Theater
Singin’ in the Rain • Bloomington Civic Theater brings the classic Gene Kelly hit to life with all the right touches—splashy dancing, sing-along (in your head) songs, and laugh-out-loud comedy. Chances are you already know the lyrics to the main tune by heart, but when did you last listen to the soundtrack’s other gems? Time to refresh your memory. • 8/16–9/15, btacmn.org
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Minnesota Fringe Festival • You have 11 days to see 176 shows scattered around Minneapolis. See page 26 for your game plan. • 8/1–11, fringefestival.org
The Music Man • “Ya Got Trouble” crosses the Minnesota–Iowa border. • 8/6–9, hutchtheatre.org
The Unexpected • Plainview Community Theater’s next installment of Prairie Town musicals. • 8/8–10, pctheater.org
Music
West Bank Music Festival • This festival pays homage to the abundance of creativity housed within its namesake ’hood, with three outdoor stages, eight indoor venues, theater, spoken word, food trucks—basically everything necessary for the ultimate artistic experience. • 8/17, westbankmusicfestival.org
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Red House Barnfest • The Pines, Pat Donohue, and other acoustic artists celebrate the indie label’s 30th birthday in Red Wing. • 8/3, redhouserecords.com
Linda Eder with Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus • Two of Minnesota’s top vocal sensations, together at Pantages Theatre. • 8/24, hennepintheatretrust.org
Vintage Band Fest • Four days, 30 bands, and 100 concerts, plus dancing, baseball, and old-timey fun in Northfield. • 8/1–4, vintagebandfestival.org
Film
Square Lake Film Festival • This Stillwater-area film fest, featuring 35-plus short films, live music, and picnic fare, is one of the summer’s best bike-ride destinations. Pedal-powered attendees who meet up at designated metro locations to make the 40-mile ride as part of a peloton receive discounted tickets. • 8/10, squarelakefestival.com
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Cochochi • Roe Family Singers, Charlie Parr, and a movie about two brothers and a horse. This is summer, Walker-style. • 8/5, walkerart.org
Brit’s Annual Summer Movies • Shaun of the Dead, One Day, and Skyfall. This is summer, Brit’s-style. • Monday evenings, 8/12–9/2, britspub.com
Chicago • Phyllis Haver plays the ever-sexy Roxie Hart in this 1927 silent flick. • 8/11, heightstheater.com
Events
Open Streets Minneapolis • Open Streets is back for its third year and is bigger than ever, with four of the city’s major thoroughfares closed to cars for a day: Lyndale Ave. S. (June 23), Central Ave. NE (July 28), Minnehaha Ave. (August 11), and Lowry Ave. N. (September 21). Bike, skip, play, or simply lounge in the middle of the street. • 8/11, openstreetsmpls.com
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World’s Longest Baseball Game • An Arden Hills team attempts to set a world record to raise cancer-fighting funds.
• 8/12–14, mnmasoniccharities.org
You Betcha! Minnesota-Made Festival, Retro Edition • Classic tunes, cars, and food, all for music education. • 8/17, stlouispark.org
Macy’s Glamorama • Sheryl Crow, Cirque du Soleil, and fashion at the State Theatre. • 8/2, macys.com/glamorama
Visual Arts
Uptown Art Fair • It’s time again for Uptown to burst at the seams with some 375,000 oglers oohing and ahhing at art from around the country. This summer marks the fair’s 50th anniversary, which means even more reasons (giveaways, culinary competitions, entertainment) to endure the crowds. • 8/2–4, uptownartfair.com
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Time Honored • Technique, timelessness, and tradition at Altered Esthetics. • 8/1–29, alteredesthetics.org
Domestic Integrities A05 • Audience participation welcome in this final installation of crocheting, pickling, baking, and more by Walker artist-in-residence Fritz Haeg. • 8/4–11/24, walkerart.org
Loring Park Art Festival • Come for the art, stay for, well, the art. • 8/3–4, loringparkartfestival.com
Heritage Fest
Irish Fair • Nowhere else in Minnesota—possibly even the United States—will you find so many men eagerly sporting skirts in an attempt to win a Best Legs in a Kilt contest. Whether or not you can trace your roots back to Éire, head to St. Paul for dance lessons, Gaelic football, hurling, bangers, and, of course, beer. Sláinte! • 8/9–11, irishfair.com
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Twin Cities Polish Festival • You’ve never seen polka dancing ’til you’ve seen it here. • 8/10–11, tcpolishfestival.org
GreekFest • Don’t try to pronounce the festival’s bounty of tasty treats. Just enjoy. • 8/23–25, greekfestrochester.com
Rendezvous Days and Powwow • Go back in time 200 years with reenactors from across the country. Don’t forget your French fly breeches and cobbled shoes. • 8/9–11, nps.gov
