We’ve rounded up the latest free events, activities and crafts going on at various locations in the Twin Cities, Minnesota area and also nationwide this weekend (3/23-3/25). Please leave a comment if you know of any others and we’ll add them to this list.
Your turn: What other free weekend events and activities do you know of?
Nationwide Events
American Girl Store
Girls ages 8 and up can enjoy various crafts, cooking classes and tours at the American Girl Store. At the Mall of America location, this week’s free events include:
- Innerstar University Yearbook Craft: March 24 from 2-4pm
- McKenna “Take the Challenge” Scavenger Hunt: March 28 from 5-7pm
Barnes & Noble
Check your local Barnes & Noble for events. My closest store has Children’s Storytime on Tuesdays and Fridays at 10am. Anne Lamott, author of Some Assembly Required: A Journal of My Son’s First Son, will be at the Edina Galleria location on Monday, 3/26 at 7pm for a reading and signing of her new book.
Disney Store
Celebrate Disney Store’s 25th Anniversary throughout the month of March. This Saturday’s event is Stickermania & Storytelling from 10:30am-1pm. Kids ages 3 years and older can create their own Disney Store party story using stickers.
Plus, this Wednesday, March 28, the first 250 guests in each store will receive free Mickey Ears. Find a Disney Store location near you (there is one in the Mall of America).
Guitar Center
Guitar Center offers a free recording workshop every Saturday from 10-11am. This Saturday’s lesson is about Mixing and Publishing. Find a Guitar Center location near you.
Home Depot
This month’s weekend adult workshops include Landscape Design, Lawn Maintenance, and Install Vinyl Florring. Check the Home Depot website for dates and times.
Jo-Ann Fabric & Craft Stores
Check out two free demos on Saturday, 3/24: Social Artworking Painting from 11am-1pm and Foodcrafting with Wilton from 1-3pm.
Lakeshore Learning
Kids can make a Spring Flower Bouquet craft this Saturday from 11am-3pm. Find a Lakeshore Learning Store near you.
Pottery Barn
This Sunday at 10am, you can attend a workshop on How to Throw the Perfect Party. Learn tips for hosting formal dinners, cocktail parties, weekend brunches and more. Find a Pottery Barn location near you to RSVP.
Pottery Barn Kids
Kids ages 3 and up are invited to stop by this Saturday, 3/24 to learn about maps through the National Geographic Little Explorers Program. Enjoy hands-on activities, quizzes, songs and more. Find a Pottery Barn Kids location near you.
Target
Select your city to find free and/or reduced-price admission to arts and cultural events in your area, sponsored by Target. If you live in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, the Walker Art Center is free every Thursday night as a part of Target Free Thursday Nights.
Toys R Us
Toys R Us has two different events going on this Saturday:
- Thomas Play Date from 11am-1pm
- Monsuno from 2-4pm
Walmart
Enter your zip code in the Walmart Event Finder to see what’s going on in your area.
Local Events
Thanks to A Traveling Thought for some of this information.
Friday, 3/23
- Music Connections Yamaha Piano Expo (Mall of America)
- Annual Como Job Fair (St. Paul): 4:30-7pm
- The New Distractions (Minneapolis): 5:30-7pm
- Brandon Mull, Beyonders: Seeds of Rebellion (Beyonders Series #2) (St. Paul): 7pm
- Minnecanos (Minneapolis): 7:30pm
Saturday, 3/24
- Music Connections Yamaha Piano Expo (Mall of America)
- Operation Glass Slipper Princess Event (Mall of America)
- Free Morning Bird Hike (Brooklyn Park): 9-10am
- Bird Banding Demonstration (Brooklyn Park): 9am-12pm
- Free Screening of Mirror, Mirror (Maple Grove): 10am
- Mayo Clinic Complementary and Alternative Medicine Event (Mall of America): 10am-2pm
- Volunteer Tax Assistance for Low-Income Individuals and Families (Brooklyn Center): 10am-2pm
- Free Family Flick: Kung Fu Panda 2 (Mall of America): 10am
- Free Watercolor Eggs (Minneapolis): 10am-1pm
- 2012 Spring Home Improvement Fair (Minneapolis): 10am-3pm
- Lynne Jonell, Lawn Mower Magic (St. Paul): 10:30am
- Master Gardener: Beginning Vegetable Gardening (Edina): 10:30am
- Master Gardener: Best Plants for Tough Sites (Richfield): 11am
- Crafty Minnesota: Knitted Bookmarks (Minneapolis): 11am-1pm
- Venture North Bike Walk & Coffee (Minneapolis): 11am-2pm
- Dr. Seuss – 75 Years of Imagination (Edina): 12-2pm
- Alliance Francais de Minneapolis/St. Paul: All Things French Open House (Minneapolis): 12-3pm
- Teen Job Fair (Minneapolis): 12-3pm
- Mary Louise Knutson (Minneapolis): 12:30-2:30pm
- Brandon Mull, Author of Beyonders: Seeds of Rebellion (Minneapolis): 1pm
- Deb Prom Fashion Show (Mall of America): 1pm
- First Pages for Kids: Writing Short Stories (Minneapolis): 1-2pm
- First Pages for Teens: Creating Fictional Worlds (Maple Grove): 1-2pm
- Paint It Green: Full Circle (Wayzata): 1-2pm
- The Lazy Gardener’s Guide to Creating Your Urban Forest (St. Anthony): 1-4pm
- Paws to Read (Hopkins): 1:30-3pm
- Givens Black Books: Community Reading Campaign (Minneapolis): 2pm
- Hosmer World Music Concert Series Celebrates Iranian New Year (Minneapolis): 2pm
- Master Gardener: Container Gardening (Minneapolis): 2pm
- Macy’s Prom Fashion Show (Mall of America): 2-4pm
- Anime Equinox (Minnetonka): 6-9pm
- Minnecanos (Minneapolis): 7:30pm
- Mozart and Bartok Kenwood Symphony Orchestra Concert (Minneapolis): 7:30pm
Sunday, 3/25
- Macy’s Flower Show (Minneapolis)
- Music Connections Yamaha Piano Expo (Mall of America)
- Operation Glass Slipper Princess Event (Mall of America)
- Ukrainian Easter Egg Festival (Minneapolis): 11am-2pm
- Winter Market (Minneapolis): 11am-3pm
- ThunderWillow Community Arts Grand Opening (Hudson): 11am-4pm
- Philippine Day (St. Paul): 12-4pm
- One Direction CD Signing (Mall of America): 1pm
- Paint It Green: Inventor’s Workshop (Plymouth): 1-2pm
- Free Family Fundays: Lunch with the Animals (Minneapolis): 1-3pm
- Saint Paul Civic Symphony Children’s Concert with ArtStart (St. Paul): 2pm
- Gifts of the Maple (Bloomington): 3-4pm
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About Laura Wales
