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 (1/11-1/13). 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:
- Girl of the Year 2012 Debut: Friday from 3-5pm
- Saige’s Scavenger Hunt: Friday from 1-5pm, Saturday and Sunday from 12-4pm
- Saige’s Crafts: Friday from 3:30-5:30pm, Saturday and Sunday from 2-4pm
Barnes & Noble
Check your local Barnes & Noble for events. Most stores have story times once or twice per week.
Cabela’s
Cabela’s offers various samples and demonstrations each weekend. Events vary by location, so check for details at your local store.
This weekend, the Rogers, MN Cabela’s is hosting:
- Basic Firearms Cleaning for Rifles, Handguns, and Shotguns: Saturday at 11am
- Sampling Wind and Willows: Saturday and Sunday from 11am-3pm
- Flash Dry Clothing from North Face: Saturday from 12-3pm
- Delicious Pulled Pork Cooking Demo: Saturday from 1-3pm
Guitar Center
Guitar Center offers a free recording workshop every Saturday from 10-11am. Find a Guitar Center location near you.
- Virtual Instruments & Loops is the topic for this Saturday’s workshop
Home Depot
Home Depot offers free workshops for adults to help you improve your DIY skills. Check the Home Depot website for details. Topics this month include:
- Martha Stewart Living Specialty Finishes: Saturday from 10-11am
- Kitchen Design: Saturday from 1-2:30pm
- Design Storage: Sunday from 1-2:30pm
Lakeshore Learning
Every Saturday, Lakeshore Learning offers a free craft for kids from 11am-3pm. Find a Lakeshore Learning Store near you.
- All About Me Flip Book this Saturday
Lowe’s
Twice per month Lowe’s offers kids an opportunity to build their own project. The project is offered Saturdays at 10am. Be sure to sign up in advance online.
- Mystery Kit this Saturday
Target
Target sponsors free and reduced-priced admission opportunities at museums and cultural events nationwide. Select your city to find participating venues and their next scheduled discount day. In the Twin Cities area:
- The Walker Art Center is free every Thursday night as a part of Target Free Thursday Nights
- The Minneapolis Institute of Arts is free every second Sunday as a part of Target Family Day
Williams-Sonoma
Williams-Sonoma stores offer various special events and cooking classes, some of which are free to attend.
- This weekend’s class is Raw. Times for this one-hour class vary by location and reservations are recommended. Contact your local Williams-Sonoma for more information.
Twin Cities Events
Friday, 1/11
- Wells Fargo WinterSkate (Landmark Plaza – St. Paul): 11am-10pm (free skate rental with Wells Fargo check card or credit card)
- Saige’s Scavenger Hunt (American Girl store – Mall of America): 1-5pm
- Girl of the Year 2012 Debut (American Girl store – Mall of America): 3-5pm
- Saige’s Crafts (American Girl store – Mall of America): 3:30-5:30pm
- Andrea Cremer – RISE Publication Party! (The Red Balloon Bookshop – St. Paul): 6:30pm
- MN Sinfonia, “Postcard from Paris” (Johnson High School – St. Paul): 7pm
Saturday, 1/12
- The Young Brain Carnival (Mall of America): 8-10am
- Spirit of America Dance Competition (Mall of America): 8am-7pm
- Snowshoe Demo (Midwest Mountaineering – Minneapolis): 9:30am (pre-registration required)
- Free Family Flick: Diary of a Wimpy Kid (Mall of America): 10am
- Virtual Instruments & Loops (Guitar Center stores): 10am
- Martha Stewart Living Specialty Finishes (Home Depot stores): 10-11am
- Open House at Brickmania Toyworks (Minneapolis): 10am-4pm
- Healthy Life Expo (Minneapolis Convention Center): 10am-5pm (free with nonperishable food item donation or with these free ticket passes)
- Carlson Wagonlit Travel Cruise & Vacation Expo (Mall of America): 10am-6pm
- Mary Logue – Sleep Like a Tiger (The Red Balloon Bookshop – St. Paul): 10:30am
- Vickie Black – Young Chicken Farmers: Tips for Kids Raising Backyard Chickens (Magers & Quinn – Minneapolis): 10:30am
- Basic Firearms Cleaning for Rifles, Handguns, and Shotguns (Cabela’s – Rogers): 11am
- Sampling Wind and Willows (Cabela’s – Rogers): 11am-3pm
- Winter Trails Day Event (Fort Snelling State Park – St. Paul): 11am-4pm (State Park vehicle permit fees apply)
- Wells Fargo WinterSkate (Landmark Plaza – St. Paul): 11am-10pm (free skate rental with Wells Fargo check card or credit card)
- Health Starts Here Sampling Event (Whole Foods Market – Minneapolis): 12-3pm
- Flash Dry Clothing from North Face (Cabela’s – Rogers): 12-3pm
- Saige’s Scavenger Hunt (American Girl store – Mall of America): 12-4pm
- Kitchen Design (Home Depot stores): 1-2:30pm
- Delicious Pulled Pork Cooking Demo (Cabela’s – Rogers): 1-3pm
- Saige’s Crafts (American Girl store – Mall of America): 2-4pm
- Deer Watch (Eastman Nature Center – Dayton): 4-5pm
Sunday, 1/13
- Healthy Life Expo (Minneapolis Convention Center): 10am-5pm (free with nonperishable food item donation or with these free ticket passes)
- Sampling Wind and Willows (Cabela’s – Rogers): 11am-3pm
- Family Day at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts: Art Feast (Minneapolis Institute of Arts): 11am-5pm
- Wells Fargo WinterSkate (Landmark Plaza – St. Paul): 11am-9pm (free skate rental with Wells Fargo check card or credit card)
- Saige’s Scavenger Hunt (American Girl store – Mall of America): 12-4pm
- Free Admission to the Bell Museum of Natural History (Minneapolis): 12-5pm
- Design Storage (Home Depot stores): 1-2:30pm
- Feeding Frenzy (Eastman Nature Center – Dayton): 1-3pm
- Free Family Funday: Track the Naturalist (Carl Kroening Interpretive Center – Minneapolis): 1-3pm
- Urban Expedition: Argentina (Landmark Center – St. Paul): 1-3pm
- Winter Ice Festival (Centennial Lakes Park – Edina): 1-5pm
- Saige’s Crafts (American Girl store – Mall of America): 2-4pm
- Backyard Birds (Richardson Nature Center – Bloomington): 3-4pm
- MN Sinfonia, “Postcard from Paris” (Temple Israel – Minneapolis): 4pm
About Laura Wales
