August 2, 2012, Thursday - 2012 Fringe Festival Event at Southern Theater

Time:  5:30pm

Location: Southern Theater, 1420 Washington Avenue South

The Gentlemen's Pratfall Club
By Comedy Suitcase
Created by Scrimshaw and Weinhagen

A struggling actor and a cruel French clown battle for the most coveted role in children's TV: Captain Clumsy. The creators of The Smothers Brothers Grimm bring you an uplifting comedy about falling down.

Additional dates/times:

August 5, 2012, Sunday, 8:30pm  
August 9, 2012, Thursday, 10:00pm  
August 10, 2012, Friday,  7:00pm  
August 12, 2012, Sunday, 2:30pm

Ticket and more info.

August 2, 2012, Thursday - Midwest Photo Safari: "Minneapolis Nights" Mill Ruins Park and the Stone Arch Bridge

Time:
This safari begins 30 minutes before local sunset (your tour confirmation will have an exact time). We meet at Mill Ruins Park on the west bank of the river. The Safari runs about 90 minutes on Thursday and Friday Nights.

Location:
This tour begins at Mill Ruins Park on the west bank of the Minneapolis riverfront.  We start by photographing  this interesting park,  then walk across the famous Stone Arch bridge to photograph the Minneapolis night skyline. We will learn the principles of low light settings on your digital SLR's or the various "scene" mode settings of your digital point and shoot camera.

More Information and Registration.

August 2, 2012, Thursday - Twin Cities River Rats

The 2012 Twin Cities River Rats shows are scheduled for 7pm Thursday nights through August 30, and take place at 1628 West River Road (between the Plymouth and Broadway).

The Twin Cities Rivers Rats describe their show as an aquatic Broadway musical featuring multiple water ski acts choreographed to music and built around a theme.

If you haven't already enjoyed a River Rats show, their website is loaded with fun videos to give you an idea of what to expect.  These are free events.

August 1, 2012, Wednesday - Bridge: A Gathering at Mill City Museum

Time: 5:45pm

Location:  Mill City Museum, 704 South 2nd Street

Bridge: A Gathering at Mill City Museum

On the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the collapse of the I-35W bridge, Twin Cities artists and community leaders will reflect on the transformation of lives and community at a public gathering at Mill City Museum on Aug. 1 at 5:45 p.m. The exhibit, Bridge, featuring photographs by artist Vance Gellert will open immediately following the event and will be on view through December, 2012.

The event is free and open to the public, but reservations must be made to secure a ticket by sending an email to bridge.agathering@gmail.com or by calling 612-673-2032.

August 1, 2012, Wednesday - Minneapolis Park and Rec Board Meeting

Time:  5:00pm

Location:  Minneapolis Park and Rec Board, 2117 West River Road

Agenda

The regular meetings are rebroadcast on Channel 79 on Saturdays at 1 p.m. and on the second and fourth Wednesdays of the month at 5 p.m.

Webcasts of MPRB regular board meetings are posted on the MPRB website two to five business days after each meeting and are available for viewing, along with Webcasts for the recent two months, at http://www.minneapolisparks.org/default.asp?PageID=900.

August 1, 2012, Wednesday - The Soap Factory Common Room Tour

Time:  Tour will depart from the Common Room sign at The Soap Factory’s front dock at precisely 6:30pm.

Location: Soap Factory, 514 Second Street SE

For the fourth year, Sergio Vucci and Andy Sturdevant will be leading Common Room, a series of artist-led tours originating at The Soap Factory and heading by foot, bicycle and mass transit into Minneapolis, seeking to activate public spaces and redefining our relationship with our surroundings.

Common Room began as a month-long series of interactive art events, out of a refurbished art deco office at The Soap Factory. Since 2011, Vucci and Sturdevant have taken the Common Room concept outside the four walls of the Soap Factory and into the city.

August 1st: Mall of America Tour
Trying to make sense of the eight million square foot capitalist fever dream that is the Mall of America has been a favorite of locals since it opened in 1992. What do we do with such a place? What does it say about Minnesota? Is the MOA something to be proud of and awed by, or something to be ashamed of? Andy Sturdevant, who will admit to never liking the Mall very much, will lead a sympathetic, in-depth tour of the MOA’s history, inner workings, secret highlights, notable attractions, and complex, enduring influence on the state’s self-image.

July 31, 2012, Tuesday - Let's Go to the Paint Store! Workshop with Ellen Ferrari at MCBA

Time: 10:00am-12:00pm

Location: Minnesota Center for Book Arts, 1011 Washington Avenue South

Let's Go to the Paint Store! with Ellen Ferrari

For families with children ages 2-10

Be amazed by Magic Paint Day by Shaheen Bilgrami and then amaze yourself by painting ON WATER! Learn the art of marbling using specially prepared water, paint and paper. Create lots of colorful patterns using everyday tools like forks, straws and toothpicks. Plus, be amazed by colorful snacks!

Join Ellen Ferrari for Tuesday mornings of family book arts fun! Each workshop starts off with a story and game to warm up your creativity and then dives into a book arts project. Workshops accommodate a range of developmental levels so that adults and children (or adult/child teams) may choose to work together or side-by-side. Each participant receives supplies to use during the workshop, but may choose to bring one set home if working with his or her partner. Ellen will provide older children with suggestions for extending their learning.

$30 ($27 members) per adult/child pair; $15 ($14) each additional participant

Register for this workshop.

July 31, 2012, Tuesday - Movie in the Park at Father Hennepin Bluffs Park

Time:  Movie starts 15 minutes after sunset. Click here to find out sunset time.

Location: Father Hennepin Bluffs Park (East Bank of the Stone Arch Bridge)

Tonights Movie:  Don't Knock the Rock

What to bring: Blanket or chair, sunblock and bugspray, picnic basket.

Reminders: Watch our facebook or twitter page for weather cancellations of the evening festivities. Post photos on our facebook page of you enjoying the concerts. Support the artists by picking up a CD or other merchandise.

Enjoy Music and Movie combo nights: Tuesdays at Father Hennepin Bluffs Park, start your evening with 7:00pm music!  June 12, 19, 26, July 10, 17,24, 31, August 7, 14, 21.

Questions or comments? Email us at concerts@minneapolisparks.org

Music & Movies in The Parks is produced by the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board. Enjoy more than 250 FREE concerts and movies in Minneapolis parks this summer!

July 31, 2012, Tuesday - Music in the Park at Father Hennepin Bluffs Park

Time: 7:00pm

Location: Father Hennepin Bluffs Park (East Bank of the Stone Arch Bridge)

Tonights entertainment:  Blue Pepper - Acoustic Rock Act Blue Pepper

What to bring: Blanket or chair, sunblock and bugspray, picnic basket.

Reminders: Watch our facebook or twitter page for weather cancellations of the evening festivities. Post photos on our facebook page of you enjoying the concerts. Support the artists by picking up a CD or other merchandise.

Enjoy Music and Movie combo nights:
Tuesdays at Father Hennepin Bluffs Park
Fridays at the Lake Harriet Bandshell (beginning June 9th).

Questions or comments? Email us at concerts@minneapolisparks.org

Music & Movies in The Parks is produced by the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board. Enjoy more than 250 FREE concerts and movies in Minneapolis parks this summer!

July 30, 2012, Monday - Music in the Park at Nicollet Island Amphitheater

Time: 7:00pm

Location: Nicollet Island Amphitheater

Tonights entertainment: Zachary Scot Johnson - Singer-Songwriter with Folk Tinge

What to bring: Blanket or chair, sunblock and bugspray, picnic basket.

Reminders: Watch our facebook or twitter page for weather cancellations of the evening festivities. Post photos on our facebook page of you enjoying the concerts. Support the artists by picking up a CD or other merchandise.

Questions or comments? Email us at concerts@minneapolisparks.org

Music & Movies in The Parks is produced by the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board. Enjoy more than 250 FREE concerts and movies in Minneapolis parks this summer!

July 30, 2012, Monday - Shawn Colvin at the Guthrie

Time: 7:30pm

Location: Wurtele Thrust Stage, Guthrie, 818 Second Street South, McGuire Proscenium Stage

Shawn Colvin

In an era when female singer-songwriters are ever more ubiquitous, Shawn Colvin stands out as a singular and enduring talent. Her songs are slow-release works of craft and catharsis that become treasured, lifetime companions for their listeners. As a storyteller, Colvin is both keen and warm-hearted, leavening even the toughest tales with tenderness, empathy and a searing sense of humor.

In the 22 years since the release of her debut album, Colvin has won three Grammy Awards, released nine albums and has combined sales of more than 2.5 million copies in the United States alone, and Colvin continues to tour nonstop throughout the year. Over the years she has shared the stage and toured with legendary artists such as Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, Bruce Hornsby, Emmylou Harris, John Hiatt, Don Helney and Lyle Lovett. Shawn has recently finished work for her new studio recording, All Fall Down, produced by her longtime friend Buddy Miller. She has also written a memoir, to be published by William Morrow Harper Collins, which is a natural extension of the intimate, personal and often hilarious stories that she weaves into her live concerts.

July 29, 2012, Sunday - Taste Twin Cities Food Tours Minneapolis Riverwalk Tour

Time: 11:00am - 2:00pm

Location:  Begins at Gold Medal Park (10th Avenue South & 2nd Street South), next to the Guthrie Theater - ends in Northeast Minneapolis

The Riverwalk Tour explores the Mill District and St. Anthony on Main in Northeast Minneapolis.  You'll enjoy the afternoon sampling a variety of food at historical landmarks, as well as visit the Mill City Museum, stroll by the Guthrie, and enjoy gorgeous views of St. Anthony Falls while crossing the Stone Arch Bridge into historical St. Anthony on Main.
 
You'll learn about the history of both these neighborhoods including a stroll along the oldest street in Minneapolis.  Taste and chat with other food-loving guests, and leave the tour with an appreciation for these distinct neighborhoods.

Reservations.  
 
Follow Taste Twin Cities on Facebook and Twitter.

July 29, 2012, Sunday - Roman Holiday Scooter Rally at Aloft

Time: 4:30pm - 10:30pm

A public event by Guthrie Theater

A fun night of Italian-themed delight celebrating the Guthrie’s new musical, Roman Holiday. Hop on your scooter and head on over to the kitschy Aloft hotel for an Italian BBQ, a Roman Holiday themed photo booth, and to mingle with other scooter lovers. Then, pop over to the Guthrie for the 7:00pm performance. Aloft will offer free parking in their lot for anyone arriving on a scooter!

4:30pm – 6:30pm Pre-show rally at aloft Minneapolis featuring Italian BBQ fare, happy hour pricing on drinks and the City Pages photo booth. Aloft is located at 900 Washington Avenue, just one block from the Guthrie.

7:00pm Performance of the new musical Roman Holiday at the Guthrie

Cost: $64 (Area 1), $56 (Area 2), $42 (Area 3)

To purchase tickets, call the Guthrie Box Office at 612.377.2224 and ask for the SCOOTER RALLY package. Not valid online, with other offers or on previously purchased tickets. A $3 handling fee per order applies.

July 29, 2012, Sunday - Railroad History Tour at the Mill City Museum

Time: 1:00pm

Location:  Mill City Museum, 704 South 2nd Street

Beginning with the arrival of Minnesota’s first rail line in 1862, Minneapolis boomed in population, flour milling, lumber production and warehousing as a rail network extended throughout the Upper Midwest. Take a guided tour to discover the impact of railroads on the Mill City, visiting railroad landmarks such as the Stone Arch Bridge, Milwaukee Road Depot and the Minneapolis Eastern Railway engine house and trestle. Along the way find clues to the vanishing railroad landscape and learn about the future of Twin Cities rail. The tour will begin and end at Mill City Museum, where participants can visit the museum’s gallery, included in the price of the tour.

Fee: $14 adults, $12 seniors and college students, $10 children ages 6-17 and MHS members. Includes museum admission.

Reservations: required, call 612-341-7555 or register online.

July 29, 2012, Sunday - Yoga in the Park at Father Hennepin Bluffs Park

Time:  10:00am - 11:00am

Location: Father Hennepin Bluffs Park (intersection of SE Main and SE 6th Avenue, on the East Bank of the Stone Arch Bridge).

Looking for a way to take your sun salutations outside so you can truly salute the sun? The Downtown Minneapolis CorePower Yoga invites you to join them each Sunday for CorePower Yoga’s, “Yoga in the Park.” CorePower encourages yoga practioners to open their minds and join their breath and movements to the sound of music and nature all around us. All levels of yoga students are welcome and their hope is that you take this opportunity to not only practice yoga, but to find even deeper connections within your community!

These free classes will be held every Sunday starting June 3rd and running through August 26th.  All classes are 10:00am – 11:00am at Father Hennepin Bluffs Park.  Please call CorePower Yoga Downtown Minneapolis at 612-375-9642 with questions.
 
Items of note:
- Attendees should arrive 15-30 minutes prior to class starting for sign in purposes.
- Students are asked to bring their own mat, towel, water and SUNSCREEN! There is limited shade at the park.
- Classes will be lead by certified yoga instructors from downtown Minneapolis’ CorePower Yoga.

July 29, 2012, Sunday - Wilderness Inquiry Mississippi River Day Trip: Parks Paddle

Time: 9:30am – 3:00pm

Location: Meet at East River Flats

Wilderness Inquiry Mississippi River Day Trip: Parks Paddle

Day trips are a great way to experience the great outdoors right in your own backyard. We'll provide voyageur canoes, staff, all equipment and shuttles. These trips involve and engage everyone regardless of their age, ability or previous outdoor experience. Join the leaders of our fantastic city parks -- Jayne Miller, Superintendent of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board and Mike Hahm, Director of St. Paul Park and Recreation. Mike and Jayne have been fantastic partners with our Urban Wilderness Canoe Adventures program. They are great people and really fun to be with. You've read about them in the paper, come and paddle with them in person! $45 per person; youth 17 and under: $30.

Information.

July 28, 2012, Saturday - Mill City Farmers Market

Time: 8:00am - 1:00pm

Location: 704 South 2nd Street

Today at Mill City Farmers Market: Beat the Heat at MCFM!

Grab an iced coffee or a fresh lemonade at Mill City Farmers Market today and help us beat this summer heat!  Sample cold soups in our kitchen today with Chef Heather Hartman, and stock up on farm fresh ingredients to make your own refreshing dishes at home!

Produce Planner:
At the Market today you will find turnips, radishes, spinach, spring salad mixes, arugula, spring onions, garlic, head lettuce, wild greens, purple carrots, beets, sorrel, fresh herbs, asparagus, kale, Swiss chard, collards, rhubarb, heirloom tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, green beans, zucchini, cucumbers, cabbage, raspberries, blueberries, and SWEET CORN!

Mill City Cooks, 10:00am:
Chef Heather Hartman helps us cool down with chilled soups today: Summer Melon Soup and Chilled Tomato Soup with Cucumber and Basil!

Live Music/Entertainment, 11:00am - 1:00pm:
Cornbread Harris. A true Twin Cities legend.

Sponsors, all day:
Thank you to today’s sponsor Prairie Vodka.  Adults, grab a fresh blueberry vodka lemonade!

Art Market, all day:
Featuring Hmong ABC, Plantworn, Anna Metcalfe, and Spring Finn.

July 28, 2012, Saturday - 9th Annual Mississippi River Challenge (2 days)

The Mississippi River Challenge is a 2-day, 39-mile paddling event to raise funds and awareness for a cleaner, healthier river.  (There are also half-day and One-day options.)

The dates for the 9th annual Mississippi River Challenge are July 28th & 29th, 2012. This is the premier event for Friends of the Mississippi River and all funds raised support the organization’s work to protect Mississippi River and its watershed the Twin Cities region. Each paddler over 18 is required to raise a minimum of $200 (half-day paddlers) or $250 (one and two day paddlers) in pledges to participate in this event. Paddlers ages 16-18 are asked to raise a minimum of $50 in pledges, but there is no minimum for those 15 and under.

Over the course of this event, you will experience a new view of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers and the Twin Cities that includes:

 •Stretches of seemingly near pristine wilderness right in the core of the urban area
•Camping in a historic fort
•Live music and great food
•The opportunity to learn about the history, the ecology, and the culture of these great rivers
•A chance to connect with other local paddlers and river enthusiasts, and more!
There are a variety of options for participation in the Mississippi River Challenge. You can:

•canoe, kayak, or paddleboard (other paddlecraft are also welcome, just nothing with a motor)
•paddle a half day, one day or two days (half day is 11 miles, one day is 17 miles, and two days is 39 miles)
•camp overnight at Historic Fort Snelling (or make other arrangements)
•paddle solo or with a partner
•volunteer
•sponsor a stop, a paddler, or a team (contact Marlis Schmidt at mschmidt@fmr.org for details)
This event is fully supported, which means a shuttle is provided from your car (parked at the end point) to the starting point, your camping gear is transported for you (no need to bring it in your boat!), all meals, snacks, and beverages are provided, and SAG (safety and gear) support is available at all rest stops along the route. There are some additional perks for paddlers, including online registration and a personal fundraising page, a Mississippi River Challenge t-shirt, a rare opportunity to camp at Historic Fort Snelling, and a Saturday night celebration complete with live music from The Roe Family Singers and cold beverages. This is a family-friendly event and we encourage people of all ages and skill levels to participate!

There are several stopping points along the route where paddlers are required to take a break. Each day has rest stops and a lunch stop to allow paddlers to re-hydrate and re-energize. This is important to successfully completing the Mississippi River Challenge.

July 28, 2012, Saturday - Minneapolis Riverfront Tour at the Mill City Museum

Time: 1:00pm

Location:  Mill City Museum, 704 South 2nd Street

Minneapolis Riverfront Tour

Walk the Minneapolis riverfront and learn about its dramatic past and bright future. Participants will visit the historic district at St. Anthony Falls, which was once the milling center of the world and is now a growing cultural, recreational and residential neighborhood. A guide from Mill City Museum will lead visitors onto the Stone Arch Bridge for a spectacular view of the falls, the historic buildings surrounding it and downtown Minneapolis and tell stories of the people who have worked and lived in the area and how it has changed over the years. The tour begins and ends at Mill City Museum where participants can visit the museum gallery (included in the price of the tour) and enjoy refreshments at the Mill City Museum Café.

Fee: $14 adults, $12 seniors and college students, $10 children 6-17 and MHS members. Includes museum admission.

Reservations: required, call 612-341-7555 or register online.

July 28, 2012, Saturday - Live Music at Crooked Pint

Time: 10:00pm  $10 Cover

Location: Crooked Pint Ale House, 501 Washington Avenue South

Tonight: Salsa del Soul

Salsa del Soul is a nine-piece orchestra performing various styles of dance music from the Spanish-speaking regions of the Caribbean.