Naked Girls Reading

Expand your mind and satisfy your voyeuristic tendencies with this literary series, the brainchild of Chicago burlesque star Michelle L'amour. The first Minneapolis edition will showcase authors from and stories about the Twin Cities -- including a selection from "My Lesbian Husband" by Barrie Jean Borich -- as read by a nanny with a degree in women's studies, the owner of a sex-toy store, the lead singer of an all-girl punk-rockabilly band, an up-and-coming drag queen and the evening's host, burlesque fave Sweetpea. The easily scandalized need not apply -- it's pretty much guaranteed you'll get what you paid for. --Jahna Peloquin

  • 8 p.m. Sat. 9/24
  • $20. 21 & older
  • Studio DuBois, 2400 N. 2nd St., Suite 305, Mpls.
  • www.nakedgirlsreading.com/minneapolis

Franconia 15th anniversary

The sculpture park that calls itself "a seedbed for big audacious unfettered creation" has long served as a destination for day trippers and art lovers alike. Set atop a 20-acre site 45 miles northeast of the Twin Cities, the park's rotating collection includes more than 85 sculptures by local, national and international artists. With sprawling metal structures, floating houses and repurposed boxcars, it looks like a small Midwestern town park carved out of flat farmland and taken over by a mad Seussian character. The park celebrates 15 years of three-dimensional art this weekend with the debut of its newest sculpture installations and live music from Communist Daughter, Roe Family Singers, Apollo Cobra and others, plus family activities, poetry, theater, food, sculpture-making and a hot metal pour. --Jahna Peloquin

Mill City Oktoberfest & Minneapolis Beer Fest

We had you at "beer," didn't we? First up, the Mill City Museum and the Mill City Farmers Market team up for an Oktoberfest with an educational bent. Doug Hoverson, author of "Land of Amber Waters: The History of Brewing in Minnesota," will be on hand, along with displays of historic brewing collectibles. There will also be local craft-brew sampling and food from Kramarczuk's.

Later in the day, just down the street, the inaugural Minneapolis Beer Fest is more of a beer blowout. It features hundreds of craft, specialty and micro brewers offering up samples; vendors include Chef Shack, 128 Cafe and others. And because nothing goes better with suds than live music, alt-blues stompers the 4onthefloor will be joined by Americana act White Iron Band and folk-rocker Jambo Joe Bones. --Jay Boller