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Please Note: This event has expired.
April 25 — Step into the shadows and sparkle of the Roaring ’20s and Gangster ’30s for an unforgettable Speakeasy experience. The excitement starts early with our online silent auction, open for bidding April 1–26.
Welcome to the Scandia Speakeasy, where you’ll experience an evening of history, intrigue, and swing! The night begins with legendary true-crime historian Paul Maccabee, author of John Dillinger Slept Here, who will share riveting stories from the mob era in St. Paul—including surprising connections to Scandia. From Dillinger’s secret hideout on Big Marine Lake to the larger-than-life characters of the Prohibition era, Maccabee brings Minnesota’s colorful past vividly to life.
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ADMISSION INFO
tickets: $100 per person
FUNDRAISING CAUSE
Half the cost of your event ticket is a donation to Scandia Heritage Alliance. Thank you for supporting our mission to preserve and celebrate Scandia’s rich history, culture, arts, and rural character!
Scandia Heritage Alliance is a volunteer-led nonprofit dedicated to strengthening community connection and pride. Your support helps us bring stories to life through our History Series programs, create meaningful museum exhibits, expand the Scandia Heritage Trail, protect historic places, and continue planning and development of WATER TOWER BARN SCANDIA arts and heritage center.
Together, we’re building a vibrant Scandia and St. Croix Valley!
Phone: (651) 233-0267
INDIVIDUAL DATES & TIMES
Additional time info:
EVENING SCHEDULE:
7 pm – Social Gathering, Appetizers, Cash Bar
Arrive early to enjoy appetizers and a drink, chat with guests, and find your seat for an evening of fun. Your ticket includes one drink ticket, an appetizer buffet, and dessert.
7:30 pm – Paul Maccabee Presents “John Dillinger Slept Here”
Chicago outlaw John Dillinger didn’t just rob banks — he hid out at a cabin on Big Marine Lake and was reportedly spotted raising a glass at a local saloon. Scandia, meet your gangster past.
Acclaimed crime historian Paul Maccabee, author of John Dillinger Slept Here: A Crooks’ Tour of Crime and Corruption in St. Paul, 1920–1936, brings the Prohibition underworld roaring back to life. From Alvin Karpis and Ma Barker to Baby Face Nelson — and, of course, John Dillinger — you’ll hear tales of hideouts, heists, corruption, and close calls from the mob era of St. Paul — a world that occasionally extended its reach to the quiet shores of Big Marine Lake. Drawing on local rumors and history, this presentation reveals Scandia’s own brush with the infamous Dillinger.
8:15 pm – Dessert Served Tableside
8:30 – 10:30 pm – Hot Horns and Sharp Suits with Riverside Swing
After tales of the underworld, it’s time to celebrate the music that defined the Big Band era. This high-energy vintage swing band brings the sound to life with guitar, trumpet, saxophone, trombone, upright bass, drums, and smooth vintage vocals. The horns are hot, the rhythm is irresistible — and these cats are unforgettable.
A dynamic swing dance duo will kick things off with a lively demonstration, then teach a few moves before opening the floor. Prefer to stay seated? The music alone will make for an unforgettable evening of toe-tapping entertainment.
LOCATION
21279 Olinda Trail North, Scandia, Scandia, MN 55073
