Minnesota Events Report for September 18

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Minnesota Events Report for September 18
NORTHERN MINNESOTA

Downtown Alexandria will be the site of a FALL FESTIVAL & SIDEWALK SALE, Thursday through Saturday, September 20-22. Featured will be a large variety of sidewalk sales, in-store specials, giveaways and refreshments, as well as live music, a bake sale, children’s story time, and a farmer’s market. And, while in Alexandria on September 22, head to the Runestone Community Center for the 19TH ANNUAL ALEXANDRIA FALL ARTS & CRAFT SHOW. To find out more, dial 1-800-235-9441, or visit www.downtownalexandria.com

The 18TH ANNUAL OKTOBERFEST & CRAFT FAIR will be held under a big tent in downtown Baudette, Friday and Saturday, September 21 & 22, with old-time and country music, polka bands, authentic German food, and a craft fair. To learn more, dial 1-800-382-3474, or check out www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com

The Morrison County Fairgrounds in the city of Little Falls will be the site of the LAKE REGION HORSE FEST, Friday through Sunday, September 21–23, with PRCA rodeos offered both Saturday and Sunday. Other highlights include live music by popular acts, pony rides, train rides, a cat and dog "petting zoo", "Cowboy Church", and lots of information on horse care. And on Sunday, September 23, Camp Ripley will offer an OPEN HOUSE & COMMUNITY APPRECIATION DAY, with youth programs, HUMVEE rides, children's games, K-9 demonstrations, museum displays, an environmental classroom, Domino's obstacle course, face painting, and much more! For rates, times and further information, dial 320/632-2992, or visit www.littlefallsMN.com

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 more information, dial 218/722-4011, or check out www.hawkridge.org

The cities of Hackensack, Longville and Walker will host FALL HAS IT ALL from Friday, September 21 through Sunday, September 30. Highlights include garden tours, a medallion hunt, the National Chainsaw Carving Competition, a fall fashion show, car show, a Wine and Cheese Art Show, Oktoberfest celebration, quilt show, a Showcase of Homes, sales and specials, and fall color tours by car, boat, bus and foot! For further information, dial 218/547-1313, or visit www.leech-lake.com/images/2007FallHasitAllSchedule.jpg

The MIDDLE RIVER GOOSE FESTIVAL will be held throughout the city of Middle River, Friday through Sunday, September 28–30. Festivities will include a parade, goose-calling contest, a goose cook-off contest, Ms. Middle River Pageant, live music and dance, a community theatre presentation, children's games, a tractor pull, pancake breakfast, flea market, and a beer garden. To find out more, dial 218/222-3511, or check out www.middle-river.com

The 11TH ANNUAL CROSSING BORDERS STUDIO TOUR will be held Friday, September 28 through Sunday, October 7 at 17 studios located in communities along the North Shore of Lake Superior, including Two Harbors, Lutsen, Grand Marais and Thunder Bay. This much anticipated tour offers the public a chance to purchase one-of-a-kind artwork, talk with the artists, and learn about the processes used to create a piece of art. To learn more, dial 1-800-388-8698, or visit www.crossingbordersstudiotour.com

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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

Underwater Adventures at the Mall of America in Bloomington will present BLUEGRASS SATURDAY on September 22 at 1pm, with live bluegrass music by the Eelpout Stringers during the release of fiddler rays and guitarfish into the exhibit tanks. Special bluegrass activities and music will also be offered all weekend long. To learn more, dial 952/885-0202, or check out www.sharky.tv

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, 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 visit www.dakotahistory.org/LeDuc/events.asp

Pond-Dakota Mission Park, a historic 40-acre site in the city of Bloomington, will be the site of RIVER RENDEZVOUS 2007 on September 22. The public is invited to learn about the lifestyles of Native Americans, fur traders and settlers living along the Minnesota River between 1830 and 1870, with story-telling and interactive, hands-on demonstrations! For further information, dial 952/563-8877, or check out www.ci.bloomington.mn.us

The 16TH ANNUAL BLACK MASTER STORYTELLERS FESTIVAL--REACHING BACK TO MOVE FORWARD will be held Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings, September 27–29, at various venues in Minneapolis. Featured will be storytelling concerts by master storytellers from across the nation. Concerts are free! To find out more, dial 612/529-5864, or visit www.blackstorytellers.com

Lake Rebecca Park Reserve in the city of Rockford will be the site of FALL RAPTOR RELEASE 2007 on Saturday, September 29. Come see raptors returned to the wild, observe and photograph The Raptor Center’s eagles, falcons, hawks, and owls, listen to live music by Emmy Award winner Michael Monroe, enjoy children’s activities and educational displays, sign up for a chance to release a raptor, and shop for unique gifts at the Raptor Center gift store! To learn more, dial 612/624-4745, or check out www.theraptorcenter.org

And just some of the upcoming concerts and performances will include:
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 in St. Paul, 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
GOV'T MULE at the O'Shaughnessy Auditorium in St. Paul, October 31
OZZY OSBOURNE AND ROB ZOMBIE at the Target Center, October 31
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
LEO KOTTKE at the Historic State Theatre, November 24
CHICAGO at the Historic Orpheum Theatre, November 30
MOSCOW BALLET'S GREAT RUSSIAN NUTCRACKER at the Historic Orpheum Theatre, December 1
THE BLENDERS at the Pantages Theatre in Minneapolis, December 7
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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SOUTHERN MINNESOTA

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 dance. All tribes are welcome, and the public is invited to enjoy beautiful dance, colorful regalia, and traditional foods and crafts to honor Native American history. To learn more, dial 651/592-0987, or visit www.mahkatowacipi.org

The 20TH ANNUAL OLD-FASHIONED FALL FESTIVAL will be held Saturday, September 22, in downtown Redwood Falls. This annual event features over 100 arts, craft and antique exhibitors, as well as a farmers market, live entertainment, food concessions, a quilt show, and children's activities. To find out more, dial 1-800-657-7070, or check out www.redwoodfalls.org

Studios located in the Mississippi River valley of southeastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin will be open to visitors for the 6TH ANNUAL STUDIO RAMBLE FALL ART TOUR, Saturday and Sunday, September 22 & 23. Take a self-guided tour of 11 artist studios, situated near the city of Red Wing, and visit with 27 participating artists. For more information, dial 651/388-7737, or visit www.studioramble.com

The ZUMBRO BEND RENDEZVOUS will be held September 22 & 23 at Riverside Park in Mantorville. Just some of the highlights include costumed re-enactors of the fur trade era, an authentic fur trading camp, hands-on demonstrations, unique items for sale at the trade lodges, and authentic camp kitchen foods. For further information, dial 507/634-7092, or check out www.dodgecountyhistorical.org

The Village of Yesteryear in the city of Owatonna will be the site of a FALL HARVEST FEST on Saturday, September 29. Featured will be horse-drawn wagon rides, cider-pressing, corn-shelling, children's activities, a pedal tractor pull competition, pumpkin painting, a scarecrow contest, and lots of chili, brats, apple sundaes, and pumpkin bars! To find out more, dial 507/451-1420, or visit www.steelecohistoricalsociety.org

The NEW EAGLE CENTER GRAND OPENING will be held Saturday and Sunday, September 29 & 30, at the National Eagle Center in Wabasha. Visitors will enjoy boat excursions, interpretive exhibits, educational programs, live bald eagles, the Eagle’s Nest lookout decks, Native American dancers and storytellers, and live entertainment by Peter Ostroushko and the Heartland Band, and many others! To learn more, dial 651/565-4989, or check out www.nationaleaglecenter.org

St. John's United Church of Christ, located east of Faribault off Hwy 60, will be the site of the 10TH ANNUAL GERMANFEST on Sunday, September 30. Come enjoy traditional homegrown, made-from-scratch German foods prepared and served by authentically costumed people. There will also be a Christmas store and bakery, a petting zoo with exotic pheasants, a Bingo stand with prizes, German bands, and harvest produce and decorations. For more information, dial 507/789-6635

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