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City Cast Twin Cities

City Cast Twin Cities

💃 Jazz, loons, and Mario Kart in the Twin Cities

March 9, 2026 · — Adam Sage

Good morning, Twin Cities! It’s Adam today. I finally tried that new bakery Dahlia in Northeast Minneapolis and I totally get what all the hype is about. Their breakfast sandwich was good, but their pastries were really something special. I had a banana croissant cinnamon roll, and the caramel cinnamon filling throughout was sweeter and more potent than any cinnamon roll I've ever had.

Today’s Must-Know

Members of the MN Hard Bop Collective with City Cast host Sean McPherson at Jazz88.
Members of the MN Hard Bop Collective with City Cast host Sean McPherson at Jazz88. (Sean McPherson / Jazz88)

What To Do Around Town This Week

We live in the best cities – of course there's a ton to do this week! On today's episode of the podcast, host Sean McPherson runs down some top picks with local host, performer, and City Cast contributor Tane Danger. [🎧 City Cast Twin Cities]

  • Bop hard in Lowertown: The MN Hard Bop Collective embraces the blusier and more groove-oriented side of bebop in their weekly Jazz Performance Workshop at the MetroNOME Brewery in St. Paul. Whether you're an aspiring musician or just a fan of the music, swing on by MetroNOME tonight from 7-8:30 p.m. to hear a cast of student and professional musicians exploring this great songbook.
  • Race fast in NE: Celebrate MAR10, or "Mario Day," tomorrow night with a Mario Kart tournament and live jazz fusion performances of video game music from local group Abandon Quest. The matches will be projected on a big screen behind the band as they play, so you can watch the music and the races at the same time. Entrance is free, and the event runs from 6:30-9 p.m.
  • Catch 'Loon Fever' in St. Paul: This Friday is the first-ever National Loon Day, and local jeweler Larissa Loden is throwing a party for all the loonatics out there at her shop in St. Paul. PK the Loon from MN United will be in attendance, and even though the event is sold out, you can still attend if you sign up to compete in the loon costume contest or the loon call contest. The stakes are high for this fierce competition – the winner of the loon call contest wins a trip to Lake Tahoe!
See More Events Here

Sponsored Content

Display image of the actor on stage for Mrs. Doubtfire.

Mrs. Doubtfire at the Ordway this March

Everyone’s favorite Scottish nanny is headed to Saint Paul in “a feel-good, family-friendly comedy that delivers” (The Hollywood Reporter). Based on the beloved film, it’s “the lovable, big-hearted musical comedy we need right now” (Chicago Tribune) – one that proves we’re better together. Get tickets now.

What the Cities Are Talking About

Beavers on the big screen: Local beaver expert and U of M scientist Emily Fairfax was tapped by Pixar to advise on their new film "Hoppers," and ended up having a character named after her. In an interview with City Cast Twin Cities, Fairfax said that beavers could be great "allies in the fight against climate change," and that scientists around the world will love seeing many small quirks of beaver behavior accurately depicted in the film. [🎧 City Cast Twin Cities]

We're No. 1 in the Midwest for … porn subscriptions. According to numbers released by OnlyGuider, a website that tracks income and searches on the adult-oriented website OnlyFans, Minnesota topped all other Midwest states and ranked fifth nationwide in spending in 2025. Minneapolis residents spent more than $14 million on OnlyFans last year, or about $33 per person on average. [Star Tribune]

'Please come back': Restaurants in the Twin Cities generally expect winter months to be slower, but the added strain of Operation Metro Surge this year has been too much to bear for many establishments. Owners of the North Loop restaurant Dario put out a statement asking folks to "come back to downtown" and support them as they are "desperately trying to avoid layoffs." [Bring Me The News]

Mega-shelter or internment camp? This week’s episode of our new podcast Your City Could Be Better examines a controversial new “homeless campus” being built near Salt Lake City. City Cast CEO David Plotz talks with City Cast Salt Lake host Ali Vallarta about the conservative think tank-backed plan, concerns about forced institutionalization, and why Utah leaders are pursuing it despite opposition from local experts and service providers. [🎧 Your City Could Be Better]

The exterior of the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building
Border czar Tom Homan claims the number of ICE agents in Minnesota is now close to their footprint before Operation Metro Surge. (Adam Sage / City Cast Twin Cities)

'Original footprint': Since border czar Tom Homan announced ICE’s drawdown, officials have offered conflicting estimates of how many agents remain in Minnesota. Former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem recently told Congress there were about 650 agents still in the state, but Homan reportedly called Sen. Amy Klobuchar afterward to say that figure was wrong and that the real number is “just over 100.” [MPR]

What to Do

Monday, Mar 9

Tuesday, Mar 10

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Have a great week, y'all! And to our new pile of Neighbors Yvette C., Mary B., Jennifer G., Kristy M., Connie K., Anne. E., Aaron K., Christopher M., and Sarah W. – have an extra great week! If you're interested in becoming a City Cast Neighbor yourself, you can find more information about the benefits of our membership program and sign up here.

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