Wild, safe and sober: An antique mall in Fridley centers the queer community
At Wild Things Antiques in Fridley — a queer-owned, 20,000-square-foot vintage mall and sober community space — monthly events like First Thursday Drag Bingo blend LGBTQ history, Pride-themed decor and inclusive celebration with the owners’ mission to create a welcoming, diverse alternative to the often exclusionary world of antiques.
There’s uncertainty and instability in the public media system right now. Your support offers a source of stability for the programs and services you count on from MPR. Make a gift before our budget year ends on June 30 and keep Minnesotans connected to the stories that matter – and each other.
Celebrating Black Music Month: How Black music shaped every sound we know
Gary Hines, the music director and founder of Sounds of Blackness, joins MPR News host Angela Davis to talk about the history and influence of Black artists across all genres of music.
In wildly different projects, Duluth musician Alan Sparhawk works through grief
Alan Sparhawk reemerged last year with a new sound featuring a drum machine and his voice through a processor. He has another new album with a band also born out of Duluth, Trampled by Turtles. Sparhawk spoke with MPR News host Clay Masters about both albums.
From Eiffel Tower to bistro chairs: Paris expos take center stage in new release by Minnesota author
After losing Minneapolis bid for Expo 2027, Charles Pappas took a dispirited walk in Paris that led him to realize how deeply the city’s iconic identity was shaped by its World Expos — an epiphany that inspired his new book, “Nobody Sits Like the French,” a historical exploration of Paris through its expos from 1855 to 1937.
Artist Salad Hilowle shares his Afro-Swedish experience at American Swedish Institute
The show will feature performances from familiar faces to those connected to the Minnesota drag community, including Domita Sanchez and Kamaree Williams.
Science of Agatha Christie – Author Event
June 28 — No ifs, ands or buts, whodunits are magical. Yet, have you ever asked yourself what makes them work? Two authors set out to answer that question in their book “The Science of Agatha Christie: The Truth Behind Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, and More Iconic Characters from the Queen of Crime.” This Saturday, writers Kelly Florence and Meg Hafdahl share their theory live at The Thinking Spot in Wayzata.
The two explored similar territory when they wrote “The Science of Stephen King,” but this time they look at the recipe behind supersleuths like those in Christie’s books. They have researched 66 detective novels and 14 short stories to answer questions about poisons, crime investigation, locations, psychology and science.
Florence is a communication instructor at Lake Superior College in Duluth and a co-host of “Horror Rewind” podcast. Hafdahl is a horror and suspense author.
Narrativity 2025: It Was A Dark And Stormy Night
Through June 29— Calling all writers! Continuing this weekend in Plymouth is a literary meeting of the minds: Narrativity 2025: It Was A Dark And Stormy Night. This convention will feature participatory workshops, panels and open mic opportunities.
Narrativity is a group focused primarily on fantasy and science fiction in written form, but they love good storytelling regardless of genre or medium. The weekend is spent sharing work and advice from beginners or people returning to the storytelling scene. Alongside the convention, they also welcome readers.
The audience will be a major part of the weekend, providing feedback to writers.
