Events

2018 Little Mekong Night Markets
Little Mekong Night Market is the Twin Cities’ unique street market festival located in the heart of the Little Mekong District. Inspired by the night markets in Southeast Asia, the mission of our Night Market is to offer unique products, services, and arts & crafts for an exciting community experience. From cultural performances and engaging activities to enticing new foods and art, there is a lot to do, see, and sample at the Night Market for all ages.

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We have exciting opportunities available for vendors & artists! Applications available now! Please apply now at our website!
Website: http://littlemekong.com
For any questions please email: nightmarket@littlemekong.com

An evening of original work by local and national artists, celebrating 10 years of Rhythmically Speaking supporting and presenting creation in American vernacular dance forms like jazz, tap and hip-hop, styles often marginalized by contemporary dance presenters, but celebrated here! The choreographers featured on this tenth installment of the Rhythmically Speaking annual show are Gabriel Anderson & Laura Selle-Virtucio, Leila Awadallah, Melissa Clark, Brandi Coleman (Dallas TX), Karla Grotting, Jolene Konkel and Emma Marlar, and RS Artistic Director Erinn Liebhard will also be presenting a new work.

Shows: 8/16-8/18 @ 7:30pm, 8/18 @ 2pm
More info and tickets: http://www.rhythmicallyspeakingdance.org/rs-102018/

Talk backs with the artists following the Friday night and Saturday afternoon shows. Join us for a lively experience!

Bollywood Dance Scene is pleased to present MinneUtsav, the second annual South Asian Performing ArtsFestival in Minnesota. This multi-week event features “The Land of Maaya”, a full-length dance drama production; BollyProv, a South-Asian-focused improv comedy show; as well as other workshops and performances throughout the week. Taken from the root of the Dakotan word “Minnesota” and the Hindi word for festival, “Utsav”, MinneUtsav celebrates all things Bollywood in the Twin Cities in a family-friendly fashion!

Land of Maaya
August 17th at 7:00pm Ft. Live Music by Ameet
August 18th at 12:00pm Pre-show Bollywood Brunch available for purchase
August 19th at 2:00pm Ft. Poets of Minneapolis
August 24th at 7:00pm Ft. Minnesota Junoon
August 25th at 7:00pm Ft. Classical dances by Chaitra Chandrashekar & Meena Koner
August 26th at 2:00pm Audio Describe and ASL Interpreting services available upon request
A heartwarming story of Nisha, a blind teenager raised by a single mom in India. Nisha with her gifted imagination introduces the audience to an imaginary world which also holds answers to the real life problems she faces. Through beautiful choreography and compelling storytelling, the play draws attention towards the topics of disability & ableism.
This 90 minute dance drama suitable for ages 4 & above, features toe-tapping choreography, dazzling costumes, memorable characters, and a yummy samosa-chai break

Join with 25 local talented artists and authors for a awesome, fun day of discovering, exploring and sharing in creative community. This is both a show and sale.

We come together to send a ripple of creativity out into the Twin Cities.

This is a curated festival with 13 local artists using different mediums to express creativity as well as 12 local authors from different genres.

Find your next favorite book or work of art! Learn more about what is happening at Blue Harbor.

Festival experience starts at 10AM and goes until 5 PM

Celebrate Latino Art and Culture! • ¡Celebre el Arte y la Cultura Latina!

This family friendly community event will highlight the vibrancy of the Latino culture with delicious Latino food, music, folkloric and contemporary dances, art and crafts, fitness activities, free health exams, raffles and prizes, and other fun activities for the whole family!

Join the Event on Facebook! bit.ly/FiestaLatina18

River Action Volunteer Events (RAVEs)
RAVEs are a fun way to explore the river in a way few others do. All trips couple a restoration service project in a hard to reach area of the river with an adventure tour by National Park Service rangers.

Participants will also help remove invasive plant species that threaten the native plant ecosystems. Removing these plants prevents their spread and allows more diverse species to provide wildlife habitat and improve water quality in the river.

This fun recreation and volunteer restoration project is great for adults and kids over 12 years old. No canoeing experience needed. RAVEs are free events for volunteers – your only ticket is your service to the river!

What To Bring:
– A full water bottle for drinking
– Sunscreen, sunglasses, sweatshirts and tick/mosquito repellent
– Long pants and sturdy, close toed shoes
– Appropriate clothing to get wet and/or muddy

The RAVE will happen rain or shine.

If you have questions about this volunteer event, please contact Mary Hammes, Environmental Stewardship and Volunteer Manager, at volunteer@parkconnection.organd/or (651) 291-9119.

Even if you missed your chance in the spring, you can still plant your garden for a fall harvest! Join North Country Food Alliance at our community garden site at2003 James Ave North, Minneapolis to learn about late season crops. We will focus on cold-hardy plants such as kale, collards, and beets.

Free and open to the public. Donations accepted. Space is limited! Please register by emailing garden@northcountryfoodalliance.org with your name, phone number, and the number of participants.

Please join us on our Somali Community Appreciation dinner and youth Award Giving event which will be held on August 18th at Safari Restaurant in Minneapolis. This event is designed to appreciate and honor those individuals, Stakeholders, Community Leaders and state officials who went above and beyond to serve our community. We will present award to the youth who completed the our social emotional support program(LET IT GO) and become community “Peace Ambassadors” and the sites that participated.

Our Theme this Year is “HEALING MY HOME: a conversation about our youth and the role of our community in shaping our youth.

This FREE event will Include: Dinner, Cultural Dance, Poems and Panel discussions. You will share the dinner table with the community leaders and state officials. PLEASE DRESS TO IMPRESS.

The Community Appreciation Dinner is one such way of giving back. This event brings joy, builds our community and is anchor of opportunity to so many.

We are also inviting businesses searching for creative, interactive ways to reach new, loyal and active customers to partner with our organization for great results. We are offering different levels of Business Sponsorship Packages.

The cross-marketing offered will benefit your business and strengthen your roots in the community and surrounding areas. We offer three sponsorship opportunities that can be tailored to your marketing goals and budget. Get face to face with hundreds of new customers!

Get Your Sponsorship Package here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/somali-community-appreciation-dinner-youth-awards-night-tickets-47903419417

Thank You.

Or Emet, the Minnesota Congregation for Humanistic Judaism, is celebrating Kol Nidre with a service led by rabbinical candidate Eva Cohen.

For Humanistic Jews, the High Holidays are a time to reflect on the relationship of the universe to human need and desire. We assess our behavior during the past year and affirm the possibilities for change, improvement and happiness. We acknowledge that while some things may be beyond our control, other things can be attained with human will and intelligence. The High Holidays open the Jewish year with the most important message of Jewish history: human dignity is not the gift of destiny; it is a human achievement, requiring courage and self-reliance.

Kol Nidre (Yom Kippur eve) serves as a reminder of our humanness, our fallibility, and our connection to all humanity.

In keeping with High Holiday tradition, Or Emet will collect food and other miscellaneous donations. Non-perishable items will be welcome at all High Holiday services. Donated items will be shared with the Hallie Q. Brown Community Center. Most needed are canned meat, peanut butter, dry beans, rice, personal hygiene/feminine care items, and bathroom tissue.

No tickets are required. Everyone is welcome. Doors open at 6:30pm.

Please direct general inquiries about Or Emet and/or membership to info@oremet.org.

Bollywood Dance Scene is pleased to present MinneUtsav, the second annual South Asian Performing ArtsFestival in Minnesota. This multi-week event features “The Land of Maaya”, a full-length dance drama production; BollyProv, a South-Asian-focused improv comedy show; as well as other workshops and performances throughout the week. Taken from the root of the Dakotan word “Minnesota” and the Hindi word for festival, “Utsav”, MinneUtsav celebrates all things Bollywood in the Twin Cities in a family-friendly fashion!

Bollyprov
Sunday, August 19th at 6:00pm
Thursday, August 23rd at 9:00pm

BollyProv is a Bollywood-inspired improv comedy group that will be bringing a flavor of Bollywood movies to improv. Like any Bollywood movie, there will be unnecessary drama, cheesy romance and a lot of laughter.
Improv is a form of theater, often comedy, in which all of what is performed on stage is unscripted & created spontaneously by the performers.

This show is suitable for ages 12 & above.

Bonsai, martial arts, singing, dancing, drumming, delicious food and a host of other cultural exhibits and demonstrations will line several paths throughout the grounds of the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory for the 20th annual Como Park Japanese Obon Festival.

The Como Park Japanese Obon Festival will be held on Sunday, August 19, 2018 from 3:00pm-9:00pm. Admission is $5.00 per adult (13+), $3.00 per child (ages 3-12) and Seniors (ages 65+), free for children under 3. Free shuttle bus service will be available from a staffed off-site parking lot located at 1930 Como Ave.

We have expanded the footprint of the festival, added more food vendors, entertainment, exhibitors, and porta-potties.

Or Emet, the Minnesota Congregation for Humanistic Judaism, is celebrating Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, with a service led by rabbinical candidate Eva Cohen.

For Humanistic Jews, the High Holidays are a time to reflect on the relationship of the universe to human need and desire. We assess our behavior during the past year and affirm the possibilities for change, improvement and happiness. We acknowledge that while some things may be beyond our control, other things can be attained with human will and intelligence. The High Holidays open the Jewish year with the most important message of Jewish history: human dignity is not the gift of destiny; it is a human achievement, requiring courage and self-reliance.

Following the Humanistic Yom Kippur service a light dairy break-fast will be provided by Or Emet.

In keeping with High Holiday tradition, Or Emet will collect food and other miscellaneous donations. Non-perishable items will be welcome at all High Holiday services. Donated items will be shared with the Hallie Q. Brown Community Center. Most needed are canned meat, peanut butter, dry beans, rice, personal hygiene/feminine care items, and bathroom tissue.

No tickets are required. Everyone is welcome.

For further information about Or Emet’s High Holiday services, contact highholidays@oremet.org.

Please direct general inquiries about Or Emet and/or membership to info@oremet.org.

Have breakfast with the Catalyst Arts team and dream about the future!

Catalyst Arts will hold its first breakfast fundraiser on Monday, August 20, 10 – 11am. Music by local favorite, Mayda, and a Zumba workout teaser by Lynnea Doublette bring a refreshing twist to the traditional fundraiser. Get your body moving at this power breakfast with artful inspiration!

You’ll support our work to make space for traditionally marginalized artists and communities of color by increasing visibility and access in the arts. Donations from the fundraiser will support launching a New Artist Development and In-Residence initiative, regional and national work, and long-term strategic planning.

When Intermedia Arts collapsed in October 2017, Catalyst Arts emerged to sustain the vision of creating space and place for POCI/Queer artists with a belief that ART CHANGES EVERYTHING!

The journey has not been easy, but with allies, friends, a small staff and the McKnight Foundation, Catalyst Arts launched a successful programming season this year.

Shá Cage, Senior Curator of Catalyst Arts, says, “The work we are doing is urgent and critical! The pUSH Art+Activism LAB and Social Justice Workshops are examples of how we are cultivating the next generation of changemakers.”

In challenging times, community is more important than ever. On August 22nd, join us at 6pm Lake Monster Brewing to get caught up on our work, to hear about our campaigns straight from leaders, to take a breath, and to *celebrate* together.

The bar will be serving a selection of beers and non-alcoholic beverages, and light nosh and food trucks will be available on site! This event is free to attend and will also cap off our summer membership campaign (celebrate the end of those emails, too?), so it’s a great opportunity to bring along a friend you’ve been meaning to introduce to our work.

We hope you’ll join us! Register to reserve your spot today!

Minnesota artists will fight silence on sexual violence with poetry, song, and stories at the second Liberation Cabaret. It is happening at Boneshaker books and2002 23rd Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55404 at 6:30 PM, on August 22nd. Inspired by #MeToo and women who have spoken out against harassment, assault and rape for generations, the National Writers Union Twin Cities (NWU-TC) calls on men to examine, write and talk about their complicity.
The Aug 22 Liberation Cabaret will include the following artists. Chante Wolf, acclaimed author, photographer and veterans’ activist, reads from her poetry. Sarah Koper, writer and organizer offers a narrative addressing gender-based cultural roles. Inayah El-Amin, actor and singer, performs about her life as a young Black woman in mostly white Minnesota. Tracy Lea Landis inspires with her music and group singing. Robbie Orr presents a rock essay on breaking through to the other side of domination.
Still to come in the first series of Liberation Cabaret are:
• Sep 26 – Abolish War in Our Lifetime
• Oct 24 – The Lie of Whiteness

ANTI-WAR VETERANS CONVERGE IN ST. PAUL

The Veterans For Peace (VFP) 2018 International Convention will be held in downtown St. Paul on August 22 – 26 at the Intercontinental Riverfront Hotel (11 Kellogg Blvd E). With a theme of End All Wars and Reclaim Armistice Day, about 300 vets and associates from over 140 chapters worldwide are expected to attend. The general public is invited. For additional information and to register go to VeteransForPeace.org.

The hotel was chosen for its convenience and reasons that tie in nicely with topics to be discussed in workshops and plenaries. A presentation is planned by a group of local Native youth who recently traveled to Rome and voiced their concerns to Vatican officials about harm caused to First Nation People by the “The Doctrine of Discovery,” a papal bull decreed by the Catholic Church in the fifteenth century. Native Historian Chris Mato Nunpa will provide historical background about this doctrine. It seemed fitting to convention organizers that a conversation like this should take place at a hotel owned and operated by the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe (Misi-zaagan’igani Anishinaabeg).

It is also not a coincidence that the chosen hotel is located on Kellogg Boulevard which was named after Minnesotan Frank Kellogg: U.S. Senator, U.S. Secretary of State, co-author of the Kellogg-Briand Pact for worldwide peace and the only native Minnesotan to win a Nobel Peace Prize (1929).

Other topics of timely importance include the VFP-led Korean Peace Campaign and Veteran Administration (VA) Health Care. The privatization of VA health services will be examined in depth by award-winning journalist/author Suzanne Gordon and VA health care advocates.

Of global interest: The subject of U.S. intervention in the Middle East will be discussed by activist, author and co-founder of Code Pink Medea Benjamin, Palestinian Knesset member Aida Touma, and others. Political writer/activist Ann Wright will introduce policy analyst and founder of Women Cross the DMZ Christine Ahn as the featured speaker at Saturday night’s banquet (8/25). Participants are still being selected for a plenary focusing on the immigration crises at the border and topics for a variety of caucuses is in the works.

The conference won’t be all speakers and plenaries. Thursday evening (8/23) there will be a two-hour riverboat cruise on the Mississippi replete with tempting finger food and music suitable for listening or dancing. Sign up on the VeteransForPeace.org registration page. The cost is $25/person.

On Friday evening (8/24) a free public forum, The Poor People’s Campaign: Intersecting Perspectives, will be held at the Central Presbyterian Church located at 500 Cedar Street in St. Paul. Several speakers from the area will talk about how various issues have impacted them. Tonia Hughes, Jayanthi Kyle and Larry Long will provide music and Immigrant rights activist Rev. Daniel Romero will speak on immigration issues.

Free yoga sessions with leaders from the Veteran’s Yoga Project will be available and there will be easy access to meditation and 12-step groups. There also may be a chance to read your own poetry at the end of a Poetry Soiree (8/22). Documentaries and films will be shown between scheduled events and an art exhibit is planned.

A march from the hotel to the Landmark Center will take place Sunday morning (8/26) for the closing plenary and to commemorate the signing of the Kellogg-Briand Pact 90 years ago. The public is invited to join the veterans attending the conference for this free event. Author, blogger and activist David Swanson will be joined by VFP co-founder Steve McKeown and Mary Beaudoin from Women Against Military Madness (WAMM).

The conference is hosted by the Twin Cities based Veterans For Peace Chapter 27. For more information and to register go to VeteransForPeace.org. Registration options include one and two days or the full conference. For additional information:  VFP Chapter 27 office  612-821-9141 (messages checked twice a day) or contact Barry Riesch bwrvfp27@gmail.com or Dave Logsdon dlvfp27@gmail.com.

On August 23rd at 7pm, we will be launching a gorgeous set of Unrestricted Editions chapbooks (designed by Mary Austin Speaker!) at Moon Palace Books. Several of the authors will be there to present their poems and I will read an essay about the transformative power of poetry to foster the expression of unconventional learners. This event will feature work made possible by the Minnesota State Arts Board and School District 287. If you feel or have felt at all disconnected from the foundational uses of poetry to change lives, this event will likely change yours.

Please join us for a community meeting to speak out against technical violations of parole and mass incarceration. We will discuss the current state of incarceration in Minnesota, hear testimony about the harm and disruption that parole violations cause to our lives while adding almost 3,000 community members to the prison industrial complex.

Almost half of people who go on parole in Minnesota are sent back to prison, yet nearly 90% of them are sent back for petty “technical violations” of parole. These are by definition not crimes. No one should be sent back to prison for missing an appointment, becoming homeless or unemployed, testing positive for alcohol and marijuana, and so on.

We need to stop incarcerating people for technical violations, end the Intensive Supervised Release program that drives many such violations, and return the millions of dollars saved each year to those directly impacted by the prison system.

This is a first step to significantly reduce Minnesota’s prison population and consider alternatives to mass incarceration.

Sign our Statement of Support: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd3hCKJLltmvYVdMGy_g1LZO983Eu7VLzL7ZyK4zhLyosHEkg/viewform

Learn more by listening to our podcast: https://soundcloud.com/user-41909583/stories-from-the-inside-rolling-us-out-and-right-back-in

Everyone welcome – particularly those impacted by the prison system. Food and childcare will be provided.

Join us in welcoming Afro-Colombian human rights defender, singer, and peace-builder Daira Quiñones in Minneapolis on August 25th for a WFP fundraiser to hear songs and stories of resistance and peace.

Witness for Peace teams from Cuba, Colombia, Honduras, and Mexico will be in town, along with regional organizers and national staff from around the country! Enjoy dinner by local chef Brett Weber, bid on silent auction items, and connect with Witness for Peace teams and supporters!

More About Daira: Amidst escalating violence in post-accords Colombia, Daira continues to build women-led movements and organizations including FUNDARTECP that fight for complete reparations (including territory), truth of crimes committed during the conflict and direct participation of all victims. Daira was displaced from her ancestral lands in Tumaco, Colombia and began organizing with other displaced Afro-Colombian, Indigenous and campesinx women in Bogotá, creating spaces of sharing and hope.

“There is a strong rupture in our society. We need to heal ourselves and heal our territories to generate a good relationship that can build peace. I believe songs have the power to arrive to someone and heal. My peace is connected to your peace and equally your peace is my peace. Peace can happen when your problem becomes my problem. ”

Co-hosts Keith Ellison, Patricia Torres Ray, David Pegg, Sarah Kelley-Pegg, Kaela Berg, Phillip Cryan, Migdalia Loyola, Norma Atuesta, Mónica María Hurtado, Kera Peterson, Connor Klausing, Thom Haines, Melissa Hysing, Meghan Krausch, Magdalena Kaluza, Jim Dimock, along with the Minnesota Fair Trade Coalition, Black Visions Collective, and the Minnesota Cuba Committee.

*Witness for Peace is a politically independent grassroots movement. We do not endorse any political party or candidate.

Forced From Home is a free, interactive exhibition presented by Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) free, interactive exhibition about the global refugee crisis. With an MSF aid worker as their guide, Forced From Home visitors navigate an immersive 10,000-square-foot outdoor space designed to simulate the journey of a person forced to flee. The exhibition features six virtual reality films, a 360-degree video dome, and interactive activities to transport visitors to refugee camps and communities where they will confront and consider the formidable decisions that those on the run face on a daily basis.For more information, visit www.forcedfromhome.com.

Roll up to the Cycling Museum of Minnesota on Sunday, August 26 for a good old fashioned rally and ride!

Come out and share your cycles- from shiny to shabby, from pristine to well-pedaled. Whether you’re a collector of many, a keeper of one, or just curious, this is a chance to rub shoulders with like-minded bike lovers.
All welcome – this event is free!

Enjoy:
-Bike show/share (outdoors).
-CMM Vault open to the public.
-Complimentary “handle-bar” sweets and beverages available.
-Prizes awarded to Best in Show and People’s Choice selections.
Time: 1:00 – 3:00 PM

Location: The Vault is located at 519 Oak Grove St, Minneapolis MN 55403
(the annex of Saint Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral )

1:00 PM arrive with you bike(s). (note: if you wish to bring more than three bikes, please contact us at info@cmm.bike. Limited lot parking available, plus area/on-street. No sales.)

1:30 PM – Judging for Best in Show

2:30 PM – ride out for five to six mile Classic Promenade loop ending in a stop to relax and enjoy a beverage.

Rally and ride are weather-dependent! The Vault will be open regardless from 1:00-3:00 PM. Stay up to date on the latest information over on our facebook page.

Questions? Email info@cmm.bike

**Class size is limited. Please register by Friday, August 24th, at 2pm by clicking the website link.

Most of us are familiar with plums– especially the sweet and juicy, purple-skinned variety that floods our grocery stores and farmers’ markets come August. But have you ever tried a wild plum? Small and tart, these fruits bear only faint resemblance to their domesticated cousins. However, they are still delicious, and make amazing jelly, jam, sauce, and even ketchup! Join Four Season Foraging and Maria Wesserle as we learn to identify (and hopefully harvest!) wild plums. We will also go over other fruit trees found in the area, such as cherries, chokeberries, and nannyberries.
This event is wheelchair accessible.

For more details, please email info@fourseasonforaging.com or call 612-440-5958.

Do you have a favorite State Fair story? Something memorable? Something emotional? A love story? A funny fair story?

On Read & Ride Day, Wednesday, August 29, from 9–5 p.m. at Dan Patch Park, Storymobile will collect State Fair stories through film and/or audio
in partnership with Metropolitan Library Service Agency (MELSA). Dan Patch Park is in front of the Grandstand just west of the bridge.

Storymobile 2.0, a moveable art space that makes it easy for people to share, display, and preserve stories, was designed by artist Roger Cummings. Construction of the vehicle was made possible by supporters of the Saint Paul Almanac and an Arts Access grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board.

Driven by a solar-powered electric-assist bike, Storymobile 2.0 is a hand-built engagement space decked out with iPads and audio recorders. Writers, filmmakers, and audiomakers will be present to help people share their stories and their songs—what is important to them.

“Storymobile is a mobile unit for community engagement,” says Storymobile director Melvin Giles. “People love to share their stories—by video, by writing it down, or by audio. It is collecting history and is a way to share about ourselves and our community. We learn from each other when we share.”

Stories collected will be archived at the Saint Paul Almanac and shared with MELSA and the State Fair.

Come talk story at the fair!

storymobile.org

Two accomplished artists are featured at Textile Center this fall, with exhibitions contrasting divergent approaches to artistic practice. Similarly, both bring their ideas to fruition through the history, processes, and materials of textiles.

Portland-based Lee Isbara’s approach addresses the development of a visual vocabulary over time. With this, she communicates concept and emotion in mirroring her own life as a displaced person conversant in the language and culture of two countries, but not considered a full-fledged member of either one.

San Jose-based Taylor’s approach references the realm of math as an intellectual point of departure, using an intuitive sense of geometry. Her process focuses on developing complex woven structures on the loom that create imagery through controlled and layered intersecting surfaces of color and texture.

Reception for the Artists:
Thursday, September 6, 5:30 – 7pm
Susie Taylor remarks at 6:30 pm
Displaced lecture, ACC Salon Series: On the Road, by Jiseon Lee Isbara immediately following the reception at 7 pm in Textile Center Auditorium

Free and open to the public!

Exhibit Hours:
Monday – Thursday, 10 am – 7 pm,
Friday – Saturday, 10 am – 5 pm

Hip-Hop U-Nite is a seasonal concert curated by Just Wulf to commemorate the beauty of diversity and promote unity through hip-hop music. In the midst of our daily hustle, this event is a time for us to take a break, reflect and celebrate life as one people with music from the dopest hip-hop artists in Minnesota. Sponsored by Breaks X Lakes, Just Wulf & True Headz Clothing.

**please be sure to check our website, www.cancanwonderland.com, for the most up-to-date information