Free Weekend Events and Activities: 6/22 – 6/24/12

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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 (6/22-6/24). 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:

• McKenna “Go For It!” Crafts: Sunday from 12-2pm

Barnes & Noble
Check your local Barnes & Noble for events. My closest store has Children’s Storytime on Tuesdays and Fridays at 10am. There’s also a LEGO Building Event going on this Saturday at various locations (Twin Cities locations include Minnetonka and Roseville).

Disney Store
Stop by the Disney Store this Saturday from 10:30am-12:30pm for a Brave Adventure. In-store activities will take place to celebrate the upcoming release of Brave. If you miss this weekend’s event, they’re also having it on June 30. Minimum age for participating is 3 years. 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 in Pro Tools 10. Find a Guitar Center location near you.

Home Depot
This month’s weekend adult workshops include Install a Ceiling Fan, Bath Safety, and Outdoor Pest Control. Check the Home Depot website for dates and times.

Jo-Ann Fabric & Craft Stores
Check out two free demos this Saturday: Cricut Cake Mini Machine from 12-1pm and Fabric-Crafting with Rit Dye from 1-2pm.

Lakeshore Learning
Kids can make a Summertime Door Hanger craft this Saturday from 11am-3pm. Find a Lakeshore Learning Store near you.

Lowe’s
Kids can build a Madagascar 3 Luxury Assault Vehicle at Lowe’s Build & Grow Workshop on Saturday at 10am or Sunday at 2pm. Be sure to sign up in advance online.

Michaels
This weekend’s free events include:

• Bead Landing Demo for adults: Saturday from 12-1pm
• Passport to Imagination: Poland: Saturday from 1-4pm
• Mod Podge Make-It Take-It Event for adults: Sunday from 12-3pm

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. My closest store is having an Oberto Jerky and Dr. Pepper TEN Sampling Event and a Yo Crunch Yogurt Sampling Event.

Williams-Sonoma
Williams-Sonoma stores offer various special events and cooking classes, some of which are free to attend. This Sunday, check out a free Technique Class on The Grill Master: Fish & Seafood. Reservations are recommended; contact your local Williams-Sonoma for more information.

Local Events

Be sure to check the Free Local Summer Entertainment and Events post for more on-going events.

Thanks to A Traveling Thought for some of this information.

Friday, 6/22

• ‘49er Days (Fridley)
• Blaine Festival
• Dan Patch Days (Savage)
• Earle Brown Days Festival (Brooklyn Center)
• Howard Lake Good Neighbor Days
• Kaposia Days (South St. Paul)
• Summer Flower Show (Como Park Conservatory – St. Paul)
• Summer Reading Program: Magical Mia (Rondo Community Outreach Library – St. Paul): 10:30-11am
• Meet Twins Mascot TC Bear (Burnhaven Library – Burnsville): 10:30-11:15am

• RAD Zoo (Wescott Library – Eagan): 10:30-11:15am
• Juneteenth: The Sound of Freedom – A Celebration of Community (Sumner Library – Minneapolis): 10:30-11:30am
• Minnesota Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics (Mall of America): 10:30-11:30am
• Summer Reading Program/Following the Evidence (Riverview Library – St. Paul): 10:30-11:30am
• Summer Reads at the Library (Dayton’s Bluff Library – St. Paul): 1-5pm
• Createch Lab (Rondo Community Outreach Library – St. Paul): 2-4pm
• Readers’ Theater (East Lake Library – Minneapolis): 3pm
• Game On! Gaming Fridays (Franklin Library – Minneapolis): 3-4pm

• I Can Fish! Fishing Fridays (Fort Snelling State Park): 3-5pm
• Friday Night Video Gaming (Nokomis Library – Minneapolis): 4-6pm
• Movies for Teens (Franklin Library – Minneapolis): 4-6pm
• Family Night with Dean Harrington Trio (Midtown Global Market – Minneapolis): 5-8pm
• North St. Paul History Cruze Car Show: 6-10pm
• Friday Night Movie Night: Fly Away Home (Springbook Nature Center – Fridley): 6:30-8pm
• Calhoun Brass (City Square Park – Chaska): 7pm
• Cromulent Shakespeare Company, The Merry Wives of Windsor (Nokomis Park – Minneapolis): 7pm

• Eden Prairie Players Present Annie (Staring Lake Amphitheatre – Eden Prairie): 7pm
• Open Eye Theatre Driveway Tour (Minneapolis and St. Paul): 7pm
• Ski Otter Water Ski Show (White Bear Lake): 7pm
• Tom, Dick & Harry (Minnehaha Falls – Minneapolis): 7pm
• Salsa del Sol (Northrop Plaza): 7-10pm
• Minnesota Sinfonia Featuring Wayne Lee, Violin (Lake Harriet Bandshell – Minneapolis): 7:30pm
• Universe in the Park (Lowry Nature Center – Victoria): 9-10:30pm
• 1987 World Series Game 7 (Lake Harriet Bandshell – Minneapolis): 9:19pm

Saturday, 6/23

• ‘49er Days (Fridley)
• Blaine Festival
• Dan Patch Days (Savage)
• Earle Brown Days Festival (Brooklyn Center)
• Howard Lake Good Neighbor Days
• Kaposia Days (South St. Paul)
• Minnetonka Summer Festival
• Rosefest 2012 (Roseville)
• Summer Flower Show (Como Park Conservatory – St. Paul)

• Paddle Board Class (Lake Calhoun): 6am, 7am, 8am and 9am (sign up in advance at lululemon West End)
• Karma Yoga for the Cure (CorePower Yoga – Edina): 6am-8pm
• Free Plants from Buchanan Street Farms (Minneapolis): 8:30-10:30am
• Sweatastic Saturday (lululemon athletica – St. Paul): 9-10am
• UCare City of Lakes Tri-Loppet (Minneapolis): 9am-1:30pm
• Kawasaki Good Times Street Demo Days (Mall of America): 9am-4pm
• Eagan Art Festival: 9am-5pm
• Animal Feeding (Springbrook Nature Center – Fridley): 10am
• Free Family Flick: Space Jam (Theatres at Mall of America): 10am

• What’s That Bird? (Fort Snelling State Park): 10-11am (advance registration requested)
• Kids Gaming (Hosmer Library – Minneapolis): 10am-2pm
• LEGO Mania! (Washburn Library – Minneapolis): 10am-2pm
• Midsommar Dag (Gammelgarden Museum – Scandia): 10am-4pm
• Edwards Pie Sampling (Mall of America): 10am-6pm
• Wayzata Art Experience: 10am-6pm
• Game On! Family Gaming Saturdays (Rockford Road Library – Crystal): 10:30am-12:30pm
• Svenskarnas Dag (Minnehaha Park): 10:30am-4:30pm

• Open Eye Theatre Driveway Tour (Minneapolis): 11am
• Come Play in the Park! (Minnehaha Regional Park – Minneapolis): 11am-1pm
• Hardscapes Seminar: Concrete Pavers & Retaining Walls (Bachman’s – Minneapolis): 11am-1pm
• Welcome Back Library Friends! (Merriam Park Library – St. Paul): 11am-4pm
• Saturday Live!: Wendy’s Wiggle, Jiggle and Jam (Central Library – St. Paul): 11:15am-12pm
• Osseo Marching Band Festival: 12pm
• Chess Club (North Regional Library – Minneapolis): 12-2pm
• The First Tee Golf Olympics for Young Kids (Eagle Lake Youth Golf Center – Plymouth): 12-2pm
• Health Starts Here Grill’in and Chill’in Summer Event (Whole Foods locations): 12-3pm

• Alaska Seafood University (Rainbow Foods locations): 12-4pm
• Grimm Farmhouse Open House (Victoria): 12-4pm
• Twin Cities Pride (Loring Park): 10 – 10pm
• Dangerous Strangers – Unfriendly Plants (Fort Snelling State Park): 1-2pm
• Act Out for Kids: Storymaking (St. Bonifacius Library): 1-2:30pm
• Videogaming Day (Hayden Heights Library – St. Paul): 1-3:30pm
• Traps and Pitfalls in Intellectual Property (Minneapolis Central Library): 1-4pm
• Video Gaming (Sun Ray Library – St. Paul): 1-4:30pm
• Twin Cities Rose Club Show (Bachman’s – Minneapolis): 1-5pm
• Author Talk: Jude Nutter and Francine Marie Tolf (Edina Library): 2pm

• Hosmer World Music Concert Series Presents Dan Newton and the Hula Peppers (Hosmer Library – Minneapolis): 2pm
• Juneteenth: Slavery and the Making of America (North Regional Library – Minneapolis): 2pm
• Make a Mask with Local Author Will Alexander (Sumner Library – Minneapolis): 2pm
• Open Eye Theatre Driveway Tour (Hugo): 2pm
• Svenskarnas Dag Choir Midsummer Program (IKEA – Bloomington): 2pm
• Jewelry (Brookdale Library – Brooklyn Center): 2-4pm
• Movie Matinees for Kids! (North Regional Library – Minneapolis): 2-4pm
• Steampunk Mystery Mayhem: Created by the Red Ribbon Society (Oxboro Library –  Bloomington): 2-4pm

• Open Eye Theatre Driveway Tour (Minneapolis): 4pm
• Saturday Night Cruise-In (Hastings): 5-9pm
• Shockwaves Water Ski Show (Long Lake): 6pm
• Cromulent Shakespeare Company, The Merry Wives of Windsor (Franconia Sculpture Park – Taylors Falls): 6:30pm
• Eden Prairie Players Present Annie (Staring Lake Amphitheatre – Eden Prairie): 7pm
• Open Eye Theatre Driveway Tour (Rosemount): 7pm
• Raptors (Baker Park Reserve – Maple Plain): 7-8pm
• New Primitives (Lake Harriet Bandshell – Minneapolis): 7:30pm
• Fast Five (Bossen Field Park – Minneapolis): 9:19pm

Sunday, 6/24

• Blaine Festival
• Dan Patch Days (Savage)
• Howard Lake Good Neighbor Days
• Kaposia Days (South St. Paul)
• Rosefest 2012 (Roseville)
• Summer Flower Show (Como Park Conservatory – St. Paul)
• Upper Post WWII Biking Tour (Fort Snelling State Park): 9-11am
• Kawasaki Good Times Street Demo Days (Mall of America): 9am-4pm
• Sweaty Sundays with Teacher Training Graduates (lululemon athletica – Minneapolis): 9:30-10:30am

• Trees Everywhere! (Fort Snelling State Park): 10-11am
• Twin Cities Rose Club Show (Bachman’s – Minneapolis): 10am-3pm
• Wayzata Art Experience: 10am-4pm
• Eagan Art Festival: 10am-5pm
• Rene Thompson Salsa Dance Lessons (Midtown Global Market – Minneapolis): 12-1pm
• Bell Museum of Natural History (Minneapolis): 12-5pm
• Free Family Funday: Frogs (Carl Kroening Interpretive Center – Minneapolis): 1-3pm
• River Critters (Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park – Brooklyn Park): 1-3pm
• Twin Cities Pride (Loring Park): 10 – 6pm
• Sundays in the Garden (Noerenberg Gardens – Wayzata): 1-4pm

• Lex-Ham Community Band (Lake Harriet Bandshell – Minneapolis): 2pm
• Sculpture Park Tour (Franconia Sculpture Park – Franconia): 2pm
• Walk with an Artist (Silverwood Park – St. Anthony): 2-3pm
• Bluegrass Jam and Lemonade in the Shade (Gammelgarden Museum – Scandia): 2-4pm
• Lego Time (Rice Street Library – St. Paul): 2-4pm
• The Paula Lammers Jazz Combo  (Como Lakeside Pavilion – St. Paul): 3pm
• Critters Close Up (Richardson Nature Center – Bloomington): 3-4pm
• Wild Invaders (Fort Snelling State Park): 3-5pm
• Open Eye Theatre Driveway Tour (New Brighton): 4pm

• Shockwaves Water Ski Show (Lake Pepin – Lake City): 4pm
• Ticket to Brasil (Lake Harriet Bandshell – Minneapolis): 5:30pm
• Ski Otter Water Ski Show (White Bear Lake): 6pm
• Cromulent Shakespeare Company, The Merry Wives of Windsor (Caponi Art Park – Eagan): 6:30pm
• MN Sinfonia Roseville Family Pops Concert (Central Park Lexington’s Frank Rog Amphitheatre – Roseville): 6:30pm
• Eden Prairie Players Present Annie (Staring Lake Amphitheatre – Eden Prairie): 7pm
• St. Anthony Civic Orchestra (Como Pavilion – St. Paul): 7pm
• St. Louis Park Community Band (Centennial Lakes Park – Edina): 7pm

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