Your Guide to the Twin Cities in January

January in Minnesota is for the locals. No one is coming to visit us in January. But we love to lean into that! This is your chance to eat at the restaurant that’ll be way too packed once it’s patio season. It’s your chance to work on that half-done record and release it when it’s warm out. Maybe now is your chance to take a break from some of your vices and try Dry January. No matter what you do, wear a coat if you need to go outside, and let me remind you – there’s no minimum temperature required to have fun. Make this January one to remember, not just one to survive.

Skip Some Drinks

🧼 Go Dry for January

It used to be slim pickings for sober people. I’m talking about “an ice water on the house,” and that’s it. Nowadays, the sober and the sober-curious of the world have plenty of ways to enjoy life without drinking alcohol. Ground zero for all my N/A needs is Marigold. They have locations in St. Paul and Minneapolis, and the spot is so welcoming. They carry N/A drinks, including the best selection of N/A wine I’ve ever happened across in my travels! A lot of folks who are limiting their alcohol consumption also end up connecting with THC beverages or edibles, and Marigold carries those, too. Looking for an N/A recommendation? Locally, in my opinion, Fulton makes the best hop water, and Bauhaus’s Citrus Berry Sour is the best N/A beer. -Sean

😋 Eat Your Weed (But Know What You’re Eating)

I like to enjoy marijuana just the way my parents did back in the 60s: smoking very weak joints while listening to great records. But a lot of folks love the world of THC and CBD tinctures, beverages, and edibles. I love Jessica Armbruster over at the drugs desk at Racket for informative and humorous reviews of all things weed in her long-running series Weed Weviews. There are a lot of subpar THC products out on the market, and they’ve ruined many a night for our friend Armbruster ... let her do the dirty work! I have to say, I’ve never been disappointed when I try a product she recommends. -Sean

See Some Music

🎙️ Best New Bands Night at First Ave

There’s nothing better than seeing a band play First Ave for the first time – the drummer runs his paradiddles on the practice pad on the couch, the bassist wears her gig bag on her back from soundcheck to showtime, and the singer keeps on checking the IG replies to make sure everyone knows about the show. Bands come alive when they step on a stage as storied as First Ave’s early in their career, and there is no more efficient way to see a bunch of these beautiful moments than putting on your warmest clothes and checking out Best New Bands Night. The groups all play tight, thirty-minute sets, and Twin Cities music fans get to see what’s next in local music. Plus, a bunch of awesome DJs from stations around town host the whole shindig. This year, First Ave is letting me join my friends from Radio K, The Current, and KFAI to do the honors. I am most looking forward to seeing Sophie Hiroko out of Duluth but the entire bill is stuffed with talent, including Chutes, GR3G, LaSalle, Maygen and the Birdwatcher, Mother Soki, Sallyforth, and Sophie Hiroko. -Sean

🎸 See Dr. Mambo’s Combo at Bunkers

Fill your January with a bunch of must-do Minnesota stuff you haven’t gotten around to yet. Dr. Mambo’s Combo has played every Sunday night at Bunkers in the North Loop since the mid 80s. That means they’ve been playing in the North Loop since before it was called the North Loop. This is the elite spot for funk and soul musicians in the Twin Cities to cut their teeth. It’s where Questlove sits in when he comes to town, it’s where Prince discovered drum phenom Michael Bland, and it’s where aspiring players in the Twin Cities go to find out how it’s really done. Pay the cover, grab a beer if you’re drinking, and be sure to dance to one of the fast songs – you’ll promptly forget it’s 4 below right outside that door. -Sean

🎻 See the World Premiere of a New Opera

If you made the decision that opera isn’t for you, it might be time to rethink that. We recently chatted with Darius Gillard from Minnesota Opera, and he let us know about a new chamber-opera opening on January 31. It’s called “My Name is Florence,” and it celebrates the life of Florence Price, the first Black woman to have a symphony performed by a major U.S. orchestra. Gillard described the production as a toe-tapper, and based on the sound of Price’s own compositions, it’s far from a surprise. Added bonus, the libretto for the opera was penned by the St. Paul-based writer Harrison David Rivers. -Sean

See some Artkick sleds

🧊 Art Shanty Projects running Jan. 17 - Feb. 8

The Art Shanty Projects at Bdé Umáŋ / Lake Harriet is my one must-attend winter event, no matter how cold it gets. Every weekend from Jan. 17 to Feb. 8, the ice transforms into a wild, little village of artist-built shanties, roving performances, and peak Twin Cities weirdness. Expect everything from Taiko on Ice and Klezmer on Ice to B-Icicle Races, puppets, science demos about how lakes are alive, and surprise moments like brass bands and square dances popping up between shanties. There are free kick sleds to cruise the ice, plus ASL interpreters and audio describers on Sundays for choose-your-own-adventure tours starting at the Welcome Shanty, making it one of the most joyful, accessible, and delightfully odd winter traditions in the Twin Cities. -James

Honor Martin Luther King Jr.

🪧 The Martin Luther King Jr. Breakfast

Don’t let the MLK Jr. holiday come and go without doing something to honor and remember one of the greatest Americans to ever live. For 35 years, the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday breakfast has been a staple for the Twin Cities community. This year, the keynote speakers are Soledad O’Brien, Freeman A. Hrabowski, III, and Twin Cities music mainstay Billy Steele. -Sean

Get Fancy

💈 Get a Straight Razor Shave

In this arctic tundra we choose to live in, it is important to do some things for your own beautification and joy. For me, it doesn’t get more decadent than a straight razor shave with my barber Mike over at Good Neighbor in Saint Paul. A proper straight razor shave involves having your face 114% covered in steaming hot towels for a number of minutes. Those few minutes are generally the best minutes of my winter. Let the steam almost overpower you, and then let Mike have a quick meeting with every follicle from your neck to your head. You’ll walk out reenergized and dapper AF. -Sean

💆 Get a Facial

Give those frosty noses and cheeks some care. I booked an appointment at Face Foundrié, and my face glowed for two days after. If you want some extra TLC, I recommend getting the scalp massage add-on. -Tiffany

Hole up at Home

📺 Asura on Netflix

I’m going to be honest. I’m exhausted. With a big job, two toddlers, and a husband who has an extremely seasonal job, I’m physically and emotionally tapped out. This January, for me, it’s going to be all about my couch, takeout, and prestige TV. Next on my list is Asura on Netflix – a beautiful Japanese drama set in 1979 Tokyo. Four sisters find out something…unsavory…about their family, and you get to watch them unravel the mystery. It’s a seven-episode series that has a whopping 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. I’m a couple of episodes in, and I’m saving the rest for some much-needed January joy! -Anna