Nice Ride Bikes
Photo courtesy of nice ride minnesota
This month, Minneapolis’ 190 Nice Ride bike-sharing stations are back in business after a winter break. And the system’s expanding: Racks of the lime-colored bikes debuted in Rochester last summer.
April 1: The Minnesota RollerGirls (think: rugby on roller skates) execute a fierce derby. Even the players’ names are intimidating: Killsey McMurder and Scarmen Hellectra to name a few. Watch them block and jam their way to victory during the final All-Star Bout of the season and get a black eye (done by a makeup artist) to support charity.
April 3: Dust off the old Homer Hanky and put on a lucky ball cap for the Twins’ home opener at Target Field to summon a more exciting (and longer) season.
April 15: Vinyl fans line up in the wee hours of the morning on April’s annual Record Store Day to rummage through bins of deeply discounted beats at local record stores. Many bring in donuts (for the early birds), food trucks, beer, and musicians—Fifth Element sustains live music for 36 hours straight.
MSP International Film Festival
Photo by Andrew Lussenhop
April 13-29: The 17-day MSP International Film Festival is the largest in the region (more than 250 films!) and one of the longest running in the nation highlighting films from 60+ countries—and you can always catch a lineup of flicks with MN ties. Conscious of spreading awareness of social issues, the festival expanded last year with the “Spotlight on the World, inFLUX” selection of films, focusing on the struggles and triumphs of immigrants and refugees.
April 21: Mark the Purple One’s passing by touring Prince’s Paisley Park, visiting his star at First Avenue, or just “go crazy” by singing along in the car, windows down.
Seasonal: Stretch those hamstrings and go for a hike. The 3.5 mile journey up Eagle Mountain near Grand Marais is the highest peak in MN at 2,301 feet. Or, choose a portion of the 310-mile Superior Hiking Trail for wilderness backpacking.
View events throughout the entire year on the full 2017 Ultimate To Do List
