This Week in Geek (6/13/22–6/19/22)
Welcome to This Week in Geek, your guide to events of interest to the Minnesota geek community for the week of Monday, June 13, to Sunday, June 19.
Virtual Events
Juneteenth 2022—Honoring Ancestors: Dreaming Forward
What: Community, Music, Theater & Comedy, Educational
When: Sunday, June 12, through Monday, June 20
Where: Virtual via Zoom; in-person at various outdoor locations
Honor Juneteenth, the holiday commemorating the end of slavery, with a week of music, stories, and performances hosted by the Hennepin County Library. Featured speakers and performers include Nothando Zulu, Mica Anders, Journey Productions, Auntie Beverly, Passed Presents, and more. This event series is free and includes a mix of virtual events and in-person programming held outdoors at Sumner Library and Minneapolis parks; see the website for the full schedule and event locations.
SocietyX: Making a Home for Houseplants
What: Educational
When: Monday, June 13, at 10:30 a.m.
Where: Virtual event
Learn best practices for being a good host to your plant comrades in this weekly class taught by Jocelyn Perez-Blanco. Perez-Blanco is the founder of Herban Garden and an educator, herbalist, naturalist, conservationist, flower-essence therapist, essential-oil coach, and avid gardener with a background in biology, animal husbandry, ethnobotany, and agriculture.
Virtual Pub Quiz Trivia Night
What: Trivia
When: Monday, June 13, 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! Watch for other Monday night virtual pub-trivia events going forward.
Minnesota Zoo Virtual Yoga
What: Sports & Fitness
When: Wednesday, June 15, at 7:45 a.m.
Where: Virtual via Zoom
Start your morning with yoga at the zoo! Each week, the instructor teaches a yoga routine live from exhibits around the zoo. These classes are appropriate for both beginners and experienced yogis. Each class is $8 for nonmembers, with reduced rates available for zoo members or when registering for multiple classes at the same time. Sessions are recorded and available to view during the week for those who are unable to tune in live.
Reverend Matt’s Monster Science: Rat Kings
What: Comedy & Theater, Educational
When: Wednesday, June 15, at 3:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Facebook
Reverend Matt’s Monster Science is a recurring comedic-lecture series that focuses on monsters. This livestream event explores rats, including ratfolk, wererats, and our favorite turtle trainer Master Splinter.
Twin Cities Playtest
What: Gaming
When: Wednesday, June 15, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Twitch
This online-only playtest event ran by the Twin Cities chapter of the International Game Developer’s Association highlights in-development games by streaming them to Twitch, and by allowing participants to test them with a service called Parsec. See the event for all of the details on how to participate as a developer or a player.
Ask an Astronomer
What: Science & Tech, Educational
When: Wednesday, June 15, at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Facebook
Learn about current astronomical events and get your space questions answered by staff from the Marshall W. Alworth Planetarium at the University of Minnesota Duluth.
Smithsonian Associates Streaming Series—Judy Garland: A 100th Birthday Tribute
What: Educational, Movies, Music
When: Thursday, June 16, at 5:30 p.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, celebrate Judy Garland’s birthday and legacy by learning about her life and contributions to the golden age of Hollywood. American music specialist Robert Wyatt will lead this presentation, which is accompanied by video clips from her films, TV specials, and concerts. General admission tickets are $35, and a discount is available for members.
Check out the streaming series webpage to see the many other upcoming events this week, including topics on the La Brea Tar Pits, artist Yayoi Kusama, women in music, and more!
Twin Cities Geek Art Club
What: Arts
When: Thursday, June 16, and Sunday, June 19; at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual via Discord
The Twin Cities Geek art club meets every Thursday evening from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. on the Twin Cities Geeks Discord. Hop on voice or video and chat while you create art, then share your finished pieces on the #art-club channel! This event is open to all. You can join by visiting twincitiesgeek.com/discord.
Society X: Night Owls
What: Arts
When: Friday, June 17, at 9:00 p.m.
Where: Virtual event
Get together with other creative night owls to hang out and make some art. This is a great chance to work, bounce ideas off of folks, and be a little social. Bring your own art supplies.
GalaxyCon Live
What: Community, Conventions
When: Friday, June 17, and Saturday, June 18
Where: Virtual event
GalaxyCon, a convention for fans of various genre properties, is hosting virtual events and autograph signings. These events are a great way to bring the convention experience home with panels, one-on-one chats, autographs, virtual shout-outs, and more. The Q&A panels are free, but additional interactive experiences or autographs do have variable prices; see website for full details. This week includes events and signings for fans of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Ghost of Tsushima, and more.
Midwest Sci-Fi Short Film Festival June Edition
What: Movies
When: Friday, June 17, through Sunday, June 19
Where: Virtual; details with registration
The Midwest Sci-Fi Short Film Festival will be streaming 27 independent short films with a special focus on projects produced in the Midwest regions of the United States and Canada. This is the second of a three-part virtual series during 2022, with the next edition taking place during August. Weekend passes are $10 each.
In-Person Events
Please note: Due to the risks from the ongoing pandemic, we urge all readers to take appropriate safety measures when choosing to attend in-person events, such as masking, physical distancing, and frequent handwashing. We also urge all eligible Minnesotans to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and to wear a mask in indoor settings even if vaccinated. If you believe you have been exposed to COVID-19 or are experiencing symptoms, please get tested and follow Minnesota state guidelines on isolating from others. See our COVID-19 resources page for more information on vaccination, health and safety, financial and other assistance, and more.
While we cannot guarantee the safety of anyone attending an event we are not affiliated with, our aim is to include only those hosted by groups and venues that list clear, reasonable COVID safety precautions. If you feel something in this column does not meet those criteria, we encourage you to contact us at [email protected] with your concerns.
Hair Ball! A Bigfoot Musical Adventure
What: Comedy & Theater
When: Wednesday, June 8, through Sunday, June 19; at 7:00 p.m.
Where: Bakken Museum
Grab your lawn chairs and get ready for a fun June night as Open Eye Theatre presents Hair Ball! A Bigfoot Musical Adventure. This musical hosted by the Bakken will feature live bands, family-friendly chaos, and elite Canadian forest rangers. Tickets are $30 for general admission, and the production will run until June 19, with various dates (see the website for full details). Recommended for ages 10 and up.
Juneteenth 2022—Honoring Ancestors: Dreaming Forward
What: Community, Music, Theater & Comedy, Educational
When: Sunday, June 12, through Monday, June 20
Where: Virtual via Zoom; in-person at various outdoor locations
Honor Juneteenth, the holiday commemorating the end of slavery, with a week of music, stories, and performances hosted by the Hennepin County Library. Featured speakers and performers include Nothando Zulu, Mica Anders, Journey Productions, Auntie Beverly, Passed Presents, and more. This event series is free and includes a mix of virtual events and in-person programming held outdoors at Sumner Library and Minneapolis Parks; see the website for the full schedule and event locations.
Northern Fire Dynamic—Free Public Fire Performance!
What: Arts
When: Monday, June 13, at 8:00 p.m.
Where: Powderhorn Park
Watch Minneapolis fire troupe Northern Fire Dynamic perform the choreography they’ve created for this year’s Burning Man. This performance is free, but donations are encouraged.
Movies in the Parks: Ghostbusters: Afterlife
What: Movies, Community, Family
When: Monday, June 13, at 9:15 p.m.
Where: Lyndale Farmstead Park
Enjoy a night of community and movie magic under the stars! Movies start at dusk, and are free and open to the public. Screening this week is Ghostbusters: Afterlife, which takes place two generations after the classic 1980’s films. Check out the website for a complete schedule of screenings this week.
Thursday Evening Tours in the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden
What: Arts
When: Thursday, June 16, at 6:00 p.m.
Where: Minneapolis Sculpture Garden (Walker Art Center)
Take a guided tour through the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden! These free, outdoor tours are offered every third Thursday throughout the summer. Space is limited and spots are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
AFROPUNK
What: Community, Music, Food & Drink
When: Saturday, June 18, through Sunday, June 19
Where: Sheridan Memorial Park & the Get Down Coffee Company
The AFROPUNK festival is marking Juneteenth and Black joy with a weekend full of music, panel discussions, and community action events. National and local performers include Ari Lennox, Mereba, Dreamer Isioma, Miloe, Papa Mbye, and many more. The festival will also feature the SpinThrift Market filled with local artisans and the Beats&Bites food trucks highlighting local cuisine. Weekend passes are $80.89 (including service fee).
Seeing Birds Tour
What: Educational
When: Saturday, June 18, at 2:00 p.m.
Where: Bell Museum
This is a chance to geek out over birds with Don Luce, a Bell Museum associate and retired Curator of Exhibits. Expect a guided tour of the Bell’s temporary Seeing Birds exhibition, including works from John James Audobon and Francis Lee Jaques to celebrate the Bell’s 150th anniversary. This tour is included in the price of regular museum admission, but is first-come, first-served.
Music in the Parks: Brass Menagerie
What: Music
When: Sunday, June 19, at 5:30 p.m.
Where: Lake Harriet Bandshell
Enjoy an evening of live music in the park! This week features a performance by Brass Menagerie, a 10-piece cover band playing hits from Frank Sinatra, Tina Turner, Bruno Mars, and everything in between. Check out the website for a complete schedule of performances this week.
Wondering why we didn’t include your geeky event? We are only including in-person events from organizers and venues with responsible, clearly advertised COVID-19 safety precautions that meet our standards. If you’d like to be considered for future listings, send your safety info to [email protected]!
