How to See What's Happening at Hennepin Arts Venues

Updated

To find current shows at Hennepin Arts venues, use the What's On and What's Happening sections of hennepinarts.org. The homepage lists featured events and a "Coming Up" schedule that names each show, its category, its venue, and its dates. Listings rotate, so check back if what you want isn't shown yet.

Where the event listings live

The homepage carries the schedule under a few related headings:

  • What's Happening — a rotating set of featured events (for example, "Podcast PIVOT with Kara Swisher & Scott Galloway" or "Sabrina Cast Reunion 30 Year Anniversary Live!").
  • Coming Up — a longer list of dated events, each tagged with a type and venue.
  • What's On — the entry point for browsing the full program.

Each "Coming Up" entry follows the same pattern: category | venue, then the event name, then the date or date range. Examples from the current listing:

Category Venue Event Dates
Comedy Dudley Riggs Theatre The Algorithm is Gonna Get You Now through November 7
Conversations State Theatre An Evening with David Sedaris Saturday, October 17
Broadway Orpheum Theatre The Sound of Music October 20–25
Concert State Theatre Indigo Girls with special guest Linda Perry October 21–23
Comedy Pantages Theatre Lucas Zelnick Friday, October 23

What kinds of events you'll find

The listings span several categories, so you can filter by what you're in the mood for:

  • Broadway — touring musicals and plays, typically at the Orpheum Theatre.
  • Concerts — at the State and Pantages theatres.
  • Comedy — at the Dudley Riggs and Pantages theatres.
  • Conversations — talks and live interviews, often at the State or Dudley Riggs.

Venues named in the listings include the Orpheum Theatre, State Theatre, Pantages Theatre, and Dudley Riggs Theatre.

Steps to check what's on

  1. Go to hennepinarts.org.
  2. Scan What's Happening for featured events, or go to What's On to browse the full schedule.
  3. Read the Coming Up list for dated events, noting the category and venue in each entry.
  4. Use the venue name to plan your trip — the Visitor Guide links to parking, restaurants, and hotels in the Theatre District.

Planning around a show

Once you've picked an event, the Visitor Guide on the same site helps with logistics:

  • Parking — options and possible road closures for travel planning.
  • Restaurants — more than 30 in the Theatre District.
  • Hotels — several located in the district.
  • Public art — including the Bob Dylan mural by Eduardo Kobra at 5th and Hennepin.

Accessibility information and FAQs are also linked from the site's planning pages.

Common snags

  • Listings rotate. Featured events change, so an event you saw earlier may no longer appear on the homepage. Check the full schedule rather than relying on the featured carousel.
  • Dates can be ranges. Some shows run for a week or more (e.g., "October 20–25"), while others are single nights. Confirm the date before booking travel.
  • Venue matters. The same category can appear at different theatres, so note the venue in each entry when comparing options.