Minnesota Events Report for September 11

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Minnesota Events Report for September 11

SOUTHERN MINNESOTA

The LA CRESCENT APPLE FESTIVAL will be held Thursday, September 13 through Sunday, September 16 in La Crescent. This community celebration of the apple harvest includes apple and apple pie sales, apple orchard tours, the Apple Idol, live entertainment, a kiddie parade, carnival, demolition derby, an arts & crafts fair, a flea market, classic car show, children's Big Wheel races, and more! For further information, dial 507/895-2800, or check out www.ApplefestUSA.com

Library Square in downtown Hutchinson will be the site of the 33RD ANNUAL ARTS & CRAFTS FESTIVAL & TASTE OF HUTCHINSON, Friday and Saturday, September 14 & 15, with roughly 200 arts & craft vendors, and 20 food booths. To learn more, dial 1-800-572-6689, or visit www.explorehutchinson.com

The 14TH ANNUAL CRUISE NIGHT will be held in New Prague on Friday, September 14, with roughly 400 vintage automobiles touring New Prague, followed by a street dance. And on Saturday, September 15, celebrate DOŽÍNKY, a Czechoslovakian End of Harvest Festival. Highlights include the Parade of Farm Pride, ethnic food and vendor booths, a beer garden featuring authentic Czech beer, special events, live demonstrations, and Czech dancers, singers and musicians on three stages. To find out more, dial 952/758-4360, or check out www.newprague.com

The Faribault Municipal Airport in the city of Faribault will be the site of the FARIBAULT AIRFEST & BALLOON RALLY, Friday through Sunday, September 14–16, with four scheduled hot air balloon launches, two aerobatic stunt plane performances, a speaker’s forum, children's activities, aircraft displays, and glider, aircraft and helicopter rides for sale. And, while in Faribault, Saturday and Sunday, September 15 & 16, head to the TREE FROG MUSIC FESTIVAL, considered to be one of the best small music festivals in the region. Visitors will enjoy quality music along the banks of the Straight River, with 18 diverse music groups, art vendors and exhibitors, a spacious beer garden, children's activities, and lots of food. For more information, dial 1-800-658-2354, or visit www.visitfaribault.com

The 26TH ANNUAL APPLEFEST celebration will be held September 14–16 throughout the city of Appleton. Featured will be a craft fair, flea market, a parade, BBQ feed, supercross race, two outdoor dances, fireworks and more! For further information, dial 320/289-1527, or check out www.appletonmn.com

Studios in the Zumbro River Valley, and located in the cities of Zumbrota, Pine Island and Oronoco, will be the site of the ZUMBROTA RIVER ART SPLASH on Saturday, Septenber 15, with a chance to enjoy beautiful southeastern Minnesota scenery while visiting with artists and authors about their creations. An Iron Pour and concert will also be offered. To learn more, dial 507/732-7616, or visit www.zaac.org

KING TURKEY DAY will be offered Saturday, September 15 in Worthington, with festivities such as the "Great Gobbler Gallop," a grand parade, live turkey race, featured speaker Babe Winkelman, a free pancake breakfast, children's rides, a beer garden and live entertainment. To find out more, dial 507/372-2919, or check out www.worthingtonmnchamber.com

Land of Memories Park in the city of Mankato will be the site of the MAHKATO 35TH ANNUAL TRADITIONAL POW-WOW HONORING THE 38 DAKOTAH, Friday through Sunday, September 21–23, when thousands of Native Americans return to their ceremonial grounds, and members of different tribes gather in ceremonial dances. All tribes are welcome, and the public is invited to enjoy beautiful dance, colorful costumes, traditional foods and crafts to honor Native American history. To learn more, dial 651/592-0987, or visit www.mahkatowacipi.org

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TWIN CITIES GREATER METROPOLITAN VICINITY

THE 37TH ANNUAL MINNESOTA RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL will be held just south of Shakopee off Highway 169, each Saturday and Sunday through September 30, including Friday, September 28. The Minnesota Renaissance Festival is one of the largest attended themed events in the country, and features more than 275 merchants, live entertainment, games, food and fun in a 22-acre, 16th-century village. Additions to this year's festival include belly dancing, an Arabian horse show, and yoga lessons. To find out more, dial 952/445-7361, or visit www.renaissancefest.com

The American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis will be the site of the 6TH ANNUAL MINNESOTA TILE FESTIVAL on Saturday, September 15. This festival brings together 40 of the most talented, skilled, and award-winning tile artists in the country, with demonstrations, workshops, and the sale of one-of-a-kind art tiles and tile-related artwork. In addition, there will be free tours of the Turnblad mansion, with a focus on its eleven historic tiled stoves. To learn more, dial 612/871-4907, or check out www.americanswedishinst.org

A WILD RICE FESTIVAL will be offered at Harriet Alexander Nature Center in Roseville on September 15, with a celebration of wild rice, Native American culture, and the great outdoors! Featured will be children's games and activities, demonstrations, Native American music, dancing and storytelling, apple cider pressing, a silent auction, and lots of wild rice treats! For more information, dial 651/792-7012, or check out www.cityofroseville.com/Parks

City Square Park in Waconia will be the site of NICKLE DICKLE DAY, September 15, with over 100 craft vendors, food booths, live entertainment, a large collector car show including antique cars, trucks and tractors, kids' fun runs, a GPS hunt, and special sales and promotions. For further information, dial 952/442-5812, or visit www.waconia.org

The 7TH ANNUAL MAPLE GROVE JURIED ART FAIR will be held Saturday and Sunday, September 15 & 16. In addition to over 80 artists, visitors will enjoy live entertainment, hands-on art and educational activities, food booths, and artist demonstrations. To find out more, dial 763/494-5984, or check out www.maplegroveartscouncil.org

The town of Marine on St. Croix will hold their 34TH ANNUAL JURIED SHOW, September 15 & 16, with 175 artists and crafters from throughout the country participating. Other highlights include a Fire Department open house, with a chance for children to explore firetrucks and ambulances. To learn more, dial 651/433-3636, or visit http://marine.govoffice.com

The 1ST ANNUAL LEDUC-SIMMONS COUNTRY MARKET will be held on the grounds of the LeDuc Historic Estate in Hastings on Saturday, September 22. This sale will feature a wide variety of antiques, collectibles, and decorative items for your home or garden, as well as lots of fresh fruits, vegetables and fine perennial flowers and plants. Attendees are invited to bring items for appraisal by trained appraisers for a small fee. In addition, the Northern Heartland Food & Wine Learning Center will offer demonstrations, educational programs, and hands-on activities. For more information, dial 651/437-7055, or check out www.dakotahistory.org/LeDuc/events.asp

And just some of the upcoming concerts and performances will include:
A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION with GARRISON KEILLOR at the Fitzgerald Theatre in St. Paul, September 14 & 15
STEVE VAI at the Historic State Theatre in Minneapolis, September 19
ANI DIFRANCO at the Historic State Theatre, September 21
A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION with GARRISON KEILLOR at the Fitzgerald Theatre, September 21 & 22
MY LITTLE PONY-THE WORLD'S BIGGEST TEA PARTY at the Target Center in Minneapolis, September 21-23
GORDON LIGHTFOOT at the Historic State Theatre, September 22
AMERICAN ACOUSTIC MUSIC:DAVID BROMBERG, PETER ROWAN & TONY RICE at the Fitzgerald Theater, September 27
MAROON 5 at the Excel Energy Center in St. Paul, October 1
A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION with GARRISON KEILLOR at the Fitzgerald Theatre, October 5 & 6
The MINNEAPOLIS SHRINE CIRCUS at the Target Center, October 5-7
INTERPOL at the Historic State Theatre, October 12
JIM GAFFIGAN at the Historic Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis, October 12
CMT ON TOUR 2007, with SUGARLAND at the Target Center, October 13
ANDRE RIEU at the Excel Energy Center, October 17
KIDZ BOP WORLD TOUR at the Target Center, October 20
HANNAH MONTANA & MILEY CYRUS: BEST OF BOTH WORLDS TOUR at the Target Center, October 21
VAN HALEN at the Target Center, October 24
DISNEY PRESENTS THE LION KING at the Historic Orpheum Theatre, October 25-November 25
RASCAL FLATTS at the Excel Energy Center, October 27
SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE LIVE TOUR 2007 at the Target Center, October 28
MARC COHN at the Fitzgerald Theater, October 30
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN AND THE E STREET BAND at the Excel Energy Center, November 2
KELLY CLARKSON at the Historic State Theatre, November 2
CELTIC WOMAN at the Excel Energy Center, November 16
KEITH URBAN at the Excel Energy Center, November 17
CHICAGO at the Historic Orpheum Theatre, November 30
MOSCOW BALLET'S GREAT RUSSIAN NUTCRACKER at the Historic Orpheum Theatre, December 1
DISNEY'S HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL: THE ICE TOUR at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, December 14-16
LOYCE HOULTON'S "NUTCRACKER FANTASY at the Historic State Theatre in Minneapolis, December 20-24
For further information on any of these performances or events, please contact Ticketmaster at 651/989-5151

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NORTHERN MINNESOTA

The AUTUMN WINDS STUDIO TOUR will be offered September 7–16 at thirteen studios in Moose Lake and the surrounding area. Visitors will see the work of sixteen artists and fine craftspeople, enjoy live craft demonstrations, and have a chance to purchase one-of-a-kind artwork. To obtain a map, and for further details, visit www.autumnwindstour.com, or dial 1-888-485-0478

The city of Albany will be the site of the 33RD ANNUAL PIONEER DAYS & THRESHING SHOW, Friday through Sunday, September 14–16, with shingle-making, rope-making, steam engines, quilting, threshing and bailing, small gas engines, tractor parades, old-tyme and bluegrass music, a large flea market, and much more! For further information, dial 320/845-7410, or visit www.albanypioneerclub.org

The 13TH ANNUAL ARTS & CRAFT FAIR and A TASTE OF PEQUOT will be offered on Saturday, September 15, in Pequot Lakes, with 110 crafters and several restaurants participating. Visitors will also want to check out the FALL FESTIVAL AND SMOKIN' HOT BBQ held nearby in the city of Nisswa on September 15, with live music and entertainment, a clown and magic show, a haystack coin and toy hunt, family pumpkin carving, horse-drawn wagon rides, a kids' pumpkin seed spittin' event, craft show, and more! For further details, check out www.pequotlakes.com, or dial 218/829-2838

The Historic Log Village in Crosslake will be the site of the CIDER AND CANDLELIGHT TOUR on Saturday, September 15, with log buildings lit by candles and lanterns. In addition, enjoy horse-drawn wagon rides, folk music, tours by costumed volunteers, and hot cider! For more information, dial 218/829-2838, or visit www.explorebrainerdlakes.com

FALL COLOR TOURS BY COVERED WAGON will be offered Saturday, September 15 at Buena Vista Ski Area in Bemidji. Visitors will enjoy the splendor of fall colors by horse-drawn covered-wagon when traveling to the top of the Continental Divide which overlooks a vista of lakes and forest. And while in the area, Saturday and Sunday, September 15 & 16, head to Lazy Acres Farm in Bemidji for PICK A PUMPKIN PATCH, offering festive shops and galleries, a Chicken Coop Cafe, a playground, walking trails, hayrides, and of course, lots of pumpkins! To find out more, dial 1-800-458-2223, or visit www.bemidji.org

The city of Marcell will be the site of BARGAINS ARE GREAT ON HIGHWAY 38 on Saturday and Sunday, September 15 & 16, with garage sales offered along the 47 miles of Highway 38, also known as the Edge of the Wilderness National Scenic Byway. To learn more, dial 218/832-3831, or visit www.edgeofthewilderness.com

The FESTIVAL OF ADVENTURES & MUD RIVER MUSIC FEST will be held at the Aitkin City Park, September 15 & 16. This historic event brings to life the days of the fur trade, early pioneers and riverboats through living-history interpreters, period-authentic demonstrations of early crafts and skills, and a fur trade era rendezvous camp. In addition, enjoy wagon rides, children's games, great food, and a variety of folk music performances depicting the diverse ethnic folk traditions of the area's first settlers.
For rates and times, dial 218/927-2316, or check out www.aitkin.com/fest

The IRA Civic Center in Grand Rapids will be the site of the 5TH ANNUAL GOODS FROM THE WOODS, UP NORTH MARKETPLACE, September 15 & 16, with unique and high-quality products made from Minnesota's north woods. In addition, enjoy various craft demonstrations by master artists, educational courses by the North House Folk School, and authentic "Up North" foods. For more information, dial 1-888-649-8705, or visit www.GoodsFromTheWoods.org

HAWK WEEKEND will take place Friday through Sunday, September 21–23, at Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve in Duluth. In addition to hawk watching, enjoy guided hikes, field trips and evening presentations by local and national experts. For further information, dial 218/722-4011, or check out www.hawkridge.org


"The information in this report is provided courtesy of Explore Minnesota Tourism."