Spring break in the Twin Cities:

By Hazel Schaeffer and Tressa Versteeg

So your parents wouldn’t pay for your flight home, your friends forgot to invite you to Cancún, and you didn’t get into an Outing Club trip. Yes, campus might feel like the frozen tundra, but take advantage of your free time to get out of the Macalester-Groveland neighborhood and take the Twin Cities by storm. The Mac Weekly has compiled a few things to do and places to go to make your spring break one to remember.Missy Higgins at First Avenue!
Sunday, March 15, 2009
701 First Avenue North, Minneapolis, MN 55403

This Sunday is not a school night, so there’s no excuse not to take advantage of this opportunity to see award-winning Australian singer Missy Higgins with special guest Justin Nozuka. I can’t promise she’ll play “Where I Stood,” but First Ave. is always a good time. Tickets are $22.

“Almost Nothing” at The Soap Factory
Through April 5
518 2nd St. SE, Minneapolis MN

This 12,000 sqare foot art gallery, located in a old soap factory, has been completely taken over by the “Almost Nothing.” Clive Murphey’s exhibit is a maze of large inflatable sculptures, made out of garbage bags. And if the intrigue factor is not enough to motivate you, the admission is free.

Ice Skating at The Depot
Daily until Sun., March 22
225 3rd Ave. South, Minneapolis (Downtown)

Sure, there are tons of places to get your skate on in Minnesota, but this old train shed is nationally ranked; USA Today and MSNBC have both included it in their top 10 best places to skate. The Depot can even be easily reached by public transit. Take the Light Rail to Government Plaza Station and walk three blocks north on Third Ave. South. Admission is $8 and rentals are $7.

St. Patrick’s Day Parades
March 17, 12 p.m. (St. Paul) and 6:30 p.m. (Minneapolis)
Downtown St. Paul and Nicollet Mall

Lucky for you, Minnesota loves holidays and parades. On March 17, dye your breakfast with green food coloring, wear green from head to toe and follow the rainbow to downtown St. Paul at noon and or to Nicollet Mall in downtown Minneapolis at 6:30 p.m. for some more four-leaf fun. Don’t hesitate to live like a leprechaun before, between and after the parades. Visit http://www.stpatsassoc.org/ and http://www.mplsstpats.org/ for more information.

Twin Cities Auto Show
March 21-29
1301 South Second Avenue

Get ready to ooh and ahh over 1,000 automobiles and recieve “your license to dream” at the Twin Cities Auto Show March 21-March 29. This auto show has been running for 36 years and is the seventh largest show in the nation with vehicles from around the world, valued in total at $30,000,000. The Twin Cities Auto Show costs $10.