Well, the Twin Cities made it through another weak-ass winter. It was a season with no blizzards, thawing rinks, and barely any snow emergencies. But now it's spring, that delightful amuse-bouche that gets us ready for summer as patios open up, gardens turn green, and parks get a little more busy. The following is our guide to Minnesota's shortest season.

Festivals

30 Days of Biking

All Around the World

OK, this isn’t really a festival; it’s more of an experience, a challenge, a global community, and, maybe, a paradigm shift. 30 Days of Biking is a worldwide event with local roots; each spring participants vow to bike every day for the month of April, be it a short neighborhood trip or a full-blown multi-mile excursion. It’s a chance to feel more confident biking around town, to experience trails, and to see the world on two wheels (or one, you wacky unicyclers!). You won’t have to do it alone, as there are usually a bunch of friendly bike rides this month, many led by the folks at the Joyful Riders Club. Watch the org’s Facebook page for updates on group rides, and sign up for the challenge at 30daysofbiking.com. April 1-30—Jessica Armbruster

Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Fest

The Main Cinema

What’s the biggest film festival in town? This buddy right here. For the past 44 years, MSPIFF has brought us a huge selection of soon-to-be award-winning films, hard-to-find international critics’ picks, and locally made gems. This year is no different with over 200 films to take in over 11 days. You’ll have to trim down your itinerary, of course, but a few highlights include the world premiere of Somalia in the Picture, a documentary about the Mogadishu film industry and one man’s quest to find a surviving print of a film he made in 1985; The Wedding Banquet, a queer comedy of errors starring Bowen Yang and Lily Gladstone; and a free screening of Pather Pachali, Indian director Satyajit Ray's groundbreaking 1955 film. Director Ang Lee will be in town for special screenings of Brokeback Mountain and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and the fest kicks off with the 2025 documentary Free Leonard Peltier (who has since been freed), followed by a reception featuring eats from Owamni. Fest categories include flicks made by Minnesotans, LGBTQ+ selections, horror movies, films by Black and women filmmakers, kid-friendly fare, and so, so much more. Check out the complete fest schedule online. $17 per screening; $10 student rush; multi-show passes available. 115 SE Main St., Minneapolis. April 2-13—Jessica Armbruster

Saint Paul Art Crawl

Various Locations

What do St. Paul’s creative lofts, business districts, and galleries have to offer? A lot, as the ever-sprawling Saint Paul Art Crawl demonstrates twice each year, in the spring and fall. Over the next three weekends, artsy pockets of various neighborhoods will showcase their thriving communities via open houses, friendly happy hours, open studio demonstrations, special sales, pop-up galleries, exhibitions, and more. In past years, weekends have been divvied up by neighborhoods; this year they’ve got groupings by ward, so be sure to check the map to see what areas are highlighted each week. It’s all free, and while hours vary by venue, in general they are: 6-10 p.m. Fri.; noon to 8 p.m. Sat.; noon to 5 p.m. Sun. Find more details at ​​stpaulartcollective.org. April 25-May 11—Jessica Armbruster 

Art In Bloom

Minneapolis Institute of Arts

For over 40 years now, Art in Bloom has challenged florists to render iconic works from the museum in flora. The results? Often whimsical, usually abstract, and undeniably creative. This spring over 100 businesses and independent creatives will create pieces inspired by paintings, sculptures, and other works throughout the building. Pop a Claritin-D and explore the galleries, which will smell amazing. Related events this weekend include an opening night party with live music and drinks, workshops on bouquet making and Ikebana (the Japanese art of flower arranging), and family friendly happenings. Pieces will be on display throughout the weekend (though it’s best to get there earlier before the wilting begins), and admission, as always, is free. Find more details here. 2400 Third Ave. S., Minneapolis. April 24–27—Jessica Armbruster

Smashfest

Insight Brewing 

A thin, crusty patty on a squishy-but-flat bun? Preferably with equal parts melty American cheese? Yep, we’re talking about smash burgers. These things are so beloved by burgerheads that Insight has decided to dedicate an entire day to the art of the smash. Burger-related happenings this day include a competition between Angry Line Cook, Private Sector Provisions, Burger Daddies, and Garillers, judged by festival-goers and a lineup of local celebrities, including Racket’s dedicated burger aficionado Jay Boller. There will be two limited edition beer releases of SMaSH today, one made with single malt and another with single hop. Other smashed fun to be had includes a burger-themed market from Garden Witch Co. and a Super Smash Bros. tournament hosted by 2D Con, plus bluegrass tunes from Triple Fiddle, the Foxgloves, and the Roe Family Singers. Free. 1-10 p.m. 2821 E. Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis. April 26—Jessica Armbruster

5th Annual Minnehaha Creek Duck Race

Minnehaha Creek

One of the quirkiest signs of spring in the Twin Cities, this adorable race, where hundreds of bright-yellow rubber duckies meander their way along the creek, has delighted south Minneapolitans for the past four years. Folks can sponsor a duck (or a flock of ducks) for $3, and if your lil guy is one of the first 20 to cross the finish line then you’ll win things like local restaurant gift cards or even home appliances. The event serves as an annual fundraiser for the Field Regina Northrop Neighborhood Group (FRNNG, of which Racket’s Jay Boller is a board member) and yes, it’s enviro-friendly: The ducks are collected and reused each year, and volunteers collect trash during the race. The event ends with a community festival featuring live music, family-friendly hands-on activities, free face-painting (the website notes that adults are welcome to this, too!), and Finer Meats & Eats, Muddy Tiger, Egg Roll Queen, and Saint Pops food trucks. Free; $3 to sponsor a duck. 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Ducks enter the creek at 11 a.m. from the bridge at 12th Ave. & Minnehaha Pkwy. Find more info and sign up to help here. 1700 E. Minnehaha Pkwy., Minneapolis. May 3—Jessica Armbruster

MayDay Celebrations

Various Locations

One of the best signs of spring turns 50 this year. In 1975, a group of friendly hippies came together in Powderhorn Park to celebrate community, the end of the Vietnam War, and the changing of the seasons. In 2025, the south Minneapolis tradition is still going strong, thanks to local organizations, businesses, and creative groups. Charming punk crew Southside Battletrain will bring their steampunk creations to Bloomington Avenue once again; a $10 fundraiser featuring art, tunes, and food is this Saturday, March 29. This year’s gathering in Powderhorn Park has been dubbed “People Power,” and will celebrate unions, workers’ rights, and everyone who organizes for a better quality of life. You may also want to stop by Reverie Cafe + Bar, which is hosting another free MayDay party with local art, music all day, and some visits from Art Cars. May 4—Jessica Armbruster

Minneapolis Sculpture Garden Art Fair

Minneapolis Sculpture Garden

An art fair in an art garden? Yes, sometimes the stars align for a perfect pairing. Now in its second year, the festival, organized by the folks behind the equally delightful Minnehaha Falls Art Fair, is back for two days of fun in the oft-underused Sculpture Garden. Over 160 artists will be setting up booths to showcase their art, along with makers, organizations, and crafters. Folks looking to get a jump start on their backyard or windowsill gardens should check out the botanical market in the conservatory (that big glass house). Beer and wine will be available, and food trucks and food tents will offer a variety of options. Find more details at sculpturegardenartfair.com. Free. 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sat.; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sun. 725 Vineland Place, Minneapolis. May 10-11—Jessica Armbruster

Minnesota Songkran Festival

Minnesota State Capitol

It’s Thai New Year, and to celebrate, local cultural groups are coming together for a free two-day festival. There will be plenty of food to choose from, with a focus on street food that includes traditional noodle dishes, papaya salads, and boba drinks. (We dare you to look at the pics from previous year’s festivals and not come away hungry.) Thai artists and vendors will set up shop at the pop-up market, and dance and music performances will feature new acts as well as old arts. Art installations, family friendly fun, and a special Thai temple blessing round out the event. Free. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sat.-Sun. 75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., St. Paul. May 10-11—Jessica Armbruster

Art-A-Whirl

Northeast Minneapolis

Another major birthday this year: Art-A-Whirl is turning 30. What started as a humble open-studio event has morphed into the country’s largest event of its very specific kind. The crowds are big, but so are your options. Once you get here (biking or using a free Metro Transit pass is highly recommended), you’ll find over 100 locations to explore featuring over 1,600 artists. That might sound terrifying, so we recommend you think small: choose a building (Northrup, California, Grain Belt, or Casket are great places to start), hop a free trolley to another location (breweries and coffee shops count!), then, if you’re still going strong, make your way to a bar or restaurant (no matter where you are, there will be at least one nearby) offering even more music and art (Whirlygig and Liquid Zoo are both usually free and a good time, and of course there’s always 331 and Grumpy’s). Find more info for AAW online. 5-10 p.m. Friday; noon to 8 p.m. Saturday; noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. May 16-18—Jessica Armbruster

Doors Open

Various Locations

Civically curious folks who like to snoop and explore: This festival is for you. Doors Open invites everyone to visit local businesses, theaters, music venues, and public institutions, wandering and learning about areas rarely seen or open to the public. The venue roster for 2025 has yet to be announced, but past locations (likely to return) have included the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis (last year’s tour included an opportunity to look at $4.7 million in cash), Minnesota Library Access Center’s huge underground storage facility, the green room at Cedar Cultural Center, and the Star Tribune’s vast North Loop newspaper printing facility. For a complete list of buildings and what they’ll be up to, keep and eye on doorsopenminneapolis.org. Most events are free; some require tickets/RSVPs. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sat.-Sun. May 17-18—Jessica Armbruster

Grand Old Day

Grand Avenue

Though it takes place in the spring, Grand Old Day is spiritually a summer fest. It’s got food trucks slingin’ eggrolls, ice cream, and homemade lemonade. It’s got multiple parking-lot beer gardens, pockets of live-music stages, and roaming balloon artists. It starts with a parade, and often ends with street sweepers clearing the streets. There are local artists, petting zoos, local business stands, and lots of direct sunlight. It’s not summer yet, but it’s already summer on Grand Avenue today. Bring sunscreen and water. Find more details over at grandave.com. Free. 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Grand Avenue, St. Paul. June 1—Jessica Armbruster

Concerts

GloRilla

Armory

There’s no shortage of tough-talking gals in rap these days, but unlike most of her peers the rapper born Gloria Hallelujah Woods doesn’t enter the arena booty-first. (No shame, I’m just sayin’.) Not that she’s any kind of prude—she holds down Memphis’s tradition of foul-mouthed self-expression on her 2024 album Glorious, her first proper album (whatever that means in 2025) with lines like “He wanna see that pussy cream/I told him ‘Cash rules.’” She not only stands her ground, but she stands up for her girls when men mess with them. Rhymes like “I got hands for a ho/I get bands for a show/He want chance after chance, after chance, n****, no” may sum up her worldview, but when Kirk Franklin shows up to reveal her churchy side, she doesn’t sound full of shit, and when she gets hung up on a dude she knows she’s too good for, she’s not ashamed to get on her knees and… pray. (What did you think I was gonna say?) With Real Boston Richey + Queen Key. $78.65. 6:30 p.m. 500 S. Sixth St., Minneapolis; find more info here. March 27—Keith Harris

Jeffrey Lewis & the Voltage

Pilllar Forum

Lewis is the kind of Lower East Side weirdo they don’t make anymore. A comic book artist and not-quite folk singer who just exudes pre-gentrification downtown Manhattanness, he turns 50 this year, and he always seems to be releasing a new collection of comically depressed (or depressedly comic) new songs. Highlights on his latest album, The EVEN MORE Freewheelin’ Jeffrey Lewis, include an ode to his favorite drug (Tylenol PM), “Movie Date” (about how his sweetie always falls asleep before the film ends), a song that imagines the late poet/songwriter David Berman going on a crime spree with the writer Amy Rose Spiegel (don’t ask me to explain), and the new classic “Sometimes Life Hits You” (“And you say ‘Ow! Fuck! That hurts!’”). If I was a yell-requests kind of guy (ugh, what kind of life would that be?), I’d be calling out for "Do You Know Who I Am?! I'm %$&*?in' Snooki!!," recorded a decade ago with his spiritual godfather, the original anti-folkie Peter Stampfel. I’m not sure if it’s even online anywhere anymore. $15/$20. 7 p.m. 2300 Central Ave. NE, Minneapolis; find more info here. March 29—Keith Harris

Mark Guiliana

Icehouse

Time Out once said Giuliana is “what happens when you add hard bop drum masters Elvin Jones and Art Blakey to a 1980s Roland 808 drum machine, divide the result by J Dilla and then multiply to the power of Squarepusher,” which might be a tiny overstatement but does indicate the esteem in which this cross-genre drummer is held. Equally comfortable in rock, jazz, or electronic settings, Guiliana has played with St. Vincent, Brad Mehldau, and Meshell Ndegeocello; he may be most broadly known for his work on Blackstar, David Bowie's 2016 final album. His first solo album, Mark, is truly solo—Guiliana plays all the instruments, sliding from the electronic and the acoustic with ease and blurring the boundaries between the two. It should be a treat to see him in this small club setting. $25/$30. 8 p.m. 2528 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here. April 3—Keith Harris

Bright Eyes

Palace Theatre

Longtime Bright Eyes fans, of which I am one, are accustomed to seeing a well-lubricated Conor Oberst onstage. But last year distressing videos emerged of the frontman/bandleader acting especially erratic on tour, slurring and threatening self-harm. In September, “vocal problems” were cited as the Omaha group canceled the year’s remaining dates. (That month’s very solid LP, Five Dice, All Threes, made several references to suicide.) That’s a roundabout way of saying: We’re hoping Oberst is taking better care of himself, because the 45-year-old singer-songwriter is one of his generation’s best. Decades removed from the “Next! Bob! Dylan!” hype that overwhelmed his early career, all the indie-folk troubadour does is release great music, with 2016’s barebones solo album Ruminations and his recent "Companion" series of reimagined Bright Eyes albums serving as particularly stirring examples. Opening are ol’ Omaha emo running buddies Cursive. $63-$135. 7:45 p.m. 17 W. 7th Pl., St. Paul; find more info here. April 4—Jay Boller

Tyler Childers

Target Center

If you’d told me in 2017 that Tyler Childers would be playing arenas eight years later, I’d be rightly skeptical. And if you’d told me his success was partly due to TikTok (and then explained TikTok to me, which I, as a technologically adept and forward-thinking person, would surely have understood), I’d have just shrugged my shoulders and been happy to hear that sometimes the good guys win. In some ways, Rustlin’ in the Rain, this Kentucky country traditionalist’s most recent album, is his least ambitious—for starters, its mere seven tracks clock in just under a half hour. But its concision is welcome after the three discs of Can I Take My Hounds to Heaven?, and Childers hasn’t budged an inch as he’s graduated to bigger rooms. He’s just himself, whether cutting loose on the title track, settling a Gospel verse to twang, belting a helluva “Help Me Make It Through the Night,” or getting a lil ditty called “Percheron Mules” lodged in my head. As for “In Your Love,” it would be a wonderfully tender ballad even if its video didn’t feature two male coal miners falling for each other. With Cory Branan. $37 and up. 8 p.m. 600 N. First Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here. April 9—Keith Harris

Nubya Garcia

Dakota

The vast expanse opened up by Kamasi Washington’s revival of spiritual jazz has made space for artists like this young British saxophonist of Caribbean descent. Her 2020 debut, Source, introduced listeners to Garcia’s melodic flights and welcoming tone. Last fall, its follow up, Odyssey, brought in simpatico guests like Esperanza Spalding and Georgia Anne Muldrow, as well as strings from Chineke! Orchestra, to augment Garcia’s core quintet. The roving, expansive title track lives up to its name, with heady work from Joe Armon-Jones on piano driving it forward. And though there’s always a comfortable assurance to Garcia’s music, Odyssey isn’t all calm waters and gentle breezes—with drummer Sam Jones pounding out something like breakbeats, “The Seer” stirs up a genuine storm. With Magi Merlin. $45/$50. 7 p.m. 1010 Nicollet Mall; find more info here. April 11—Keith Harris 

Kendrick Lamar and SZA

U.S. Bank Stadium

“If he’s the greatest rapper alive, why can’t he find something more to rap about besides the fact that he’s the greatest rapper alive?” my critical superego asks whenever I bump Kendrick’s latest, GNX. To which my fanboy id replies “MUSTAAAAARRRD!” Kendrick has always indulged in more grandiose Big Man fantasies than we pop egalitarians would like, and until “Not Like Us” became a much more unlikely Black protest anthem than “Alright,” the whole Celebrity Deathmatch vibe of the Drake feud bummed me out. But I dig GNX’s candied Antonoff synths, how SZA and Luther Van sweeten the mood, and all the weird noises the hardheaded MC makes as he never stops going in. Plus, as Kendrick showed 133.5 million viewers in February, he knows how to work a stadium crowd. As for SZA, she doubled the length of her 2022 landmark SOS with last December’s deluxe reissue, aka Lana, and if I’d only keep 2/3 of the newbies, tops, my rejects might be your keepers, who knows? Maybe she’ll never release another album—she’ll just keep adding to SOS, like Whitman with Leaves of Grass. $164 and up. 7 p.m. 401 Chicago Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here. April 19—Keith Harris

Paul Simon 

Orpheum Theatre

Simon’s farewell tour ended seven years ago, but some guys just don’t settle into retirement so easily. This tour is dubbed “A Quiet Celebration,” and the 83-year-old bard has suffered severe hearing loss so he’s chosen “intimate venues with optimal acoustics”—hence the Orpheum. Since his premature finale, Simon has released Seven Psalms, a song cycle that will take up a half hour or so of this show; depending on my mood, I find it unobtrusively slight, pretentiously overdone, or gently moving. As for the rest of his set, if you doubt what he can do with his catalog (or could within the past decade), check out 2018’s In the Blue Light, which cannily revisits some oldies and not-so-oldies. While I love the romantic realist Simon was in the ‘70s, the reborn middle-aged tourist who made Graceland, and (even, begrudgingly) the better half of & Garfunkel, I hope Simon reminds fans how vital he remained on later albums like 2016’s Stranger to Stranger and, especially, 2011’s So Beautiful or So What. 8 p.m. 912 Hennepin Ave.; find more info here. April 20, 22-23—Keith Harris

Ana Tijoux 

Cedar Cultural Center

Chilean rapper and activist Tijoux is my kind of chin-up revolutionary. On 2024’s Vida, her first solo album in a decade, the creator of "Antifa Dance" tells “Niñx” (“Little Girlx”) that every asshole's secret weakness is that “life scares them.” And if you didn't come to party and you're thinking of knocking on her door, be warned that she closes the album with this suggestion: “If the end of the world is coming, let’s dance naked together.” She's so upbeat some doomers might even find her corny. Vida reminds me of a Raymond Williams quote I'd love to own a cross-stitch of someday: "To be truly radical is to make hope possible rather than despair convincing." $35/$40. 7:30 p.m. 416 Cedar Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here. April 21—Keith Harris

Tyshawn Sorey Trio/Tyshawn Sorey Trio with Greg Osby

Walker Art Center

Drummer Tyshawn Sorey is the kind of figure contemporary jazz always requires: Deeply familiar with the music’s history yet never weighed down by the demands of tradition. Sorey has celebrated his elders—Adagio (for Wadada Leo Smith) snagged him a Pulitzer last year, and he’s also composed a song cycle for Josephine Baker, Perle Noire: Meditations for Josephine—but he’s also followed the music where it leads him. Most recently, he’s focused on the trio he appears with tonight, rounded out by pianist Aaron Diehl and bassist Harish Raghavan; for the first set, they’ll draw from their two albums together, Mesmerism (2022) and Continuing (2024). Sax veteran Greg Osby sits in on the later set, and for a taste of where that might go, sample The Off-Off Broadway Guide to Synergism, a live album that Sorey’s trio recorded with Osby at the Jazz Gallery in New York. $25 for each set. 6:30 & 9 p.m. 725 Vineland Place, find more info here. April 26—Keith Harris

Charli XCX

Target Center

Brat Spring? $101-$544. 8 p.m. 600 N. First Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here. April 26—Jay Boller

Laura Jane Grace & the Mississippi Medicals

Amsterdam Bar & Hall

Punk rock still has the power to provoke, especially among the dumbest motherfuckers alive. Against Me! frontwoman Laura Jane Grace proved as much earlier this month, when clips of her performing her solo track “Your God (God’s Dick)” at a Bernie Sanders “Fighting Oligarchy” rally sent the far-right into an online tizzy. “It’s a straight-up protest song,” she told Rolling Stone. “I don’t know what else that event was supposed to be other than a protest rally.” Prolific as ever at 44, the pioneering trans rocker keeps churning out killer garage-punk solo albums, like last year’s Hole In My Head, and her next, Adventure Club, is due out in July. Last year Grace told NME that Against Me! reconnected at her wedding, and that the celebrated Florida folk-punk band could remerge soon. “We didn’t break up, it just got weird,” she says. “We’ll play again, I have faith in that.” Here’s hoping. Fun Aussie rocker Alex Lahey opens, as does Noun. $29.50. 7 p.m. 6 W. 6th St., Wabasha St. N., St. Paul; find more info here. April 30—Jay Boller

The Hold Steady

7th St Entry, First Avenue, Fine Line

Certified New York City band the Hold Steady whacked away at the iron when it was hot, releasing their first and best four albums in rapid succession between 2004 and 2008. They'll celebrate the best of the bunch, 2005’s gritty, ambitious, and downright cinematic Separation Sunday, during this special stretch of shows in a city that… means a lot to the certified NYC band. (Craig Finn addresses Racket’s controversially provincial bumper stickers here.) Here’s the deal: THS, now more of an institution for their dedicated fans than a regularly touring band, are scheduled to rip through Sep Sunday at the tiny 7th St Entry (May 1) before back-to-back First Ave dates (May 2-3). All of that’ll be capped with a Fine Line “storytellers set” on May 4. As we’ve said before, the Hold Steady broke out from a mid-career slump with an ongoing winning streak of new music, so this run of fan-service shows smacks entirely of celebration not desperation. Find more info about all the shows, some of which have already sold out, here. May 1-4—Jay Boller

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

Amsterdam Bar & Hall

Perhaps no other band defines the “blog era” than Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, whose self-released eponymous debut became a then-novel surprise internet hit in 2004. (“The Skin of My Yellow Country Teeth” remains an all-time banger.) CYHSY is ostensibly just Philly-launched Alec Ounsworth, and like so many bloggy bands, his indie-rock outfit struggled to sustain momentum through the second Bush administration. But the group never stopped plugging away, having released five subsequent full-lengths, including underrated 2007 sophomore effort Some Loud Thunder and 2021’s strong New Fragility. No sucker, Ounsworth knows his aging hipster millennial audience, which is why CYHSY is promising to play its debut front-to-back on this current tour. Knifeplay open. $27. 7:30 p.m. 6 W. 6th St., Wabasha St. N., St. Paul; find more info here. May 2—Jay Boller

Under the Canopy

Hook and Ladder

The Hook’s summerlong, pandemic-spawned outdoor series returns with 15 excuses to enjoy great music and fresh air while avoiding the sun’s poisonous rays. The jazzy, bluesy, and otherwise rootsy Davina and the Vagabonds kick things off on May 3, and the series wraps up in early August with Dr. Mambo’s Combo paying tribute to two funk/soul powerhouses of the ’70s: Sly & the Family Stone and Rufus Featuring Chaka Khan. Between those two dates you can catch Racket faves Vial, soulful rockers Mae Simpson, astute singer-songwriter Chastity Brown, the THC-fueled dance party Doinks N’ Dubstep, a tribute to the Dead’s storied 1977 set at Cornell, and—you guessed it!—much more. 3010 Minnehaha Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here. May 3–August 8—Keith Harris

Lucy Dacus

Palace Theatre

I know it’s not a competition, but Dacus is my favorite boygenius member. She’s the warmest singer of the bunch, and the trio’s most open-hearted songwriter as well. We won’t hear Dacus’s latest, Forever Is a Feeling, till this Friday, but its advance tracks already show her songwriting has grown since we last heard from her. She’s looking forward more, dissecting past mistakes less, with the line “You are my best guess at the future” proof that there will always be new ways to write a love song. On “Ankles,” Dacus makes her needs clear: hot sex, lifelong love, and help with the crossword in the morning. She deserves nothing less, and neither do you or I. Don’t you dare break her heart, Julien. With Katie Gavin and Jasmine.4.T. $63.26/$87. 7:15 p.m. 17 W. Seventh Place, St. Paul; find more info here. May 5-6—Keith Harris 

Magnetic Fields 

Fitzgerald Theater

69 Love Songs turned 25 last year, and honestly the Magnetic Fields masterwork feels at least that old. It already sounded monumental and familiar upon release, deserving that overused phrase “instant classic,” and it’s not like Field-in-Chief Stephin Merritt ever seemed exactly spry and youthful. I was lucky enough to catch them on the 69 Love Songs tour at the Woman’s Club in 1999, but those songs will surely have different resonances after sticking around for a quarter century. While we all have our favorites, what’s more interesting is which of these songs pop into your head unbidden the most. To spare audiences a Springsteenian show length, the album is split into two nights, with separate tickets for each show. But if your budget can only allow for one, hey, half of a 69 can be pretty fun, too. $50-$388. 8 p.m. 10 E. Exchange St., St Paul; find more info here. May 9-10—Keith Harris 

Megan Moroney

Armory

One of the few gals that country radio currently acknowledges, and if you guessed that means she has to write smarter and sing prettier than the boys while also playing it cute enough that no one’s ego gets bruised, well, ding, ding, ding. Her 2023 debut, Lucky, showcased her witty turns, with Moroney telling a bro it won’t work out “Cause I sleep on my side/And you sleep with everyone” and apologizing to her Georgia fam after falling for a Volunteers fan on “Tennessee Orange.” Though “28th of June” (about a former anniversary that’s now just another day) and “No Caller ID” (don’t answer, Megan!) display her more lovelorn side on her 2024 follow-up Am I Okay, there’s some residual spunk on tracks like “Man on the Moon,” about putting an ex where he belongs. I’ll try not to hold it against her that she had “a little thing” (her words) with Morgan Wallen a few years back. With Charlie Worsham. $296 and up. 8 p.m. 500 S. Sixth St.; find more info here. May 15—Keith Harris

Caterwaul

Mortimer’s, 331 Club, Zhora Darling

The noisiest music fest in the North returns on Memorial Day weekend, serving up a plethora of loud guitars and great band names (let’s hear it for Gaytheist, but let’s not overlook Mr. Clit and the Pink Cigarettes). Caterwaul kicks off at Mortimer’s on Friday night with an eight-band lineup headed by Chicago postpunks FACS. The event then moves to the 331 Club for the following three days, where you can catch a mix of local and touring bands, including the likes of Young Widows, Pissed Jeans, and Uniform. There’s also an afterparty at Zhora Darling on Saturday night. This is, quite simply, a lot of rock. $40-$60; four-day pass for $180. Find complete lineup and more info here. May 23-26—Keith Harris

Comedy

Racket’s picks for live comedy, as chosen by Jay Boller. 

Whose Live Anyway? 

Ninety minutes of top-tier improv from Ryan Stiles, Greg Proops, Jeff B. Davis, and Joel Murray. $85-$98. 7:30 p.m. Orpheum Theatre, 910 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here. April 5

Samantha Bee

The star of the Daily Show and Full Frontal will perform her new one-woman show, “How to Survive Menopause.” Sold out. 7:30 p.m. Parkway Theater, 4814 Chicago Ave, Minneapolis; find more info here. April 16-17

Stavros Halkias

Fun to see what a huge star Stavy has become. Fans of his old podcast, the unfortunately named Cum Town, will want to check out the recent reunion episode on Stavy’s World. Sold out. 7 p.m. Orpheum Theatre, 910 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here. April 17

Sam Morril

We asked Taylor Tomlinson’s ex-boyfriend via text, which he solicits via Instagram, to pitch folks on why they should see his razor-sharp set at Pantages. Haven’t heard back yet, but yeah, you should go. $44-$62. 7 p.m. Pantages Theatre, 710 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis; find more info here. April 18

Matt Koff

None other than "Weird" Al Yankovic called this Daily Show writer's 2019 special, Who's My Little Guy?, "hilarious." Koff has also written for The Onion and Trevor Noah's White House Correspondents' Dinner set. $19.04. 8 p.m. Comedy Corner Underground, 1501 Washington Ave. S., Minneapolis; find more info here. April 18-19

Usama Siddiquee

Formerly self-dubbed “Usama Bin Laughin,'" this energetic Bengali-American comic has appeared all over your TV—Netflix, HBO, Comedy Central, BET, America's Got Talent, etc. $15. 8 p.m. Sisyphus Brewing Co., 712 Ontario Ave. W. #100; find more info here. April 18-19

Alan Resnick 

A member of Baltimore's arty and punky Wham City collective, Resnick has written for The Onion and Clickhole and created videos for Adult Swim, including 2016's ambitious found-horror film This House Has People in It. 18+. $20-$25. 7:30 p.m. Parkway Theater, 4814 Chicago Ave, Minneapolis; find more info here. April 20

Josh Johnson

You need to watch this prolific and rising Daily Show correspondent's recent special, The Failure, Fear, And Frenzy around Luigi Mangione. 18+. Sold out. 7 and 9:30 p.m. Parkway Theater, 4814 Chicago Ave, Minneapolis; find more info here. April 24

Jordan Jensen 

Writes Vulture in its story “The Comedians You Should and Will Know in 2023”: “Her jokes are often gloriously gross; she’s obsessed with sex, unseemly behavior, and all the thoughts that should be too unpleasant or uncomfortable to say out loud.” Well, now you know her! 18+. $33.75. 8 p.m. Thu.; 7 and 9:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat. Acme Comedy Co., 708 N. First St., Minneapolis; find more info here. May 1-3

Nick Swardson

Adam Sandler’s favorite filthy, Acme-launched buffoon will be taping his next special at his favorite hometown club. 18+. Sold out. 7:45 p.m. First Avenue, 701 N. First Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here. May 4

Raanan Hershberg

Esteemed NYT comedy critic Jason Zinoman named Hershberg's YouTube special, Jokes From the Underground, one of 2022’s best. $20-$40.  8 p.m. Wed.-Thu.; 7 and 9:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat. Acme Comedy Co., 708 N. First St., Minneapolis; find more info here. May 7-10

Nate Jackson

You might know Jackson from his recurring role as Junkyard Dog on NBC’s Young Rock, which we’re just learning was a three-season network sitcom about Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s youth. Or MTV's Wild'N Out. Or HBO's All Def Comedy. Or Comedy Central's Kevin Hart’s Hart of the City. $49-$139. 7 p.m. State Theatre, 805 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis; find more info here. May 10

RiffTrax & Friends

The ol’ Mystery Science Theater 3000 gang won’t be riffing on flicks tonight. Bill Corbett, Mary Jo Pehl, and Kevin Murphy will instead host a night of standup and storytelling featuring a murder’s row of guests: Brandi Brown, Shanan Custer, Ben Katzner, Mary Mack, Bryan Miller, John Moe, and Eric Webster. All ages. $15-$55. 7:30 p.m. Parkway Theater, 4814 Chicago Ave, Minneapolis; find more info here. May 15

Kate Berlant

According to promoters: “An hour of brand-new standup comedy from the people’s clown, Kate Berlant.” She’s truly the best. All ages. $50-$75. 7 p.m. Fitzgerald Theater, 10 E. Exchange St., St. Paul; find more info here. May 16

Fortune Feimster

Over the past dozen years, this gregarious southerner has quietly built a powerhouse comedy career. She began as a panelist on Chelsea Lately, broke out with a three-season role on The Mindy Project, and now, at 44, she’s headlining theaters. $49-$144. 7 and 9:30 p.m. State Theatre, 805 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis; find more info here. May 17

Myq Kaplan

This brainy, Boston-based standup vet loves toying with language and, considering you’re reading words right now, you might find a lot to like. 18+. $20-$40. 8 p.m. Wed.-Thu.; 7 and 9:30 p.m. Fri.-Sat. Acme Comedy Co., 708 N. First St., Minneapolis; find more info here. May 21-24

Caleb Elliott

Elliott has been performing standup since he was 11 freaking years old. Since then, the North Carolina native has collaborated with Tracey Morgan, Ralphie May, Donnell Rawlings, and Bill Bellamy. $18-$26. 8 p.m. Camp Bar, 490 Robert St. N., St. Paul; find more info here. May 23-24

Ali Sultan 
The very funny hometown comic will be recording his latest album over these two nights. $15. 8 p.m. Sisyphus Brewing Co., 712 Ontario Ave. W. #100; find more info here. May 23-24

Gardens

In the spring we check out new buds. In the fall, we leaf peep. And thus is the circle of life. The following are some gardens that will be in full bloom this season.

Como Park Zoo and Conservatory

This conservatory features hundreds of plants from throughout the world. Inside, you’ll find rooms dedicated to orchids, bonsai, tropical plants, and ferns, while outside you can stroll through water gardens, the Japanese garden, and more. Admission is free. 1225 Estabrook Dr., St. Paul; comozooconservatory.org.

Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary

This 15-acre preserve is great for birdwatchers. Take a trail hike and try to spot all 600 plant and 130 bird species in Theodore Wirth Park. 1 Theodore Wirth Pkwy. (south of Glenwood Avenue), Minneapolis; minneapolisparks.org.

Franconia Sculpture Park

This 50-acre outdoor museum features a variety of sculptures in a natural setting, and hosts events throughout the year, including festivals, iron pours, movie screenings, and live music. Starting in May, there will be a farmers’ market the first Sunday of each month through October. 29836 St. Croix Trail, Shafer; franconia.org.

JD Rivers’ Children’s Garden

Kids and teens learn to grow produce inside this garden in Theodore Wirth Park. Shop from the garden during open hours starting in June. 2900 Glenwood Ave., Minneapolis; minneapolisparks.org.

Longfellow Gardens

Featuring downtown views, a gorgeous arbor often used in prom and wedding photoshoots, and plenty of flora and fauna living their best pesticide-free lives in Minnehaha Regional Park. 3933 E Minnehaha Pkwy., Minneapolis; minneapolisparks.org.

Loring Park Garden of the Seasons

This circular garden features native trees and shrubs, a rainbow of flowers, and plenty of green in this deceptively large downtown park, which is on the way to a variety of bars, restaurants, music venues, and museums. 1382 Willow St., Minneapolis; minneapolisparks.org.

Lowry Nature Center

Fun fact: This was the first nature center built in the Twin Cities metro. The prairie preserve is home to deer, raptors, beaver, otters, butterflies, trumpeter swans, and osprey, and Lowry offers nature programs for children, school groups, and families. Carver Park Reserve, 7025 Victoria Dr., Victoria; threeriversparks.org.

Lyndale Park Gardens

This 61-acre park features an historic, 120-year-old rose garden with 250 varieties of roses, a perennial garden, a bird and butterfly garden, and the Peace Garden, built from stones recovered from Hiroshima and Nagasaki. 4124 Roseway Rd., Minneapolis; minneapolisparks.org.

Maplewood Nature Center

This park includes nature trails, an educational visitor center, wetland viewing stations, and outdoor natural play area. 2659 E. 7th St., Maplewood, maplewoodnaturecenter.com.

Minneapolis Sculpture Garden

You guys know this one. The one with Spoonbridge and Cherry. The outdoor sculpture and topiary park is open 365 days a year from 6 a.m. to midnight, and has been known to host a variety of concerts, yoga sessions, kid-friendly activities, and more. It’s also a popular photo stop for tourists and locals alike, and managed via a partnership between the Walker Art Museum and the Minneapolis Park & Recreation Board. 725 Vineland Place, Minneapolis; minneapolisparks.org.

Minnehaha Falls Pergola Gardens

Who doesn’t like walking through a plant-covered structure like you’re a magical fairy? This garden is right by Minnehaha Falls, and features plants native to our regions. It’s also right by something called the Princess Depot. 4801 Minnehaha Ave., Minneapolis; minneapolisparks.org.

Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge

This 34-mile preserve is home to fish, coyotes, foxes, beavers, and a variety of birds and amphibians, with open trails throughout the refuge. Restoration of Ike's Creek is scheduled for April and June this year, so portions of the Bass Ponds Trail will be closed during this time. Hogback Ridge Trail will remain open. 3815 American Blvd. E., Bloomington, 952-854-5900; fws.gov.

Noerenberg Memorial Gardens

Formal flower gardens along the shore of Crystal Bay on Lake Minnetonka, featuring a blend of perennials, annuals, trees, shrubs, and vines. Open from 8 a.m.-sunset May through October. 2865 Northshore Dr., Wayzata; threeriversparks.org.

Nokomis Naturescape Garden

This four-acre garden at Lake Nokomis Park features native plants and is a big hit with local butterflies. 5001 E. Lake Nokomis Pkwy., Minneapolis; minneapolisparks.org.

Normandale Community College Japanese Garden

This two-acre suburban oasis features a waterfall, lagoon, strolling paths, and landscaping. 9700 France Ave. S., Bloomington; normandale.edu/japanesegarden.

Richardson Nature Center

Featuring raptors, amphibians, and reptiles, plus hiking trails through a variety of habitats. Highland Lake Park Reserve, 8737 E. Bush Lake Rd., Bloomington; threeriversparks.org. 

Song of Hiawatha Garden 

This circular garden is right by the falls, and includes seating amongst natural grasses and flowers. 4801 S. Minnehaha Dr., Minneapolis; minneapolisparks.org.

Tamarack Nature Center

This 320-acre habitat is for heron, turtle, mink, and muskrat with outdoor trails throughout the grounds, plus a kid-friendly hands-on zone for little ones. 5287 Otter Lake Rd., White Bear Township; co.ramsey.mn.us.

University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum

A thousand acres of public gardens, including annual and perennial display gardens, plants developed for northern climates, natural and native areas, and demonstration gardens. Visit the website to make a reservation. 3675 Arboretum Dr., Chaska; arboretum.umn.edu.