9 free things to do in the Twin Cities this week
The holiday season has started with a turkey giveaway, Santa arrival party and winter open house.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
November 12, 2024 at 5:30PM
The Edelstein-Keller Visiting Writer Series hosts the author of the New York Times bestselling essay collection “Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion.” (7 p.m. Nov. 18, Pillsbury Hall, 310 Pillsbury Drive SE., Mpls., cla.umn.edu)
2. Crescendo Community Chorus
Conductor Randal Buikema leads the chorus in a performance of “Misa a Buenos Aires (Misatango),” by Martin Palmeri. (7:30 p.m. Thu., Normandale Lutheran Church, 6100 Normandale Road, Edina, crescendochorus.org)
3. Turkey Giveaway & Fan Zone
Those in need can pick up a turkey for Thanksgiving dinner. Guests also have the opportunity to meet Minnesota Wild players and participate in games. (1-4 p.m. Fri., Aldrich Arena, 1850 N. White Bear Av., Maplewood, visitstpaul.com)
4. Authors & Illustrators Book Fair
This inaugural event highlights children’s literature and connects young readers with authors and illustrators in a celebration of storytelling. (10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sat., Midtown Global Market, 920 E. Lake St., Mpls., facebook.com)
5. Santa Arrival Party
The man in the red suit flies in for the holiday season for festive fun. Mrs. Claus will read holiday stories and lead songs. Later, she will give a special introduction for Santa before fun with balloon art and face painting. (10:15 a.m.-2 p.m. Sat., Eden Prairie Center, 8251 Flying Cloud Drive, Eden Prairie, edenprairiecenter.com)
6. Party in the Parlor
Competitive types can earn bragging rights in friendly old-fashioned games of Fox & Geese, Shut the Box, ninepins, ball & cup, checkers and marbles. (1-4 p.m. Sat., Gideon and Agnes Pond House, 401 E. 104th St., Bloomington, bloomingtonmn.gov)
7. Northern Clay Center Winter Open House
View the annual winter show featuring ceramics by a variety of artists and make a ceramic winter gear decoration. Art lovers can shop for jewelry, pots, sculpture and more during the show’s run. Exhibit ends Dec. 31. (Noon-3 p.m. Sun., 2424 E. Franklin Av., Mpls., northernclaycenter.org)
8. ‘Jingle All the Way’
Embrace the spirit of the season at a screening of the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie that was filmed in the Twin Cities and shows landmarks like the Hennepin Avenue Bridge, Mickey’s Diner and Mall of America. (7 p.m. Sun., Nicollet Island Pavilion, 40 Power St., Mpls., minneapolisparks.org)
9. ‘Ask Me: At the Moulin Rouge’
Minneapolis Institute of Art guides share history and information about the painting by Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec that captures an evening at the iconic nightclub. The painting is on loan from the Art Institute of Chicago for the exhibition that also includes rarely seen works from Mia’s collection. Ends March 9. (11 a.m. Tue.-Sun., 2400 3rd Av. S., Mpls., free, artsmia.org)
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Have a free event? Email events@startribune.com three weeks in advance of publication for consideration.
For years, Twin Cities’ biggest arts organizations enjoyed “extraordinary” giving from homegrown corporations. Now, they’re grappling with steep declines: “We had more to lose.”
