Slack Wire; Benoit Fontaine ©2009 Cirque du Soleil Inc.; Used with permission
Back in 2009, The Wife and I attended Cirque du Soleil’s Kooza under the big-top tent located along the riverfront in St. Paul. An absolutely wonderful show which we received free tickets to attend and review, we were so very impressed that we have been suggesting to everyone that if they have a chance they should try and get out and see a Cirque du Soleil show for themselves.
Well, now you have that chance–for free. I have received two free tickets which will go out to a single lucky reader who will be chosen at random from the usual array of entry points (Twitter, Facebook, and comments below). The tickets retail for around $75/each ($150 total) and will be e-mailed to the winner.
However, even if you don’t win the two tickets, don’t fret as you can still win out by reading Lazy Lightning. All readers have the option of purchasing discounted tickets (15%) through the specialized link below:
Cirque du Soleil’s touring production OVO is hitting Minneapolis this spring, and friends of Lazy Lightning can receive 15% off select performances!
Cirque du Soleil is pleased to announce that it will open in Minneapolis with its touring big top production, OVO, starting Thursday, May 26th, 2011. OVO will perform for a limited engagement under the trademark blue-and-yellow Grand Chapiteau (Big Top) at the Mall of America.
OVO is a headlong rush into a colorful ecosystem teeming with life, where insects work, eat, crawl, flutter, play, fight and look for love in a non-stop riot of energy and movement. The insects’ home is a world of biodiversity and beauty filled with noisy action and moments of quiet emotion.
Fun for the whole family! No promo code needed. Just click here to get your discounted tickets!
Contest details:
- 1. Tickets are for Friday May 27, 2011 only. Site opens at 7 PM, tent opens at 7:30 and show begins at 8 PM.
2. If you’re interested in winning $150 worth of tickets to see Cirque du Soleli’s OVO in Bloomington on May 27th, please go ahead and retweet this post on Twitter, post a comment and/or a like on Facebook, and post comment below. You can enter the contest up to three times using those methods!
3. Contest entries will be accepted through Sunday May 15th, 2011 at 11:59:59 PM. So get your comments retweets, and Facebook comments/likes in before then and a winner will be announced sometime in the morning of May 16th.
Have you seen a Cirque du Soleil show before? Do you plan on seeing OVO in Bloomington? If so which one did you see and what did you think of it? Would you recommend that others see one of their shows? Whatever you have to say go ahead and comment on below, retweet, and comment/like on Facebook to be entered in the contest!
Dakota Complaints Map
Dakota Inmate Dashboard
Loading ...
May 11th, 2011 at 7:14 am
I”m in.
May 11th, 2011 at 7:24 am
woo hoo !
May 11th, 2011 at 7:26 am
Seen Cirque in Vegas.
Don’t ever want to see it again.
Thanks
May 11th, 2011 at 7:29 am
I have seen Cirque a few times and have loved it. We thought about going to this show, just havent made the decision yet.
May 11th, 2011 at 7:41 am
I’ve never been to a show, but have always been curious.
May 11th, 2011 at 7:45 am
I’ve seen Cirque in Vegas, and their traveling show.
Loved it. Love free tickets.
May 11th, 2011 at 8:14 am
Saw Kooza and LOVED IT, especially the wheel of death. Will probably see OVO as well.
May 11th, 2011 at 8:28 am
I want to go with MSPD.
May 11th, 2011 at 8:35 am
mrs r, i don’t:)
bb
May 11th, 2011 at 8:38 am
Saw one a decade or more ago. Would go again if it were free. :) It’s my anniversery and we’ve already got child care for that night, so come on random number generator!
May 11th, 2011 at 8:41 am
Nomination for Bill’s “Post of the Year 2011″.
I hear the consolation prize is an invitation to Cirque du City Council. This week’s theme: How many a$$clowns can you fit on a ballot to fill Charlie Crichton’s vacated spot in Burnsville?
May 11th, 2011 at 8:41 am
Congrats to bb stacker on comment #600!
May 11th, 2011 at 9:10 am
I’ve never seen CdS before! I’d love to go!
May 11th, 2011 at 9:11 am
Cirque Du Soleil is priced waaaaaaay out of our range but I’d love to go!
May 11th, 2011 at 9:12 am
count me in!
May 11th, 2011 at 9:32 am
I’ve never seen Cirque, though I hear it’s amazing. I’m in!
May 11th, 2011 at 9:38 am
I don’t tweet, and I will never be on Facebook, but I will throw my hat in the mix here. If I win, I can go to the Rainforest Cafe before the show!
May 11th, 2011 at 9:40 am
lefty, you owe my employer a new LCD panel.
May 11th, 2011 at 9:47 am
Ooooh, I so love Cirque! I saw Mystere in Vegas and it was amazing.
May 11th, 2011 at 9:49 am
Bill,
Thanks for knowing I was joking. That place is the worst place on earth. I bet Dan N thought I was serious.
May 11th, 2011 at 9:55 am
lefty, I’m sure he’s never been there. I can’t imagine that even the Rainforest Cafe would be ridiculous enough to put Heinz57 on their tables.
May 11th, 2011 at 10:00 am
I think I am due for a win. Rainforest Cafe is the bomb! Gorillas in the mist and all that good stuff.
May 11th, 2011 at 10:03 am
I suppose, but I think their burgers come with the option of either well done or burnt crisp.
Also, he might enjoy the Philly Cheese Steak sandwich complete with lettuce and tomato. Peppers and onions and mushrooms are optional at an extra charge (not kidding).
May 11th, 2011 at 10:04 am
lefty, I think I’d rather go to that new restaurant that some TV show “winner” opened.
May 11th, 2011 at 10:07 am
You mean the one where the owner is going to “make an appearance” this weekend? Yeah, real passion there…
Maybe we should eat just to give it a bad review to go with all the other ones I have already read.
May 11th, 2011 at 10:12 am
Here’s your review lefty: I went there and it sucked.
p.s. I often feel I need to explain myself when I eat at the MOA: I often eat there because I work very close and, when our cafeteria is closed, there is N.O.T.H.I.N.G. to eat around here that I can grab and be back at my desk in 20 minutes (except Subway which is horrible and D’Brians which is basically a Subway).
May 11th, 2011 at 10:12 am
I had the chance to attend Zumanity at NYNY in Vegas a few years back while at a convention and go back stage afterward to see how it is done. The back stage part was far more impressive to me than the show itself. They were rehersing with some under-studies on some of the routines and it was amazing. As far as the show, even though it was entirely about one of my favorite subjects (sex) it really wasn’t my cup of tea, but I am sure my wife would have loved it. I am considering sending her and my Mom to this one. :)
May 11th, 2011 at 10:24 am
The only thing worth eating at the Mall is the Mexican Roll at Crave. It is admittedly sushi for beginners, but for some reason I always like it.
The only place on earth with more bad restaurants than MOA is Disney World (which has 3 Rainforest Cafes). It’s a Dan N paradise!
May 11th, 2011 at 11:18 am
While living in London, Ryan surprised me with tickets to a Cirque du Soleil show and it was amazing! Upon our return to the US, we bought tix to a Mpls show and then couldn’t go due to work travel (gave the tix to his parents). Been dying to go ever since.
May 11th, 2011 at 11:40 am
that’s funny
what the hell have you found there that’s edible? i guess there is a chipotle.
May 11th, 2011 at 11:40 am
One cannot stop looking around at a Cirque du Soleil show!
May 11th, 2011 at 12:03 pm
I’m in. Always wanted to see a Cirque show.
As for Soul Daddy (the new restaurant in MOA from the show), I tried it out of curiosity this past weekend. It was rather “meh”; you can get the same thing around in the metro for better (Dixie’s on Grand, for example) and maybe cheaper as well.
May 11th, 2011 at 12:06 pm
I’ll throw in a comment. and if I win, and find I don’t have time to go, I’ll randomly pick a lucky winner from those that lost. MSPD
Never seen them live, only on the television.
May 11th, 2011 at 12:29 pm
As the French Canadians say: “oui, oui, oui.”
[Random Generator, please pick me, me, me.]
So, any bets on when Larry, the guy from the last Cirque post, is going to pay LL a visit?
May 11th, 2011 at 12:49 pm
Have never seen it, but would love to!
May 11th, 2011 at 1:25 pm
Saw Cirque De Christmas Wonderland at Mistake Lake for the anniversary a few years ago. Very entertaining. Throw my name in the hat please.
May 11th, 2011 at 1:31 pm
jf, the main place that gets me by at the MOA is the Thai place in the 3rd floor south food court (on the end near the Hallmark Store). It’s a step above the standard Asian food court fare and a couple dishes are even better. Bang Bang Shrimp is my staple there.
Quietly, the MOA has attracted a very good gelato source — Paciugo. It’s a chain but high quality.
And, yeah, Chipotle is fine too but for some reason (laziness, I guess) I get Chipotle from the one next to Target on the west edge of the airport.
I’ve now posted 3 or 4 times in this thread….Bill, does that mean I am setting a record for most contest entries without a snowball’s chance in hell of winning???
May 11th, 2011 at 1:42 pm
You’ve posted three times here.
You also posted there times here: http://www.lazylightning.org/why-i-love-to-hate-burnsville-essay-contest and didn’t win.
You posted seven times here: http://www.lazylightning.org/want-to-win-free-curts-triple-hot-salsa
—
I probably could find other examples but I’m too lazy because it simply doesn’t matter. You can even win at making a joke but hey, keep trying.
May 11th, 2011 at 3:00 pm
Wow…I really outdid myself outdoing myself.
Anyway, maybe the afterglow of the Nookie Supreme I ate for lunch at the Nook blocked out the memories of those other (rigged) contests.
May 11th, 2011 at 3:02 pm
Nah, you ate at McDonald’s like you always do. Plus you’re the one that’s behind all the comments that the new Nook is a boring and sterile recreation of itself and thus it will never be the same.
May 11th, 2011 at 3:25 pm
Did the Nook get Surly yet?
May 11th, 2011 at 4:03 pm
No clue lefty…not my area of expertise.
May 11th, 2011 at 5:00 pm
Crave is disgusting.
May 11th, 2011 at 7:45 pm
My husband and I saw Zumanity at New York New York in Las Vegas in May, 2008. We got married there the day before so it was our wedding gift to each other! I loved it and would recommend it to everyone!!!! The show makes you want to get in on the action! We play on going back to Las Vegas in October and already have tickets to go see Love (the beatles). So excited!!!
May 11th, 2011 at 8:11 pm
I am not trying to sound “cool” when I say that I am trying hard to care and failing. It just isn’t interesting to me. I will, for example, always choose a beautiful beach over going to Vegas.
May 11th, 2011 at 8:14 pm
sandy, does that mean that I should add you to the line which places you in the void for this contest’s random winner generator–you know the one which includes MSPD?
May 11th, 2011 at 8:19 pm
Never been to a Cirque du Soleil show, but it looks amazing. I wish I had gone in Vegas, but chose to see the World Famous Popovich Comedy Pet Theater instead. No one has ever accused me of being a good decision-maker.
May 11th, 2011 at 8:36 pm
Pick me, you stupid algorithm….
May 11th, 2011 at 8:47 pm
Pick me, you nice, smart algorithm
(p.s. UWTM, you’re going about this all wrong, compliment the algorithm, geez)
May 11th, 2011 at 8:48 pm
who cares? they have hamm’s on tap
May 11th, 2011 at 8:50 pm
Thanks for the tip. I don’t want to talk about the last place I ate there.
May 11th, 2011 at 9:06 pm
“sandy, does that mean that I should add you to the line which places you in the void for this contest’s random winner generator–you know the one which includes MSPD?”
OUCH! I’m not sure I want to be included with MSPD….this might be a bad place……
May 11th, 2011 at 9:35 pm
Never seen Cirque.
Always wanted to.
Can’t afford it.
Maybe this will work.
May 12th, 2011 at 9:06 am
This would make a lovely date night with the wife!
May 12th, 2011 at 10:33 am
Realized I glossed right over Bill’s questions.
I’ve seen a couple of Cirque shows — Mystere and (I think) Quidam. I feel like I was at a third one as well, but can’t remember exactly. I enjoyed them and would recommend the shows, although it’s a higher-end price for entertainment.
May 12th, 2011 at 10:39 am
MSPD, the code only counts one unique comment per person–well for other people. You get -1 votes.
May 12th, 2011 at 11:13 am
I can go!
May 12th, 2011 at 2:32 pm
I think that legally, since you are using this site to generate revenue via site traffic, that you are required to give MSPD a chance at winning.
May 12th, 2011 at 2:38 pm
Well lefty, I know you’re trying to be funny but in fact ads are not shown on posts that are less than 3 days old. Because of that and the nature of this post’s content, it’s unlikely that I’ll make very much ad revenue on this post at all. Maybe a few dollars at most but I could be wrong.
And I’d like to point out that MSPD got a gift card to a restaurant when he hit 1000 comments–just like Chad did and just like Mrs. Marcos will when she hits the milestone next. It’s not my fault MSPD took his sweet fucking time getting there and they closed before he could.
He’s just a fucking sore loser.
May 12th, 2011 at 3:09 pm
McDonald’s closed?
May 12th, 2011 at 4:01 pm
You guys are hilarious.
Bill’s definition of a “prize” is to give me a gift certificate to a restaurant that’s three minutes from closing.
I’m sure if his rigged algorithm was attacked by a virus and, despite his best attempts, mistakenly generated my name as the winner, he’d get the tickets to me 6 minutes after the performance started.
Frankly, I don’t even know why I come here anymore. If I wanted abuse I could lay down in front of a freight train or watch American Idol. Maybe I need to take my talents over to Mrs. Marcos’ blog.
May 12th, 2011 at 4:14 pm
Don’t let the door hit your ass on the way out.
May 12th, 2011 at 4:35 pm
I hope I win tickets! Thanks!
May 12th, 2011 at 7:11 pm
OMG OMG I MUST GO WRITE OR POST SOMETHING!!!!!!!!
(I promise to not make any McDonalds posts insinuating that you eat there…and my prizes will be way better, once I think of some!)
May 12th, 2011 at 7:17 pm
MMMMMM I can taste the fajitas and Coca Cola. Do they have to be unique posts? Or can I just keep entering this contest? :D
May 14th, 2011 at 12:35 am
I like Cirque.
I’d go for sure if you’re buying.
Thanks for an excellent giveaway.
May 14th, 2011 at 6:12 am
MSPD, If I win, I’ll consider taking you. Consider, of course.
May 14th, 2011 at 12:01 pm
bill,
can’t you eliminate mspd by giving him a gift certificate to raising cain’s 98 piece bucket so the rest of us will have a chance at the cirque?:)
bb
May 15th, 2011 at 8:03 am
Did I win yet?
May 15th, 2011 at 10:46 am
Raising Cain’s has a 98 piece bucket?
May 15th, 2011 at 12:48 pm
Would love to see Ovo!
May 15th, 2011 at 2:29 pm
Great contest!
May 15th, 2011 at 8:07 pm
I like contests.
May 15th, 2011 at 9:29 pm
Huh. We’re still trying to figure out where the “Big Top” at the Mall of America is. I thought I was familiar with that place, but nope…
May 15th, 2011 at 9:34 pm
Lian, it’s going to be in the North lot (I assume next to Ikea based on direction) and the show doesn’t open until later this week so perhaps they haven’t built it yet?
May 16th, 2011 at 8:27 am
Congrats to reader Kelly (who won via her Twitter entry). You get two free tickets to the show on Friday May 27th. I’ll forward the e-mail to you shortly.
Methodology:
1. Pull the names of people who “liked” or commented on the Facebook posts and those who retweeted the Twitter post and put them all in facebookusers.txt.
2. Run the script below.
Sorry MSPD, you didn’t win again. I ran it an additional 61x before your name showed up (via your Facebook entry). I think it just hates you.
May 16th, 2011 at 8:51 am
BTW, this is the second contest Kelly has won. The system likes her a lot more than MSPD.
May 16th, 2011 at 9:42 am
Cheater.
May 16th, 2011 at 9:45 am
OK, now that this sham of a contest is over, let’s rip open the curtain on the “back room” of Bill’s cheating machine.
A few months ago, when I was meeting Bill for lunch at Chianti Grill (yes…THE Chianti Grill that he pretends to hate, yet drags me to for lunch all the time), I was running a bit late and walked in on him browsing photos of Tiffany Amber-Thiessen on his iPad. I won’t dignify what I saw with a detailed explanation, but let’s just say it was despicable.
After a bunch of red-faced, sweaty forehead begging and pleading, I made him a deal that I wouldn’t tell his wife or his readers if he stopped fixing these contests so I couldn’t win, and if he would be nicer to me on this site. He agreed.
Fast forward to late last week and his “don’t let the door hit you in the ass” comment. I mean, after 1,400+ posts and keeping his dirty little secret confidential, you’d think he’d change his tone. Nope.
Well….here’s a news flash. Do you think it’s a coincidence that, out of thousands of entries, “Kelly” has now won twice…and the MOST EXPENSIVE tickets to boot? I don’t. What’s more….I’ll just remind you all that Tiffany Amber-Thiessen’s most famous TV role (and perhaps the only significant thing she’s ever done) is…..(drum roll)…..KELLY Kapowski on “Saved By The Bell”.
One last bit of evidence. Go out to his Flickr page and hunt around for the elaborate Rooster tattoo he got a year ago. Stare at it for a while, let your focus get all relaxed (like those posters you have to look at cross-eyed, then they show up in 3D). After a while you’ll see what’s really in that tattoo. If you don’t have time, I’ll just say it’s similar to the smut he was looking at on his iPad and has a secret message to Kelly Kapowski.
It’s pretty brilliant, but I know he paid a pretty penny for that thing (with money from all of the stupid Google Ads you have to wade through on this site, as well as the money he saves on dining out with all of these “Friends and Family Night” freebies when restaurants are opening).
Sorry Bill, but I gave you a chance to change your ways. At least now I can sleep well at night, unlike you.
May 16th, 2011 at 10:02 am
MSPD, you only have 1307 posts, not the “1,400+ posts” you claim.
Clearly you cant be trusted to tell the truth.
May 16th, 2011 at 10:09 am
Start staring people: http://twitpic.com/1v03ea
May 16th, 2011 at 10:23 am
Chad, Bill has censored well over 100 of my comments. I’m sure these will disappear shortly.
Bill…isn’t there enough porn on the internet? Now we have to see that again???
May 16th, 2011 at 10:31 am
Put your pants back on! I wish I could unsee something in the same way MSPDs posts disappear.
May 16th, 2011 at 11:35 pm
Why did I waste my time watching Chicago Code tonight? I can get all my crime drama here. If Bill gets exposed on Sixty Minutes, I totally want to meet Harry Smith. Harry Smith is on Sixty Minutes, right? Or maybe it’s somebody else I’m thinking about. Not Andy Rooney. A complaining middle-aged white man. Now, there’s a twist.
Congratulations, Kelly!
May 17th, 2011 at 12:18 pm
Oooh, thanks, Bill. We were wandering around the Mall the other day trying to figure out what it could be – would make sense if it’s just outside and not yet constructed.
May 17th, 2011 at 12:20 pm
Lian, it’ll definitely be outside. It’ll likely take up most of that lot based on the size of the one they had along the riverfront in St. Paul in 2009.
May 17th, 2011 at 6:19 pm
I am just very lucky !!! I will continue to enter any contests put forth on this website !! (unless he instates some sort of only one win per person rule)
Rest assured these tickets are not wasted on me, my husband and I have FIVE children and we would not have been able to buy them at this time. (However,we may buy some at a discount so as to be able to let more than one kid come along)
May 17th, 2011 at 7:20 pm
Kelly – go out on a real date with your man. You guys need a break from all those kids! Maybe Bill can have a restaurant contest for you to “win”!
May 17th, 2011 at 9:24 pm
This is more legit than the NBA draft lottery.
May 17th, 2011 at 9:28 pm
How about sumo?
May 21st, 2011 at 11:19 am
For anybody who’s seen this show (or any Cirque show? Although I guess they’re all different…), how much does where you sit matter? Ticketmaster’s offering 30% off seats in the 4 sections (2 on each side) that are farthest from center. I’m trying to figure out if it’s better to get those tickets or go through LL and buy ones at a better seating location. Any opinions?
I know from our experience with Broadway shows, sometimes it really matters where you sit (we were in the nosebleed sections for “Rock of Ages,” and couldn’t see half of what was going on). This is going to be our first Cirque show so I want halfway decent seats.
Thanks!
May 21st, 2011 at 11:27 am
Lian,
While the show happens all over the place, at least in 2009′s show, the majority was still facing the middle of the stage so the further you are from the middle the less visibility you’ll have.
In addition there were some seats out on the far ends which had seats which had partial view blockage.
May 21st, 2011 at 1:11 pm
Thanks Bill, that’s exactly what I’d be worried about.
May 21st, 2011 at 2:56 pm
Just an FYI, I noticed the Cirque tents are up in the parking lot near IKEA.
May 23rd, 2011 at 9:42 am
What a great contest!
May 23rd, 2011 at 10:02 am
Lesa, the contest is closed.