{April 6}
Page Education Foundation 25th Anniversary Spring Gala
The Page Education Foundation, which provides scholarships and mentoring to Minnesota students of color, will gather community friends to celebrate its 25th anniversary. Event sponsors include the Vikings, UnitedHealth Foundation, and US Bank; expect a mix from the sports, law, and finance industries among the 900 attendees. Highlights include the Chastity Brown Band, a silent auction with smartphone bidding, and a raffle for a weekend getaway in New York, all emceed by WCCO’s Mark Rosen. Proceeds go toward the foundation’s scholarship program.
7 p.m., $150, Target Field, Minneapolis, 612-332-0406, page-ed.org

{April 13}
25th Annual Minnesota Book Awards Gala
Literary and media-minded locals flock to the Minnesota Book Awards, which has sold out the past five years. A new, larger venue will accommodate up to 900 expected guests. The Friends of the Saint Paul Public Library will present winners in several categories, including the MN Book Artist Award. A pre-awards reception will include cocktails and book signing. The Epilogue Celebration at the end of the night features complimentary champagne, desserts, dancing, and more opportunities to engage with the finalists and winners.
7 p.m., $40-$45, Hilton Minneapolis, 651-222-3242, thefriends.org

{April 19}
Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota Gala
Each year, the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota recognizes organizations and individuals that have supported Minnesota’s immigrant and refugee communities. Guests begin the night with an international buffet dinner, cocktails, and networking with the 450 to 500 expected attendees from the business, foundation, nonprofit, legal, and immigrant communities. (The gala’s main sponsor this year is law firm Faegre Baker Daniels.) Move on to a silent auction and wine raffle, and round off the night with salsa dancing to the sounds of Salsa del Soul.
6 p.m., $25–75, Landmark Center, St. Paul, 651-641-1011, ilcm.org

{April 20}
Wicked Divas of Broadway with the Minnesota Orchestra
Join the Minnesota Orchestra and the stars of the hit musical Wicked for a night of showstoppers, including songs from Broadway favorites Wicked, Ragtime, and Chicago. Young professionals looking for networking opportunities should check out the Orchestra’s Crescendo Project, which will be hosting a pre-show happy hour for members. For a $99 annual fee, members also have opportunities for musical education and community giving, as well as special discounts and events.
8 p.m., $25-$60, Minneapolis Convention Center, 612-371-5656, minnesotaorchestra.org

{April 20}
Habitat for Humanity’s Hard Hat & Black Tie Gala
Billed as “the only fundraising party in town where guests can wear Carhartt and Versace,” guests are encouraged to dress creatively for Habitat’s annual gala, which draws up to 900 guest and supports the organization’s mission to provide affordable housing to those in need. Silent and live auctions, dinner, a reception, and this year’s band, PopRocks, will make for a spirited evening. More than 30 businesses—including Thrivent, Dorsey & Whitney, and Great River Energy—sponsor tables at the event, so you can expect a mix of community leaders, volunteers, and businesspeople.
6 p.m., $150-$1,500, St. Paul RiverCentre, 612-305-7108, tchabitat.org

{April 26}
MinnRoast
Network—and laugh—with the best in print media, journalism, philanthropy, and community engagement, presented by MinnPost. Last year’s event drew 900 attendees, and this year’s show will be jam-packed with journalism and political stars, including Mark Dayton, Al Franken, R.T. Rybak, Chris Coleman, and media darling (and Vikings punter) Chris Kluwe. At 5:30 p.m., mingle with cocktails in hand at a pre-event reception at Seven. Sponsors and their guests gain access to the post-party at 9, with the opportunity to rub shoulders with the “cast.”
7:30 p.m., $35-$225, Pantages Theatre, Minneapolis, 612-455-6950, minnpost.com/minnroast

{April 30}
Minnesota High Tech Association’s Spring 2013 Conference
More than 1,000 policymakers, professionals, and entrepreneurs in the technology ecosystem will convene for MHTA’s annual spring conference. Featuring Best Buy CEO Hubert Joly as keynote speaker, the day will offer opportunities to mingle in between talks and breakout sessions on the latest trends, research initiatives, and ethical challenges. Event sponsors include UnitedHealth Group, Microsoft, Padilla Speer Beardsley, and Starkey Hearing Technologies, so whether it’s health care, marketing, or design, there are sure to be professionals from every corner of the tech world.
7 a.m., $135-$185, Minneapolis Convention Center, 952-230-4555, mhta.org