This week’s local style and shopping highlights include the kickoff of Fashion Week MN’s spring season, Earth Day celebrations and more. Refer to ✨ symbol for my top picks for the week, and the 🌎 symbol for Earth Day events.
Rose + Bull’s Y2K-inspired vintage fashion show, The New Millennium, kicks of Fashion Week MN’s spring season.
WEDNESDAY, 4/19:
Queers & Beers Renaissance Fair Drag Show + Queer Craft Market: With this followup to February’s debut, this event pairs drag performances and a queer craft market with a different theme each time. Vendors include ArtJuice artwork, Rosen Ristola bath teas and self care goods, Bibi & Miji fiber art and more, plus Ren Fest–themed drag performances by a cast of local queens. Wednesday 7–9pm @ Forgotten Star Brewing, 38 Northern Stacks Dr, Fridley. 18+. Tickets $20 (advance tix includes one drink ticket) @ eventbrite.com
WEDNESDAY, 4/19–MONDAY, 4/24:
Sip N Bloom Flower Arranging Workshops: Try your hand at flower arranging with a workshop hosted by Sip N Bloom. Create your own design with the help of Sip N Bloom's master florists, with two experience level options. All materials are provided, including a vase for you to take your creation home. Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday & Monday at various times & locations, $65–$85 per class @ sip-n-bloom.com
THURSDAY, 4/20:
The Emerald Karat Jewelry Pop-up: Shop vintage and antique jewelry from local dealer The Emerald Karat at this one-day pop-up hosted by designer resale store, June. The Emerald Karat’s owner and curator Jenny Hirschey has been collecting and preserving antique, vintage and estate jewelry for years. Her collection includes classic and unusual pieces from all eras. Thursday 3–7pm @ June Resale, 5027 France Ave S, Minneapolis, @juneresale
Bachman’s Dig Into Spring Sip & Shop Event: Welcome the arrival of garden season at Bachman’s first ever, all-store spring preview sip and shop event. Visit your neighborhood Bachman’s and enjoy an evening filled with wine and savory treats from Patrick’s Cafe, inspiring floral and outdoor container demonstrations, live music, local friends and 20% off your entire purchase that evening. Find inspiration for the season ahead, come with your best gardening questions and get ready to welcome spring. Thursday 4:30–7pm @ Bachman's Apple Valley, Bachman's Fridley & Bachman's Maplewood, $15 @ bachmans.com
Let's Get Hiii: 4/20 Mini Market: Join Lakes & Legends Brewing for an educational event featuring local vendors who specialize in products using THC, CBD, and HEMP ingredients. The brewery will also be dropping some specialty brews and releasing an extremely limited new flavor of their Hiii THC Sparkling Water, plus there will be food from Parralily Food Truck on site. Thursday 4–9pm @ Lakes & Legends Brewing Co, 1368 LaSalle Ave, Minneapolis, eventbrite.com
4/20 Craft Fair: Celebrate 4/20 with handmade goods from a group of mostly-queer local makers at this makers market hosted by Latinx-owned brewery, La Doña Cervecería. You'll find a mix of art, tarot, clay earrings, bath teas, baked goods and more, plus live music, edibles, beer and tacos for sale. Thursday 4:20–9pm @ La Doña Cervecería, 241 Fremont Ave N, Minneapolis, @artjuice_
Science Museum of Minnesota's Science Celebration: Join the Science Museum's signature event of the year to celebrate the sights and sounds of nature as seen through their new exhibition, Exquisite Creatures. The gala-stye event will feature delicious food and an open bar with craft cocktails, interactive experiences throughout the museum, and a one-of-a-kind runway fashion show featuring designs by St. Kate's students inspired by the exhibition. Proceeds support the museum's mission; vibrant clothing encouraged. Thursday 6:30–9pm @ Science Museum of Minnesota, 120 W Kellogg Blvd, St Paul. Tickets $100 @ my.smm.org
FRIDAY, 4/21 & SATURDAY, 4/22:
✨ The Spring Collective Market with LAB MPLS: Join LAB MPLS on Earth Day Weekend for a celebration of local artists, makers and entrepreneurs. The Collective Spring Market features a curated mix of local businesses, mini LAB Talks with community leaders, an immersive photo booth experience, and more. Both days feature 20 local vendors, craft beer, cocktails, wine, CBD & THC drinks and coffee. Features brands include Bekah Worley Co, BLNCD CBD and THC products, Dinner Party Ceramics, Creationes BM home goods, Everythine Jewelry, Flicker & Fizz candles in vintage vessels, Golden Rule home goods, Slow Burn Candles and more. Friday 4–8pm, Saturday 10am–3pm. Glass House @ 145 Holden St N, Minneapolis. Free. Learn more @ labmpls.com
FRIDAY, 4/21–SUNDAY, 4/23:
St. Paul Spring Art Crawl - West 7th & Raymond Station: This open studio art fest long ago outgrew Lowertown and now sprawls throughout downtown St. Paul, stretching along Grand and University Avenues, and spans across multiple weekends in April and May, with events including open studios, dance, musical performances and interactive demonstrations. This weekend’s highlights take place along West 7th Street and Raymond Station, including the Schmidt Artist Lofts, which will host 60+ local artists showing and selling paintings, ceramics, illustrations, jewelry, photography, block prints, glass art, digital work, healing arts, and fiber arts throughout five levels of the building. Hours vary by location. Check out the Art Crawl website for a full listing of artists and information. Various locations, St. Paul, stpaulartcollective.org
SATURDAY, 4/22:
✨ Twin Cities True Vintage Show: Hardcore vintage clothing collectors, you don’t want to miss out on this event. The inaugural edition of Twin Cities True Vintage Show marks the first time in recent years that a local expo will feature antique clothing and textiles from as early as the 1800s. The event will feature 30 vendors selling vintage fashions, textiles, jewelry and accessories from the 1800s through the 1970s. Expect some special, rare pieces you won’t see anywhere else. Saturday 11am–4pm (10–11am early bird) @ PAIKKA, 550 Vandalia St, St Paul. Tickets $10 for early-bird, free after 11am @ twincitiestruevintageshow.com
🌎 Lake + Irving Earth Day Market: Join neighboring shops Legacy, Les Sól and Combine plus restaurants Barbette and Brim for a springtime neighborhood event celebrating Earth Day with vintage, sustainable and goods by small-batch designers that use ethical practices in store at all three locations. Follow @shoplessol on IG for more details. Saturday 11am–6pm @ 1609-1614 W Lake St, Minneapolis, @shoplessol
🌎 3rd Annual Earth Day Clothing Swap: In honor of Earth Day, LiveTV Events invites you to finish your spring cleaning by bringing your old, gently used clothes to this free, local clothing swap. One of the most obvious benefits of swapping your clothes is to the environment—clothing swaps promote slow fashion vs. fast fashion and are an environmentally friendly reuse strategy that helps reduce our environmental footprint while supporting a circular economy. Sunday 11am–4pm @ Creator's Space, 218 7th St E, St. Paul, eventbrite.com
🌎 Olio Vintage Earth Day Event: Celebrate Earth Day with a day of eco-friendly shopping from Olio Vintage. Shopping secondhand reduces carbon emissions, saves resources like water and energy, and prevents old clothing and goods from ending up in landfills or incinerators. Plus, receive 10% off storewide if you BYOB (bring your own shopping bag), get a free succulent with $50 purchase and shop the latest arrivals from Olio resident vendors Black Nvni, SALTY vintage and Rosella Vintage, and guest vendor Collecting Dust Vintage. Saturday 11am–6pm @ Olio Vintage, 21 NE 5th St, Minneapolis, @olio.mpls
✨ Disco Death Records Vintage Market: Minneapolis record and coffee shop, Disco Death Records, is hosting its first vintage market this weekend. Find 20 vintage vendors in their parking lots on 26th and Aldrich, including Kollektiv, Bro Bros Closet, Siempre Viva Vintage, High Desert Modern Vintage, Appassionata Vintage and more, plus food trucks and specialty drinks all day and bands Pleasure Horse, The Magic Castles and Mullet playing in the lot after the market. Saturday 11am–4pm, bands 6–9pm @ Disco Death Records, 721 W 26th St, Minneapolis, @discodeathrecords
🌎 Earth Day Extravaganza at The Mustache Cat: Celebrate Earth Day with a BYOM (bring your own mug) potting station and a plant swap at vintage home store, The Mustache Cat. The event also includes plant consultants to answer your questions, pet grass seeds from Whiskers 'n Paws and soil for the perfect plant and mug combo. Saturday noon–3pm @ The Mustache Cat, 500 Lexington Pkwy St, St Paul. Free. Register @ eventbrite.com
🌎 Robot Fashion Show: Repowered (a nonprofit social enterprise in electronics recycling and refurbishing) is back with its 4th Annual Robot Fashion Show for Earth Day. Volunteer teams will create and model their own unique robot looks incorporating repurposed electronics, and it will be judged for prizes by a panel of celebrity judges including fashion designers Christopher Straub and Samantha Rei, both Project Runway alums (who are no strangers to unconventional-materials fashion challenges). Free. Saturday 1–3pm @ Mall of America, North Atrium, 60 E Broadway, Bloomington, getrepowered.org
Color Studies Opening Night at didi DADA: Newly opened local boutique, didi DADA, hosts its first artist in residence Abbey Holden for a solo exhibition of her newest work with earth-derived pigment, Color Studies. Abbey, who studied at the Parsons School of Design, is known for her oil-painted landscapes as well as her textile and wall covering designs, and designed womenswear textiles before launching her studio. didi DADA is an ever-evolving shop that features rotating fine artists, one-of-a-kind clothing pieces, jewelry, home goods, magazines, wellness products and a “conscious bodega.” Opening night Saturday 5:30–7:30pm; on view through 5/22 @ didi DADA, 4353 Upton Ave S, Minneapolis. RSVP @ dididada.us
✨ Our Seams: Diana Albrech Photography Exhibition Opening: With Our Seams, Minneapolis-based photographer Diana Albrecht presents a beautiful new portrait series that explores style and fashion as a form of cultural preservation as well as her own experiences at the intersection of transnationalism, queerness and style. Diana is a queer, Korean adoptee and a self-taught photographer who also works as an art director in the advertising space. Opening Saturday 6–10pm, on view through 5/5 @ Public Functionary, Northrup King Building, 1500 Jackson St NE #144, Minneapolis, publicfunctionary.org
✨NUBIUltimateRunway - The Nile: Local designer Nyamal BothDol is showcasing her spring collection for her label, Nubi Collections, this week in a solo runway show. A U.S. immigrant, Nyamal dreamed of becoming a fashion designer from a young age and in high school, she would rework her clothing to express herself. This spring’s collection is inspired by the Nile River, one of the most historical figures of African located in East Africa. Runway looks will be styled with jewelry by local line, SHExclusive by Susan O. Horowitz. Friday at 7pm @ FIVE Event Center, 2917 Bryant Ave S, Minneapolis. Tickets $30–$50 @ eventbrite.com
BEGINNING SATURDAY, 4/22:
Bunny Days at Grethen House: The designer retailer’s annual Bunny Days event is back. How it works: Get a scratch-off card at either location and bring your items up to the register. Then scratch off your card to find out whether your discount is 20%, 30%, 40% or 50% off. Online, you can take 20% off any purchase, and you can get the deal multiple times online until the promotion ends. Begins Saturday, ends 4/30 @ Grethen House, 4930 France Ave S, Edina, grethenhouse.com
SATURDAY, 4/22 & SUNDAY, 4/23:
Keg & Case Weekend Markets: Join St. Paul food hall and marketplace Keg & Case every weekend now through the end of April for pop-up shops from local makers, food trucks and more. Vendors var by weekend; this week incudes Small Things Fair Trade (fair-trade goods), The Bloom Bums (healing crystals and more), Right & Weft (fiber art and decor) and The Geek Boutique (geeky enamel pins, games and tumblers). Saturday & Sunday 11am–8pm @ Keg & Case Market, 928 7th St W, St Paul, www.kegandcase.com
SUNDAY, 4/23:
🌎 ✨ Fashion Week MN: Rose + Bull presents The New Millennium: Vintage producer/stylist duo Rose + Bull are back at Fashion Week MN with an all-new theme centered around vintage, sustainability, inclusivity and the styles of the Y2K era. The show features vintage fashions from local vintage brands and shops including Legacy, Daily Dose Retro, Lobster Garden, The Red Eye, Showstopper Vintage and my own Rosella Vintage. After the show, you can shop the looks from the runway and more Y2K-era finds from the show’s vendors. Sunday 12:30–4:30pm, 2pm show @ The Whim, 655 19th Ave NE, Minneapolis. Tickets $50–$60 @ fashionweekmn.com
Fashion Week MN presents PROXIMITY: Proximity is the idea of being close in space and reality, and that we are close to greatness because we are great as a community, as artists and as humans. Produced by Mao Xiong, Sarah Kunh and Gayle Smaller, Jr. with Paola Rincon, the production will be introducing nine designers, some of who are showing with FWMN for the first time, along with men’s label Venci (founded by Minnesota United FC defender DJ Taylor) and Fashion Week MN CEO Sarah Edwards’s new fashion line. Sunday 6–9pm @ DWELL44, 4317 Excelsior Blvd, St Louis Park. Tickets $50–$75 @ fashionweekmn.com
MONDAY, 4/24:
🌎 ✨ Fashion Week MN: Into The Studio: Sustainable Style, A Fashion Revolution: Into the Studio is a vibrant runway show of the latest collections from eight local designers. Each collection utilizes different aspects of the slow fashion movement: from using natural, organic and recycled materials to featuring ethical and fair-trade production processes. During the show, the designers—Danielle Everine, Way the Label, Lesley Helen, Rebekah Anne Clothing, Uselding Fridays by Joshua McGarvey and Hell 'R High Water Wares, plus accessories from Green Armadillo and Strey Designs—will share insights into their design process and the inspiration behind their sustainable practices. The event is also part of the larger Fashion Revolution Week, which is a global movement dedicated to raising awareness about the true cost of fashion and promoting more sustainable and ethical fashion practices. Monday 6–9pm @ Urban Daisy Events, 1621 E Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis. Tickets $25 @ fashionweekmn.com
TUESDAY, 4/25–SATURDAY, 4/29:
Fashion Week MN’s spring season continues: Upcoming events include Northern Lights: A Native Nations Fashion Night & Couture Show (Tuesday), Luxe Streetwear: The Futuristic Perspective of Candyland (Wednesday), Dare 2 B Golden (Thursday), Coalesce: Voices: Inspired by Stories of Our Lived Experiences (Friday), and EVOLVE (Saturday). Get tickets & learn more @ fashionweekmn.com
CONTINUING:
Como Park Conservatory Winter Flower Show: Get a taste of spring at Como Park Conservatory’s Winter Flower Show, which closes this weekend in its Sunken Garden. The 2023 Spring Flower Show will feature hundreds of white and purple tulips with daffodils, pansies viola and delphinium. Open daily through 4/30 @ Como Park Conservatory, 1225 Estabrook Dr, St. Paul, comozooconservatory.org
Not Just for Dolls: Paper Dresses: A new mini exhibition on display in the back window case of McNeal Hall features some of the most iconic paper dresses produced, including the “Paper Caper” by Scott Paper Company, dresses by popular manufacturer Mars of Asheville, and the “Souper Dress!” Paper dresses, one of the first examples of fast fashion, came onto the market in 1966 thanks to a clever advertising campaign by the Scott Paper Company. While the fad quickly faded due to the earth-conscious hippie movement, advances in clothing manufacturing, and the fact that the paper garments became “dangerously flammable” after washing, they’re still an iconic piece of fashion history. Now on view @ Goldstein Museum of Design, 1985 Buford Ave, St Paul, @goldstein_museum
UPCOMING - JUST ANNOUNCED:
The Hmong Thai Fashion Show: Known for their annual Fresh Traditions Fashion Show, the Center for Hmong Arts and Talent is debuting a new spring show featuring six Hmong designers from Thailand to share their unique clothing designs. The event is preceded by a Hmong vendor showcase. Saturday, 4/29, 4–6pm vendors, 6pm doors, 7pm show @ Union Depot, 240 E Kellogg Blvd, St Paul. Tickets $60+ @ eventbrite.com
Black Fashion Week MN’s Spring Season: Mark your calendars—Black Fashion Week MN has just announced its spring dates. The event is a platform to showcase talented Black and Brown creatives in the Twin Cities fashion industry. 5/5–5/13; tickets to be announced. See the lineup at @blackfashionweekmn
Defining Derby Benefit Fashion Show: Don your best Derby-inspired cocktail attire for this fashionable soiree celebrating the Kentucky Derby, benefiting Children's Hospital Association. The main event is a Derby-inspired fashion show styled by Grant Whittaker with clothing from MartinPatrick3, bespoke hats by Celina Kane and hair and makeup by Haus Salon. The event also includes cocktails and a live telecast of the races. Saturday, 5/6, doors at 3pm, fashion show at 3:45pm @ Four Seasons Hotel Minneapolis, 245 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis. Tickets start at $120 @ childrenshospitalassociation.org
6th Annual Kentucky Derby Twin Cities Party: This party celebrates elegant hats, dresses, seersucker and Mint Juleps as it honors the annual tradition of the Kentucky Derby, with live models showcasing couture ensembles by local designer House of Klynn, prizes for best-dressed judged by Richard Moody and friends, a telecast of the event, live music, cocktails and more with proceeds benefiting the Newborn Foundation. Saturday, 5/6, from 2–8pm @ The Westin Edina, 3201 Galleria, Edina. Tickets from $25 @ eventbrite.com
Runway For Hope: This annual fundraiser event includes a fashion show featuring looks showcasing spring trends benefiting the Hope Chest for Breast Cancer Foundation. Sunday, 5/7, from 10:30am–12:30pm @ Galleria, 69th & France, Edina. Tickets $125+ @ runwayforhope.givesmart.com
Sip N Bloom x Amy Seaman present SS23 Fashion Show: The immersive fashion experience presented by Sip N Bloom and stylist Amy Season returns for their annual spring show. The beach cabana–themed event will showcase new spring creations from some of the best fashion and accessory retailers and designers, plus shopping pop-ups. Tuesday, 5/23, at 6pm @ The Beach Club, 3141 Dean Pkwy, Minneapolis, $75+ @ sip-n-bloom.com
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