Outdoors not your thing in cold weather…?  Winters can get pretty darn long in Minnesota. And winter nights? Even longer. But they don’t have to be. You can make those long winter evenings a little more bearable by getting out of the house and visiting a variety of Richfield restaurants that are offering bingo, karaoke, and live music each winter.

Sandy’s Tavern at 66th and Penn hosts trivia on Monday nights at 7:30 p.m., meat raffles on Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m., bingo on Wednesdays at 7 p.m., and karaoke on Sunday evenings at 8 p.m. If that’s not enough, Sandy’s also has pull tabs and e-tabs to keep you busy!

“Sandy’s has the best trivia around! Interesting yet relatable topics,” says Kelsey Nagel, a regular trivia participant. “Kevin [Sandy’s manager] makes every game entertaining and personal. Even if you’re not a good trivia player, you can join in and feel welcome!”

Just down the street at Fireside Foundry, you can warm up with specials any day of the week! From “Tap Tuesday” to “Sunday Funday,” they’ll have a special to meet your budget.  See all their specials here!

For a little more old-school vibe you can swing over to the local Fred Babcock VFW in Richfield on 66th and Lyndale, where they host a “Bargo” game every Monday night at 5 p.m.—a fun way to start the week! They also have bingo on Wednesdays at 5 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.; not to mention karaoke on Thursdays at 7 p.m.!  And on Fridays?  Meat raffle around 4:30, right before the weekly prime rib and fish fry! The VFW also hosts a slew of live musical acts each month; be sure to check out the VFW’s Facebook page for regular updates on who’s playing.

Finally, Frenchman’s Pub hosts “Burgers and Board Games” with Anrias Games on the first Wednesday of each month from 1:30-4 p.m. You can select from the board games Frenchman’s and Anrias have on hand like Cribbage, Upwords, Ticket to Ride, Brew Buddies (an original Anrias game), 7bloxup game (an original Anrias game)…or bring your favorite to play with a group.

“We’ve had a pretty good turnout for Burgers and Board Games,” says Trish Reid, manager at Frenchman’s Pub. “I’ve seen people playing everything from Yahtzee to Monopoly to Clue!”

Not into the bar scene? No problem! The City of Richfield hosts a family-friendly Board Game Night at the Richfield Community Center on the first Saturday of each month from 4-9 p.m. Kids ages 10 and up welcome!

And the Anrias Game folks host a board game meet-up at House of Prayer Lutheran  Church in Richfield (7625 Chicago Ave.) the first Friday of each month from 1:30-4 p.m.

“Playing games allows us to connect with other people,” says Sara Barnaby, founder of Anrias Games. “With loneliness being such a major problem across our country, this is our opportunity to make a difference.”

Need an indoor activity for kids? The City of Richfield hosts a Play Date for little guys at the Community Center on the second and fourth Saturday mornings of the month from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. It’s free and perfect for the smaller kiddos. A different theme every time, everything from “Dance Party” to “Obstacle Course.”  Let those kiddos burn off that weekend energy!

“Last year while planning programs we were looking for ways to provide opportunities for community during the winter months. The Play Date and Board Game Night are program ideas that came out of feedback we heard from residents over the past year,” says Karl Huemiller, Recreation Services Director. “So far, the response has been overwhelmingly positive for these programs.”

And finally, the Richfield Community Center also has a lot of opportunities to participate in the arts!

  • Hone your creative talents at the Open Art Studio on Mondays and Fridays at 1 p.m.
  • Show off your acting skills through Read-A-Story Theater–rehearsals are the first and third Mondays at 1 p.m.
  • Wax poetic with the Fireside Poets the second Monday of the month at 6:30 p.m.
  • Join in with the Quilting, Knitting & Crafting group every Thursday, 9:15-11:30 a.m.
  • Are you a singer? Join the Silvernotes on Fridays from 1-3 p.m.

Whatever kind of fun you’re looking for, Richfield has you covered!