🌭 Hotdogs, waterfalls, and international cinema

Your Guide to April in the Twin Cities

Even though it's snowing today, Spring is so close I can almost smell it. With so much to do around town this month, here are a few tips to help you make the most of it.

• Go look at a waterfall: With all of the snowmelt and rain that we get in April, the falls are GUSHING. Minnehaha Falls is always a good choice, but you can also get up close and personal with the St. Anthony Falls in Father Hennepin Bluff Park near St. Anthony Main. If you can make it out of the cities, I highly recommend the falls in Willow River State Park in Hudson. They’re less than an hour away, and it's only a short hike to get to see some amazing cascading falls inside a 200-foot deep gorge. [City Cast Twin Cities]
• Watch a bunch of movies: MSPIFF, or the Minneapolis St. Paul International Film Festival, returns this month with over 200 films. One specific movie to watch out for is "Uncle Roy," which will be debuting at the festival and is about an ice skater who became known as "the forefather of gay photography" and the steward of the world's largest collection of ice show memorabilia. Tune in to City Cast Twin Cities on Tuesday to hear our interview with Roy's niece, who made the film. The festival runs April 8-19. [MSPIFF]
• Eat a hot dog: It's baseball season, which means it's hot dog season. And right on time, the recently rebranded 620 Club in St. Paul has added some seriously good dogs to their menu. Their Kogi Dog sources kimchi from the nearby Tori Ramen (my favorite ramen spot in the cities), and you can probably try all three of their specialty dogs if you share with a friend. [City Cast Twin Cities]
• See some art: Art-a-Whirl might not be until May, but you can see some excellent local art during the St. Paul Art Crawl on three different weekends this month. Don't miss the open studios at the Schmidt's Artist Lofts when they open their doors April 17-19. Afterwards, you can grab a bite at the nearby Hot Grainz or a drink at The White Squirrel. [City Cast Twin Cities]

Bad night out: A recently filed police report revealed that when Rep. Elliott Engen, R-White Bear Township, was arrested on suspicion of driving while impaired, Rep. Walter Hudson was a passenger in the car. The report says that officers confiscated a handgun from Rep. Hudson and that he was also impaired. [Minnesota Reformer]

Cash for small businesses: The City of Minneapolis has enacted a plan to disburse $7 million to small businesses to help them recover from Operation Metro Surge, but many businesses are worried that it still won't be enough for them to survive. City officials estimate that businesses lost $81 million in January alone as a result of immigration enforcement actions. There is currently a bill for $100 million in relief being considered by the state legislature, but it is likely to face opposition. [MinnPost]

One left standing: Out of 10 Minnesotan semi-finalists, Minneapolis chef Shigeyuki Furukawa of Kado no Mise is the only one to advance to the finals for a James Beard Award this year. Furukawa is nominated for Best Chef: Midwest, which he was also nominated for last year but did not win. [Star Tribune]

Rebel loons allowed: Some Minnesota Frost fans reported being asked to remove their rebel loon jerseys or turn them inside out before entering Grand Casino Arena for Sunday’s game against Montreal. Since then, a spokesperson for the St. Paul Arena Company said it was a mistake by specific employees and that Rebel Loon jerseys will be explicitly allowed at arena events going forward. [Pioneer Press]

Bounty hunters charged: Remember the two bounty hunters who were filmed brandishing their guns at people outside the Hennepin County jail in Minneapolis? They've now been charged with threats of violence. The bounty hunters reportedly had just "delivered" a suspect to the jail when bystanders surrounded their van, recording their actions. [Bring Me The News]

Target boycott update: Last month, several outlets reported the national boycott had ended after Pastor Jamal Bryant said so, surprising local organizers. Bryant has since apologized, saying he lacked the authority to end a movement he didn’t start. Attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong, a co-founder of the boycott, says it will continue until Target restores its DEI commitments and meets organizers’ demands. [Onsite Public Media]

Thursday, Apr 2

• 🆓 Good Kid "Can We Hang Out Sometime?" Listening Party | Electric Fetus
• 📚 Laurie Hertzel Book Launch with Michael Kleber-Diggs | Next Chapter Booksellers
• 🎶 Minnesota Music Archive Launch Party | The Hennepin
• 🎞️ Dog Star Man by Stan Brakhage | Walker Art Center
• 🔥 Flamin' Oh's | Turf Club
• 🎼 Mike Marshall And Alessandro Penezzi | Cedar Cultural Center
• 💃 Twin Cities Flamenco Collective | Volstead's Emporium Uptown
• 🌕 Full Pink Moon Hike | UMN Landscape Arboretum

Friday, Apr 3

• 🆓 Pancake Breakfast Sugar Bushing Season Celebration | Minneapolis American Indian Center
• ⚾ Minnesota Twins Home Opener vs. Tampa Bay Rays | Target Field
• 🆓 Jake Skeets (Book Release) | Minnesota Museum of American Art
• 🎶 What’s Going On: A Celebration of the Life & Music of Marvin Gaye | Dakota
• 🧘 Friday Night Zen | Clouds in Water Zen Center
• 🎸 Djangoapolis: A Night of Hot Club Jazz | Hook and Ladder
• 🎭 Grumpy Old Men The Musical (Twin Cities Premiere) | The Conn Theater
• 📽️ SCREAM it off SCREEN: Short Film Competition | The Parkway
• 😂 Jackie Fabulous | Camp Bar

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