This list has a Minneapolis/St. Paul public place focus and is by no means exhaustive. You can also search for events closer to you using MoveOn.

PRE-/INAUGURATION:

• If you will be stuck at home or work, every television network will be airing it. It will also be streamed online by CNN, who have a deal with Facebook. Lifehacker has a good list for keeping up with the Inauguration online, too.
• Riverview Theater will be showing the Inauguration on their screen. The event is free, open to the public (though non-perishable food donations encouraged), and begins 9:30AM.
• Minneapolis Central Library will air live coverage and pre-Inaugural commentary from Dr. David Schultz about inaugurations in history, the importance of the first 100 days and the significance of Obama’s election, with a post-Inaugural discussion led by the League of Women Voters Minneapolis.
• Little Wagon will show the Inauguration at 11AM.
• Bulldog NE will feature food and drink specials, $3 beer, door prizes, and Inauguration coverage beginning at 11AM and lasting into the night.
• Gold Thyme Cafe will serve light refreshments and cake during their party running from 9-4PM.
• Gluek’s will be running an “extended Happy Hour all day” with half-priced appetizers and other drink specials beginning 11AM until close.
• The Birchwood Cafe will begin airing Inauguration coverage at noon, with a replay of highlights from 5-9PM. They will have an Obama-inspired menu and a special kids menu
• Parkway Theater will show the Inauguration on their screen at 9:30AM, with an open mic afterward for people to talk about whatever.
• Lee’s Liquor Lounge will show the Inauguration and follow-up with live music at 10PM.
• Walker Art Center will show the Inauguration on their Cinema screen at 11:30AM, there’s no admission required to watch.
  

POST-INAUGURATION:

• Black Dog Cafe will have snacks, a cash bar, music, and a photo exhibit of St. Paul during the RNC beginning at 7PM.
• SEVEN will be replaying the Inauguration on 20+ TVs starting at 8PM. The event is free and open to the public (though non-perishable food donations encouraged), with Henry Lake from KFAN as Emcee and local artist Kerry Dikken “has created a limited edition Champagne Bottle with the face of Barack Obama.”
• Dakota Jazz Club will have Yolande Bruce, Ginger Commodore, Debbie Duncan and Tonia Hughes-Kendrick performing and large screens broadcasting the events from the Capitol, for $10 from 7-11PM.
• First Course is having a bash, and coincidentally, has half-priced wine on Tuesdays.
• Epic will be having a huge party with live music, DJs, and spoken word performed after Obama’s speech at 8PM. 21+ / Doors 7PM / $15 Advance / $20 Door
• The Caterpillar Lounge will be having a party at 10PM, with DJs playing “the best in underground house and techno music.”

National Geographic Traveler‘s 48-Hour Guide to Minneapolis (July/August 2008 edition) lists local blogs and podcasts to check out, followed by newspapers and magazines, maps, and books and movies. We’re a design mecca on the prairie. (I didn’t know Building Minnesota had a podcast.)

TC Daily Planet: Copper Thieves at Coldwater. Exploring the effects of neglect of the Coldwater/Bureau of Mines land.

I knew there was the Minnesota Thunder, our professional men’s soccer team in the United Soccer Leagues. I didn’t know there was a women’s team, the Minnesota Lightning. They’re clearly affiliated, judging by the look of the websites. And by the extremely confusing navigation of the Lightning website, in which all of the links and even the site name up at the top of the browser point to the Thunder, but with a light blue color scheme instead of a dark blue one and a picture of women playing at the top instead of men. Boo! [twitter: @mnthunder]

Vote Yes MN implores you to protect the Minnesota you love. Everything you need to know about the Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment, a proposed amendment to the Minnesota state constitution appearing on the ballot this fall. If passed it will dedicate funding to protecting the environment “by increasing the sales and use tax rate beginning July 1, 2009, by three-eighths of one percent on taxable sales until the year 2034.” [web: yesformn.org] [twitter: @yesformn] [facebook: group]

While the Lynx‘s Seimone Augustus is off playing in the Olympics, the team and staff will spend the WNBA league break out in the community, putting on the 33 Days of Augustus.

Common Roots is celebrating its 1st year of operation with a Summer Celebration on Saturday August 9th from 2-9pm. “Featuring grilling on the patio, an heirloom tomato tasting, local beer and wine samples, family activities and live music.” [facebook: profile] [facebook: event] [twitter: @commonroots]

Are y’all checking the late night movie schedule at the Riverview Theater?

FringeFamous is a blog covering the Minneapolis/St.Paul independent theatre scene, written by a group of quasi-anonymous “Twin Cities theater professionals.” They do year-round coverage (as of March of this year, anyway), but you can imagine how frothy they are over the impending Fringe Festival. [twitter: @fringefamous]

Community Design Group is “an urban planning and policy consulting group” touting “a people-centered, asset-based approach to urban planning, policy and design.” (via mediation)

Edina Realty now offers foreclosure searching.