12 festivals, exhibits and performances to check out in the Twin Cities this summer
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The Grand Entry ceremony at Wacipi. Photo: Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community
We're halfway through summer and the Twin Cities' arts scene is in full swing. Here are the hottest events you don't want to miss:
Festivals
🎨 Loring Park Art Festival (July 29-30): Spend the weekend browsing 140 artist booths at this fair across the street from the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden.
🎭 Minnesota Fringe Festival (Aug. 3-13): Over 500 shows by more than 1,000 artists take over Twin Cities theater stages during this annual performing arts showcase.
🎉 Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community Wacipi (Aug. 18-20) — All are welcome to watch dance circles, Indigenous ceremonies and more cultural celebrations at the Shakopee reservation's annual powwow.
🦋 Minneapolis Monarch Festival (Sept. 9) — The annual themed party honors the monarch's 2,300-mile migration from Minnesota to Mexico and offers plenty of chances to get up close with the butterflies.
Exhibits
👗 Pacita Abad: A retrospective of the textile artist's colorful works is on display at the Walker through Sept. 3.
🪲 Exquisite Creatures: The Minnesota Science Museum uses hundreds of preserved animal specimens to create mosaics and other colorful displays for this exhibit, open through Sept. 4.
🇧🇷 ReVisión: Art in the Americas: Mia's special exhibition highlighting nearly 200 works by ancient and contemporary artists from Latin America and the United States runs through Sept. 17.
✍️ The Life & Art of Charles M. Schulz: Explore the life of the Minneapolis-born Peanuts creator at the Minnesota Historical Society's new exhibit that debuted last week.
Performing Arts
🌳 Into The Woods: The storybook musical is at the Guthrie Theater through Aug. 13.
🥷 The Kung Fu Zombies Saga: Asian American theater organization Theater Mu puts on this drama through Aug. 13 that is set in a world where zombies know kung fu.
🚘 Driveway Tour: Open Eye Theatre's latest endeavor brings free outdoor puppet shows with live music to driveways across Minnesota through Aug. 27.
😱 Beetlejuice: The Broadway show based on the beloved Tim Burton film comes to the Orpheum Theater for eight performances Sept. 19-24.
Plus: Check out our guide to summer concerts, including the Minnesota State Fair's Grandstand lineup that features Yung Gravy, Brandi Carlile and Blippy.