Featured Events in Ames in April, 2025 (July Updated)

Experience the magic of the legendary country artist at the "World According To Garth: The Music of Garth Brooks" event in Burnsville. Taking place at the prestigious Ames Center on April 26, 2025, this musical tribute will showcase the iconic songs that have made Garth Brooks a household name. Join fellow fans at 12600 Nicollet Avenue for an unforgettable evening celebrating the timeless music of this country superstar.

Join us for the opening night of the 2025 Max Wasserman Forum: Visions of Sustainability. The 2025 Max Wasserman Forum: Visions of Sustainability brings together artists, scholars, and curators to discuss climate change within the arts and museum institutions. Welcome and IntroductionPanel 1Human Traces April 5, 10:30–11:45 AMHow have artists navigated landscapes of extraction and ecologies of displacement? The practices represented on this panel consider environmental change within longer histories of colonialism, capitalism, and human effects on our physical environment. Looking at cultural systems and structures, they map the violence of enclosure and dispossession but also propose a renewal of ethical lifeways—paths to reparation, repatriation, and collective survival. Panelists: Adam Khalil, Lan Tuazon, Sahar Qawasmi Moderator: Mae-ling Lokko Lunch BreakPanel 2Advocacy Work April 5, 1–2:15 PMHear from artists utilizing social practice and activism to seek out solutions for our changing landscape. These panelists have created multiple artist-run initiatives as a method to work within their communities. This panel will dive deeper into how participatory collaborations can establish new solutions, and how we might find new pathways through dialogue. Panelists: Lee Pivnik, Jen de los Reyes Moderator: Janelle Knox-Hayes Panel 3Rethinking Cultural Systems April 5, 2:45–4:15 PMTaking a closer look into collections, cultural production, and cultural sites, these artistic practitioners ask us to reconsider the possible. Disrupting default operating systems and pulling at the threads of sourcing and resource allocation, they will explore provenance research, conservation methods, and collection policies in this panel, as well as museum and artistic practices and how they impact global industries and our planet’s degradation. Panelists: Amy Balkin, Beatrice Glow, Michael Wang Moderator: Stefanie Hessler Keynote AddressApril 5, 4:30–5:30 PM Torkwase DysonTorkwase Dyson (b. 1974, Chicago, Illinois) is a painter working across multiple mediums to explore the continuity between ecology, infrastructure, and architecture. Examining human geography and the history of Black spatial liberation strategies, Dyson’s abstract works grapple with how space is perceived, imagined, and negotiated, particularly by Black and Brown bodies. Dyson has distilled a vocabulary of poetic forms to address the spaciousness of freedom and question what type of climates are born out of world-building. Dyson has had solo exhibitions and installations at Colby College Museum of Art, Waterville, Maine; Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies in the Fine Arts, Chicago; Hall Art Foundation, Kunstmuseum Schloss Derneburg, Germany; Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, Philadelphia; Suzanne Lemberg Usdan Gallery, Bennington College, Vermont; and the Serpentine Pavilion, Serpentine Galleries, London. She has also participated in group exhibitions at the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, Washington, DC; Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; Museum of Modern Art, New York; California African American Museum, Los Angeles; Wexner Center for the Arts, Ohio State University, Columbus; Mississippi Museum of Art, Jackson; Baltimore Museum of Art, Maryland; and Parrish Art Museum, Water Mill, New York. Her work was also presented at the 13th Shanghai Biennale. The Max Wasserman ForumThe Max Wasserman Forum on Contemporary Art was established in memory of Max Wasserman (MIT Class of 1935), a founding member of the Council for the Arts at MIT. This public forum was endowed through the generosity of the late Jeanne Wasserman and addresses critical issues in contemporary art and culture through the participation of renowned scholars, artists, and arts professionals. The Forum is organized and presented by the MIT List Visual Arts Center. Information Source: MIT List Visual Arts Center | eventbrite

Step into a glamorous evening out— a swanky cocktail party with mystery vibes at a new, masquerade-inspired event. Enjoy curated drinks, food, dancing, and more. Perfect for: Ladies who want an excuse to get dressed up Moms who need a night out with friends Adults who love mystery and escape room feels and games Couples who want a one-of-a-kind night on the town without the drive to Manhattan What to Expect: 🎶 Music by DJ Shane Gardner 🍹Bold cocktails, decadent boozy cupcakes by Tipsy Treats, and gourmet bites Scavenger hunts, immersive puzzles, and mystery-solving with a twist. A Peaky Blinders meets Downton Abby photo backdrop ✔️ Swag bags packed with surprises Engage in a photographic collection like you never have before. ✨ The Setting: A stunning 1800s chapel inside a cemetery. Hauntingly beautiful. Incredibly exclusive. 🎩 The Dress Code: Cocktail chic to full black tie to costume—your choice! Have fun with feathers, sequins and more. Just leave the sneakers and shorts at home. If you love getting dressed up, live for unforgettable experiences, and crave a night of dancing and decadence—this is for you. 💥 Spots are limited. Secure yours now—but hurry, price increases on 2/15! Presented by Stephanie C. Olsen of Stephanie C.Olsen Photography, Lust + Love Boudoir | A Portrait Experience, the area’s premier event planner. SPONSORS: TIPSY TREATS https://www.instagram.com/_tipsy_treats/ LISA CORRADO DESIGN https://www.instagram.com/lisacorradodesign/ Information Source: Stephanie C. Olsen of Lust Love Boudoir | eventbrite

The Boston Marathon is right around the corner, and we’re celebrating early with a shakeout run, good vibes, and a whole lot of goodies! Join Seaav and Major Miles Club on Friday, April 19th for a 3-mile party pace run starting at Vester Café in Cambridge, cruising along the Charles River Esplanade and across the Mass Ave Bridge, soaking in stunning skyline views before looping back—perfect for feeling the city’s energy and celebrating the Boston Marathon runners in style. We’ll be running at party pace to help those warming up for Monday’s marathon loosen up. Whether you’re gearing up for race day or just looking for a fun, social run, this route offers the best of Boston’s running culture. Lace up and let’s go! Your ticket includes a pair of Marathon-Approved biker shorts plus a goodie bag packed with: ☕ Vester canned coffee ⚡ SaltStick & LMNT electrolytes 💆‍♀️ Allyoos hair gel 🔬 Fazit recovery essentials ✨ … and more surprises! After the run, stick around at Vester to sip & mingle. We’ll be making cheer signs for all the Boston Marathon runners tackling 26.2 miles on Monday, April 21st! 📍 Event Details: 📆 Friday, April 19th 📍 Start & End at Vester Café, Cambridge ⏰ 9:00 AM check-in | 9:30 AM run start 🏃‍♀️ 3-mile loop at a fun, party pace 🎟️ Tickets: $35 → Includes 7” Biker Shorts + goodie bag$45 → Includes 5” Biker Shorts + goodie bagLet’s kick off Marathon Weekend the right way—running, recharging, and rallying behind the Boston Marathon runners! See you there! 💙💛 Information Source: Seaav | eventbrite

Experience the unforgettable Tonic Sol-fa: End of an Era Tour at the prestigious Ames Center in Burnsville. Mark your calendars for April 19, 2025, as this iconic vocal group takes the stage for a night of unparalleled musical excellence. Located at 12600 Nicollet Avenue, MN, 55337, the venue provides the perfect backdrop for this once-in-a-lifetime performance. Don't miss your chance to witness this historic event in person.