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 (1/18-1/21). 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:
- Saige’s Crafts: Friday from 4-6pm
- Saige’s Scavenger Hunt: Friday from 4-8pm
- Addy’s Birdcage Craft: Monday from 4-6pm
- American Girl Historical Character Scavenger Hunt: Monday from 4-6pm
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:
- How to Correctly Mount a Scope: Saturday at 11am
- More Play-Off Snacking: Saturday and Sunday from 11am-3pm
- Cabela’s World’s Foremost Chicken Wing and Mini Corn Dog Demo: Saturday and Sunday from 1-3pm
Guitar Center
Guitar Center offers a free recording workshop every Saturday from 10-11am. Find a Guitar Center location near you.
- Effects 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.
- How Cold Is It? Thermometer this Saturday
Pottery Barn
Adults are invited to free workshops at Pottery Barn on Saturdays or Sundays. Find a Pottery Barn location near you.
- Design Your Dream Bedroom: Sunday at 10am (RSVP online)
Pottery Barn Kids
Visit Pottery Barn Kids on Saturday from 4-6pm for the Nursery Style Event. Stop by for a showcase of their latest nursery collections and enjoy refreshments as well as 10% off for you and a guest (excluding furniture). RSVP required. Find a Pottery Barn Kids location near you.
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 Minnesota Children’s Museum is free every third Sunday as a part of Target Free Third Sundays
Williams-Sonoma
Williams-Sonoma stores offer various special events and cooking classes, some of which are free to attend.
- This weekend’s class is Vegetarian Cooking. Times for this one-hour class vary by location and reservations are recommended. Contact your local Williams-Sonoma for more information.
Twin Cities Events
In addition to these, be sure to check the MELSA calendar for free events at your local library.
Friday, 1/18
- U.S. Pond Hockey Championships (Lake Nokomis – Minneapolis)
- Minneapolis Riverfront Then and Now, 1858 and 2008 (Mill City Museum – Minneapolis): 10am-5pm
- Wells Fargo WinterSkate (Landmark Plaza – St. Paul): 11am-10pm (free skate rental with Wells Fargo check card or credit card)
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid Party! (White Bear Lake Library): 1-3pm
- Saige’s Crafts (American Girl store – Mall of America): Friday from 4-6pm
- Saige’s Scavenger Hunt (American Girl store – Mall of America): Friday from 4-8pm
- Mentor Series Reading: Jack El-Hai (Open Book – Minneapolis): 7pm
Saturday, 1/19
- U.S. Pond Hockey Championships (Lake Nokomis – Minneapolis)
- Winter Fete (Bloomington)
- The MLK Day of Service (Minneapolis Community & Technical College): 8am-2pm
- Bird Banding (Eastman Nature Center – Dayton OR Lowry Nature Center – Victoria): 9am-12pm
- Snowshoe Demo (Midwest Mountaineering – Minneapolis): 9:30am (preregistration recommended)
- Childish Films: Music Videos for Kids with The Bunny Clogs (Minneapolis Central Library): 10am
- Free Family Flick: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Dog Days (Mall of America): 10am
- Story Time with Engineer Paul (Choo Choo Bob’s Train Store – St. Paul): 10am
- Effects (Guitar Center locations): 10-11am
- Martha Stewart Living Specialty Finishes (Home Depot locations): 10-11am
- Arctic Blast! (Como Park Zoo & Conservatory – St. Paul): 10am-4pm
- Art Sled Rally Community Workshop (Bedlam Theater Studio – Minneapolis): 10am-4pm
- Minneapolis Riverfront Then and Now, 1858 and 2008 (Mill City Museum – Minneapolis): 10am-5pm
- Michael Hall, Cat Tale (The Red Balloon Bookshop – St. Paul): 10:30am
- How to Correctly Mount a Scope (Cabela’s – Rogers): 11am
- Mary Logue, Sleep Like a Tiger (Wild Rumpus – Minneapolis): 11am
- How Cold Is It? Thermometer (Lakeshore Learning locations): 11am-3pm
- More Play-Off Snacking (Cabela’s – Rogers): 11am-3pm
- Wells Fargo WinterSkate (Landmark Plaza – St. Paul): 11am-10pm (free skate rental with Wells Fargo check card or credit card)
- Lake Harriet Winter Kite Festival (Minneapolis): 12-4pm
- Stillwater Ice Cream Social (Mulberry Point – Stillwater): 12-4pm
- Carrie Rocha, Chief Pocketeer, Book Signing (Lifeway Bookstore, Maple Grove): 1pm (Carrie will speak at 1pm, take a few questions, give away a $25 Lifeway gift card and then sign books)
- Kitchen Design (Home Depot locations): 1-2:30pm
- Cabela’s World’s Foremost Chicken Wing and Mini Corn Dog Demo (Cabela’s – Rogers): 1-3pm
- “I’m a Person Too!…” Celebrating the Brilliance of Leonard Bernstein (MacPhail Center for Music – Minneapolis): 2pm and 3:30pm
- Act Out for Adults: History of Theater (Brooklyn Park Library): 2-3:30pm (registration required)
- “Dr. Who: The Snowmen” Free Screening (The Parkway Theater – Minneapolis): 3pm
- Ice Cream Tasting (Sweet Science Ice Cream – St. Paul): 3-6pm
- Deer Watch (Eastman Nature Center – Dayton): 4-5pm
- Nursery Style Event (Pottery Barn Kids locations): 4-6pm (RSVP required)
Sunday, 1/20
- U.S. Pond Hockey Championships (Lake Nokomis – Minneapolis)
- Winter Fete (Bloomington)
- Target Free Third Sunday (Children’s Museum – St. Paul): 9am-5pm
- Design Your Dream Bedroom (Pottery Barn locations): 10am (RSVP online)
- Arctic Blast! (Como Park Zoo & Conservatory – St. Paul): 10am-4pm
- Art Sled Rally Community Workshop (Bedlam Theater Studio – Minneapolis): 10am-4pm
- Minneapolis Riverfront Then and Now, 1858 and 2008 (Mill City Museum – Minneapolis): 10am-5pm
- Warm Bodies Event (Mall of America): 11am-2pm
- More Play-Off Snacking (Cabela’s – Rogers): 11am-3pm
- Wells Fargo WinterSkate (Landmark Plaza – St. Paul): 11am-9pm (free skate rental with Wells Fargo check card or credit card)
- Design Storage (Home Depot locations): 1-2:30pm
- Cabela’s World’s Foremost Chicken Wing and Mini Corn Dog Demo (Cabela’s – Rogers): 1-3pm
- Free Family Funday: Furs and Footprints (Carl Kroening Interpretive Center – Minneapolis): 1-3pm
- Let’s Get StARTed: Winter Wonderlands (Silverwood Park – St. Anthony): 1-3pm
- Urban Expedition: Tibet (Landmark Center – St. Paul): 1-3pm
- Special Showing: Ice Castles (Mall of America): 2pm
- Raptors in the Yard (Lowry Nature Center – Victoria): 2-4pm
- Critters Close-Up (Richardson Nature Center – Bloomington): 3-4pm
- Rock on Ice (Round Lake Park Ice Rinks – Eden Prairie): 5:30-7:30pm (skate rental is not available)
Monday, 1/21
- National Parks Free Entrance Day
- Bring Your Child to Serve Day (Second Harvest Heartland West – Golden Valley): 8am-8pm (registration required)
- Arctic Blast! (Como Park Zoo & Conservatory – St. Paul): 10am-4pm
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration (St. Paul Central High School): 10:30am-2pm
- Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration (Powderhorn Park Recreation Center – Minneapolis): 11am-2pm
- Wells Fargo WinterSkate (Landmark Plaza – St. Paul): 11am-5pm (free skate rental with Wells Fargo check card or credit card)
- KTIS Winter Concert Series: Jason Gray (Mall of America): 12pm
- The Martin Luther King Jr. Convocation (Augsburg College – Minneapolis): 1pm
- Silverwood Snowman Making Contest (Silverwood Park – St. Anthony): 1-3:30pm
- Winter Concert (Silverwood Park – St. Anthony): 3:30-4:30pm
- Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration (Luxton Recreation Center – Minneapolis): 4-5:30pm
- Addy’s Birdcage Craft (American Girl store – Mall of America): Monday from 4-6pm
- American Girl Historical Character Scavenger Hunt (American Girl store – Mall of America): Monday from 4-6pm
- Beautiful Creatures Cast Appearance (Mall of America): 5:30pm
- Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration (Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Recreation Center – Minneapolis): 6:30-7:30pm
About Laura Wales
