Axios Twin Cities Weekender

February 06, 2026
Hello, Thursday. It's Audrey.
- Sounds like: "I Thought I Saw Your Face Today" by She & Him.
This newsletter is 546 words, a 2-minute read.
1 big thing: Light up the lake
Penguins, polar bears and 1,200 luminaries will surround Lake of the Isles Saturday night for the return of the Luminary Loppet.
What to expect: Visitors can walk a path around the lake lit by ice features, including the frozen luminaries, an ice pyramid and a glowing enchanted forest, then stop by the Luminary Party for live music and food.
- Times are staggered to avoid congestion, and visitors can get their entry pass in advance at several Uptown spots to avoid waiting in line.
📍 Details: 6-9pm Saturday. As of Thursday afternoon, tickets for the 8pm and 8:30pm wave were still available. $15 youth, $35 adult.
Heads up: An unaffiliated vigil and ceremony to unveil anti-ICE snow sculptures will be held at the north end of the lake at 6pm.
More things to do ...
🎈 Watch hot air balloons take flight at this weekend's Hudson Hot Air Affair. Launches are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday mornings, with other activities like a torchlight parade, craft fair and cold plunge planned throughout the weekend. Free
- Note: The event has been cancelled several times in previous years due to weather. Keep an eye on the event's website and social media for updates.
⛳️ Putt tennis balls around Lake Minnetonka at Saturday's Wayzata Chilly Open, a series of nine-hole "golf" courses cut into the ice. This year's theme is "Live from Wayzata...It's the Chilly Open!" and SNL-related costumes are encouraged. $64.29+
🪩 "Divas of a certain age," head to St. Paul Saturday night for Amsterdam's Hot Flash Dance. Gen X and millennial women are welcome to rock out to tunes from "all the excellent decades they've been alive." Proceeds support the Immigration Rapid Response Fund. $18 advance, $25 at the door
🎨 Last call for the Art Shanty Projects! The village of interactive shacks on frozen Lake Harriet will close out its final weekend with community square dancing, folktales around the fire and a "b-icicle" race. Free
2. What's streaming this week
If sports aren't your speed, here's what else to watch this weekend.
💕 "Relationship Goals" — available now on Prime Video
The vibe: Kelly Rowland and Cliff "Method Man" Smith star in this movie based on the best-selling novel by Oklahoma pastor Michael Todd.
What's inside: Prioritizing needs instead of wants in a relationship is a major theme in the film. "A lot of people need to rip up their lists," Todd tells Axios.
🏘️ "The 'Burbs" — available Sunday on Peacock
State of play: This mystery series starring Keke Palmer and Jack Whitehall follows a suburban community witnessing unsettling happenings after a new neighbor moves in.
Behind the scenes: The show is inspired by the 1989 horror-comedy film of the same name starring Hanks and Carrie Fisher.
⚖️ "The Lincoln Lawyer" — season 4 available now on Netflix
The intrigue: Cobie Smulders, Sasha Alexander and Constance Zimmer join the cast of this crime thriller.
Context: This season is based on "The Law of Innocence," the sixth book in The Lincoln Lawyer series by Michael Connelly.
😷 Audrey attempted to go to that cabin with the sauna, then had an allergic reaction from moldy wood and had to leave. Life is full of disappointments.
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