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.
For example, 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 Tavern has the best trivia in town! Interesting yet relatable topics,” says Kelsey Nagel, a regular trivia participant. “Kevin [Sandy’s manager] brings an entertaining and personal touch to every game. Even if you’re not a good trivia player, you can join in and feel welcomed.”
Just down the street at 66th and Nicollet, Protagonist Kitchen & Bar holds trivia night on Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m. Good food, craft cocktails, and a Jeopardy-like atmosphere? Sounds good!
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.; plus, the VFW hosts a slew of live musical acts each month. Be sure to check 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 5-9 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 “Winter Play Date” at the Community Center on the first Saturday morning of the month from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. It’s free and perfect for the smaller kiddos. And bonus: the City of Richfield partners with the Minneapolis Toy Library to bring in some cool toys for the kids to play with!
“This year while planning programs we were looking for ways to provide opportunities for community during the winter months. The Winter 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. In January we had almost 140 parents and kids attend Winter Play Date and we have had a consistent group of 10-15 attend Board Game Night each month.”
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 quilters and knitters every Thursday, 9:15-11:30 a.m.
- Are you a singer? Join the Silvernotes on Fridays from 1-3 p.m.
- And new this year: Adult Ballet for dancers of any experience level on Tuesday evenings starting Feb. 27 through March 26.
Whatever kind of fun you’re looking for, Richfield has you covered!
