Weekend Best Bets: August 6-9

This weekend: Dinosaur adventures, virtual reality art, lakeside yoga, climate change discussions, and more
Dinosaur Adventure Drive-Thru
Dinosaur Adventure Drive-Thru’s legendary T-Rex

Dennis Trevino

Discussing Climate Change and Racial Injustice

What: The Critical Intersection of Racial Injustice and Climate Change
When: Thursday, August 6, noon-1 p.m.
Where: Virtually on Crowdcast

Hosted by Climate Generation: A Will Steger Legacy, this virtual workshop is part of a series surrounding the release of the book Eyewitness, a collection of Minnesotan reflections around climate change. In a similar vein to the book, this event seeks to further understand how the climate crisis is disproportionately impacting BIPOC through storytelling, art, and action. Register for the workshop, and check out further opportunities to widen your lens via virtual book clubs and more events on the website.

T-Rex and Company from the Car

What: Dinosaur Adventure Drive-Thru
When: Thursday, August 6-Sunday, August 9, various times
Where: Minnesota State Fairgrounds, 1265 Snelling Ave. N, St. Paul

Featuring 80 life-size dinosaurs, the Dinosaur Adventure Drive-Thru runs Thursday through Sunday this weekend and next weekend. Select a date and time window for a vehicle containing up to seven people and cruise through prehistoric times (including a 40-foot T-Rex) at the fairgrounds.

Illusion Theater’s Fresh Ink Series Returns

What: In This Moment
When: Opening night is Thursday, August 6, 7:30 p.m., streaming through August 16
Where: YouTube

Facilitated by T. Mychael Rambo and including artists such as Aimee K. Bryant, Michael Keck, and Katie Robinson, In This Moment is an open-ended chance for each storyteller to share what is in their hearts “in this moment” as artists, people of color, and humans. While the Fresh Ink series is free, donations are accepted.

Experiential Art at Gamut Gallery

What: Blank Slate art exhibition
When: Friday, August 7, 5-9:30 p.m., Saturday, August 8, 7-9:30 p.m.
Where: Gamut Gallery, 717 S. 10th St., Minneapolis

Blank Slate attendees might be initially confused stepping into a gallery with completely blank walls—worry not. After putting on VR headsets, the gallery will be transformed. Featuring artists such as Black Daze, Evan Weselmann, Arianne Zager, Neal Breton, and Yuta Uchida, Blank Slate turns traditional gallery viewing on its head with an immersive celebration of color, line, form, and portrait. Guests will be treated to a half hour tour with a maximum of four attendees per slot (masks required), and afterwards, they’ll have an opportunity to discuss the experience in the courtyard with their group. 

Night Market to Support Black- and Brown-Owned Businesses

What: New World Night Market
When: Friday, August 7, 6-10 p.m.
Where: Modus Locus, 3500 Bloomington Ave., Minneapolis

Legacy Arts Group, along with a few neighborhood partners, has created a night market to support businesses owned by people of color, create space for artists of color, and bridge community gaps. Wear your mask and taste vegan-friendly food; peruse clothing, accessories, and art; listen to music; and more.

Float-in for The Goonies

What: Float-in Movie Theater at Silverwood Park
When: Friday, August 7, 9:10-11:10 p.m.
Where: Silverwood Park, 2500 County Road E W, St. Anthony

This all-ages screening of The Goonies (on an inflatable screen, to boot) has a truly Minnesotan twist: After launching from Silverwood Beach or Columbia Heights swimming beach, moviegoers will float and watch from the comfort of their kayak, canoe, paddleboard, or floaty. Bring along some movie snacks and wear lifejackets, and listen to the audio via park speakers or by tuning into 89.7 FM.

Embody Yoga & Expression at Bde Maka Ska

What: Yoga at Bde Maka Ska
When: Saturday, August 8, 10-11 a.m.
Where: Thomas Beach, 3700 Thomas Ave. S., Minneapolis

Join Embody Yoga & Expression for a morning of movement and mindfulness in the grass beside Thomas Beach. There’s also an optional dialogue from 11 a.m. to noon to build community and further the studio’s mission surrounding mental health advocacy and social equality. Social distancing will be observed and the class is capped at 25 people, so reserve your spot by making a $12 payment to @Embody-community on Venmo. (If that contribution isn’t possible at the moment, send a message Embody, and they will help out.)

Anoka Music in the Parks

What: Southern Express Band Concert in the Park
When: Sunday, August 9, 6-7:30 p.m.
Where: Riverfront Memorial Park, 2201 Second Ave., Anoka

Anoka’s weekly concert series is free to the public—just pack up your blanket or chair and picnic and enjoy Sunday evening tunes at a distance. This week, local musicians of the Southern Express Band will be striking up some Southern rock for all to enjoy.