaking.

Indecent, Theatre Latté Da, thru Oct. 18
A play about a play—and the artists who risked everything to tell it. Inspired by the true story of Sholem Asch’s seminal Yiddish work, God of Vengeance, and its infamous 1923 obscenity trial, INDECENT is a haunting, klezmer-infused play with music that traces the turbulent journey of a troupe determined to stage a work deemed “indecent.” As their story unfolds across continents and decades, so too does a powerful meditation on censorship, nationalism and the policing of queer love.

On The Razzle, thru Oct. 25, Park Square Theatre
When their employer departs for a reckless romantic escapade, two young shop assistants seize their moment. Determined “to acquire a past before it’s too late,” they abandon their provincial responsibilities and head to Vienna for a spree that quickly spirals into a whirlwind of mistaken identities, romantic misfires, elaborate lies, and breathless pursuit.Tom Stoppard’s On the Razzle is a joyous explosion of language and farce. Wit flies as fast as doors slam. Romance is impulsive, impractical, and irresistible. Beneath the high jinks and double entendres lies something tender: the longing to live boldly.

As You Like It, Ten Thousand Things, thru Nov. 8
To escape death, our heroine, her best friend, and one of Shakespeare’s funniest fools flee to the forest. Released from the court’s conventions, they discover earnest shepherds and ironic aristocrats – along with joy and forgiveness. Soon, closed hearts open, love transforms, and community takes root. At various stages across the run.

Live Athletics

Minnesota Vikings Home Games (Men's Pro Football)
vs. Miami Dolphins, Sun, Oct. 4, 3pm, US Bank
vs. Indianapolis Colts, Sun, Oct. 25, 12pm, US Bank

Minnesota Timberwolves Homes Games (Men's Pro Basketball)
vs. Detroit Pistons, Wed, Oct. 14, Target Center (Preseason)
vs. Toronto Raptors, Sun, Oct. 25, Target Center
(Home Season Opener, Rally Towel giveaway)
vs. Golden State Warriors, Wed, Oct. 28, Target Center
vs. LA Clippers, Fri, Oct. 30, Target Center

Minnesota United FC (Men's Major League Soccer) Games on APPLE TV
vs. Houston Dynamo FC, Sat, Oct. 10 (7:30pm), Allianz Field
vs. St. Louis City SC, Sat, Oct. 17 (3:30pm), Allianz Field
vs. Sporting Kansas City, Wed, Oct. 28 (7:30pm), Allianz Field

Minnesota Lynx Home Games (Women’s Hoops)
Playoffs Begin.

Collegiate

Minnesota Gophers Home Football
vs. Michigan Wolverines, Sat. Oct. 3, Huntington Bank Stadium
vs. Iowa Hawkeyes, Sat, Oct. 24, Huntington Bank Stadium

Minnesota Gophers Home Men's Hockey
vs. North Dakota Fighting Hawks, Thur, Oct. 22, Mariucci Arena
vs. North Dakota Fighting Hawks, Fri, Oct. 23, Mariucci Arena
vs. Penn State Nittany Lions, Thur, Oct. 29 – Nov. 1, Mariucci Arena
(Two Games, exact dates TBD)

Minnesota Gophers Home Women's Hockey
vs. Maine Black Bears, Fri, Oct. 9, Ridder Arena
vs. Bemidji State Beavers, Sun, Oct. 11, Ridder Arena
vs. Ohio State Buckeyes, Fri, Oct. 16, Ridder Arena
vs. Ohio State Buckeyes, Sat, Oct. 17, Ridder Arena
vs. Lindenwood Lady Lions, Fri, Oct. 23, Ridder Arena

Minnesota Gophers Women's Volleyball
vs. Northwestern Wildcats (Big Ten Discover Challenge), Thur, Oct. 1, Maturi Pavilion
vs. #6 Wisconsin Badgers, Sun, Oct. 4, Maturi Pavilion
vs. Michigan Wolverines (Big Ten Discover Challenge), Fri, Oct. 16, Maturi Pavilion
vs. Maryland Terrapins, Sat. Oct. 17, Maturi Pavilion
vs. Washington Huskies, Sun, Oct. 25, Maturi Pavilion
(Weekday games, Wed-Fri, home & away in October are part of 2^nd Annual Discover Challenge, with top record winning)

Minnesota Gophers Women’s Soccer
vs. Maryland Terrapins, Fri, Oct. 2, Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium
vs, #19 Ohio State Buckeyes, Sun, Oct. 11 (1pm), Elizabeth Lyle Robbie adium
vs. #10 Washington Huskies, Thur, Oct. 22, Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium
vs. Oregon Ducks (Pink Game), Sun, Oct. 25 (1pm), Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium

Niche or Off-beat

Cribbage Tournament, Tue, Oct. 6, Fulton Taproom
The first Tuesday of every month, come down to test you skill. Single player play, random matchups, best score of five games. All skill levels welcome. Bring a board and recieve a free pint!

Gaming Drop In, Wed, October 7, Frenchman’s Pub (Richfield)
Bring your favorite card or board games to play, or learn a new one! There will be old favorites, as well as new games to try out. For your best experience, come for an hour or more. This is planned to be a monthly event at Frenchman’s Pub; game play will start at 1:30 p.m. and be cleaned up and out by 4. Hosted by AnriasGames.com

Finding Meaning with Arthur Brooks, Wed, Oct. 7, O’Shaughnessy Education Center (St. Paul)
Arthur Brooks will join President Rob Vischer for a thoughtful conversation exploring the core ideas behind his book, The Meaning of Your Life. Drawing on philosophy, behavioral science, and personal reflection, Brooks discusses how individuals can build deeper purpose beyond success and achievement. He will propose practical ways to cultivate meaning, resilience, and fulfillment in an increasingly complex world.

An Evening with Rick Nelson: Food, Fashion & Architecture, Wed, Oct. 7 (5:30-8pm), Quinlan Room
Rick will discuss his years as a food and architecture critic with Melinda Nelson, an award-winning writer, editor and author. Rick will also discuss the fascinating and ahead-of-her time Elizabeth Quinlan whose biography he is currently writing. The elegant 100-year-old Young-Quinlan building is the setting for the evening. A jazz trio will set the stage for enjoyment of an appetizer buffet with sweet treats by the Dakota. Wine, beer and sparkling water included. Cash bar for cocktails. Complimentary Parking: Dropoff and event entrance at the 9th Street Door.

Emily Johnson / Catalyst, performance view, YOUR HONOR, a care procession. Photo by Douglas Mason.

Cine Latino Film Festival: A Song For My Land + Nuestro Norte, MSP Film / The Main Cinema, Wed – Sun, Oct. 7 – 11
The 14th Annual Cine Latino Film Festival returns to The Main Cinema from October 7 – 11, with five days and nights of film screenings, fiestas, flamenco dancing, food trucks, visiting filmmakers, family activities, and more. Opening night features a party at 5:30 followed by the film La Bola Negra at 7:30, from Cannes-winning directors Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi — known together as Los Javis. It follows three generations of men across pivotal moments in Spanish history, bound by pain, desire, and love.

Emily Johnson / Catlyst: Overflow Radio, Fri – Mon, Oct. 9 – 12 (noon-6pm), Northrop SeasonDirector/Choreographer Emily Johnson creates a performative gathering, an immersive and transformative communal experience rooted in Johnson’s decades-long exploration of community with good intention and deep, time-bound learning. Each (pay-what-you-can) performance is a holistic six-hour experiences with segues, food and community. Part of that time is spent on 84 quilts designed by Maggie Thompson, a Fond du Lac Ojibwe textile artist based in Minneapolis, and inscribed with thousands of hand-written messages. The quilts are part of a decade-long community sewing process. Participants will listen together to radios broadcasting Indigenous performances from across the globe, offering poetry, essays and stories. Each six-hour session has themes and start promptly at noon. There are late seatings at 1pm and 3pm, though people are expected to stay for the entire session, they may leave early. But part of the experience is in the committing to unmediated time with strangers in an uncontrolled environment.

16th Annual Twin Cities OktoberFest, Fri – Sat, Oct. 9 – 10, MN State Fairgrounds (St. Paul)
Don’t miss this chance to hoist a great Minnesota beer and cheer "Prost!" Taste German staples and local fare while enjoying entertaining bands and a traditional German dancing troupe SG Edelweiss. Twin Cities Oktoberfest was voted 4th Best Oktoberfest in the country by Tasting Table! More than 20 beers and ciders on tap from Utepils Brewing, Pryes Brewing Company, Minneapolis Cider Company, and NEW this year, Dangerous Man Brewing and Haggard Barrel Brewing Company. Indulge in all the delicious food offerings, including classic German fare from Gerhard's Brats and Aki's Pretzels as well as award-winning bites from Big Guy’s BBQ Roadhouse, Sara’s Tipsy Pies, and cinnamon-roasted nuts from Luther Foods.

MinnPost Festival 2026, Sat. Oct. 10, Westminster Presbyterian (Mpls)
An all-day event featuring insightful conversations and community that will bring together the people and ideas shaping the future of Minnesota and beyond. You'll hear conversations with political and cultural leaders, both national and local, that will enlighten and energize a diverse audience of policymakers, industry leaders, educators, citizens, students, thought leaders and advocates. Festivities will kick off at 11:30 a.m. and the closing keynote will end around 6:00 p.m.

Sip & Shuck Class, Sat, Oct. 10 (4:30-6), Pryes Brewing Company (Mpls)
Learn to shuck oysters like a someone that gets paid for it, and sip cold brews or lychee martinis. Keep all the pearls you find!

Twin Cities Bike Tour, Sat, Oct. 10, Minnehaha Falls Park
There are three different groups of riders for 50, 38 and 23.5 mile distances, so sign up early if you want to take the long trip, which capes at 950. Helmets are required. The tour raises money for the Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota. Buy your t-shirt in advance and save. Food and drink stops along the course.

Second Sundays, Sun, Oct. 11 (noon), Minnesota Genealogical Society (Mendota Heights)
Break down some of the walls you’ve found doing your family search. You can use the various resources, including the free Beginning Class offered twice a month to get you started, work with their knowledgeable volunteers to unravel the mystery of your past heritage. (Do call ahead, sometimes there aren’t sufficient volunteers.)

Minnesota Reptile Show, Sun, Oct. 11 (10-4), MN State Fairgrounds
This is an opportunity to talk directly to reptile business in your area! There will be thousands of reptiles, amphibians, feeders, invertebrates, supplies and more available to the public. Bring your kids, and explore the show. Did we mention there will also be a huge variety of supplies including cages, tanks, bedding, toys, and decorative items.

Beer & Cider Tasting, Tue, Oct. 13 (6-7:30), Aki’s BreadHaus & WunderBar
Sample up to 8 on/off mneu beers and ciders as Dan of Old World Beer guides you on a fall-fueled jounry through Germany, with Aki’s snacks.

Second Period Art Class, Tue, Oct. 13, Fulton Taproom
You will transform a photo into a new masterpiece. Bring your phone, you’ll remove the color from a photo, enhance, contrast, crop and print it out on high-quality paper for coloring. Colored pencils are provided, but feel free to bring your own medium. When it’s finished, you can select a frame to take it home and give it to someone special or just put it on your own mantle.

Monthly Music Industry Meetup, Tue, Oct. 13, Hook & Ladder’s Zen Arcade
Meet the second Tuesday of every month in a communal space to share in the joys and pains of functioning within the music industry. Collaborate with like minded industry folks! Monthly conversations on topics we can all relate to. For anyone who makes the music happen: artists, managers, agents, promoters, engineers, crew, venue staff, security, and family. Acoustic jam at the end. Led by mental health professional Mark Femling (LPCC).

Buck Slam Monthly Poetry Slam, Wed, Oct. 14, Indeed Brewing Company
This open poetry slam occurs the second Wednesday of every month and features 12 poets who sign up that day and are present when the slam begins at 7pm and the slots are chosen at random. (This helps insure attendance whether or not people get to perform. It’s done in two rounds with a cut down to six and then the winners, as chosen by five random audience members who will rate them 1 to 10.

Joshua Kissi, MIA Subject Lecture Series, Thur, Oct 15 (6-7), Pillsbury Auditorium (Mpls)
Kissi is a Ghanaian-American filmmaker, photographer, and creative director whose work celebrates community through a cultural and historical lens. Dubbed a “generational Culture Shifter” by the Huffington Post and named one of Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People, his photography has appeared in Vogue, GQ, and InStyle for Nike, Beats by Dre, and Google.

Lit & Libations, Thurs, Oct. 15 (5:30-8:30), King Coil Spirits
Join us every third Thursday for Lit & Libations — a spirited evening celebrating local authors and literary lovers at King Coil Spirits. Sip on book-inspired cocktails, meet featured writers, and browse indie reads in a relaxed, mid-century-modern cocktail lounge setting. It's a monthly indie book fair!

St. Paul Art Crawl, Fri – Sun, Oct. 16 – 18, Various Sites
Ready to refresh your home or wardrobe? Shop from local artists with a wide variety of options at Union Depot including painters, photographers, mixed media artists, jewelry designers and more! Come support local makers and bring home a new piece of art at this free event across St. Paul at over two dozen galleries and spots, including the Union Depot, Lowertown Lofts Arts Coop and many more

St Paul Art Crawl: Schmidt on West 7th, Fri – Sun, Oct. 16 – 18, Schmidt Artists Lofts
This particular site merited special notice, for not only is there access to artists lofts, but it's a whole thing, including a special tote for first 25 to spend over $100, Food trucks over 80 artists including painters, printers, potters, photographers, fiber artists, jewelers, illustrators, woodworkers and more. Plus a kids creative corner. On the rooftop there are live painting and art demonstrations with Art Battle Minnesota.

Pancakes & Booze Art Show, Sat, Oct. 17 (8pm-12), Granada Theatre (Mpls)
More than 65 local artists and 250 original pieces of work, unlimited hot, free pancakes all night long, live body painting, full bar, live DJs. Originating in Los Angeles in 2009, The Pancakes & Booze Art Show has popped up over 500 times in 40+ cities across North America and Europe. It focuses on creating a non-traditional, anything-goes environment for emerging artists to sell their work and for the community to engage with the local scene.

Havoc at the Pavek: Local Legends, Sat, Oct. 17 (10am – 5pm), Pavek Museum
This one-of-a-kind, escape room–style STEM adventure takes you through the science and history of electronic communication—with a mysterious twist. Professor Havoc has made a startling discovery while experimenting with shortwave radio… but he may have shared a little too much. Now, cryptids from across legend and lore have descended upon the museum, and their presence is disrupting more than just the airwaves. As an official explorer, you’ll be tasked with helping Professor Havoc restore order. Travel through the museum, completing hands-on STEM experiments designed to investigate unusual signals and stabilize the situation. Each activity will help you gain access to a mysterious, hidden exhibit.

Journaling Club, Sat, Oct. 17, Center for the Performing Arts
They say: "Once a month we meet to write from prompts and make space for creativity and conversation. Prompts provided, just bring pen and paper. Each meeting has its own rhythm, sometimes funny, sometimes reflective, always meaningful. You’ll write, but sharing is always optional." They meet the third Saturday of every month.

Minnesota Card Show, Sat – Sun, Oct. 17 – 18, Canterbury Park
Saturday is the sports-oriented half of the weekend, and Sunday the tables are TCG. It’s a big space with over 150 tables. Big weekend for collectors and dealers.

Artist Talk: Ziba Rajabi & Katayoun Amjadi, Sun, Oct. 18, MIA’s Pillsbury Auditiorium (Mpls)
This event is part of the exhibition “Ziba Rajabi: Belly Laugh at a Funeral,” on view at Mia until October 21, 2026. After the talk, Rajabi and Amjadi will will be in the US Bank Gallery to meet guests and answer questions. Tickets are free, but required.

Minneapolis-St. Paul Magazine’s Fall Restaurant Week, Oct. 19 – 25, Various
From neighborhood gems and cozy dining rooms to long-overdue catch-ups and unforgettable date nights, Fall Restaurant Week is your invitation to experience the best of the Twin Cities' dining scene, and sample their special curated menus for the week.

Storytelling Open Mic, Mon, Oct. 19 (7pm), American School of Storytelling
This is an ongoing monthly series of storytelling open mics takes place on the 3rd Monday of the month. Up to 10 Tellers, 10 minutes each. Any style. Sign-up is first come, first serve. Doors at 6:30pm.

Whiskey Distillery Tour & Tasting w/Master Blender, Thur, Oct. 22, Brother Justus Whiskey (Mpls)
Led by their Master Blender, James Jefferson, explore technical decisions that shape flavor, Minnesota’s lesser-known whiskey history, and hear their unique approach to the craft. You’ll also get an inside look at how Cold-Peated® Whiskey is made, and how it’s helping define a new category in American whiskey. Following the tour, enjoy a guided tasting of their flagship whiskeys, offering a deeper look at proof, blending, and balance.

Como After Hours, Thur, Oct. 22, Como Park Zoo & Conservatory
Sip, stroll, and savor the evening with eats from local food trucks, adult beverages, and all the beauty, charm, and autumn magic you love about Como—without the crowds or the kids. Experience the magic of the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory and the Charlotte Partridge Ordway Japanese Garden in the twilight glow of fall. Wander the gardens in search of hidden gourds, mysterious botanical treasures, graceful schools of koi, and unexpected surprises around every corner.

Greg Hoffman, MIA Subject Lecture Series, Thurs, Oct. 22 (6-7), Pillsbury Auditorium (Mpls)
Hoffman is the founder of Modern Arena and co-founder of the athlete branding platform Beyond Your Limits. He’s the former chief marketing officer of Nike, where he spent 27 years helping shape many of Nike’s most iconic campaigns, product launches, and athlete brands. His creative leadership has been recognized by Fast Company as one of the Most Creative People in Business and by Business Insider as one of the 50 Most Innovative CMOs.

Imani Ellis, MIA Subject Lecture Series, Thurs, Oct. 29 (6-7), Pillsbury Auditorium (Mpls)
Imani Ellis is an award-winning community builder and cultural architect. She’s the founder and CEO of CultureCon, the premier cultural event celebrating creatives and creators, and the founder of The CultureCon Collective, a community dedicated to supporting Black and Brown creative professionals. An inductee into the Advertising Hall of Fame, Imani was also named a "2024 Closer of the Wealth Gap" by TIME, a "Breakthrough Creative" by Ebony, and a "Creative Champion" by Adweek.

Duckhorn Wine Five Course Meal, Thur, Oct. 29 (7-9:30), McCormick & Schmick’s (Edina)
This season five course chef-driven meal features a different wine with each course, including brie and fig crostini, seared sea scallops, cider glazed chicken, herb cursted lamb loin and a dark chocolate torte for $140.

Book Readings

For the definitive list, check out Rain Taxi's Literary Calendar

Rick Riordan & Annabelle Oh present Return to Camp Half-Blood, The O’Shaughnessy (St. Catherine), Thurs, Oct. 1 (7pm)
Rick and Annabelle along with moderator #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Mull, will take readers behind the scenes of their newest adventure, discuss what it is like to create new stories within the beloved Percy Jackson universe, and introduce a new generation of demigod heroes.

Erika Meitner & Elizabeth Metzger, Open Book, Thurs, Oct. 1 (6pm)
Erika Meitner and Elizabeth Metzger read from their latest work, Assembled Audience and The Going is Forever, respectively. Meitner has authored six books of poems including Useful Junk; Holy Moly Carry Me, which won the National Jewish Book Award in poetry and was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award; Copia; and Ideal Cities, a 2009 National Poetry Series winner. Metzger is the author of Lying In, as well as The Spirit Papers, winner of the Juniper Prize for Poetry. She has published two chapbooks, Bed and The Nutshell Studies of Unexplained Death.

John Green presents Hollywood, Ending with Sharon McMahon, The O’Shaughnessy (St. Catherine), Mon, Oct. 5 (7pm)
Green, who became famous for his young adult writing, and challenged for its adventurousness, notably Looking for Alaska and The Fault in Our Stars, one of the best-selling books of all-time. He is debuting his first adult fiction (though it focuses on two young actors) about how their lives change following roles in a biopic about Andy Warhol. It’s his first book of fiction since 2017’s Turtles All The Way Down.

Tessa Bailey’s Broken Rival with Denise Williams, Riverview Theatre, Tue, Oct. 6 (7pm)
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey comes a heated romance about a girl trapped in a new reality, forced to make a choice between two brothers—one who is the high school golden boy, the other sworn to hunt down her kind—time travelers. Williams recently released her novel, The Re-do List.

Kwami Strong Washburn’s The Names of the New World with Claire Wamanholm, Millwood Books, Tue, Oct. 6 (7pm)
Washburn’s second novel is set in a chaotic world where a superstorm strikes Minneapolis and levels much of the city in minutes. Three people forge an unlikely bond to survive in the follow-up to his debut, Sharks in the Time of Saviors, winner of the PEN/Hemingway Award. Claire Wahmanholm’s 2023 poetry collection Meltwater which was a finalist for the 2024 Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award and the 2024 Minnesota Book Award.

David Mura presents Exit, Miss Saigon with Josephine Lee, Theatre Mu, Wed, Oct. 7 (7pm)
Mura is a playwright, author, essayist and poet with several books and memoirs, including Turning Japanese: Memoirs of a Sansei and Where the Body Meets Memory: An Odyssey of Race, Sexuality, and Identity. He is reading from his new memoir, Exit, Miss Saigon, about his personal experiences and the irrevocable ways they are rooted in the internalized, systemic racism that permeates American culture. He’s interviewed by Josephine Lee, a professor of English and Asian American studies at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, and the editor-in-chief of The Oxford Encyclopedia of Asian American Literature and Culture. Her books include Race in American Musical Theater; The Japan of Pure Invention: Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Mikado, and Performing Asian America: Race and Ethnicity on the Contemporary Stage.

Valeria Luiselli presents Beginning Middle End with Arleta Little, The Loft, Thur, Oct. 8 (6pm)
Award-winning author and former McKnight Award Judge Valeria Luiselli (Lost Children Archive, The Story of My Teeth) joins Executive & Artistic Director Arleta Little to celebrate her new book, Beginning Middle End, a poetic novel set on the island of Sicily during a summer of wild winds, volcanic rumbles, and unexpected tempests. Luiselli is the recipient of a MacArthur “Genius Grant,” and winner of two Los Angeles Times Book Prizes, an American Book Award, the Folio Prize and the 2021 International Dublin Literary Award.

Opus & Olives: A Benefit with Friends, St. Paul River Centre, Sun, Oct. 11 (5pm)
This is an annual fundraiser for the Friends of the St. Paul Public Library and features a slew of authors including Liaquat Ahamed, whose first book, Lords of Finance: The Bankers Who Broke the World, won the Pulitzer Prize for History, the Council on Foreign Relations Arthur Ross Gold Medal, and the Financial Times Best Business Book of the Year Award; Chef Ham El-Waylly, known for his acclaimed Brooklyn restaurant, Strange Delight, or as a longtime contributor to NYT Cooking, where he is also one half of the YouTube sensation Mystery Menu and his new book, Hello, Home Cooking; New York Times bestselling author of speculative fiction, Ayana Gray, author of new book, I, Medus; and, Nikesha Elise Williams, a two-time Emmy award-winning producer, an award-winning author, and producer and host of the Black and Published podcast, with her new book, The Seven Daughters of Dupree.

Christopher Vondracek presents Redlin or Rodin? with Reid Forgrave, Magers & Quinn, Mon, Oct. 12 (7pm)
Vondracek often asks of this land, “Is it a Redlin?” seeking to reconcile the idyllic portrayal of his American heartland with the reality unfolding on TV and social media channels. In Redlin or Rodin he looks to understand how the romantic palette of a farm country pastoral scene can obscure the industrialization of the very same land. Vondracek is a Washington correspondent for the Minnesota Star Tribune. Reid Forgravehas written about sports and other topics for GQ, the New York Times Magazine, and Mother Jones, among other publications

M.L. Rio presents Hot Wax with John Brandon, Magers & Quinn, Tue, Oct. 13
When her mother remarries, she jumps at the chance to tag along on the concert tour that just might be Gil and the Kills’ wild ride to glory. But fame has sharper fangs than anybody realized, and as the band blazes up the charts, internal power struggles set Gil and his group on a collision course destined for a bloody reckoning—one shrouded in mystery and lore for decades to come. Rio is the author of the internationally bestselling novel If We Were Villains and USA TODAY bestselling novella Graveyard Shift. Brandon has published many books with McSweeney's, including the novel Arkansas, which was made into a movie starring Vince Vaughn and John Malkovich, the novel Citrus County, which was a finalist for the NY Public Library Young Lions Award, and the story collection Hexes. Curses. Fine Print., which will be published summer 2027.

Glenn R. Miller presents Rough Cuts, The Main Cinema, Tue, Oct. 13 (7pm)
Author of Doorman Wanted, Miller celebrates his new film-driven novel, Rough Cuts, which is described as "packed with hilarity and heart," "affecting," and "clever, cutting, and laugh-out-loud funny."

Sasha Maria Suarez presents An Ojibwe Home in the City with Brenda Child, Birchbark Books, Tue, Oct. 13
Saurez, a former Birchbark bookseller, returns with the story of generations of Ojibwe women who built a thriving Indigenous home in the urban heart of Minneapolis. Far broader than a local history, this book challenges what we think we know about Native activism in the twentieth century, shifting the focus from protest to perseverance and steady commitment. She is joinedby Ojibwe scholar and Guggenheim fellow Brenda J. Child.

Matt Goldman presents The Prohibited, University Club of St. Paul, Wednesday, Oct. 14 (7pm)
A family, their liquor store, and the clash of the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Amendments in 1920s St. Paul.Based loosely on Matt Goldman’s family history, The Prohibited brings to life 1920s St. Paul, a haven for bootleggers, gangsters, and bank robbers, but also home to many ordinary folks navigating a remarkable new social order. Matt Goldman is the New York Times and USA Today best-selling author of the Nils Shapiro mystery series as well as the standalone novels A Good Family and Carolina Moonset, among many others. He is also a playwright and an Emmy Award–winning television writer on shows including Seinfeld and Ellen.

Lori Sturdevant, Nokomis Thurs, Oct. 15, Nokomis Library
How did Minnesota become “the state that votes” – that is, the state that’s known for high-turnout, fraud-free elections? The answer lies in a story that centers on the leadership of Joan Anderson Growe, who served 24 years as Minnesota’s secretary of state. It’s told in the 2020 book, Turnout: Making Minnesota the State that Votes, which Growe wrote with Lori Sturdevant. A retired Star Tribune editorial writer and columnist, Sturdevant is the author, editor or ghostwriter of 15 books and a three-time winner of the Minnesota Book Award. She will discuss that book as well as her latest, Martin Sabo: The Making of the Modern Legislature.

Norah Labiner presents Morocco with Mike Wisti, University Club,, Thur, Oct. 15 (7pm)
Inspired by the classic story “Washington Square” by Henry James, Norah Labiner reimagines the prolific tale. Moving through wintery Michigan avenue to the creeping mansions of the rich to the world of melodrama, ghosts, and girls. Morocco confronts the ambiguity of memory, the horrors of history, and what it means, or does not mean, to read a book and tell a story. Labiner’s written the novels Our Sometime Sister, Miniatures, German for Travelers, and Let the Dark Flower Blossom (Coffee House Press). She has received a Minnesota Book Award for Literary Fiction. Wisti plays in the band Rank Strangers and operates Albatross recording studio.

Jack El-Hai presents The Case of the Autographed Corpse with James Mayer, Magers & Quinn, Thur, Oct. 15
The Case of the Autographed Corpse tells the true-crime saga of the intertwined lives of Apache religious leader Silas John Edwards and the bestselling mystery writer, Erle Stanley Gardner, author of the Perry Mason novels —and their shared work to right a tragic wrongful conviction twenty years after the injustice. El-Hai is a Minnesota journalist whose other published books include The New York Times bestselling The Nazi and the Psychiatrist (recently adapted into the movie Nuremberg), The Lobotomist, The Lost Brothers and Face in the Mirror. Mayer oversees all aspects of the Great North Innocence Project’s screening, investigation, and litigation of claims on behalf of the wrongfully convicted.

Bloodcurling Book Bash, Sat. Oct. 17 (11 – 6), Double Tree By Hilton Hotel Bloomington-Mpls South
Bringing together everything a dark-hearted book lover could ever desire. Whether you are a die-hard horror fan, a psychological thriller addict, or just looking for a deliciously spooky Saturday out, this is the event of the season, with tarot cards, themed food and drinks, spooky gifts and hobnobbing authors.

Club Book: Trevor Baldwin, George Latimer Central Library (St. Paul), Sat, Oct. 17 (2pm)
Trevor Baldwin is the nephew of – and family ambassador for – one of the last century’s most indispensable literary luminaries. As the family’s standard bearer for his uncle’s legacy, Trevor has been involved with numerous high-profile Baldwin initiatives to date and tours the country speaking about how the two-time National Book Award finalist’s voice is as relevant and needed today as ever before.

Don Smithmier presents The Narrows, Subtext Bookstore, Tue, Oct. 20 (7pm)
Smithmier, a songwriter in the country/pop band Rocket Club and American history nerd, is debuting his first novel, about the unexpected ways people find their way back to one another-and how redemption often begins with the simple decision to hold on for another season.

Aiden Thomas: UMN Book Week Lecture on Children’s Lit, McNamara Alumni Center, Wed, Oct. 21
Celebrated for writing heartfelt, genre-blending young adult fantasy that centers queer and Latinx characters, Thomas’ debut novel, Cemetery Boys, became a New York Times bestseller, was a finalist for the Lodestar Award, and longlisted for the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. They have since authored multiple bestsellers, including Lost in the Never Woods, The Sunbearer Trials, and its sequel Celestial Monsters. Aiden is a passionate advocate for trans and Latinx representation in literature, and has taught with organizations such as Tin House and Lambda Literary.

Club Book: Denis Williams, Dakota Country Library-Heritage, Wed, Oct. 21 (6:30pm)
Denise Williams burst into the contemporary romance scene in 2020 with How to Fail at Flirting, a “winsome debut” lauded by The Washington Post for “masterfully blending rom-com fun with more weighty topics.” Her sixth and latest novel is The Re-Do List, an instant USA Today Bestseller about Willow Lewis, a woman reeling from a mortifyingly public breakup with her high school sweetheart. She devises a rebound strategy like no other: charting out a “re-do” list of romantic firsts to jumpstart her triumphant return to the dating scene.

Amber Blaeser-Wardzala presents Another Name For Red with Anangookwe Wolf, Magers & Quinn, Wed, Oct. 21 (7pm)
In her debut novel, Another Name for Red, after a young Anishinaabe woman vanishes, her sister tries to pick up the pieces of her broken family, even as her investigations put her at risk of suffering a similar fate. Blaeser-Wardzala is an Anishinaabe writer, beadwork artist, and jingle dress dancer. She is a first-degree descendant of White Earth Nation in Minnesota and grew up in southeastern Wisconsin. Her writing has appeared in Never Whistle at Night: An Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology, The Iowa Review, Joyland, Passages North, CRAFT, and others. Anangookwe Wolf is a poet and vocal artist currently based in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Second Annual MN STEM Book Fest, Bakken Museum, Sat, Oct. 24
A free, day-long celebration of Science Communication featuring a book fair, author presentations and panels, children’s activities and free access to The Bakken Museum! Among the topics are fighting for truth over fear and fakes, rethinking normal, the boundary waters, the biology of animal communication, chatbots and trust.

Ellen Kombiyil & Sonia Greenfield Poetry Reading, Mon, Oct. 26 (7pm)
Kombiyil is a visual artist, poet, and educator from the Bronx. She is the author of two books and two chapbooks, most recently Love as Invasive Species. She is a 2022 and 2025 recipient of a BRIO Award from the Bronx Council on the Arts, a 2025 winner of the Geri Digiorno Multi-Genre Prize, and 2025 winner of the Tupelo Quarterly Prize for Cross-Disciplinary Writing. Green field is the author of two recent collections of poetry, 2022’s All Possible Histories and 2023’s Helen of Troy is High AF. She is the author of 2020’s Letdown, American Parable and Boy with a Halo at the Farmer's Market.

Ron De Beaulieu presents Haunted Minneapolis, Eat My Words, Mon, Oct. 26 (7pm)
Haunted Minneapolis is a collection of local ghost stories, as well as a chronicle of Ron's attempts to uncover the origins of these stories, and discussion of what the stories mean for the people who tell them, and who experienced them in the first place. Ron came to Minneapolis for grad school sixteen years ago (after going to college in St. Paul), and has been here ever since. She is the author of four books, all of which cover different topics in the history of Minneapolis and St. Paul.

Layli Long Soldier presents We with Heid Erdrich, Pohlad Hall (Downtown Central Library) Tue, Oct. 27 (6:30pm)
Oglala Lakota poet Layli Long Soldier examines what it means to be in community, to be in relation with family, nation, history, and language. We is the first-person plural, the pronoun of inclusion in English. It is also Wé, the Lakota word meaning “blood”—what is shared and what is shed. In this insightful arrangement of poems, lyric essays, and her own visual artworks presented in full color, Long Soldier creates unique spaces of collaboration, mentorship, and shared knowledge.

Ali Lockhart presents Magdalene Cruthers is Going to Hell with Jane Hadley, Tropes & Trifles, Tue, Oct. 27 (7pm)
The seances are fake, but their love is real. For years, Magdalene Cruthers has performed seances for grieving clients, using her ability to communicate with spirits to bring peace to those left behind—well, using her pretend ability to communicate with spirits, anyway (a girl’s got to eat). After tragedy strikes, she and her two cohorts decide to go on the straight and narrow, settling far from their usual grifter haunts. Then she fell in love and the past came roaring back to threaten her.

Mathew Reyes presents God’s Own Country (A Trinity of Novellas), Magers & Quinn, Wed, Oct. 28 (7pm)
Three tales of damnation and ecstasy: A Baptist congregation trapped in church must survive a hell of their own making, as well as each other. A youth group camping in the Louisiana wilds must contend with a monster older than sin and deadlier than the heat. A fundamentalist evangelizing in a rural town discovers horrifying truths about his God’s love and mercy. This is Reyes, debut novel.

Kimberly Blaser presents Red Ants: Stories with Brenda Child, Milkweed Books, Thur, Oct. 29 (7pm)
Blaeser’s stories center Anishinaabe characters who bring traditional tribal stories into contemporary experiences and break the stereotypes too often used to portray them. Here, we experience an Indigenous America inhabited by fancy dog contests, social protests, tree doctors, monsters, mosquitoes, and facial recognition software, all while blending, in the most exciting ways, the genre elements of magical realism, humor, horror, and speculative literary fiction. Her six poetry collections include Résister en dansant/Ikwe-niimi: Dancing Resistance; and Copper Yearning, winner of the Edna Meudt Poetry Book Award. She’s also won the O. Henry Prize in fiction. Child is a former Guggenheim Fellow and judge for the National Book Awards in 2024.

Wild Rumpus presents An Evening with Jeff Kinney, Thomas Edison High, Thur, Oct. 29 (7pm)
Kinney celebrates the release of Diary of a Wimpy Kid #21: Fight or Flight! Join Diary of a Wimpy Kid author (and host), Jeff Kinney, as he celebrates the release of his latest book with a knock-out, interactive stage show, set to EGGSPLODE with fun for the whole family!

Nick of Time: Women Write about Art and Aging, Minnesota Museum of American Art (St. Paul), Fri, Oct. 30 (6pm)
Nick of Time celebrates the artistic community of the Twin Cities and the wisdom that comes with age. Bringing together the voices of women creatives over the age of sixty-five, this collection is as varied as the artists’ vocations, spanning from narrative prose to poetry, essay, monologue, letters, historical reflection, and more. Editors Julie Landsman, Debra Stone and Morgan Grayce Willow will speak with Diane Wilson and Rebecca Pavlenko joining to facilitate the conversation.

Weekly Free Activities

Pool Tournament, Tuesdays 7pm, Midway Saloon
All matches are best-of-three. $10 entry, winner takes all, second place gets a t-shirt (instead of steak knives). Must register online (link) beforehand.

Jeopardy League, Tuesdays, Punch Bowl Social
A phone-enabled two-hour Jeopardy game. Compete singly or in teams of up to six with real prizes.

D & D One-Shot Wednesdays, The Forge (Chaska)
Play at a beginner-friendly table with an experienced Dungeon Master and receive a free appetizer and a boba tea, as well as a premade character sheet and a 7-dice set, for an adventure designed to finish before the night’s out.

Digital (National) Darts League, Wednesdays (7pm), Fowling Warehouse (Mpls)
They have two electronic dart boards connected to a nationwide network of dart boards allowing players to compete against other players and teams across the country. There are cash prizes and the games are handicapped to allow people of different skill levels to compete. Leagues are about three months long, and the latest league start was Sept. 23. Doubles league games are about 60-90 minutes.

Sommelier's Table Wine Tasting, Every Wednesday (4pm – 6pm), Prelude at the Westin Edina Galleria
“Settle into Prelude for complimentary tastings of 2–3 featured wines, thoughtfully selected and available by the glass throughout the evening. A guided exploration for both the curious and the seasoned palate."

History Center Free Thursday Nights (4pm – 8pm)
During Thursday visits, you can experience a variety of world-class exhibits, including Our Home: Native Minnesota, Reframing Our Stories, Minnesota’s Greatest Generation, Weather Permitting, and Then Now Wow.

Walker Art Center Free Thursday Nights (5pm – 9pm)
There’s special programming each week, besides the open galleries.

In-Gallery Conversation, Thur – Sun (1pm – 2pm), Minneapolis Institute of Art (MIA)
Pick up a tour map in the lobby for a self-directed gallery quest with guide-facilitated stops throughout the museum. Meet the MIA Guide at the Information Bar in the lobby. October’s subject is Fashion and Identity in Art: Explore fashion trends throughout the ages as seen in MIA’s galleries.

MIA Inspired By Books Tour, Last Three Tues & Thurs (11:30am & 1:30pm Tu/6pm Th)
This months book facilitated guide is focused on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. Inspired by Books tours, facilitated by Mia guides, relate works of art to popular books. A new book is presented each month. Tours are free and begin in the General Mills Lobby of the Minnesota Institute of Art, on the first floor at the Information Bar. Tours take place the last three Tuesdays of each month at 11:30 am and 1:30 pm and the last three Thursdays of each month at 11:30 am and 6 pm.

MOJO Kickball, Every Sunday, Kenwood Park (1pm – 3pm)
It’s not exactly Kickball as you played it in school. There are a host of new rules that mix in other childhood games, including tag, hot potato and dodgeball. It’s allegedly designed for inclusivity and fun for all athletic and age levels. They have a video of how it’s done.

Yoga & Beer, Sundays, Utepils Brewery
If you’re rolling your eyes at the idea of drinking after a 10am yoga class, you are not alone. But there are so many types in the world, that I am beyond presuming anymore. For a little over $15, you get a 5-minute class and a pint. All levels, gentle flow, slow morning and smooth moves.

Bottomless Drag Brunch, Sundays, Roxy’s Cabaret
The $15 brunch kicks off with a variety of dishes from fluffy pancakes drizzled with maple syrup to savory brunch classics, there’s something for everyone. Don’t forget the bottomless mimosas while entertained by the talents of All American Goddess 2024 Nina DiAngelo, the fabulous Monica West, and the iconic Winner of RuPaul's Drag Race, Bebe Zahara Benet.

Sarah Does Puzzles, (gen) Sun – Thur, Variable Locale
Sarah is a particularly intrepid dissectologist on a mission. (Yes, Virginia, there is a English word for people who like to solve jigsaw puzzles. Take that Germans!) She wants to turn cooperative puzzling into a competitive sport. Or just help people pass the time doing something mentally stimulating. That doesn’t stop you from drinking to keep things balanced. She’s a roving dissectologist, so you might want to wait until she’s in your neighborhood.

FLUID Table Tennis (Community Ping Pong League), Mon, Wed, Thur, Various|The league is for all levels and everyone can join with no greater goal than improvement. (Or not!) The money goes directly back into the organization to build up the community. Mondays are $10 at Minneapolis Cider Company, Wednesdays are $12 at the Table Tennis MN Training Center, and Thursdays are $8 at Fowling Warhouse.

La Dona 3-on-3 Futbol League, Tue – Fri, thru Oct. 24
Sponsored by La Dona, the Mexican brewery next to Animales in the Harrison neighborhood, the brewery has a small field out back for fast-paced games we wrote about in June. The present season ends at the end of August, and the new 8-week season kicks off in the middle of September. Signup ends on September 7. Friday nights also have pickup matches for a flat fee.

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