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 (4/27-4/29). 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 weekend’s free events include:
- Julie’s Bracelet Craft: April 27 from 3-5pm
- American Girl Historical Character Scavenger Hunt: April 27 from 3-7pm
- Julie’s Disco Dance Steps Demo: April 27 from 4-6pm
- Julie’s Embroidered Card Craft: April 27 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.
Cabela’s
Cabela’s offers various samples and demonstrations each weekend. Events vary by location, but the Rogers (MN) location is hosting seminars on home defense and personal protection.
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 Raised Gardening Bed, Create Entry Door Appeal and Door Lock Basics, Outdoor Power Equipment, and How to Choose a Countertop. Check the Home Depot website for dates and times.
Lakeshore Learning
Kids can make a Fancy Feathered Bird craft this Saturday from 11am-3pm. Find a Lakeshore Learning Store near you.
Lowe’s
Kids can build a Terrarium at Lowe’s Build & Grow Workshop this Saturday from 10am-12pm. Be sure to sign up in advance online.
Pottery Barn
This Sunday at 10am, check out a class on The Art of Botanical Arranging at Pottery Barn. Learn how to artfully arrange botanicals and customize your very own display for the perfect Mother’s Day gift. Find a Pottery Barn 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.
Walmart
Enter your zip code in the Walmart Event Finder to see what’s going on in your area. Events at my store include a Capri Sun Super V and Del Monte Diced Peaches Sampling Event, a Barilla Sauce Sampling Event, a Red Baron Hand Tossed Pizza, Dr. Pepper TEN, Hershey’s Kisses and Reese’s Miniatures Sampling Event, and a Dole Fruit Bowls Sampling Event.
Williams-Sonoma
Williams-Sonoma stores offer various special events and cooking classes, some of which are free to attend.
This Sunday, stop by for a free Juicing workshop. They’ll provide easy recipes, tips and expert advice from Joe Cross, founder of Reboot Your Life. Reservations are recommended; contact your local Williams-Sonoma for more information.
Local Events
Thanks to A Traveling Thought for some of this information.
Friday, 4/27
- National Park Week
- Bird Banding (Carpenter St. Croix Valley Nature Center – Hastings): 9am-12pm
- Art in Bloom (Minneapolis Institute of Arts): 10am-5pm
- Community Shred-It Event (Zimmerman & Associates of Ameriprise – Minnetonka): 11am-1pm
- OpenOffice: Basics (North Regional Library – Minneapolis): 11am-1pm
- YNK You Never Know (Brooklyn Park Library): 1-3pm
- Outdoor Adventure Expo (Midwest Mountaineering – Minneapolis): 2-9pm
- Celebrate Spring (Franklin Library – Minneapolis): 4-5pm
- African Family Week with Breck Marimba Band (Midtown Global Market – Minneapolis): 5-8pm
- St. Paul Art Crawl: 6-10pm
- Young Adult Authors Special Event (The Red Balloon Bookshop – St. Paul): 7pm
- Spring Chamber Music Gala (Lloyd Ultan Recital Hall, Ferguson Hall – Minneapolis): 7:30-9pm
Saturday, 4/28
- Heat Yoga Grand Opening (Maple Grove)
- National Park Week
- Summer Flower Show (Como Park Conservatory – St. Paul)
- Menards Race Cars (Menards – Maple Grove): 8am-6pm
- John Gage, Chainsaw Carving (Menards – Maple Grove): 9am-5pm
- Free Morning Bird Hike (Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park – Brooklyn Park): 9-10am
- Sweatastic Saturday! (lululemon athletica – St. Paul): 9-10am
- Community Shred-It Event (White Bear Lake): 9-11am
- MayDay Public Workshop (In the Heart of the Beast – Minneapolis): 9-11am
- Community Shred-It Event (Park Midway Bank – St. Paul): 9am-12pm
- Community Shred-It Event (Star Choice Employee Credit Union – Bloomington): 9am-12pm
- Community Shred-It Event (United Educator’s Credit Union – Eden Prairie): 9am-12pm
- Richardson’s Grand Green Opening (Richardson Nature Center – Bloomington): 9am-12pm
- Get Smart with Your Money (TopLine Federal Credit Union – Maple Grove): 9am-12:45pm (register in advance)
- Minneapolis Pitch, Hit, and Run Skills Competition (Lake Nokomis – Minneapolis): 9am-1pm
- Outdoor Adventure Expo (Midwest Mountaineering – Minneapolis): 9am-6:30pm
- Women’s Ride Day (lululemon athletica – Minneapolis): 9:15am
- World Tai Chi and Qigong Day (Normandale Community College – Bloomington): 9:30am-12pm
- Free Family Flick: Rango (Mall of America): 10am
- Women’s Spring Walk (Richardson Nature Center – Bloomington): 10-11:30am
- Spring Vehicle Day (Southdale Center – Edina): 10am-12pm
- Touch a Truck (Roseville Area High School): 10am-2pm
- Art in Bloom (Minneapolis Institute of Arts): 10am-5pm
- Demand the Change for Children Celebration (Mall of America): 10am-5pm
- Longevity Expo (Maple Grove Community Center): 10am-5pm (free with non-perishable food donation)
- Corduroy Storytime with Kim Faurot (The Red Balloon Bookshop – St. Paul): 10:30am
- Master Gardener: Ornamental Grasses (Washburn Library – Minneapolis): 10:30am
- Art in Bloom Family Event (Minneapolis Institute of Arts): 10:30am-1:30pm
- DNA Day: Find Your Inner Neanderthal (Minneapolis Central Library): 11am
- First Pages: Creating Characters (Pierre Bottineau Library – Minneapolis): 11am-12pm
- First Pages: Selecting Literary Agents (Augsburg Park Library – Richfield): 11am-12pm
- Clump-o-Lump Mix It Up Party (Creative Kidstuff – Wayzata): 11am-1pm
- Crafty Minnesota: Wild and Woolly Felting (Northeast Library – Minneapolis): 11am-1pm
- ArtStart Children’s EcoArts Festival (Harriet Island – St. Paul): 11:30am-5pm
- Canoe and Kayak Demo (Hyland Lake Park Reserve – Bloomington): 12-3pm
- Local Fest (Whole Foods Market – Edina): 12-4pm
- Baking Demo with Free Cookies (Menards – Maple Grove): 12-6pm
- St. Paul Art Crawl: 12-8pm
- Stoney Savanna (Midtown Global Market – Minneapolis): 12:30-2:30pm
- Author Talk: A Taste of Italy (Nokomis Library – Minneapolis): 1pm
- Michael Black, Incredible Adventures of Doc Atlas (Once Upon a Crime Bookstore – Minneapolis): 1pm
- Vet Visit (Wild Rumpus – Minneapolis): 1pm
- Make This: Jewelry (Maple Grove Library): 1-3pm
- MayDay Public Workshop (In the Heart of the Beast – Minneapolis): 1-3pm
- Neighborhood History Day (Hamline Midway Library – St. Paul): 1-3pm
- Marbles: The Brain Store’s 4th Annual Crossword Tournament (Mall of America): 1-4pm
- Portraits of Us (Hopkins Library): 1-4pm
- Indian Education Day & Wacipi (Osseo Junior High School): 1-6pm
- Children’s Day/Book Day Celebration (Oxboro Library – Bloomington): 2pm
- Hosmer World Music Concert Series Presents The Hot Club Of Minneapolis (Hosmer Library – Minneapolis): 2pm
- Paint It Green: Animal Masks and Shakers (Westonka Library – Mound): 2-3pm
- Teen Artist Contest Reception (Plymouth Library): 2-3pm
- Make a Mask with Local Author Will Alexander (Walker Library – Minneapolis): 2-4pm
- Prohibition and Organized Crime in Minneapolis (Minneapolis Central Library): 3pm
- A Splendid Afternoon for Poetry (Washburn Library – Minneapolis): 4-5:30pm
- Rachel Navaro, Jellybean and Herbert (Swede Hollow Café – St. Paul): 5-8pm
Sunday, 4/29
- Heat Yoga Grand Opening (Maple Grove)
- National Park Week
- Summer Flower Show (Como Park Conservatory – St. Paul)
- State History Day (University of Minnesota – Minneapolis): 8am-5pm
- Menards Race Cars (Menards – Maple Grove): 8am-6pm
- John Gage, Chainsaw Carving (Menards – Maple Grove): 9am-5pm
- Sweaty Sundays with Barre Bliss (lululemon athletica – Minneapolis): 9:30-10:30am
- Outdoor Adventure Expo (Midwest Mountaineering – Minneapolis): 10am-5pm
- Art in Bloom (Minneapolis Institute of Arts): 11am-5pm
- Magic The Gathering: Avacyn Restored Prerelease (Mall of America): 11am-8pm
- Rene Thompson Salsa Lessons (Midtown Global Market – Minneapolis): 12-1pm
- Explore Spain Tasting Event (Whole Foods Market – St. Paul): 12-3pm
- Spain Tasting (Whole Foods Market Minnetonka): 12-3pm
- St. Paul Art Crawl: 12-5pm
- Paws to Read (Golden Valley Library): 12:30-2pm
- Botanicals (Weisman Art Museum – Minneapolis): 1-3pm
- Feed the Amphibians (Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park – Brooklyn Park): 1-3pm
- Free Family Fun Day: Kermit and Cousins – A Look at Amphibians (Carl Kroening Interpretive Center – Minneapolis): 1-3pm
- Urban Expedition – Norway! (Landmark Center – St. Paul): 1-3pm
- Hosmer World Film Series Presents The Tenants (Hosmer Library – Minneapolis): 1:15-3pm
- A Reading and Celebration of Gatherings: A Forword Poetry Anthology (Magers & Quinn – Minneapolis): 2pm
- Sean Connolly, The Book of Perfectly Perilous Math (The Red Balloon Bookshop – St. Paul): 2pm
- Friends of the Wildflower Garden Invasives Plant Action Group (FIPAG) Weeding Event (Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary): 2-4pm
- Snakes Alive! (Richardson Nature Center – Bloomington): 3-4pm
- The First John Philip Sousa Memorial Band (Edinborough Park – Edina): 7pm
- “Oromiya’s Return” (Mixed Blood Theatre – Minneapolis): 7pm
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About Laura Wales
