FREE! & Frugal Family Fun May 30 - June 5

All listings are free unless price is noted. Be sure to read the Disclaimer before you go to these events.

Friday, May 30
IndiVisible: African-Native American Lives in the Americas Exhibit, Historic Fort Snelling, 10 AM - 5 PM 

Flint Hills International Children’s Festival, F.K. Weyerhaeuser Auditorium, 11 AM and 2:30 PM, $3.50


Family Night celebrating Midtown Global Market's Birthday, Midtown Global Market, Minneapolis, 5 - 7:30 PM


Family Fridays, Midtown Global Market, Minneapolis, 5 - 8 PM

Sparkling Drinks for Kids, Williams-Sonoma, Edina Galleria, 7 PM, ages 8+

Family Fridays, Midtown Global Market, Minneapolis, 5 - 8 PM

Saturday, May 31
Discover Aviation Days, Anoka County Airport, 7 AM - 4 PM 

Spring Birding: The Basics, Cedar Lake Regional Farm, New Prague, 9 - 10 AM, $5

Brickmania Toyworks Open House, Minneapolis, 10 AM - 4 PM

Family Flicks, Theatres of Mall of America, 10 AM, Enchanted

IndiVisible: African-Native American Lives in the Americas Exhibit, Historic Fort Snelling, 10 AM - 5 PM

Flint Hills International Children’s Festival, F.K. Weyerhaeuser Auditorium, 10:30 AM and 2:30 PM, $5

Waterfest, Phalen Lake Park Pavillion, St. Paul, 11 AM - 4 PM

Crafts for Kids, Lakeshore Learning, Maplewood and St. Louis Park, 11 AM

Sunday, June 1

Family Fun District at Grand Old Day, St. Paul

Discover Aviation Days, Anoka County Airport, 7 AM - 4 PM 

Flint Hills International Children’s Festival, F.K. Weyerhaeuser Auditorium, 11:30 AM and 3 PM, $5


IndiVisible: African-Native American Lives in the Americas Exhibit, Historic Fort Snelling, 12 PM AM - 5 PM

Grand Old Day and Summer Reading Kick-Off, Red Balloon Bookshop, 12 noon. Check out their Summer Reading Program

The Amazing World of Insects, Eastman Nature Center, Dayton, 1 - 4 PM
Free Family Fun Day: Feed Me, Richardson Nature Center, Bloomington, 3 - 4 PM

Monday, June 2
4th - 6th Grade Girls (and Moms) Read Book Club, Red Balloon, 6:30 PM
Tuesday, June 3
Cat in the Hat, Mall of America's Toddler Tuesdays, 10 AM – 12 PM, Rotunda
Family Fun Tuesdays, Caponi Art Park, 10 - 11 AM, $4 suggested donation

Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked, Toddler Flicks, Mall of America, 11:30 AM
Summer Reading Bookmark Craft, American Girl, 2 PM, ages 8+

Free Tuesday Nights, Minnesota History Center, 5 - 8 PM,

History Lounge: The Original Gangsters, 7 - 8 PM

Wednesday, June 4
Wee Wednesdays, Midtown Global Market, 10 AM - 1 PM
Great River Tours, St. Paul, 10 AM

Open Eye Figure Theater Puppet Show Driveway Tour - Tucker's Robot, Moon Palace Books, Minneapolis, 7 PM

Historic Train Depot Open Day, St. Louis Park, 7 - 8:30 PM

Thursday, June 5

Summer Flower Anklet Craft, American Girl, 2 PM
Midtown Global Market Neighborhood Night, 5 - 8 PM

Brickmania Toyworks Open House, 5 - 9 PM

Walker Art Center, Target Free Thursday Nights, 5 - 9 PM

Ongoing Programs

Barnes & Noble StorytimeBrickmania Open House, First Thursdays, 5 - 9 PM & 2nd Saturday 10 AM - 4 PM

Como Zoo (suggested donation) $3 adult/$2 child

F.A.N.tastic Saturday at Eagan Community Center, 5 – 9 PM, $3

Family Fridays, Midtown Global Market, Minneapolis, 5 - 8 PM
Fraconia Guided Tours, Sundays, 2 PM, FREE!Hennepin County Library Storytime, Book Clubs, and Events

Kids Bowl Free   Mastermind, Mold, and Make:Creativity Jam, Children's Museum, St. Paul, 9 AM - 8 PM, $9.95/ticket or buy a membership (exhibit closes 9/7)

Minneapolis Music & Movies in the Park Program

Mommy & Me Music Class, Teeny Bee Boutique, Thursdays, 3:30 - 4:15 PM, birth - 3 Play Date Wednesday, Teeny Bee Boutique, St. Paul, 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Pottery Barn Kids Summer Reading Challenge (through 7/17)
Saturday Morning on the Gale Woods Farm, Minnetrista, 9:30 AM – 12 PM, all ages, $5 

Shrek the Musical (until 6/8)and The Cat in the Hat (until 7/20), Children's Theatre, MinneapolisState Capital LEGO Model Display, State Capitol, St. Paul, 8:30 - 5 PM

Summit Avenue Walking Tours, James J. Hill House, St. Paul, 11 AM & 2 PM, $8 kids, $12 adults, discount for members

Sunday Guided Tour of Fraconia, 2 - 3 PM
Tail Time, Wild Rumpus, Mondays, 10:30 AM

St. Paul Public Libraries, events and classes

St. Paul Music in the Parks

Toys of the 50s, 60s, & 70s, Minnesota History Center, St. Paul, 10 AM-5 PM, $6 kids/$11 adults or buy a membershipHistoric Fort Snelling, Opening Weekend, Veterans receive free entrance on Memorial Day, 10 AM-5 PM, kids $6, adults $11 or buy a membership

Ultimate Dinosaurs, Science Museum of Minnesota, (runs until 8/24), kids FREE! (until 5/31) with paid adult

Walking Tours, St. Paul, 1st, 3rd, and 4th Wednesday, 10 AM


ADDITIONAL FAMILY FUN RESOURCES
Family Fun Twin Cities highlights several free family-friendly activities going on this weekend and also provides an on-going free calendar of activities each day.
Macaroni Kid is a great resource for finding kid-friendly events in your area.
MELSA Library Calendar makes it easy to find events at your local library (and they have much more than just reading-based activities)
PhenoMNal Twin Cities lists freebies and discounts for adults in the Twin Cities and maintains an events calendar, as well.
Thrifty Minnesota has an “events” category highlighting free and discounted activities for Minnesota folks.
Twin Cities Frugal Mom cherry-picks a wide variety of family-friendly events with her Deals & Events calendar.