January 24th: Henny Penny Lester, at In the Heart of the Beast Theatre

10:00 AM and noon, 1500 E. Lake St.
The chicken, Henny Penny, has disappeared so Lester takes the lead in this classic fable. Lester’s friends won’t help him make the potato salad, but they want to eat it. Come and see what happens! Part of HOBT's Saturday morning puppet shows for kids.

January 24th, 31st & February 7th: Beethoven and Friends, at Bryant Lake Bowl
10:00 PM (7:00 PM on Feb. 7), 810 W. Lake St.
"Disappointed by the actual accomplishments of our favorite figures, Omega Wolf Productions tells the stories of our favorite historical, contemporary, and fictional characters exactly as they should have happened. That's right: Ben Franklin married a man, and Gandhi rode a motorcycle. Come witness ninety minutes of hilarious revisionism as we show you just how much better things would have been if we'd been allowed to dictate reality."

January 30th: Breakfast with Gary Schiff
7:30 - 8:45 AM, 1515 E. Lake St. (Mercado Central)
Featuring the 7th annual State of the Ward address by Council Member Schiff and the presentation of the annual Ninth Ward Awards.

January 30th: Chinese New Year Celebration, at Midtown Global Market
4:00 - 8:00 PM, 920 E. Lake St.
To help ring in the year of the Ox, activities at the Market will include traditional fortune telling from Chinese elders, a cooking demonstration, a traditional lion dance at 7:00 PM, and much more.

Beginning January 30th: Snowman, at Open Eye Figure Theatre
506 E. 24th St.
"A contemporary fable about cold weather.  An inexplicable snow falls in a small town and spring hasn’t come for years.  With the endless snow comes a problem of hygenic proportions: a town of frozen adults. The mayor has the frozen carted away to an ice forest, and those who remain in the village are numbed into acceptance."

Beginning January 30th: Hitchcock Blonde, at Jungle Theater
2951 Lyndale Ave. S.
"What was the dark secret that caused the great Alfred Hitchcock to obsess over beautiful blondes in jeopardy? A spine-tingling mystery unfolds at a villa in the Greek isles, where a British professor and his young assistant shift through the clues. Meanwhile in 1950's Hollywood, the Master prepares to film his infamous shower scene."

January 31st: Kids Book Club, at East Lake Library
2:00 - 3:00 PM, 2727 E. Lake St.
This month's book is The Thief Lord by Cornelia Funke. "Two brothers, having run away from the aunt who plans to adopt the younger one, are sought by a detective hired by their aunt, but they have found shelter with--and protection from--Venice's 'Thief Lord.'"

February 4th: Public Meetings on Proposal for Public Bike Sharing in Minneapolis
7:00 PM, 3001 Hennepin Ave. S. (Calhoun Square atrium)
The City of Minneapolis and the City of Lakes Nordic Ski Foundation have put forward a proposal for public bicycle sharing in Minneapolis. RSVP to Andrea Petersen at andrea.petersen@ci.minneapolis.mn.us.

February 5th: Author Reading, at Magers & Quinn Booksellers
7:30 PM, 3038 Hennepin Ave. S.
Daniel Lancaster discusses his book John Beargrease: Legend of Minnesota's North Shore. "Daniel Lancaster follows the legendary Beargrease through the settlement and development of the North Shore on his difficult traverse from traditional Anishinabe life to the modern world. Rich in history, mythology, and local legend, this is an engrossing read for anyone who has ever fallen in love with Lake Superior's wave-washed shores and snowy winters."

February 7th: "You Gotta Have Heart" Fundraiser
6:00 - 9:30 PM, 5011 31st Ave. (Lake Nokomis Lutheran Church)
A cabaret/fundraiser sponsored by A Minnesota Without Poverty, to support micro-enterprise at the Midtown Global Market. Reservations are $30 a head. Contact Aundrea at 612-230-3236 or aundrea.billings@mnchurches.org to reserve a place.

February 10th: MayDay Community Meeting
7:00 - 9:00 PM, 1500 E. Lake St. (In the Heart of the Beast Theatre)
A time to brainstorm about the theme for this year's MayDay Parade and Festival. Meetings are free to attend and no reservation is needed. This will be the 35th year for the MayDay Parade.