Plan it - August 2024

Hidden Herald
Wonderlust Productions announces the launch of a unique downtown St. Paul experience called “Hidden Herald,” a series of short audio plays telling 31 secret stories about the Capital City’s downtown, written by nine local playwrights and performed by 13 professional Twin Cities actors. Starting July 26, signs are located across downtown with the “Hidden Herald” logo and a QR code to listen to individual audio plays anytime. Custom maps designed by Jeff Nelson of Jephemera will also be available at several of Wonderlust’s partner locations, including Lost Fox and MetroNOME Brewery. The 31 short stories that make up “Hidden Herald” contemplate everything from naturalization ceremonies at the Landmark Center and the inner musings of benches in Mears Park to business lunches at the St. Paul Grill and people without homes in Rice Park.

BOOK GIVEAWAY AUG. 15
Capstone Publishers will give away 1,000 free books to students at the Saint Paul Public Schools (SPPS) Food Truck this summer. The next giveaway is on Aug. 15. SPPS provides summer meals at more than 50 schools, recreation centers, libraries and community sites at no cost to all children 18 and under, and those with a disability currently enrolled in a school program.

Climate Carnival AUG. 17
Frogtown, Saint Paul’s most diverse and vibrant neighborhood, will be hard hit by the climate crisis. Residents of this low-income neighborhood are already suffering from increasing temperatures, loss of tree canopy, and elevated air pollution levels. Frogtown Green’s Climate Carnival will help Frogtown residents and visitors learn ways to cope with and combat these and other impacts of climate change—in a lively, fun-filled event on Saturday, Aug.17, from 1 to 4 p.m.
In festive tents on a large community garden space, the Climate Carnival will feature games of dexterity and skill; contests of brute strength; displays of esoteric knowledge, and more! Each carnival tent focuses on a different aspect of sustainability, with fun, hands-on activities, make-and-take opportunities, and exhibits. Kid carnival-goers will create beautiful art using pedal power; build compost “sundaes” complete with gummy worms; and learn about freaky fertilizing pollinators, while their parents learn the latest about electric vehicles, curbside organic scraps collection, seed-saving for native plants and more. Delicious food and drink will be free, along with face-painting and other family- pleasers. For information about Frogtown Green, visit www.frogtowngreen.com. 

Black Entrepreneur State Fair AUG. 25-31
The fifth annual Black Entrepreneur State Fair runs Aug. 25-21 at Midtown Global Market. Founded by sisters Destinee and Keandrea Shelby, the Black State Fair aims to empower, celebrate and promote “the talents, achievements, and economic growth of Black entrepreneurs.”

EXPERIMENTAL JAZZ SHOW SEPT. 19
The recently launched Experimental Jazz on Lafond Series continues with a concert on Sept. 19 at Zion Community Commons in the Midway neighborhood. The concert will feature JC Sanford, Anthony Cox and Davu Seru. JC Sanford applies a unique approach to the trombone, essentially transforming the instrument into a hipper realm of trombone-ness. This is what Jimi Hendrix or Frank Zappa would have sounded like had they picked up the trombone instead of the guitar. Anthony Cox, a local legend who needs no introduction to jazz afficionados, has recorded and performed with a range of stellar musicians such as John Scofield, Joe Lovano and Pat Metheny. Davu Seru uses his creative energy at the drum kit in fascinating ways, carrying on the tradition of avant-garde drumming while also taking it in new directions. Tickets $15.