A purple rain will fall on the fall theater calendar.

The highly anticipated “Purple Rain” musical will make its world premiere at the State Theatre in Minneapolis for a monthlong run before it heads to Broadway.

Of course, there are plenty of other offerings, from classics (“Treasure Island,” “A Doll’s House”) to new works (“The Ruins: A Play Through Music,” “A Lesson in Love”) to a musical about the St. Paul Winter Carnival.

Here’s a look at what’s on tap.

‘Treasure Island’

Opens Sept. 9: Stuart Paterson adapted Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic swashbuckling novel for the stage. It’ll be the first time in more than two decades that Children’s Theatre Company opens with a new production of the show, which artistic director Rick Dildine called “a quirky adventure with real-world consequences (and a) timeless story of courage, personal growth and discovery.” (Recommended for those ages 8 and up.) Through Oct. 19; Children’s Theatre Company, 2400 Third Ave. S., Minneapolis; $74-$25; 612-874-0400 or childrenstheatre.org.

‘A Doll’s House’

Opens Sept. 13: Housewife and mother Nora Helmer lives a delicately constructed — and seemingly perfect — life focused on keeping up appearances and meeting expectations. When a long-held secret comes to light on Christmas Eve, the foundation of Nora’s world begins to crumble. Henrik Ibsen’s seminal drama returns with an adaptation by Pulitzer finalist and Tony nominee Amy Herzog. Through Oct. 12; Guthrie Theater, 818 S. Second St., Minneapolis; $94-$35; 612-377-2224 or guthrietheater.org.

‘Don’t Miss Doris Hines’

Opens Sept. 18: This show by TyLie Shiders tells the story of Doris Hines, a local nighclub singer determined to establish a career in show business. The title comes from something Nat King Cole reportedly told Ella Fitzgerald, who did indeed see Hines live. Hines is the mother of Sounds of Blackness director Gary Hines. Through Oct. 12; History Theatre, 30 E. 10th St., St. Paul; $70-$25; 651-292-4323 or historytheatre.com.

‘The Ruins: A Play Through Music’

Opens Sept. 19: This world premiere will be the first in the Guthrie’s Dowling Studio since the pandemic shutdown. Playwright George Abud’s poetic play follows two people with existential questions about the meaning of life. Music helps the characters communicate with each other and the audience. Through Oct. 12; Guthrie Theater, 818 S. Second St., Minneapolis; $52-$35; 612-377-2224 or guthrietheater.org.

‘It’s Only a Play’

Opens Sept. 24: This comedy by Terrence McNally follows the opening night of a new theater. Wealthy producer Julia Budder hosts a lavish Manhattan party. Downstairs, celebrities are arriving, but upstairs, the playwright, director, leading lady and other insiders anxiously await the first reviews. Through Oct. 19; Park Square Theatre, 20 W. Seventh Place, St. Paul; $65-$15; 651-291-7005 or parksquaretheatre.org.

‘A Lesson in Love’

Opens Sept. 24: This world premiere was written by actor, playwright and educator Nubia Monks. It’s a romcom about a couple who unexpectedly cross paths. What begins as a simple conversation unfolds into something layered, tender and complicated. Through Oct. 19: Pillsbury House Theatre, 3501 Chicago Ave. S., Minneapolis; $45-$5; pillsburyhousetheatre.org.

‘The Addams Family’

Opens Sept. 30: Cartoonist Charles Addams created this fictional family, who originally appeared in a series of cartoons that debuted in 1938. ABC made a two-season show based on the strips in 1964, which inspired a pair of movies in the early ’90s and the current Netflix series “Wednesday.” Nathan Lane and Bebe Neuwirth starred in the original cast of the 2010 Broadway musical, which ran 722 performances. Through Oct. 5; Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, 345 Washington St., St. Paul; $162-$45; 651-224-4222 or ordway.org.

‘A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical’

The jukebox musical “A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical” runs from Sept. 30 through Oct. 5, 2025, at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Minneapolis. (Courtesy of Jeremy Daniel)

Opens Sept. 30: Created in collaboration with Diamond himself, “A Beautiful Noise” tells the true story of how a kid from Brooklyn became a chart-busting American rock icon. It’s structured around a series of therapy sessions during which Diamond reacts to his lyrics as they are read by his psychiatrist. More than two dozen songs are featured, including “You Don’t Bring Me Flowers,” “America,” “Cracklin’ Rosie,” “I Am …I Said” and “Sweet Caroline.” Through Oct. 5; Orpheum Theatre, 910 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis; $235.80-$62.55; hennepinarts.org.

‘Roald Dahl’s The Enormous Crocodile The Musical’

Opens Oct. 1: Aimed at younger readers than Dahl’s other works, the 1978 picture book tells the story of a hungry crocodile who is foiled by various other animals from his goal of eating children. This musical adaptation incorporates puppetry and debuted at England’s Leeds Playhouse in 2023. (All ages.) Through Nov. 23; Children’s Theatre Company, 2400 Third Ave. S., Minneapolis; $74-$25; 612-874-0400 or childrenstheatre.org.

‘Marisol’

Opens Oct. 9: This surrealist play by Jose Rivera follows a woman’s journeys through an apocalyptic landscape trying to survive the vestiges of her lost city. No one is coming to save her. She must leap into the unknown, armed only with what she can carry, her hope a whisper against the storm. Through Nov. 2; Penumbra Theatre Company, 270 N. Kent St., St. Paul; $45-$20; 651-224-3180 or penumbratheatre.org.

‘Primary Trust’

Opens Oct. 11: In a small town in upstate New York, 38-year-old Kenneth loses his beloved job and finds himself working as a bank teller and opening his heart to new people and possibilities. It debuted Off-Broadway in 2023 and received critical acclaim, including the 2024 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Through Nov. 16; Guthrie Theater, 818 S. Second St., Minneapolis; $94-$35; 612-377-2224 or guthrietheater.org.

‘Purple Rain’

Opens Oct. 16: Based on Prince’s smash 1984 semi-autobiographical film, ‘Purple Rain’ features a story, music and lyrics by Prince; a book by two-time Tony Award winner and Pulitzer Prize recipient Jacobs-Jenkins, based on the original screenplay by Albert Magnoli and William Blinn; choreography by Ebony Williams; and direction by Tony Award-nominee Blain-Cruz. Newcomer musician/songwriter Kris Kollins stars in the lead role of the Kid. Through Nov. 16; State Theatre, 805 Hennepin Ave. S., Mpls.; $290.65-$87.50; hennepinarts.org.

‘The Last Yiddish Speaker’

Opens Oct. 25: In a near-future dystopian America, where ideological and religious conformity is enforced, a Jewish father and daughter have fled New York City and are living as Christians in a small rural town. When a mysterious, Yiddish-speaking old woman arrives on their doorstep, they’re faced with navigating perilous circumstances. Through Nov. 9; Highland Park Community Center, 1978 Ford Parkway, St. Paul; $40-$15; 651-647-4315 or sixpointstheater.org.

‘A Christmas Carol’

Opens Nov. 8: A longtime tradition returns to the Guthrie. Each Christmas, the miserly and miserable Ebenezer Scrooge greets the holiday with “Bah! Humbug!” and can’t be bothered to celebrate. One Christmas Eve, Scrooge is visited by three spirits who show him happy memories from his past, difficult realities from the present and a grim future should he continue his closed-hearted ways. Through Dec. 28: Guthrie Theater, 818 S. Second St., Minneapolis; $148-$35; 612-377-2224 or guthrietheater.org.

‘The Notebook’

Opens Nov. 18: Nicholas Sparks’ 1996 debut novel was a hit out of the gate and spurred a 2004 film as well as this musical take. Indie singer/songwriter Ingrid Michaelson (“The Way I Am,” “Girls Chase Boys”) wrote the music and lyrics, which Variety called “tender and often lilting with introspective lyrics.” Through Nov. 30: Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, 345 Washington St., St. Paul; $144-$45; 651-224-4222 or ordway.org.

‘Rollicking! A Winter Carnival Musical’

Opens Nov. 20: When St. Paul city architect Clarence “Cap” Wigington is tasked with designing an ice palace for the Winter Carnival, he and his wife, Viola, get much more than they bargain for when the magic of the carnival enters their lives. Keith Hovis and Rachel Teagle wrote this new musical, which explores “the strange and wonderful world of the St. Paul Winter Carnival and the resilience, imagination and heart that make Minnesota such a wonderful place, especially in the snow.” Through Dec. 21; History Theatre, 30 E. 10th St., St. Paul; $78-$30; 651-292-4323 or historytheatre.com.

‘R.L. Stine’s Goosebumps: Phantom of the Auditorium’

Opens Nov. 21: Based on the popular spooky book series, this musical tells the story of Brooke and her best friend Zeke, who land the leads in their middle school’s new musical. They’re thrilled, until strange things start happening around the theater. Whispers of an old legend resurface, warning that the play might be cursed. Through Dec. 14; Park Square Theatre, 20 W. Seventh Place, St. Paul; $65-$15; 651-291-7005 or parksquaretheatre.org.

‘The Phantom of the Opera’

A touring production of “The Phantom of the Opera” runs from Nov. 21 through Dec. 7, 2025, at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Minneapolis. (Courtesy of Hennepin Arts)

Opens Nov. 21: Cameron Mackintosh’s production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “The Phantom of the Opera” returns to the road in “a revitalized production of this romantic and haunting tale about a disfigured musical genius known only as the Phantom who haunts the depths of the Paris Opera House.” The longest-running show in Broadway history closed in 2023 after 13,981 performances. Through Dec. 7; Orpheum Theatre, 910 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis; $213.90-$58.45; hennepinarts.org.

Something for everybody today. The return of a popular crime series, a first story collection, Ojibwe memoir, and flesh-eating as metaphor for female outrage.

(Courtesy of Crooked Lane Books)

“The Deepest Cut”: by P.J. Tracy (Crooked Lane Books, $29.99)

She threw up her hands in frustration. “We don’t have to talk, it’s obvious to everyone who knows that your mind isn’t right. Mercy, Harley, we’re family, the only family any of us has ever had. We spent ten years of our lives running from a serial killer, and we survived because we had each other.” — from “The Deepest Cut”

Wolfgang Mauer has escaped from a maximum security mental hospital in rural Minnesota and he wants revenge on the Monkeewrench gang of cyber-sleuths who got the evidence that put him in prison. The four friends have never been in more danger because Mauer is brilliant and sadistic.

It’s good to have the gang back in the 11th in this series that began in 2019 with “Ice Cold Heart” by Traci Lambrecht and her mother, P.J. Lambrecht, writing as P.J. Tracy. It’s a series that combines humor with deadly plots, all wrapped around the  Monkeewrenchers — Harley Davidson, who owns their headquarters mansion in St. Paul; Grace McBride, so damaged emotionally and psychologically in the early books that she was paranoid about her safety; Annie Belinsky, fashionista and mother hen; and Roadrunner, a tall, very thin bike enthusiast. They’re joined in their sometimes law-skirting investigations by detectives Gino Rolseth, who loves food, and Leo Magozzi, who’s announced his retirement. Leo and Grace have a 2-year-old daughter adored by the gang. And Roadrunner is in love, surprising everyone.

When “Wolfie” Mauer does the impossible and escapes from the mental hospital, he is on the way to hide out in his mother’s opulent home when he picks up a poor kid named Travis, much to the chagrin of his mother, a former assassin. When an inexperienced but smart woman county sheriff finds three bodies, she and the Monkeewrenchers join a national search for Mauer. The gang is so concerned about their safety that they send Grace and her daughter into hiding. They’re helped in their search by the Beast, a supercomputer they built that analyzes data in minutes.

Throughout the story there are hints of ways Leo’s police department colleagues are sending him into retirement, including a cop jumping out of a cake wearing only a thong. Leo’s appalled; Geno looks forward to eating. And Roadrunner doesn’t know how to handle his new relationship.

The Lambrechts won most every crime/mystery award for this series, including a Minnesota Book Award. After P.J.’s death in 2016, Traci wrote two more Monkeewrench books, then began a series featuring Detective Margaret Nolan, set in Los Angeles where Traci lived for several years. It isn’t necessary to have read the previous Monkeewrench books to enjoy this one.

Lambrecht will discuss “The Deepest Cut” at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Once Upon a Crime, 604 W. 26th St., Mpls.

(Courtesy of McSweeney’s)

“Martha’s Daughter”: by David Haynes (McSweeney’s, $26)

“She’s hard to describe,”  I mumble to Janine. And I swallow as I mumble, in hopes that this might sound to her as if my voice had broken with grief… And it’s a lie, of course. Brilliant, manipulative, domineering, mean: I could describe my mother for days. I have zero desire to do so. — from “Martha’s Daughter”

In his first story collection, former Minnesotan Haynes gives us a stunning novella of a daughter and her domineering mother and 10 stories, ranging from two mothers concerned about their Black sons to a woman who’s sure her husband is in the hands of a temptress, and an aging superhero who has kept the neighborhood safe.  As in his seven novels, Haynes’ characters belong to the Black middle class. Most live in an all-Black suburb of St. Louis, where Haynes lives after teaching at Southern Methodist University in Dallas.

“Martha’s Daughter,” the novella, takes place as Cynthia heads to the funeral home to make arrangements for her mother Martha’s funeral. She’s isn’t sad; her mother had “a personal brand of nasty” and their relationship was fraught.  All this comes out as Cynthia lets her clingy white colleague, Janine, accompany her. Cynthia herself can be salty, as when she thinks of Janine, whom she hired:  “…poor Janine — the limp hair, the sometimes too coarse laugh, the upper-left canine that ought to have been corrected by braces.” Yet Janine seems to truly care about Cynthia, sharing stories abut her mother. Throughout the story, it seems Cynthia is speaking to white people, exposing color and class divides between Black and white folks and in the Black community.

We meet Martha again in the story “The Weight of Things,” in which senile Martha invades the home of a recently widowed neighbor, handling items she might sell at one of her famous garage sales, even though she’s mentally incapable of doing that.

The gentlest and most heartbreaking story is “On the American Heritage Trail,” set in a seedy motel that’s home to a prostitute and young South American men who hang drywall, all of whom pay by the month. That includes Mrs. Ralph Wallingford, reminded by sympathetic night clerk Humphrey that she’s behind on her rent. It’s achingly clear this woman has fallen rungs on the social ladder. She has a list of numbers she dials on the telephone, but there is never an answer. Although these characters lead hardscrabble lives, they look out for one another, and Mrs. Wallingford faces her uncertain future with dignity.

Haynes was a middle-school teacher in several St. Paul schools while he was writing his debut novel, “Right by My Side,” published in 2023 in a special 30th anniversary edition in the Penguin Classics series. He got a boost early in his career when his humorous story “Taking Miss Kezee to the Polls” (set in St. Paul and included in this collection) won the first fiction contest sponsored by the Twin Cities City Pages alternative newspaper. He graduated from Macalester College and has a master’s degree from Hamline University.

“Martha’s Daughter” is the first original work in McSweeney’s Of the Diaspora series, described by the publisher as “works in Black literature whose themes, settings, characterizations, and conflicts evoke an experience, language, imagery, and power born of the Middle Passage and the particular aesthetic which connects African-derived peoples to a shared artistic and ancestral past.”

(University of Minnesota Press)

“Sugar Bush Babies: Stories of My Ojibwe Grandmother”: by Janis A. Fairbanks (University of Minnesota Press, $17.95)

I imagined they were thinking of the old days, when there was more to being an Indian than coming to a carnival to be a spectacle for the crowds. Only sometimes I would think that way. Other times, I would just go into the circle and dance and forget about anything else except the beat of the drums and the feeling of warmth that surrounded me when I looked at the faces of the other dancers. — from “Sugar Bush Babies”

This memoir is filled with the author’s love for her grandmother, Cecelia Robinson, who lived on a quiet homestead on the allotment property she had inherited on the shores of Big Lake on the Fond du Lac reservation.

Fairbanks, a member of the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, spent her early years living on the Leech Lake reservation in Bena. She was an outdoor child, loving the wild flowers and carefree life. But then her family moved from their log cabin to Duluth, where young Janis was surrounded for the first time by white people. She kept running away from kindergarten until her parents worked out a compromise: If she would stay in school, she could spend free time living with her grandmother in her cozy cabin without electricity or running water.

Fairbanks writes of those happy times helping her grandmother do the laundry by hand, working in the garden and listening to family lore, including her grandmother’s time at an Indian boarding school where her culture was forbidden. She taught Janis how proper Indian girls behave. For instance, when Janis danced at a pow-wow, she was to step slowly and carefully and not, her grandmother warned, the way some of the young people were dancing with a more lively step that Janis thought was like “the bop.” And there are flashbacks to her father’s days as a lumberjack and her mother’s special powers.

Fairbanks is involved in preserving and revitalizing the Ojibwe language and mentors a writers group.

“What Hunger”: by Catherine Dang (Simon & Schuster, $27.99)

Ronny Nguyen is furious at everything that has happened in her teen life. Her beloved brother Tommy, preparing to attend a prestigious college, is killed. She is raped, half-drunk, at a party and bites off a piece of her attacker’s ear. She enjoys the feeling of the chewy flesh and taste of salty blood. Her Vietnamese family bonds over food, especially meat that was hard for her parents to get as refugees, so it’s not surprising Ronny’s fury manifests in her need for meat that fills the vengeful place in her heart..

Although “What Hunger” is sometimes hard to read, it’s named a most anticipated horror book of 2025 by Book Riot, She Reads, Our Culture and Crime Reads; is listed in Library Journal’s Top Ten August books; and earned a starred review in Publishers Weekly Booklist (“Intense, visceral, and not to be missed”).

Dang is a University of Minnesota graduate who lives in Brooklyn.

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If your calendar isn’t already full of fun family activities and festivals over the next few months — well, that’s about to change.

Across St. Paul and the greater metro area this season, there are dozens of art fairs, cultural festivals and seasonal celebrations to help you get out of the house and into the community before the weather turns too chilly.

Here’s what’s on our calendar:

September

Now through Sept. 28 — Minnesota Renaissance Festival, Shakopee: Although it’s too late to see magician duo Penn and Teller’s one-time-only return to the festival where they got their start 50 years ago, it’s not too late to experience one of the oldest and largest such Renaissance-era fairs in the country. Saturdays and Sundays through Sept. 28, plus a bonus Friday, Sept. 26. Gate admission for adults is $28.95, seniors $26.95, and kids $19.95; renaissancefest.com.

Now through Oct. 5 — Take Me To The River, St. Croix Valley: During this annual monthlong art crawl, visit open studios throughout the valley; specific dates/locations at takemetotheriver.info.

Tony Stelter, a volunteer from West St. Paul takes a break from cooking brats as the Germanic American Institute celebrated Deutsche Tage duinrg their 60th anniversary on Sunday 10th 2018. The weekend event included arts, traditions, and cuisine of the German speaking world at the Germanic American Institute on Summit Ave in St. Paul. (Ginger Pinson / Pioneer Press)

Sept. 12–13 — St. Paul Oktoberfest, Germanic-American Institute: The ultimate German fall celebration, with beer; food vendors serving pretzels, brats, potato pancakes, strudel and more; and plenty of music and dance. Prost! Free, but a $10 wristband is required to buy beer or wine. Runs 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, Sept. 12, and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13; 301 Summit Ave.

Sept. 12–14 — Arboretum Glass Pumpkin Patch, Minnesota Landscape Arboretum: The only downside of these gorgeous glass pumpkins for sale is that you can’t make pie with them! More than 6,000 hand-blown pumpkins will be for sale, plus glass-blowing demos. You’ll need to enter the arboretum to access the sale: free for members and $20 advance tickets for nonmembers. (Tickets may be available at the gate for $25, but the event is very popular and the Arb folks suggest reserving tickets ahead of time.) 3675 Arboretum Dr., Chaska.

Sept. 13 — Autumn Arts Festival, North St. Paul: This annual event at Casey Lake Park features dozens of art vendors, plus a bounce house, face painting, kids crafts and several local food trucks. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; 2101 E. 17th Ave., North St. Paul.

Sept. 13 — Fiesta Latina, CLUES St. Paul: Join the Latino community for this massive, lively family festival that’ll include dancing, live music, craft activities, and health and wellness opportunities. Starting earlier/running later this year: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free; 797 E. Seventh St.

Sept. 13 — Rivoli Bluff Bash, St. Paul: Celebrate urban food production with Urban Roots at the Rivoli Bluff Farm and Restoration Site, with farm tours, garden activities, face painting, produce giveaways and other entertainment. Free; at the corner of Rivoli Street and Minnehaha Avenue.

Sept. 14 — Selby Jazz Fest, St. Paul: The beloved annual festival returns with a variety of jazz performances, plus food and crafts, hosted by local actor T. Mychael Rambo. Free, from 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the corner of Selby Avenue and Milton Street. Besides the daylong festival on Sept. 14, musicians can also sign up for master classes on Sept. 13 and 15 at Walker West Music Academy; more info at selbyavejazzfest.com.

Tennessee Chroma Zone muralist Birdcap (aka Michael Roy) paints “goblins” on the west side of the Security building on University Avenue in St. Paul in May 2024. Seven new murals will be debuted with events like artist talks, tours, music and food, part of Chroma Zone’s fifth annual artist celebration, Sept. 18-20, 2024 in St. Paul. The art festival is free and open to the public. (Courtesy of the Creative Enterprise Zone)

Sept. 18–20 — Chroma Zone Mural and Art Festival, Creative Enterprize Zone: All summer long, muralists have been bringing art to walls around South St. Anthony Park. Attend a muralist panel discussion at 7 p.m. Sept. 18 at Bang Brewing Company (2320 Capp Road), attend the outdoor block party from 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 19 and see the murals with bus and bike tours Sept. 20. More details at chromazone.net.

Sept. 20–21 — Viva la Vida Taco and Tequila Festival, St. Paul: This is the inaugural year for a two-day celebration of Latino culture — food trucks, cultural demonstrations, arts, soccer showdowns, dance lessons and live music headlined by Los Amigos Invisibles and Salsa del Soul. 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sept. 20 and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 21 at the former Sears parking lot; 425 Rice St. More info at vivalavidamn.com.

Sept. 20 — Marine Mills Folk School Fall Festival, Marine on St. Croix: Artists and friends of this organization that safeguards and teaches traditional crafts will have handmade items for sale — plus, live music, raffles, sheepherding demos and hands-on crafts. Free. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; 550 Pine St., Marine On St. Croix.

Sept. 21 — 40th Anniversary Open House, Ordway: In honor of four decades, the Ordway is hosting a day of live performances, backstage tours, treasure hunts, games and the chance to try on costumes from the theater’s collection. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with tickets available to reserve in advance online. Free; 345 Washington St.

Sept. 21 — Twin Cities Veg Fest, Harriet Island Regional Park: One of the largest vegan festivals in the Midwest, thousands are expected to gather along the Mississippi for a day of music, cooking demos, nutrition presentations, family performances, art and more. Free, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; 200 Dr. Justus Ohage Blvd.

Sept. 27–28 — MinnesoThai Street Food Festival, St. Louis Park: This two-day celebration of local Thai culture, from fashion to folk dance to music to food. 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sept. 27, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sept. 28. Free, but note the changed location: This year’s festival is at Wat Promwachirayan; 2544 Highway 100 S., St. Louis Park.

October

Oct. 3–4 — Twin Cities Oktoberfest, State Fairgrounds: For the 15th annual festival, enjoy plenty of beer and food, plus the exact kind of live music you want to hear at Oktoberfest. No admission charge, but IDs are a must and your own mugs are encouraged. Runs 5 to 11 p.m. Friday, Oct. 3, and noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 4. Find more info at tcoktoberfest.com.

Oct. 4–5 — Rivertown Fall Art Festival, Stillwater: The 48th annual art festival along the St. Croix is set to bring more than 200 artists — one of its largest-ever lineups — and thousands of art fans to Stillwater. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days; Lowell Park.

Oct. 10–12 — St. Paul Art Crawl, various locations: More than 300 artists across the city are opening their studios and hosting special events and sales, as are various museums, shops and cafes. Check out more details at stpaulartcollective.org.

Oct. 11 — MN Woodworkers Expo, State Fairgrounds: Local and national woodworkers, manufacturers, and organizations will converge for a day of tool swaps, demos, kids crafts and other fun activities. Free, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Progress Center building (aka Eco Experience)

Volunteer Sam Steinmeyer, 17, from Menomonie, Wis., takes advantage of the “perfect chair” on one giant pumpkin to take a break from moving the gargantuan gourds during the St. Croix Growers Association Giant Pumpkin Weigh-Off at Stillwater’s Harvest Fest on Saturday, Oct., 14, 2023. In all there were 50 giant pumpkins, from 5 states, at the event. The winning entry was the Lancaster resident, Charlie Bernstrom’s 2501 lbs monster. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)

Oct. 11–12 — Stillwater Harvest Fest: Giant pumpkins — weighing, dropping, eating, rowing in them as boats… what more could you ask for?! The festival bills itself as a smashing good time, and the schedule is packed, so don’t miss it. Downtown Stillwater; full schedule at harvestfeststillwater.com.

Oct. 11–12 — Country Fall Days, Franconia Sculpture Park: In addition to hayrides, scavenger hunts and a barn quilt drop-in activity, attendees can participate in a textile collage workshop on Oct. 11 and honey-tasting on Oct. 12. The park is open all day, as usual, but these specific events run 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; 29836 Saint Croix Trail, Shafer.

Oct. 25–26 — Autumn Fest, Franconia Sculpture Park: Keep celebrating fall at Franconia with trick-or-treating and other fun activities, including a “dog and human costume contest” on Friday, Oct. 25. The park is open all day but events run noon to 4 p.m. both days.

Oct. 26 — BOOnion Depot, St. Paul: Put on your costumes and head to Union Depot for crafts, a DJ and dance zone with prices, face painting, balloon artists and character meet-and-greets. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.; 214 E. Fourth St., St. Paul

November

Nov. 8 — Twin Cities Book Festival, Union Depot: The 25th annual literary fest features author tables, readings, sales and more for all ages, presented by Rain Taxi. Free; 214 E. Fourth St.

Opening Nov. 20 — “Show & Tell,” Walker Art Center: Specifically designed for those under 9, this interactive exhibition — on view till April — presents and reimagines iconic works from the Walker’s collection in hands-on, kid-friendly ways. This exhibition is included with regular museum admission, which is free for kids (and Walker members of any age) anyway, but the grown-ups among us can reserve tickets in advance at walkerart.org or pay at the door for $18, $16 for seniors or $12 for students. 725 Vineland Place, Minneapolis.

CRACKED WALNUT POETRY FESTIVAL: Before I Lie (Voices Cracked Open), a program presented as part of the Cracked Walnut “Expressions!” series, features an evening of spoken-word and poetic voices that will not be silenced. Featuring Jess Human, Ayolanda Evans, James K. Estwick, Christian Avey, Simonet Poetry, Folasade Adesanya and Lucreshia Grant, hosted by Dralandra Larkins. 6 p.m. Tuesday, American School of Storytelling, 1762 Hennepin Ave. S., Mpls.

ERIN SODERBERG DOWNING: Minnesota author introduces her new middle-grade novel “What Happened Then,” an alternating narrative about a decades-old family secret buried within the sand, water and woods, waiting for cousins Avery and Jax to find it and uncover the truth. Downing has written more than 75 books, including “Controlled Burn” and “Just Keep Walking,” as well as the Peach adventures. 3 p.m. Saturday, Red Balloon Bookshop, 891 Grand Ave., St. Paul.

JUDY KAROFSKY: Introduces “DISElderly Conduct: The Flawed Business of Assisted Living and Hospice,” a personal account of unmet needs based on experiences caring for her mother, aiming to spark discussions about new approaches for America’s aging population and family decision makers. The author lives in Madison, Wis. 7 p.m. Monday, Magers & Quinn, 3038 Hennepin Ave. S., Mpls.

WILLIAM KENT KRUEGER: Discusses “Apostle’s Cove,” latest in his Cork O’Connor series. 5 p.m. Monday, Next Chapter Booksellers, 38 S. Snelling Ave., St. Paul; 5 p.m. Wednesday, Totally Criminal Cocktail Hour, Grand Banquet Hall, 301 Second St. S., Stillwater, presented by Valley Bookseller $10.

MIDSTREAM READING SERIES: With Barry MacDonald, Mae Steins, Anne Piper and Bill McCarthy. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Unity Church-Unitarian, 732 Holly Ave., St Paul.

(Courtesy of Minnesota Historical Society Press)

LORI STURDIVANT: Lunches “Martin Sabo: The Making of the Modern Legislature” (Minnesota Historical Society Press), in conversation with Mike Erlandson, Sabo’s chief of staff in the U.S. House of Representatives. 6 p.m. Thursday, Augsburg University, 2211 Riverside Ave., Mpls., home of Sabo Center for Democracy and Citizenship.

What else is going on

(Courtesy of Simon & Schuster)

Minnesotan Lauren Stringer’s children’s picture book “An Abundance of Light: A Story of Matisse in Morocco,” has been selected for the Original Art 2025 exhibition of Children’s Book Illustration by the Society of Illustrators. A ceremony will be held in November in New York, with the exhibition at the society, 128 E. 63rd St., from Oct. 15 to Dec 27. The story is about the famous painter leaving rainy Paris for the abundance of light in Tangier, Morocco, only to find Tangier is suffering its coldest, rainiest winter in years. Yet he discovers that sometimes the darkest shadows bring the brightest light.

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