From Hennepin County:

Get help with your broken stuff and learn valuable repair skills at free Fix-It Clinics! Fix-It Clinics offer free, guided assistance from volunteers with repair skills to disassemble, troubleshoot, and (hopefully) fix small household appliances, clothing, electronics, mobile devices and more. Fix-It Clinics teach valuable troubleshooting and basic repair skills, build community connections and reduce the number of repairable items that are thrown in the trash.

Hennepin County Fix-it Clinic
Saturday, Dec. 14 • 12–4 PM
Creekside Community Center

From Midtown Global Market:

Family Christmas Party
Saturday, Dec. 14 • 12–4 PM
Midtown Global Market

From Hennepin County Library:

Extend the life of your favorite worn-out, scuffed, or stained clothing pieces by mastering mending techniques that will keep your wearables out of the landfill and in your closet. It doesn’t hurt that they’re decorative, too! Materials provided. Collaborator: Textile Center. This program is funded with money from Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

Visible Mending Sampler
Saturday, Dec. 14 • 10 –11:30 AM
Walker Library: 2880 Hennepin Ave

From Magers & Quinn Booksellers:

Who’s your hero? What television show did you binge-watch, even before “binge-watching” was part of our vernacular? For Julie Marie Wade, the hero is Mary Tyler Moore, the television show, The Mary Tyler Moore Show. From its premiere on Nick at Nite in 1992 until the death of its eponymous lead actress in 2017, this nonfiction novella follows our protagonist from her pre-teen years in Seattle through tenure at an academic institution in Miami—a journey modeled in surprising, tender, and humorous ways on Mary’s own journey from Roseburg to Minneapolis, to the WJM newsroom and beyond.

Julie Marie Wade teaches in the creative writing program at Florida International University in Miami. Her newest projects are The Mary Years (Texas Review Press, 2024), selected by Michael Martone as the winner of the 2023 Clay Reynolds Novella Prize, and the forthcoming Quick Change Artist: Poems (Anhinga Press, 2025), selected by Octavio Quintanilla as the winner of the 2023 Anhinga Poetry Prize.

Author Talk: The Mary Years
Thursday, Dec. 5 • 7 PM
Free, Registration Required

From Magers & Quinn Booksellers:

An 1855 treaty set aside thousands of acres to be the permanent home of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, but in order for members to hold this land it required resolute actions and unwavering commitment. This important volume details how an Indigenous community repeatedly stood up for itself and won against overbearing pressures across decades.

The Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, known as the non-removeable band, remained steadfast in the face of challenges to the Treaty of 1855, which granted them 61,000 acres of land along the south shore of Lake Mille Lacs for their use indefinitely. Soon Euro-American entrepreneurs encroached on these rights and encouraged Ojibwe families to move elsewhere, but Mille Lacs Band members held firm. They Would Not Be Moved traces the history of a people defending their rights through decades of opposition to their sovereignty and their stewardship. Loggers and settlers claimed parcels, taking advantage of lax governmental oversight. Neighbors may have wished away the Mille Lacs Reservation, but historical maps, contemporary newspaper accounts, and congressional declarations make clear the reservation was never dissolved.

Bruce White opens this essential history with oral traditions of the people at home on the land. He interprets treaty negotiations to outline how each side understood the signed agreements. Local newspapers show that some nearby communities supported the Mille Lacs people, and family narratives relate the challenges and successes of those who stayed to defend their rights. Ultimately, the story of the Mille Lacs Reservation is one of triumph--of courage and survival and successful resistance.

Bruce White has dedicated more than four decades to researching Native history in Minnesota and North America. His books include We Are at Home: Pictures of the Ojibwe People and, with Gwen Westerman, Mni Sota Makoce: The Land of the Dakota. He has authored expert reports used in court cases testing treaties and the application of laws relating to Native people. His expert report in the 1994 Mille Lacs hunting and fishing case was quoted by Sandra Day O'Connor in her 1999 majority opinion upholding the rights of the Mille Lacs Band to hunt and fish in the ceded area of the Treaty of 1837. He lives in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Author Talk: The Mary Years
Tuesday, Dec. 3 • 7 PM
Free, Registration Required

From CIDNA:

Join us in celebrating Small Business Saturday! The Cedar-Isles-Dean Neighborhood Association (CIDNA) is seeking vendors for its 2024 Holiday mART, taking place on Saturday, November 30, 2024 – also known as Small Business Saturday. If you’re an artist or maker looking for opportunities to showcase and sell your work this holiday season, send an email to info@cidna.org for more information.

CIDNA Holiday mART
Saturday, Nov. 30 • 1 – 4 PM
Jones-Harrison: 3700 Cedar Lake Ave

From Magers & Quinn Booksellers:

Quill has lived on the Red Pine reservation in Minnesota her whole life. She knows what happens to women who look like her. Just a girl when Jimmy Sky jumped off the railway bridge and she ran for help, Quill realizes now that she's never stopped running. As she trains for the Boston Marathon early one morning in the woods, she hears a scream. When she returns to search the area, all she finds are tire tracks and a single beaded earring.

Things are different now for Quill than when she was a lonely girl. Her friends Punk and Gaylyn are two women who don't know what it means to quit; her loving husband, Crow, and their two beautiful children challenge her to be better every day. So when she hears a second woman has been stolen, she is determined to do something about it--starting with investigating the group of men working the pipeline construction just north of their homes.

As Quill closes in on the truth about the missing women, someone else disappears. In her quest to find justice for all of the women of the reservation, she is confronted with the hard truths of their home and the people who purport to serve them. When will she stop losing neighbors, friends, family? As Quill puts everything on the line to make a difference, the novel asks searing questions about bystander culture, the reverberations of even one act of crime, and the long-lasting trauma of being considered invisible.

Marcie R. Rendon is an enrolled member of the White Earth Nation, author, playwright, poet, and freelance writer. Also a community arts activist, Rendon supports other native artists / writers / creators to pursue their art, and is a speaker for colleges and community groups on Native issues, leadership, writing.

Author Talk: Where They Last Saw Her
Monday, Nov. 25 • 7 PM
Free, Registration Required

From Magers & Quinn Booksellers:

Magers & Quinn is proud to welcome back The Mill City Reading Series, a monthly showcase of works-in-progress by MFA in Creative Writing students at the University of Minnesota.

The showcase is free and open to the public. Speakers and genres vary every month. Come support these emerging writers on Sunday, November 24. Other series dates are Sunday, September 29 and Sunday, October 27.

More details about this session's readers will be available soon!

Mill City Reading Series: U of M MFA in Creative Writing
Sunday, Nov. 24 • 5 PM
Free, Registration Required

From Queermunity:

Poetry & Pampering: A Night of Queer Lit, Self-Care, and Local Artisans

Join us for a live poetry reading, a DIY nail bar, make-your-own aromatherapy station, and a curated selection of luxury product vendors. Featuring local queer author Diana McLean, celebrating the release of her new book Love is the Why, with special guest Rebecca Wilson. Both authors are published under Tehom Center Publishing.

• Free and open to the public, no ticket required
• Café open for dinner and n/a drinks (this is a Sober Thursday event)
• Masks optional, available at Resource Desk
• ASL interpretation available upon request; Please email kyra@queermunitymn.com with this and/or any additional access needs
• All-ages, sober event

From Minneapolis Institute of Art:

Connect, create, kick back! Meet at Mia is a new series of free Thursday evening events for adults. Get to know us—and each other—with live music, art making, special programs, and unique food and drink (for purchase). No registration or secret handshake required.

Native American Heritage Month acknowledges the many diverse traditions and histories of tribal nations across the country. Join us as we activate the museum in celebration through art, film, and tours.

Meet at Mia: Reclaiming Identity
Thursday, Nov. 21 • 5 – 9 PM
Minneapolis Institute of Art (Museumwide)

Fall 2024: Meet at Mia

Thursday, Oct. 3: Making Sense
Celebrate the extraordinary gift of Mia’s new “Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room: The Alice S. Kandell Collection,” which includes more than two hundred Buddhist ritual objects created in Tibet between the 1300s and early 1900s. Activate your six senses–including the mind–through music, food, tours, and more.

Thursday, Oct. 31: Midnight in Paris
Journey back to the bewitching, bohemian nightlife of Paris in the 1890s–the scene of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s painting At the Moulin Rouge, on loan to Mia for a limited time. Then jump ahead to the early 20th century and the avant-garde antics of Salvador Dali, the hot jazz of Josephine Baker, and the joyful abstractions of Henri Matisse. Come dressed to impress and enter our costume contest; visitors vote on their favorite. Please note that non-medical face masks cannot be worn in the galleries.

Thursday, Nov. 7: Dark Visions
Revel in the Sublime, like the Romantics of the 1700s and 1800s, experiencing the “dark side” of Mia–the frightful and macabre. Dive into the art and minds of Francisco Goya and William Blake while enjoying performances, floral arrangements, and talks.

Thursday, Nov. 21: Reclaiming Identity
Native American Heritage Month acknowledges the many diverse traditions and histories of tribal nations across the country. Join us as we activate the museum in celebration through art, film, and tours.

From Magers & Quinn Booksellers:

Cold winters call for warm kitchens and cookie baking, especially around the holidays. The Ultimate Minnesota Cookie Book, a compendium of Minnesota’s rich baking traditions and innovative recipes, stirs up winning treats from twenty years of the Star Tribune’s popular holiday cookie contest.

The best of the best, these contest-winning cookies are accompanied by beautiful photographs and baking tips, insights, and essays about favorite cookie memories. Indulge in these delightful, mouth-watering recipes while Minnesota’s best bakers share stories of cherished holiday traditions, recall memorable cookie moments, and celebrate how baking brings us together.

Author Talk: The Ultimate MN Cookie Book
Wednesday, Nov. 20 • 7 PM
Free, Registration Required

From Effective Law Enforcement for All (ELEFA):

Save the date! Meet the Independent Evaluator team, learn about who we are, our role, and updates on implementation progress with a focus on policy and training. ELEFA was hired by the City as the independent evaluator to monitor and ensure MPD is meeting the requirements of its two court-enforceable consent decrees.

Info Sessions: MPD Independent Evaluator
Nov. 13, 6–8 PM • Sabathani Community Center: 310 E 38th St. Ste 210
Nov. 14, 6–8 PM • North Community High School: 1500 James Ave

From Queermunity:

Join Baki Baki Baki at Queermunity for a series of hands-on workshops where you'll learn the art of self-publishing and explore new ways to express your creativity. Participants will gain valuable skills to create and publish their own works, with zine-making as a fast and affordable way to distribute artistic and cultural content.

Each participant will take home their own creations, but are also welcome and encouraged to contribute copies of their work to the community zines produced during this project. These zines will feature a variety of print-friendly art: poetry, short stories, illustrations, collages, mini-comics, essays, and more—showcasing the creativity and diversity our collective culture.

RSVP: None required. This is a drop-in style workshop and series
Age requirement: All ages
Refreshments: Sandwiches and beverages provided
Cost: FREE

From Effective Law Enforcement for All (ELEFA):

Save the date! Meet the Independent Evaluator team, learn about who we are, our role, and updates on implementation progress with a focus on policy and training. ELEFA was hired by the City as the independent evaluator to monitor and ensure MPD is meeting the requirements of its two court-enforceable consent decrees.

Info Sessions: MPD Independent Evaluator
Nov. 13, 6–8 PM • Sabathani Community Center: 310 E 38th St. Ste 210
Nov. 14, 6–8 PM • North Community High School: 1500 James Ave

From Garden Club of Minneapolis:

Join the Garden Club of Minneapolis, along with Marilynn Torkelson, founder of Wild Ones – Prairie Edge Chapter. Ms Torkelson will explain the importance of planting and maintaining a native garden in relation to its connection to the environment and climate change. Free and open to the public.

Planting & Maintaining a Native Garden
Tuesday, Nov. 12 • 7–8 PM
St. Mary’s Greek Orthodox Church (3450 Irving Ave S)

From Hennepin County:

Get help with your broken stuff and learn valuable repair skills at free Fix-It Clinics! Fix-It Clinics offer free, guided assistance from volunteers with repair skills to disassemble, troubleshoot, and (hopefully) fix small household appliances, clothing, electronics, mobile devices and more. Fix-It Clinics teach valuable troubleshooting and basic repair skills, build community connections and reduce the number of repairable items that are thrown in the trash.

Hennepin County Fix-it Clinic
Saturday, Nov. 9 • 12–4 PM
Mount Olivet Lutheran Church of Plymouth

This week is Walking Club leads Tim and Kate’s last walk! Meet as usual, and end up at their home for late morning snack and chat about the safety team moving forward. We welcome all who have walked and who have an interest in the walks or would like to know more. Questions? Reach out to Kate Van Slyck at kvanslyck1@gmail.com.

Walk the neighborhood as a community! The goal of these walks is to build bonds and send a strong signal that this community is working together to keep itself taken care of and safe. We will also clean litter as we walk. Any volunteers will receive a free Community Safety Shirt and knit cap.

Meet at St. Mary’s Greek Orthodox Church: 3450 Irving Ave S
North Parking Lot

From Minneapolis Institute of Art:

Connect, create, kick back! Meet at Mia is a new series of free Thursday evening events for adults. Get to know us—and each other—with live music, art making, special programs, and unique food and drink (for purchase). No registration or secret handshake required.

Revel in the Sublime, like the Romantics of the 1700s and 1800s, experiencing the “dark side” of Mia–the frightful and macabre. Dive into the art and minds of Francisco Goya and William Blake while enjoying performances, floral arrangements, and talks.

Meet at Mia: Dark Visions
Thursday, Nov. 7 • 5 – 9 PM
Minneapolis Institute of Art (Museumwide)

Fall 2024: Meet at Mia

Thursday, Oct. 3: Making Sense
Celebrate the extraordinary gift of Mia’s new “Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room: The Alice S. Kandell Collection,” which includes more than two hundred Buddhist ritual objects created in Tibet between the 1300s and early 1900s. Activate your six senses–including the mind–through music, food, tours, and more.

Thursday, Oct. 31: Midnight in Paris
Journey back to the bewitching, bohemian nightlife of Paris in the 1890s–the scene of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s painting At the Moulin Rouge, on loan to Mia for a limited time. Then jump ahead to the early 20th century and the avant-garde antics of Salvador Dali, the hot jazz of Josephine Baker, and the joyful abstractions of Henri Matisse. Come dressed to impress and enter our costume contest; visitors vote on their favorite. Please note that non-medical face masks cannot be worn in the galleries.

Thursday, Nov. 7: Dark Visions
Revel in the Sublime, like the Romantics of the 1700s and 1800s, experiencing the “dark side” of Mia–the frightful and macabre. Dive into the art and minds of Francisco Goya and William Blake while enjoying performances, floral arrangements, and talks.

Thursday, Nov. 21: Reclaiming Identity
Native American Heritage Month acknowledges the many diverse traditions and histories of tribal nations across the country. Join us as we activate the museum in celebration through art, film, and tours.

From Midtown Global Market:

Dia de Los Muertos Celebration
Saturday, Nov. 2 • 12–3 PM
Midtown Global Market

From Walker Art Center:

Midnight blue, creamy orange, or petal purple—colors can communicate emotion, meaning, and memories. What colors catch your eye and hold your attention? Which do you see in your dreams? Join us for a day of family-friendly activities dedicated to the magic of color. Free First Saturday features free gallery admission on the first Saturday of every month.

Gallery admission tickets are available in advance online and on-site on the event day from the Main Lobby desk. Free admission 10 am–5 pm; activities 10 am–3 pm.

Free First Saturday: Movement in the City
Saturday, Nov. 2 • 10 AM – 3 PM
Walker Art Center

From Midtown Global Market:

Not So Scary Trick or Treat!
Thursday, Oct. 31 • 6–7:30 PM
Midtown Global Market

Canceled due to Halloween—see you next Thursday!

Walk the neighborhood as a community! The goal of these walks is to build bonds and send a strong signal that this community is working together to keep itself taken care of and safe. We will also clean litter as we walk. Any volunteers will receive a free Community Safety Shirt and knit cap.

Thursdays, 5–6:30 PM
Meet at St. Mary’s Greek Orthodox Church: 3450 Irving Ave S
North Parking Lot