Minneapolis Events Calendar

Parades. Colorful Pride celebrations. Hot Chocolate Winter Runs. Improv Festivals. Pond hockey tournaments. Seasonal Beer Celebrations. There is no shortage of events happening in Minneapolis all year long. We are an extremely active community of artists, creators, musicians, foodies, dancers, runners & bikers – a community of doers that can’t stand the thought of missing out. With something always going on, we’re confident you’ll find something you won’t want to miss too.

*Note: Please be sure to check the official event website or with event organizers for up to date cancellations and postponements.

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Catch of the Day: Humans and Marine Animals in Japan

This event is currently underway

Living on an archipelago, surrounded by water on all sides, the Japanese have always had a close relationship with the sea. The marine life depicted in Japanese art, however, is often more symbolic than real, meant to convey literary, visual, or seasonal associations. Sometimes, even the connections to the sea are abstract, such as geometric patterns meant to evoke fishnets or scales on dishes and clothing. This exhibition explores the sea creatures that permeate Japanese art and culture, and dives into their deeper meaning.

On view October 12, 2024 - May 25, 2025

Arts & Theater Free History & Heritage Details

Embracing Fallibility: A Neon Exhibition by James Akers

This event is currently underway

Embracing Fallibility A Neon Exhibition by James Akers

“Embracing Fallibility” is an exhibition of neon sculptures that celebrate the fallibilities that make humans human.

On view: April 11- July 19, 2025

Gallery hours: Tuesday-Sunday 11am-6pm. Closed Monday.

Exhibition Reception, Artist Talk, & Neon Demonstration: Friday April 11, 2025 6-8:30pm RSVP Here

Location: Foci MN Center for Glass Arts, 2213 Snelling Ave, Minneapolis, MN, 55404

This exhibition is supported by grant funding from the Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass.

Artist Biography

James Akers is a Brooklyn, New York based artist working with glass, computers, and electricity. Akers grew up in Maryland skateboarding, playing guitar and hacking video games. He received a BFA from Alfred University in 2015 and currently operates a neon fabrication company called Nebula Neon with his partner, Ali Feeney. His artwork has been shown in museums, galleries, fairs, and homes around the world. In his work Akers finds interest in themes of celebration and excess, digital surveillance and influence, consumerism, bliss, and rebellious subversion. He employs a messy approach when designing and assembling his sculptures embracing a “show your work” philosophy. Exploring the idea of a decentralized internet made for and by its users, Akers has recently been programming a series of web-server sculptures as a component to his work outside of the glass studio.

Exhibition Statement

Humans make mistakes. With an elastic definition of success, we are bound to “mess up”. To mistake is to be human, and our own fallibilities make us who we are. In today's era of surveillance and automation to enhance business objectives, human fallibilities are often framed in a negative light, to be replaced by seemingly infallible “machine intelligence”. Fallible as we may be, there are still many things that humans do to an astonishing level of accuracy. Driving, infrastructure, music and architecture are all done by humans. All of the glass in this exhibition was made by the human who wrote this text. Usually with a paper template that the glass is bent to. Overall, there are celebrations of human intuition and fallibility throughout the show. From the fallible misinformation arrow playing off of our vulnerability to be manipulated by sensationalized targeted lies, to the improvised riffing of the doodles and tangles. These fallibilities are made more apparent via the inhuman precision of computers. The ever logging and never forgetting defaults, are left behind for basic, buggy web techniques of “touch free” human and sculpture interaction.

James Akers can be found on the web at:

https://www.jamesakers.net

Instagram: @jamesakers2

About Foci MCGA: Established in 2009, Foci MCGA proudly represents a vibrant arts community as Minnesota’s only public access studio and education center. Our 501(c)(3) non-profit organization is located in South Minneapolis and offers a full glass studio curriculum taught by artists locally and nationally recognized, as well as programming for youth, corporate group experiences, events, and exhibitions. Our goal is to be a safe space for all to feel welcome and engaged, creating experiences that motivate curiosity, build excitement, and advance mastery.

More information at www.mnglassart.org

Arts & Theater Details

Stitching Black Legacy: The Quilts of Carolyn Mazloomi

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Textile Center proudly presents Stitching Black Legacy: The Quilts of Carolyn Mazloomi, the largest solo exhibition of Mazloomi’s work ever held under one roof. All of the quilts in this exhibition were created in 2024 and 2025.

Carolyn Mazloomi’s black-and-white quilts catalyze ideas illustrated in her diaries and sketchbooks, where she embarks on in-depth explorations into the lives of freedom fighters. Her drawings are printed onto cotton fabric from these pages in rich, black ink reminiscent of the bold graphics captured in woodblock prints and indelible photographs reproduced in newspapers. Through this process, Mazloomi builds the compelling and complex narratives of Black trailblazers, memorializing their stories for future generations. Each quilt is framed by a patchwork border — a kaleidoscope of geometric patterns that celebrate the quilting community and those craft traditions that she has made significant contributions to as a curator, author, and community organizer.

Arts & Theater History & Heritage Details

& Juliet

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This hilarious new musical flips the script on the greatest love story ever told. & Juliet asks what would happen next if Juliet didn’t end it all over Romeo? Get whisked away on a fabulous journey as she ditches her famous ending for a fresh beginning and a second chance at life and love—her way.

Arts & Theater Details

Robert Samuels: The Fabric of Our Humanity and Beloved Communities

Well known for his powerful storytelling, Robert Samuels won the 2023 Pulitzer Prize for co-authoring His Name Is George Floyd: One Man’s Life and the Struggle for Racial Justice.

At the Washington Post, Mr. Samuels focuses on stories that unearth complicated truths about American history, institutions, and people. His work includes compelling narratives on politics, policy, and America’s changing identity. Mr. Samuels is this year’s featured speaker in the Forum’s Arc Toward Justice series.

Arts & Theater Community Free Details

MN Cuban Film Festival: A Night with the Rolling Stones

16th Minnesota Cuban Film Festival

Wednesday, May 14 at 7:00pm

Discussion follows the screening.

ABOUT THE FILM

March 2016: Havana is getting ready for the arrival of The Rolling Stones for an outdoor free concert, the first by a rock group since the fall of Batista. Rita is part of what is known as the "survivors"; those over forty who stayed behind while others left the island in search of a better life. Her son wants to move in with his father in Holland, her mother insists that she is dying and, to make matters worse, she is going out with a married man. And then, as the concert is about to begin, she runs into a former boyfriend. Is this the beginning of something new for Rita?

Arts & Theater Details

Ready to Start Your Podcast? Let’s Go!

Are you ready to start a podcast? In this two-hour interactive workshop, learn the basics of what it takes to get your podcast started AND get feedback on your content idea and title. Nina Badzin, host of Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship, a top 1% globally charted podcast, will tell you everything you need to know to get your podcast off the ground—saving you hours of time, energy, and decision making. Part of podcasting is deciding on your idea, but a great deal of it comes down to technological choices, which can feel overwhelming. Nina can help!

Community Details

Friends Lecture: Transcendent Clay: Kondō Porcelains

Join Joe Earle, former head of Asian art at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, for an insightful lecture on Mia’s exhibition “Transcendent Clay: The Kondō Family’s Path of Porcelain Innovations.” Drawing from his extensive experience and work on two major Kondō-related projects, Earle will explore the evolution of this distinguished ceramic lineage—from Kondō Yūzō’s early 20th-century influences to Kondō Takahiro’s groundbreaking contemporary practice.

Following the lecture, ceramic artist Kondō Takahiro will join Earle onstage, along with collector Jeffrey Horvitz and gallerist Joan Mirviss, for a lively panel discussion about Kondō Takahiro–his development, achievements, and international reception.

Andreas Marks, Mia’s Mary Griggs Burke Curator of Japanese and Korean Art, will moderate.

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain expert insights into the ceramic artistry, tradition, and innovation that define the Kondō family’s legacy.

Free to attend, and registration is required. Learn more.

Arts & Theater Details

Party 4 Parties @ Day Block Brewing Company

“Party 4 Parties” is a brand new arts/music showcase highlighting the flourishing artistic scene in the metro area. Prepare for a night full of artistry and community, all culminating in the heart of downtown Minneapolis at Day Block Brewing.

Doors at 6pm, music at 7pm

Day Block Brewing opens at 4pm, so come early for a pizza and a pint!

Dance Fairs & Festivals Food & Drink LGBTQ Live Music Details

Lakewood Cemetery Hosts Talk and Reception for Inaugural Artist in Residence Program

Lakewood Cemetery is launching its first-ever Artist in Residence program with a public Welcome Talk and Reception. This event offers the community an opportunity to meet the inaugural cohort of local artists and learn about their upcoming projects at Lakewood. The evening will include a Q&A in the historic Lakewood Memorial Chapel, followed by a reception in the Welcome Center.

The program aims to foster a connection between art, remembrance, and the natural beauty of Lakewood, interpreted by talented local artists. The Welcome Talk and Reception will provide insights into the artists' planned projects and offer attendees a chance to engage with them directly.

Artists:

Diana Eicher: A printmaker and papermaker, Diana plans to repurpose flowers from funeral arrangements to create handmade paper and prints, culminating in an exhibition and public workshops.

Sarah Greer: A vocalist dedicated to communal singing, Sarah will host seasonal workshops titled "Giving Voice to Grief," inviting participants to sing through emotions of grief and loss.

Andrew Grum Carr: A painter, writer, and teacher, Andrew will work on a project titled "An Opening," details of which will be shared during the event.

R.J. Kern: A noted local photographer whose project “Ethereal Echoes: A Journey of Light” will explore impermanence and the cycles of life through Chromoskedasic photography.

RSVP: Admission is free, but seating in the chapel is limited. Attendees are encouraged to RSVP to secure a spot.

Parking: Parking is available on the roads within Lakewood's gates unless otherwise indicated. Handicap parking will be accessible near the Chapel and Welcome Center. Carpooling and public transportation are recommended.

More information: https://www.lakewoodcemetery.o...

About the Lakewood Heritage Foundation

This event is sponsored by the Lakewood Heritage Foundation. The Lakewood Heritage Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization created to sustain Lakewood as a local treasure by supporting educational programming and the preservation and restoration of Lakewood’s landscape, art, architecture and public spaces—for the benefit of all.

About Lakewood: A Place to Remember

Lakewood is a serene haven in the heart of Minneapolis’s renowned Chain of Lakes — a place to come together to honor, remember and reflect. Since 1871, Lakewood’s 250 acres of urban memorial parkland have served as a community gathering place and a chronicle of our region’s traditions, cultures and people. A history keeper and a thought leader, Lakewood honors its roots as a landmark cemetery while reimagining its role in modern life, through thoughtfully designed events, experiences and spaces.

Today, Lakewood makes memorialization more relevant, accessible and inviting for new audiences and generations—with more creativity and choices. As a nonprofit organization governed by a board of trustees, Lakewood is committed to preserving and enhancing its grounds and architectural treasures and uses the proceeds generated from activities and events for that purpose. Lakewood invites the public to explore all that it has to offer. Learn more at https://www.lakewoodcemetery.o...

Arts & Theater Details

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