Friday, July 13
If a Tree Falls…
WHAT: Wake up Madagascar
WHERE: Cedar Cultural Center, Minneapolis
WHEN: 7 p.m.
It’s both a tour name and a call to action: four top musicians, backed by a nine-piece band, calling attention to the unfettered deforestation slowly wasting the African island. The music is mostly salegy—dance music with global ingredients, such as accordion, swing, and funk. Learn more at thecedar.org
Friday, July 13
Painting for Laughs
WHAT: Michael Gaughan’s Buck Turbo
WHERE: Burnet Gallery, Minneapolis
WHEN: 6 to 9 p.m.
The artist and performer Michael Gaughan works satire and parody into his vivid watercolors in the exquisite fashion of a classicist, offering more entertainment and virtuosity than angst. This solo show is one punch line after another, though you have to work to find it sometimes. Learn more at burnetgallery.com
Saturday, July 14
Life in Laps
WHAT: Swimming With My Mother
WHERE: Dowling Studio, Minneapolis
WHEN: 7:30 p.m.
This gentle, affectionate show looks to be a gem of summer entertainment, not just in its storyline (a young boy takes lessons from his swim-coach mom; later he teaches her to dance) but its acting: it stars the Irish choreographer David Bolger, who so vibrantly staged H.M.S. Pinafore last summer, and his 78-year-old mother, Madge. Learn more at guthrietheater.org
Saturday, July 14
Splat
WHAT: Midwest Tomato Fest
WHERE: Downtown Minneapolis
WHEN: 12 to 7 p.m.
Taking a cue from similar European festivals, this year’s celebration of the quintessential summer vegetable (or is it a fruit?) heads downtown for music, food trucks, and of course, a giant tomato fight. Learn more at midwesttomatofest.com
Sunday, July 15
Water Everywhere
WHAT: Aquatennial
WHERE: Lake Calhoun, Minneapolis
WHEN: 10 a.m.
This big day of the summer festival opens with the beloved milk-carton boat races on Lake Calhoun and moves into sandcastle competition mode. Walk over to the Bakken Museum, near the lake, for activities every day of the festival, such as appearances by Minnesota inventors, tips on green gardening, etc. Learn more at aquatennial.com
Sunday, July 15
Storming The City
WHAT: Bastille Day Block Party
WHERE: Barbette, Uptown Minneapolis
WHEN: 3 to 10 p.m.
Barbette’s annual street fair is the best place to indulge your Francophile urges, even if there’s nothing particularly French about the music (Astronautilus, Peter Wolf Crier, etc.). For that, head inside, grab a table (if you can), and eat up. Learn more at barbette.com
