New bar in old Lyn-Lake spot

Old-guard Uptowners collectively frowned when Lyn-Lake dive the Country Bar closed last year. But Nomad World Pub owner Todd Smith has new plans for the tiny space. He recently acquired the rights to the spot and Country Bar name, and looks to open a yet unnamed bar there this summer. While he's completely gutting the place, adding new bathrooms and redoing the kitchen, the antler-and-wagon-wheel chandeliers and brass horse-head bar rail will ride again. Perhaps more importantly, wings with the original spicy Shorty and Wags recipe will return with a limited, not-too-fancy food menu. "We're not going to have lamb belly or anything like that," Smith said. "I think it's going to be a bar and grill, not a gastropub."

Kevin Smith Q&A

Ever wonder how '90s slacker comedy "Mallrats" wound up being filmed in Eden Prairie? Ask filmmaker Kevin Smith Friday at the State Theatre. Or ask him about the unreleased documentary he shot with Prince talking to fans at Paisley Park in 2001. In conjunction with this weekend's Wizard World Comic Con at the Minneapolis Convention Center, the director/comedian/comic-book lover takes the stage for a live Q&A session. He ascended to indie-flick stardom with cult hits "Clerks" and "Mallrats," which respectively have a triquel and sequel in the works. Which mall will Jay and Silent Bob plunder next? Maybe Smith will dish here.

9 p.m., May 1, $25-$45, 805 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls., 612-339-7007,

www.hennepintheatretrust.org

Betty Danger's derby

Do the Kentucky Derby a little differently with the lovably loony Betty Danger's Country Club crew. On Saturday, the northeast Minneapolis Ferris wheel bar throws its Kentucky Derbatante party with inflatable-horse races, violinists and ponies for your selfie-taking amusement. Participate in the derby hat contest while sipping a mint julep from an outdoor julep bar. DJ Alex Jarvis provides the soundtrack.

3-10 p.m., May 2, $15-$20, 2501 NE. Marshall St., Mpls., 612-315-4997,

La Belle Vie lead bartender Adam Gorski will be mixing up drinks during A Day of Gamay.

www.bettydangers.com

Gamay Day

It's gamay day and La Belle Vie's celebrating. OK, it's not an official holiday, but on Sunday the fine-dining palace is popping 25-plus varieties of the red wine from across the globe for your sampling pleasure. Dubbed A Day of Gamay, the vino party features passed hors d'oeuvres, drinks from LBV barman Adam Gorski and Easy & Oskey's Erik Eastman, with a specialty gamay cocktail with E&O's black pepper bitters.

1-4 p.m., May 3, $55, 510 Groveland Av., Mpls., 612-874-6440, www.labellevie.us

Michael Rietmulder