Doobie Brothers at 2020 State Fair; ‘Up’ at Orchestra Hall

Thanksgiving is close, but it’s not here yet. Christmas is a month away. Is it too soon to start thinking about the end of next summer and the 2020 Minnesota State Fair?

Apparently not, because the fair on Monday announced its first grandstand act: the Doobie Brothers 50th Anniversary Tour, with special guests Dirty Dozen Brass Band. The show will take place on Friday, Aug. 28, the Fair’s second night.

The four-time Grammy-winning Doobies have sold 48 million records worldwide. They still play 100 shows a year worldwide. (Unlike Iron Maiden, they do not, as far as we know, have their own jet.) The members are Tom Johnston, Michael McDonald, Patrick Simmons and John McFee. Johnston and Simmons are original founding members. McDonald joined a few years later, and McFee signed on in 1979. The band’s big hits include “Listen to the Music,” “Jesus Is Just Alright,” “China Grove” and “Black Water.”

New Orleans-based Dirty Dozen will be in their 43rd year when they take the Grandstand stage.

Tickets ($69.25/$54.25) will go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 6. You can even get your tickets to the State Fair now. Want to give printed tickets as holiday gifts? Order by Dec. 13.

Music Under Glass at Como

Happening sooner, and for free, Como Park Zoo & Conservatory announced on Monday its annual Music Under Glass series. Held in the Marjorie McNeely Conservatory on eight consecutive Sunday afternoons, it’s the only run of concerts in the Twin Cities that takes us from winter’s cruel blast into tropical gardens.

Here’s the 2020 lineup of local musicians: Jan. 5: Fellow Pynins (contemporary folk), Jan. 12: Miss Myra (vintage jazz and blues); Jan. 19: The Fattenin’ Frogs Trio (electric country blues); Feb. 2: The UkuLadies (ukes and harmonies); Feb. 9: Café Accordion Orchestra (swing, ballads, tango, cha-cha and rumbas performed by the Twin Cities institution led by Dan Newton); Feb. 16: The Jorgensens (Americana soul); Feb. 23: Annie Mack (roots, soul, acoustic, blues); March 1: Ian George (folk).

Concerts are scheduled for 4:30-6:30 p.m. No tickets needed.

The picks

Wednesday at Crooners: Nancy Harms: “She.” Since moving to New York in 2010, and jumping off from there to Denmark, Paris and Vietnam, Minnesota-born singer Harms has returned often to visit her family and perform a gig or two in the Twin Cities. She’s back with her new album, “She,” a collection of songs about women who have been important in her life: her beloved grandmother and friends who have overcome hardships to emerge as inspirations. Harms wrote or co-wrote (with Arne Fogel) all but one of the songs on “She,” and most are pop and soul songs, not the jazz we’ve come to expect. But she never fails to deliver her true self and her heart in performance, and that hasn’t changed a bit. It may be even more profound and pronounced in these songs. 7 p.m. FMI and tickets ($25-35).

Wednesday at the Bryant Lake Bowl: Final 9×22 Dance/Lab. Its 17th year will be the last. Hosted and curated by Laurie Van Wieren, the 9×22 Dance/Lab – where choreographers seasoned and new, local and visiting have come to present their work and get feedback – will end on Wednesday. The final choreographers will be Snem Desellier, Nate Kay and Colleen Oster. Doors at 7 p.m., performance at 8. FMI and tickets ($6-15, pay-as-able).

Thursday on your teevee: The National Dog Show. If you can get your Thanksgiving tasks done on time, or you’re going somewhere else for dinner, settle in for what Vox called “Thanksgiving’s best entertainment … the utterly nonviolent, soothingly adorable National Dog Show.” 12 noon-2 p.m. on NBC.

Friday through Sunday at the Minnesota History Center: Thanksgiving Break: Brickmania First Ave. What to do with the kids over Thanksgiving break? Here’s one suggestion: head for the History Center, view a scale model of First Avenue built of Legos, and help assemble Lego portraits of First Ave performers. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 12 noon-4 p.m. Sunday. Included with $6-12 museum admission. MNHS members free. FMI.

Friday at the Trylon: Up All Night at the Trylon. You’ll sleep too much on Thursday after all that turkey. On Friday night, you’ll be wide awake. Head to the Trylon where, starting at 9 p.m., movies will screen until dawn. What movies? You’ll find out when they start. But the Trylon knows movies, so prepare to be entertained. FMI and tickets ($40).

Friday through Sunday at Orchestra Hall: Disney and Pixar’s “Up” in Concert. So you can now watch “Up” whenever you want on Disney+. But can you watch it while hearing the Minnesota Orchestra play the Oscar-winning score, led by Sarah Hicks, principal conductor of Live at Orchestra Hall and the world’s leading expert on the film-in-concert genre? (She recently conducted “Coco Live at the Hollywood Bowl” for future broadcast and “Little Mermaid Live” for ABC.) If you go, bring Kleenex. Lots of it. Unless you’re made of stone, you will cry like a baby. 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. FMI and tickets $35-122).

Holiday pick

From 1992 until 2013, Holidazzle was a nighttime Nicollet Mall parade, a way to draw shoppers to downtown Minneapolis. In 2014, it was a European-style Christmas village on Peavey Plaza with an unpopular $6 entrance fee. In 2015, Nicollet Mall was under construction, so Holidazzle was moved to Loring Park.

Even after Peavey’s renovation and the completion of Nicollet Mall, this year’s Holidazzle will return to Loring Park, where it might as well stay. It’s a beautiful park, and roomy enough for an ice rink, free holiday movies, fireworks, a kids’ area, shopping, food vendors and beer. Even Sunday brunch with mimosas.

New this year: glassblowing on Friday nights, rescue animals on Saturdays and Sundays, story time for kids, Dog Day, fire trucks and an illuminated art exhibit.

Plus, for the first time, Santa will be on site during all Holidazzle hours. Kids can visit the big guy and tell him their wishes while parents take photos for free.

Holidazzle opens Friday, Nov. 29, at 5 p.m. Fireworks at 7, movie (“A Christmas Story”) at 8. FMI. Events schedule here. Free Metro Transit passes (for Saturdays) here. After this weekend, it continues Thursdays through Sundays until Dec. 22.

Plan way ahead

Legendary auteur of outrage John Waters (“Hairspray,” “Pink Flamingo,” “Polyester” etc.) is bringing his one-man show “This Filthy World” to the Parkway for two nights. The Feb. 29 date is sold out, but tickets remain for March 1. Options range from general admission ($49 advance) to VIP ($149), which includes a post-show meet and greet and a signed copy of Waters’ latest book. FMI.