Weekend Best Bets: May 25-27

This weekend around the Twin Cities, check out Soundset, American Ninja Warrior, a crawfish boil, and more

Ready for Memorial Day Weekend? Check out activities happening on Monday, May 28, here.


Friday, May 25

Black Fashion Week

What: Black Fashion Week MN
When: 7-11 p.m.
Where: Moxy Minneapolis Uptown Hotel, 1121 W. Lake St., Minneapolis
Minnesota had its own Fashion Week earlier this spring, but we knew we could represent industry intersectionality even better. POC designers kick off Black Fashion Week MN with a party featuring two local designers, Jaqueline Addison (known for jewel tones and fun patterns) and Houston White (known for sharp formal wear and statement T-shirts). Look for more style events, including a May 30 show on hair, throughout the week. Learn more.

Minnesotan Ninja Warriors

What: American Ninja Warrior
When: 8 p.m.
Where: U.S. Bank Stadium, 900 S. Fifth St., Minneapolis
We’ve been transfixed by American Ninja Warrior, the TV show where scrappy, Herculean, non-professional athletes from around the country line up to test their strength and agility on a spectacular obstacle course—or plunge into the water below. This weekend (25-26), the qualifying round takes place in Minneapolis. Cheer on local athletes and check out the new course. Learn more.


Saturday, May 26

Lady Sings the Blues

What: Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill
When: 7:30 p.m.
Where: Jungle Theater, 2951 Lyndale Ave. S., Minneapolis
The woman w”‹hose rough, enchanting voice turned jazz on its head, Billie Holiday, gets her story told in the Minnesota premiere of this Tony-winning show, taking place in 1959 Philadelphia during one of the chanteuse’s last performances. The play, an hour and 15 minutes long with intermission, transforms the Jungle Theater stage into an intimate bar setting, with Twin Cities luminary Thomasina Petrus playing the lady herself. Learn more.

Louisiana Up North

What: Fourth Annual Crawfish Boil
When: Noon-10 p.m.
Where: Bent Brewstillery, 1744 Terrace Dr., Roseville
The Roseville brewery hosts its fourth Cajun-style feast, boiling hundreds of pounds of crawfish with corn and potatoes—and offering chicken and sausage jambalaya or hot dogs for those whose Minnesotan palate isn’t quite ready for that southeast flavor. Kids and pets are welcome (with face painting for the former) and the brewery serves up its cocktails all day—including the Minnesota Hurricane, made with spiced rum. Learn more.


Sunday, May 27

Hip-Hop All Day

What: Soundset Music Festival
When: All day
Where: Minnesota State Fairgrounds, 1265 Snelling Ave. N., St. Paul
It’s one of Minnesota’s biggest festivals, period. And it’s devoted to hip-hop, this year featuring Erykah Badu, Atmosphere, the Wu-Tang Clan, Migos, and more. Expect some 35,000 to descend on St. Paul for—in addition to the music—the custom-car show, the breakdance battles, the live graffiti demos, the skate park, the food and merchandise vendors, and the sense of pride in our local hip-hop label and event curator Rhymesayers. Learn more.

Dance in the Moment

What: Carpe Momentum
When: 3 p.m., 7:30 p.m.
Where: The Cowles Center for Performing Arts, 528 Hennepin Ave. S., Minneapolis
Also showing on Saturday, this performance takes its cue from Twin Cities choreographers, who have put together a show inspired by “the effects of inevitable events [that] seem to hold us back from what we truly want to do.” The dancers’ movements unfold alongside projected photography in an attempt to capture and freeze moments in time, “carpe momentum” translating to “seize the moment.” Learn more.