Every summer, visitors throng to the Twin Cities area for its wide array of shopping, museums, arts, zoos, amusement parks, and other entertainment. But when the calendar flips to September, there’s a whole new season of fun. The arts and theater season begins that month, with the stages full of new productions. There’s also a full schedule of special events, like the Renaissance Festival in Shakopee and new exhibits at area museums.
And, there are some extra days off in the fall to take in all of this. Labor Day weekend, the fall school break in October, Veterans’ Day and the Thanksgiving holiday weekend are all good times to visit the Twin Cities area, but any fall weekend is a good time to treat yourself to a big city getaway.
Every fall, the curtain rises on a new season of theater productions in the Twin Cities. The city is known for its great theater, and it’s worth a trip to town just to take in a play. Combine a trip to the theater with a weekend of shopping and sightseeing, and you’ve got an entertaining autumn break.
A favorite with local theater buffs is the Jungle Theater. Last winter it moved across the street to a new home in a renovated 1920s storefront. With only140 seats, the auditorium provides an intimate theater experience with an ample stage. The original Jungle playhouse opened in 1991 and its first production quickly sold out. Its productions–a mix of classic and contemporary plays, from comedy to cutting edge-- always get rave reviews from its audiences.
This fall, the Jungle will stage “Lobster Alice,” a new comedy by Kira Obolensky. It’s a romance based on surrealist artist Salvador Dali’s real-life visit to Hollywood in the 1940s, and plays Sept. 17 through Nov. 7.
The Cities’ best known theater is the Guthrie, near downtown Minneapolis. This fall it’s debuting a new musical “Martin Guerre,” by the creators of “Les Miserables” and “Miss Saigon,” running Sept. 17-Nov. 7. The play tells the true story of a 16th-century French soldier. This run will be the North American premiere of “Martin Guerre,” before it heads to Broadway.
For more lightweight musical fare, there’s “Cole Porter’s Can-Can” or “Forever Plaid” at the Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, on the southwest edge of the Twin Cities area. The Broadway musicals “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” and “Cabaret” are coming to the Historic State Theatre in downtown Minneapolis, with “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” playing at the Ordway Music Theatre in downtown St. Paul.
Fall is an especially good time for a family visit to the Twin Cities, as well. New seasons begin at the Children’s Theatre Company in Minneapolis and Stages Theatre Company in Hopkins.
The Minnesota Children’s Museum in downtown St. Paul is one of the best of its kind in the country. This fall, two special exhibits add to the kid appeal. At the “The Big Adventure” exhibit, children can try out a climbing wall, crawl through dark tunnels, or take a virtual flight in a kid-sized airplane. At the hands-on “Seuss” exhibit, kids can step into life-size scenes from “The Cat in the Hat,” “Green Eggs and Ham,” and other Seuss classics.
A series of free family concerts Saturday afternoons at Orchestra Hall spotlights some celebrities among the younger set, especially kids aged 2-8. The Family Music Series includes Craig & Co., Sept. 25; The Wiggles, Oct. 16 (very big with pre-school Australians); and Joanie Bartels, Oct. 16.
Halloween is a very big deal in the Twin Cities area. Spooky World, at Canterbury Park in Shakopee throughout October, sets the mood with several haunted houses, a Creepy Hollow hayride, the Terror Theatre, and Booville children’s play area. At nearby Valleyfair, costumed characters, a haunted house, Halloween stories, and other entertainment will give the amusement park a “spooky” air on Halloweekends. These run Sept. 11-12 and 18-19, plus the Friday evenings of Sept. 10, 17 and 24. And the Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley has special Halloween weekend events Oct. 23-24 and 30-31.
One way to get out and enjoy a beautiful fall day while you explore the Twin Cities is to climb aboard a boat excursion. The Padelford Packet Boat Company has excursions leaving from Boom Island Park near downtown Minneapolis and Harriet Island across from downtown St. Paul on weekend afternoons in September. Both trips feature skyline views, fall color along the riverbanks, and a bit of the area’s history.
At Lake Minnetonka west of Minneapolis, an important piece of the lake’s history was rescued from the lake bottom. A 1906 streetcar boat, sunk years ago after it was retired from service, has been meticulously restored and is back in service as an excursion boat. “Minnehaha” boat trips leave from Excelsior and Wayzata.
There are also boat trips on the scenic St. Croix River, leaving from Taylors Falls, Stillwater and Afton. For more information on Twin Cities area boat excursions, and for a guide to the Twin Cities area, call the Minnesota Office of Tourism, 800-657-3700 or 651-296-5029.
And, there are some extra days off in the fall to take in all of this. Labor Day weekend, the fall school break in October, Veterans’ Day and the Thanksgiving holiday weekend are all good times to visit the Twin Cities area, but any fall weekend is a good time to treat yourself to a big city getaway.
The Stage is Set
Every fall, the curtain rises on a new season of theater productions in the Twin Cities. The city is known for its great theater, and it’s worth a trip to town just to take in a play. Combine a trip to the theater with a weekend of shopping and sightseeing, and you’ve got an entertaining autumn break.
A favorite with local theater buffs is the Jungle Theater. Last winter it moved across the street to a new home in a renovated 1920s storefront. With only140 seats, the auditorium provides an intimate theater experience with an ample stage. The original Jungle playhouse opened in 1991 and its first production quickly sold out. Its productions–a mix of classic and contemporary plays, from comedy to cutting edge-- always get rave reviews from its audiences.
This fall, the Jungle will stage “Lobster Alice,” a new comedy by Kira Obolensky. It’s a romance based on surrealist artist Salvador Dali’s real-life visit to Hollywood in the 1940s, and plays Sept. 17 through Nov. 7.
The Cities’ best known theater is the Guthrie, near downtown Minneapolis. This fall it’s debuting a new musical “Martin Guerre,” by the creators of “Les Miserables” and “Miss Saigon,” running Sept. 17-Nov. 7. The play tells the true story of a 16th-century French soldier. This run will be the North American premiere of “Martin Guerre,” before it heads to Broadway.
For more lightweight musical fare, there’s “Cole Porter’s Can-Can” or “Forever Plaid” at the Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, on the southwest edge of the Twin Cities area. The Broadway musicals “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” and “Cabaret” are coming to the Historic State Theatre in downtown Minneapolis, with “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” playing at the Ordway Music Theatre in downtown St. Paul.
Bring the Kids
Fall is an especially good time for a family visit to the Twin Cities, as well. New seasons begin at the Children’s Theatre Company in Minneapolis and Stages Theatre Company in Hopkins.
The Minnesota Children’s Museum in downtown St. Paul is one of the best of its kind in the country. This fall, two special exhibits add to the kid appeal. At the “The Big Adventure” exhibit, children can try out a climbing wall, crawl through dark tunnels, or take a virtual flight in a kid-sized airplane. At the hands-on “Seuss” exhibit, kids can step into life-size scenes from “The Cat in the Hat,” “Green Eggs and Ham,” and other Seuss classics.
A series of free family concerts Saturday afternoons at Orchestra Hall spotlights some celebrities among the younger set, especially kids aged 2-8. The Family Music Series includes Craig & Co., Sept. 25; The Wiggles, Oct. 16 (very big with pre-school Australians); and Joanie Bartels, Oct. 16.
Halloween is a very big deal in the Twin Cities area. Spooky World, at Canterbury Park in Shakopee throughout October, sets the mood with several haunted houses, a Creepy Hollow hayride, the Terror Theatre, and Booville children’s play area. At nearby Valleyfair, costumed characters, a haunted house, Halloween stories, and other entertainment will give the amusement park a “spooky” air on Halloweekends. These run Sept. 11-12 and 18-19, plus the Friday evenings of Sept. 10, 17 and 24. And the Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley has special Halloween weekend events Oct. 23-24 and 30-31.
Don’t Miss the Boat
One way to get out and enjoy a beautiful fall day while you explore the Twin Cities is to climb aboard a boat excursion. The Padelford Packet Boat Company has excursions leaving from Boom Island Park near downtown Minneapolis and Harriet Island across from downtown St. Paul on weekend afternoons in September. Both trips feature skyline views, fall color along the riverbanks, and a bit of the area’s history.
At Lake Minnetonka west of Minneapolis, an important piece of the lake’s history was rescued from the lake bottom. A 1906 streetcar boat, sunk years ago after it was retired from service, has been meticulously restored and is back in service as an excursion boat. “Minnehaha” boat trips leave from Excelsior and Wayzata.
There are also boat trips on the scenic St. Croix River, leaving from Taylors Falls, Stillwater and Afton. For more information on Twin Cities area boat excursions, and for a guide to the Twin Cities area, call the Minnesota Office of Tourism, 800-657-3700 or 651-296-5029.
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