The daily digest of Twin Cities culture | Secrets of the City

FRINGE FESTIVAL
Strawberry Fields Temporarily

Wear your laughing pants (you know, the Zubaz with lightning bolts on them) to this uproarious Fringe performance at Interact Center for the Visual and Performing Arts. Strawberry Fields Temporarily is a one-man-show written, directed and performed by clever comedian and storyteller Ben San Del, also the brains behind the 2006 Fringe hit Mittens for Fat Kids. San Del will weave three true-life tales of "the humiliations of stand-up comedy, the consequences of pornography theft, and the celebration of life as a long and winding driveway," all of which you'll be able to relate to in one way or another (and no, not just the porn part). This show is garnering nothing but praise for its humor, sharp delivery and witty, self-deprecating honesty - so make sure to mark it on your Fringe itinerary!

10pm, Interact Center for the Visual and Performing Arts, 212 3rd Ave N #140, Minneapolis, $12 (plus $3 Fringe Button)

MUSIC
Habib Koité and Bamada

Tonight's kickoff of the Twin Cities Pan African Festival is a doozy! Malian guitarist and singer Habib Koité and his band, Bamada, hit the Cedar Cultural Center for an evening of vibrant rhythms and warm, soulful sounds that will have you dancing in the aisles. One of Africa's most admired musicians, Koité and his band put a traditional spin on things by using instruments such as polyphonic hunters' horns, a balafón (wooden xylophone), and a n'goni (a Malian lute) to compliment his mesmerizing guitar playing and rich vocals. Want to make an evening of it? Keep the African theme going with din-din at the nearby Red Sea, where you can not only sample the delicious foods of Ethiopia, but you can listen to music and get your drink on too!

7:30, Cedar Cultural Center, 416 Cedar Ave. S., West Bank, $20


SPECIAL EVENT
Lake Hiawatha Neighborhood Festival

Oh, South Minneapolis circa 1984, how I miss thee. I often reminisce on those endless summer months as a child, when being outside from sunrise to sundown wouldn't leave me sun-stroked and cranky. Back when days spent swimming, lounging and playing on the beaches of Lake Hiawatha or Lake Nokomis would pass in the blink of an eye, and starting my day at 7 am didn't seem unreasonable. Tonight, partake in a bit of summery South Minneapolis goodness at the Lake Hiawatha Neighborhood Festival. This event is totally family friendly, with all the typical fixin's such as pony rides, face painting, a talent show, a sandcastle building contest, and of course, the staple inflatable Moonwalk (most likely staffed by a guy with a mullet). And for all you b-ball fanatics, the Minnesota Timberwolves will be hosting a basketball shooting contest. Summer is fleeting, so get out and work on that sunburn while you still can!

5pm-8:30pm, Lake Hiawatha Park, 2701 E 44th St, Minneapolis, Free