Hmong New Year
Happy Hmong New Year – Nyob Zoo Xyoo Tshiab! Each year at the end of the harvest season, the Hmong community comes together to celebrate the fruits of their labor through dance, music, and food. This year is especially special as it marks the 50th year of Hmong refugees living in Minnesota. Come celebrate the new year at the Brooklyns’ Hmong New Year on Saturday, December 13 from 5-9PM. Enjoy performances, music, food, and a resource fair.
North Star Jazz Community Jam Session
The North Star Jazz Jam is a casual, community-focused jam session. It’s a chance for local musicians to come together, play, and connect in a relaxed setting. All instruments and experience levels are welcome. Every Second Sunday of the month!
Create and Celebrate Festival of Lights
Join us for a magical Hanukkah family celebration! We’ll light the candles together, enjoy Hanukkah stories, create festive art projects, and share delicious sufganiyot (fried doughnuts). RSVPs are appreciated, and walk-ins are always welcome.
Celebrate the second night of Hanukkah with community, creativity, and joy! Hanukkah PJs optional. In partnership with St. Paul Jewish Federation and PJ Library. JCC Membership card or photo ID required.
Gingerbread Wonderland
Norway House invites the Greater-Twin Cities community—and beyond—to celebrate the holiday season at Gingerbread Wonderland, the annual gingerbread city exhibition in the Joan and Walter Mondale Galleri, that fills Norway House with hundreds of sweet, sugary creations.
Inspired by the world-famous gingerbread city (Pepperkakebyen) of Bergen, Norway, a tradition begun in 1991, Gingerbread Wonderland at Norway House brings together bakers, artists, and families of all ages to build a magical winter village—right here in Minneapolis.
A Christmas in Ochopee
It’s Christmas in the Everglades again as NNT begins a new winter tradition by remounting its wildly successful comedy, A Christmas in Ochopee by Montana Cypress. With fry bread, family feuds, and a memorable gator that may or may not hold the spirit of a beloved rez dog, the Weetley family navigates love, and loud uncles under one roof. Full of sharp Native humor, culture, and heart, Cypress brings us a holiday play that speaks to the beauty and chaos of rez life. It’s a Florida Christmas—expect miracles, mess, and maybe a chainsaw or two.
Felted Food Fight!
Have a picnic by sculpting sheep's wool and a barbed needle! Learn about humankind's oldest fabric-making technique while snack-shaped cookie cutters guide the way as you play with shape and color.
Come for the Julia Child: A Recipe for Life exhibition, then stay for the workshop in collaboration with the Textile Center! The drop-in workshop will take place on the third floor from 6-7:30 pm. Feel free to drop in for the entire 90 minutes, or for as little as fifteen minutes.
Griot Practice
Set up and chill Come early to help set up the drums, play bball in the gym and hang out. BYO SKATES (actually there are some loaner skates there). At six, practice African Dance Class style with added drum instruction Fellowship and vibing until 8p
NOTE: Voice of Culture is a Black Space.
Sounds of the Season: A Relaxed Organ Matinee
Gather your family and friends to experience the magic of the season! Northrop Organist Greg Zelek will fill the air with joy, performing beloved holiday classics, including selections from A Charlie Brown Christmas, Purvis' Carol Rhapsody, Joy to the World, Sleigh Ride, and Go, Tell It on the Mountain—all showcasing the organ’s versatility and power.
To add to the merriment, a talented chorister from the Minnesota Boy Choir will sing Walking in the Air from the cherished animated film The Snowman. This concert will fill your hearts with holiday cheer! This relaxed matinee is offered in partnership with the Autism Society of Minnesota.
Be The Light Winter Solstice Walk
Join the Westwood Hills Nature Center on the shortest day of the year to remember that many in our community aren’t able “to see the light” because of struggles with mental illness or difficult situations. Follow the luminary walk through the forest guided by visual messages from the community. Light a candle in honor or memory of someone who struggles with or struggled with mental health. Gather around a fire in the glowing winter light.
Owámniyomni: Self-Guided Audio Tour of St. Anthony’s Falls
Owámniyomni ta taŋyaŋ yahipi. Ded makoče kiŋ wičhówoyake uŋ nayaȟuŋ šni načeča. He wičhówoyake kiŋ ayábdeza ka óuŋyaphapi. Dakota Oyate kiŋ ded makoče kiŋ nina ahókiphapi ayábdeza oyakihi kte. Ded makoče kiŋ íčhikhoyagkiye ayábdeza. He mni kiŋ. He makoče kiŋ. Íčhikhoyagkičičhiye.
(Welcome to Owámniyomni.. There is a story to this place you may not have heard. Join us and discover that story. Discover the meaning of this place to Dakota people. Discover your own connection to this place. To the water. To the land. To each other.To the land. To each other.)
Langston Hughes’ Black Nativity
Generations of Twin Cities families have made Black Nativity part of their holiday ritual. Hughes’ classic retelling of the Christmas story is back for its 33rd year, lighting up our stage with incredible music and breathtaking choreography. Whether it’s your first time or your twenty-first, this soul-stirring celebration will remind you of the reason for the season.
Walking Tour of Saint Paul’s Sidewalk Poetry
The City of Saint Paul in partnership with Public Art Saint Paul hosted the first Sidewalk Poetry Contest in 2008 where residents of Saint Paul could submit poems for a chance to have them stamped permanently into residential city sidewalks.
What began as a way to create artistic expression on new sidewalk panels, is now an ongoing series that features over 70 poems across the city. View a growing map of poetry to see what poems are near you.
Walking Tour of The Lake Street Murals
Lake Street is a vibrant and bustling outdoor art gallery, boasting an array of captivating murals that weave a tale of South Minneapolis’s diverse history and creativity. Each mural and public art piece invites you to immerse yourself in its story. Join us on a sensory journey through art, culture, and community – there's always something new to uncover on our vibrant street, including a treasure trove of small businesses that exude warmth and hospitality.
Curious Allies: Exploring Relationships in Fungi, Parasites, and Carnivores
Join us for an exhibition about fascinating plants and the relationships that sustain them! No organism on Earth can survive alone, but some rely on collaboration more than others. The fungi, lichens, and plants featured in this show rely on important but often unobserved relationships to get what they need to thrive. These organisms and their often unnoticed relationships are critical to supporting biodiversity and healthy ecosystems.
This exhibition celebrates the many symbiotic relationships found throughout the botanical world. It features 50 artworks depicting fungi, lichens, parasitic, and carnivorous plants by artists located around the world, from Brazil, Indonesia, and Ireland to the United States (including Minnesota!).
Babies at the Castle: Tomte Tales
Experience Tomte Tales: Legends of Winter tour with your little one! At each stop enjoy fun, age-appropriate activities that help caregivers and babies connect with the art, and with each other. ASI educators will guide you through experiences carefully selected to support each baby’s developmental stage.
Leave strollers behind and carry your little ones, so babies can interact with the art at eye level. They will immerse themselves in this unique, festive tour designed specifically for babies up to 18 months and their caregivers.
Silly Shindig
Local kids band Koo Koo is putting on musical festival just for kids! Join the duo and five other kids’ bands for an awesome show on two stages. You can expect music, games, antics, and nonstop fun! Doors are at 11am and the show will wrap at 2pm (just in time for a nap).
Build a 2026 Vision Board
Join the Oxboro Library to prepare for the new year with an art project! Join us as we create a vision board, making collages of our goals for 2026. Materials provided. No registration required.
The Human Condition (Last Day)
Though we come from all different walks of life, what binds us together is our humanity. “The Human Condition” explores the feelings, experiences, and connections that are uniquely human through myriad mediums and styles. Come look through someone else’s eyes, or find your own looking back at you.
New Year’s Celebration with the MN Orchestra
Step into a sparkling evening where classical music meets the street, the saddle and the stage. Hear vibrant works by Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland and more—performed by your Minnesota Orchestra.
After the concert, dance to vintage jazz from Belle Amour and enjoy a Champagne toast at midnight, on us!
Skin: Living Armor, Evolving Identity
Skin: Living Armor, Evolving Identity uncovers the uniquely complex organ that protects humans and animals: skin. Featuring a range of specimen collections and interactive experiences, the exhibit explores the shape-shifting and color-changing nature of skin and the technology and innovations it inspires.
MISS RICHFIELD 1981: There’s a pill for the holidays!
How are you feeling? Do you have aches and pains? Are you nervous or perhaps you live in Edina? Miss Richfield promises that whatever your condition, "There's a Pill for That!"
In her all-new show, Miss R is celebrating our medicated world and finding ways to make you feel good and look even better. With her fun, interactive humor, songs and games, she promises to make you feel better even without any pills! So whether you're afflicted, addicted, or conflicted, come and let Miss R find just the right dose for you!
Pop Up Dance Party
You read the title correct. Bryant Square is so excited to host a "POP UP DANCE PARTY" event series in 2025! We provide the DJ and the space; all you need to bring is your energy and your best (or worst) dance moves. All ages are welcome!
Visit the MCBA/Jerome Book Arts Mentorship Exhibition
The MCBA/Jerome Book Arts Mentorship is an artist development program aimed at introducing book arts to early career artists whose primary medium is in another discipline. With generous funding from the Jerome Foundation, workshops, and critical support from MCBA, Series IX Jerome Mentorship recipients Yasmin Yassin, Gabi Estrada, and Drew Arrieta spent one year developing skills in contemporary and traditional book arts techniques and incorporating these into their larger practices. This exhibition celebrates the culmination of this year of book arts exploration and creative development.
Family Art Club
Kiddos ages 1-6 and their caregiver can join the Center for a weekly art class exploring a variety of art forms. Often paired with a beautiful book, and art appetizers to start, this family class will allow little artists to explore material and bigger artists to refine their skills. Classes explore all different materials from paints to clay—plan to get a little messy!
U.G.L.Y. Sweater Dash
Join St. Louis Park for the ugliest of sweaters dash! Dig out last year’s treasure, throw on the masterpiece you just created or simply enjoy the creativity of others. This 5K course loops through Louisiana Oaks Park and the lighted trees of Oak Hill Park in St. Louis Park. Afterwards, warm up across the street at the Park Tavern and revel in your accomplishments while wearing your race medal. Registrants also receive a goodie bag. Pre-race pick up is Friday before the race.
Baroque Christmas
Join the Norseland Youth Choir to experience the beauty and joy of the Christmas season with a selection of works written for Christmas by Marc-Antoine Charpentier. The concert centers on Charpentier’s Pastorale sur la Naissance (“Pastoral on the birth of Christ”), one of the most captivating and imaginative examples of sacred French-language Baroque drama. Charpentier’s In nativitatem explores the experience the shepherds might have that fateful day.
Laugh and Draw
Laugh and Draw is the only stand-up-comedy-show-and-figure-drawing-class in the Twin Cities! Comedians tell jokes and hold poses while audience members live figure draw them.
Get ready to draw your hearts out while laughing your face off!!!
Ice House Variety Show
Hear a showcase of local talent at Icehouse including: FPA, TOMBOYY, By will alone, major sosa, and ollo11, Jam.la, and Starthirl.
Youth Holiday Baking Workshop
Bring your kids to make Christmas cookies with friends of the North End Community Center! The newest Saint Paul community center is now open. Come be among the first to learn about the new with new state-of-the-art indoor and outdoor features.
North End Community Center offers educational programs, after school activities, family events, gym activities, youth and adult athletics, field rentals, rental space for parties, meetings, and events, and so much more.
Team Jigsaw Puzzle Contest
See how fast your team can put together a 500 piece puzzle. There will be prizes! Build a team of up to 4 people and see how quickly you can complete a 500 piece puzzle. Prizes will be awarded to the top finishing teams. There will also be door prizes. All teams get to keep their competition puzzle.
UPDATE: This event has sold out.
Chamber Music Concert
For more than 50 years, Greater Twin Cities Youth Symphonies (GTCYS) has transformed students and enriched the Twin Cities through orchestral experience for young musicians.
Join the GTCYS concert orchestra and Westminster Presbyterian Church for an evening of classical music performed by young people from the community.
Minneapolis Central Craft Club
For adults 18 and up. Craft and create with your library community. All skill levels welcome. Crafts will focus on knitting, crochet, embroidery, hand-sewing and papercrafts. Materials provided. Participants are welcome to bring their own projects or start something new.
Note: Minneapolis Central Library is easy to access by bus or light rail. There is a parking garage under the library accessed from 4th Street. Parking on Sundays in the ramp costs $5.
Sing-A-Long With Sister Celeste
Sister Celeste’s Sing-A-Long Event! Warm up your vocal cords with classic carols and a holiday beverage! Its that time of year and Sister Celeste is determined to get everyone in pitch-perfect shape for the Holy Season! Join her in the festively decorated Celeste Hotel Chapel Dining Hall.
There will be a wee vocal warm-up before playing a few games of Christmas Bingo for some very interesting prizes (Thank you, St.Vincent De Paul!). The fun continues with a chance to warm up your vocal cords with carols AND a select winter beverage! (Beverage included with the price of the ticket). And as always, a chance to learn a little history and win your very own glow-in-the-dark rosary with Sister Celestes quiz!
Illuminate Festival of Lights
Enjoy unforgettable family entertainment with stunning Chinese lanterns, mesmerizing acrobats, tasty global bites, and a lively night market! Highlights include: lantern sculptures, street food, Chinese acrobatic shows, a kids play zone, and a meet-and-greet with Bam Bam the Panda.
Pan Asian Center is a vibrant hub in Saint Paul dedicated to celebrating and uplifting the diverse cultures, businesses, and communities. Located in the heart of the city, our center serves as a marketplace, cultural gathering space, and economic development powerhouse, fostering unity and prosperity.
Show & Tell: An Exhibition for Kids
Show & Tell is an exuberant, interactive exhibition designed specifically for visitors ages 2 to 9. Featuring artworks and films from the Walker’s collection chosen for their kid-friendly subject matter—animals, alphabets, food, miniature worlds, and imaginary creatures—Show & Tell engages young visitors through zones that encourage looking, listening, reading, making, climbing, and playing.
With vibrant graphic and spatial design, the exhibition encourages children to engage their senses and imaginations and to be hands-on with installations and activities inspired by the works of artists such as Andrea Carlson, Katharina Fritsch, Jeffrey Gibson, Caroline Kent, Roy Lichtenstein, and Claes Oldenburg.
Twin Cities Iranian Culture Collective Exhibition
The Twin Cities’ most talented Iranian-American artists will have their work on display at our seventh annual Iranian Artists Exhibition Thursday, October 23 through Sunday, November 30, 2025 at the Hopkins Center for the Arts. Works by more than a dozen local artists will be on display, including several whose work has never before been featured in our shows.
The Twin Cities Iranian Culture Collective takes a deep pride in their cultural heritage, rich with accomplishments in the areas of art and architecture, music and poetry. Our annual Fall Iranian Culture Festival showcases local Iranian-Americans — some with national and international reputations — whose creative work in the arts, literature and scholarship reflects or illuminates their rich heritage.
Inspired By Books
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 on the first floor at the Information Bar. This month, Inspired by Books will discuss Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel.
Saint City Mahjong Club
Saint City Mahjong Club is a community for anyone who loves the game of American Mahjong—or is curious to learn! We’re passionate about teaching Mahjong and helping new players discover how fun, social, and rewarding this game can be. We love the community that the game fosters and hope you'll grab a seat at our table. Whether you’ve been playing for years or are just discovering the magic of the tiles, you’re welcome here.
Student Choreographed Dance Concert
Each Fall, dedicated student choreographers stage pieces applying the skills learned from their experiences and education within Macalester College’s Theater and Dance department.
Each piece is designed, run, and performed by students while faculty members lend support from behind the scenes. This performance has multiple showings throughout the weekend.
“Something There in the Woods” Reception
We are thrilled to present “Something there in the woods...”, an exhibition curated by Robert Cozzolino. Opened on November 18, the exhibition includes drawings, paintings, and sculptures by 13 Interact artists. Cozzolino writes, “ ‘Something there in the woods...’ ” is a celebration of the places in nature we might go, with our bodies or our minds, as envisioned by thirteen artists.”
Living in America: The Waiting List is Full
Living in America: The Waiting List is Full is a new ensemble-created production that blends humor, history, and lived experience to ask three urgent questions: What is public housing? Why is public housing? And why is the waitlist full?
Developed with participants who have navigated public housing, homelessness, and housing insecurity, the production focuses on the realities and the aspirations of public housing in America. Created in partnership with the Minneapolis Central Library, the show runs Nov. 13 – 21 at venues across the Twin Cities.
Winter Lights Opening Night
Join in the fun as we light up the Arboretum with Winter Lights. The lighting ceremony will begin at 6:30 p.m. with a count down to light up the Great Hall. Enjoy cookies and hot cocoa while you get the first look at the 2025 Winter Lights.
Winter Lights 2025 is an immersive indoor and outdoor nighttime experience that celebrates the beauty and wonder of plants in winter. Set across the Arboretum’s walkable pathways and indoor spaces, this year’s botanical-themed light displays highlight the University of Minnesota’s historic plant introductions and innovations. Guests will encounter dazzling tunnels, glowing gardens and nature-inspired installations that illuminate the science and magic of the natural world. New for 2025: Step into a breathtaking indoor forest of evergreen trees, each adorned with artful, nature-inspired decorations.
Dial-A-Story
Call 612-543-8851 and listen to a recording of Hennepin Library staff reading a short story on-demand. The story change weekly. See the list of previous stories on the Dial-a-Story for Adults book list. Hosted by Outreach Services. Sponsor: Friends of the Hennepin County Library.
Resist and Reclaim: Denim Quilt Workshop
Join Blackbird Revolt for the Resist & Reclaim workshop, exploring the intersections of Black and Indigenous movement with a community denim quilt. During this workshop, Terresa Hardaway, PhD and Jessica Garcia Fritz will present on their newest exhibition, c (open at the Goldstein Museum of Design from November to February).
This exhibition explores the contemporary and historical impacts of the built and visual environments on Indigenous sovereignty and Black liberation movements. Participants will add to the exhibition's community quilt with their own denim art that explores these concepts.
Pasta Making Class
In this immersive experience, you'll master the art of Italian pasta making. Our Chef will guide you through the entire process, from creating the perfect dough to expertly rolling, cutting, and shaping various pasta shapes.
Afterward, indulge in a delicious meal featuring the pasta you've created, a flavorful arugula salad and Italian citrus olive oil cake. Get ready to have a blast while learning the secrets of rustic Italian cooking.
Light on Lake: Community Art-Making
Help shape the art that will light up Lake Street this winter! Join us for a special community art-making session with the three selected artists – Boo McCaleb, Erica E Warren, and Rachel Quast – behind Light on Lake, a new public art experience that will illuminate East Lake Street in January, ending with the Great Northern Festival.
This fall, our artists are inviting neighbors and community members to come together to share stories and create artwork that will inspire the final projections shown during the four-night Light on Lake event. All ages and experience levels are welcome, no art background needed! This event is sponsored by the Minneapolis Arts and Cultural Affairs Department.
Restorative Arts Summit: Pathways to Healing, Reentry, and Community
Join us for a one-day gathering dedicated to exploring the arts as a healing practice in response to incarceration. This innovative summit brings together community organizations, advocates, artists, and directly impacted individuals from across Minnesota.
The day will feature opportunities for creative practice, networking, and support—building relationships that strengthen healing, reentry, and community. Art From The Inside connects us to our shared humanity, examines the effects of the criminal justice system, and inspires actions that support racial and economic justice.
Art Attack!
It’s our favorite event of the year! The Northrup King Building's highly anticipated fall open studio event showcases and celebrates four floors of amazing art and the artists who make up our creative community.
Meet the artists, find a treasure for your home, learn about the creative process with live art demos, immerse yourself in interactive art experiences, get a start on your holiday shopping with unique gifts, and don’t forget to grab a bite to eat from on of our guest food trucks as you wander! It’s a fantastic opportunity to experience all the incredible creativity and diversity of work from the hundreds of artists who call our iconic arts complex home.
Twin Cities Virtuosi
David Brubaker, first violinist of the Minnesota Orchestra, collaborates with pianist Miryana Moteva and organist Jacob Benda for an autumn evening of violin sonatas and virtuosic variations. Every Chapel Arts Series event is free, open to the public, and followed by a reception held in the Hoedeman Gallery for Sacred Art.