Minnesota Events Report for September 26

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Minnesota Events Report for September 26

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SOUTHERN MINNESOTA

The city of Luverne will present the 57TH ANNUAL TRI-STATE BAND FESTIVAL on Saturday, September 29, with the finest high school marching bands from Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota and Nebraska competing in parade and field performances. For further information, dial 1-888-283-4061, or visit www.luvernechamber.org

A FALL FESTIVAL will be offered throughout the city of Preston on Saturday, September 29, with city-wide garage sales, a Tailgate Trunk Sale, and chicken barbeque. For more information, dial 1-888-845-2100, or check out www.prestonmn.org/visit

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

PUMPKIN PATCH FESTIVAL 2007 will be offered at the Nelson Family Farm in Litchfield, each Saturday and Sunday, through October 28. Just some of the highlights include tractor-drawn wagon rides, pony rides, a corn maze, straw maze, a gift shoppe, the Wooden Nickel Scramble, Ag Olympics, swinging in the hay loft, panning for marbles, a tree fort with slides and tubes, Make-And-Take Scarecrows, farm animals, miniature golf, corn cob golf, Pumpkin Village, the Big Woods Trail by the lake, and lots of homegrown pumpkins, squash, decorative corn and fall decorations! And on Saturday and Sunday, September 29 & 30, enjoy GRANDPARENTS WEEKEND, when a grandparent receives free admission with each paying grandchild. For further information, dial 320/693-7750, or visit www.nelsonfarm.com

Studios located in Big Stone, Swift, Chippewa, Lac qui Parle and Yellow Medicine counties will be the site of the UPPER MINNESOTA RIVER ART CRAWL & 2007 MEANDER, Friday through Sunday, October 5-7. This award-winning regional festival is a self-guided tour of artist studios located in the prairies of western Minnesota, and offers art-lovers a chance to meet many talented homegrown artists and see an impressive collection of artwork. To find out more, dial 1-866-866-5432, or check out www.artsmeander.com

A FALL FOLIAGE FEST will be offered October 5–7 throughout the town of Harmony to celebrate fall colors and a bountiful harvest. Highlights include decorations all along Main Street, wagon rides, fall color drives, Amish tours, cave tours, art demonstrations and classes at Clover Gallery, chainsaw carving at Slim's Woodshed, pumpkin decorating, games, garage sales, and a farmer's market. To learn more, dial 1-800-445-6481, or visit www.harmony.mn.us

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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. For more information, dial 952/445-7361, or check out www.renaissancefest.com

Various venues in Minneapolis will be the site of the 16TH ANNUAL BLACK MASTER STORYTELLERS FESTIVAL--REACHING BACK TO MOVE FORWARD, Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings, September 27–29. 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

SCREAMTOWN, located in Shakopee, will open to the public on Friday, September 28, with three haunted houses, Circus Vampire, Haunted Chambers and Carver Mansion, as well as a huge haunted corn maze. Screamtown will be open each Friday and Saturday through October 27, as well as October 17, 18 and 28. For more information, check out www.screamtown.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 visit www.theraptorcenter.org

Afton's village square will be the site of the 29TH ANNUAL ART IN THE PARK on Saturday and Sunday, September 29 & 30. Come enjoy the fall foliage of the beautiful St. Croix River Valley and browse the creations of over 60 artists. For further information, dial 715/386-2305, or check out www.thephipps.org/afton_art.htm

The AUXILIARY HARVEST SALE will be held September 29 & 30 at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chaska. Featured will be unique dried arrangements, potpourri, cards, and pressed flowers creation, all made by Auxiliary members and offered for sale to the public. In addition, there will be demonstrations on the Auxiliary’s “secret” methods for drying plant materials, a special Halloween section, a Minnesota Herb Society Sale, and an Auxiliary Quilt Raffle. To find out more, dial 952/443-1400, or visit www.arboretum.umn.edu

And just some of the upcoming concerts and performances will include:
AMERICAN ACOUSTIC MUSIC:DAVID BROMBERG, PETER ROWAN & TONY RICE at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, 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 in Minneapolis, October 5-7
INTERPOL at the Historic State Theatre in Minneapolis, 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
MODEST MOUSE at the Historic Orpheum Theatre, December 3
THE BLENDERS at the Pantages Theatre in Minneapolis, December 7
DISNEY'S HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL: THE ICE TOUR at the Xcel Energy Center, 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 cities of Hackensack, Longville and Walker will host FALL HAS IT ALL 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

The annual EPLE TIDEN FESTIVAL will be held Saturday, September 29, at the Starbuck Depot in Starbuck. Eple Tiden is an autumn market day celebration, with a variety of fall produce vendors selling apples, pumpkins and other garden produce. In addition, there will be musical entertainment, and various displays, artists demonstrating their crafts, and lots of food and refreshments. For more information, dial 320/239-4220, or check out www.starbuckmn.org

The Audubon Center of the North Woods in Sandstone will offer an OPEN HOUSE & SUSTAINABLE LIVING EXPO on September 29. Highlights include a free, fun-filled day for the entire family, with adventure hikes, a climbing wall, nature scavenger hunts, face painting, exhibits, demonstrations, viewings of Dr. Seuss’ “The Lorax,” fun learning activities, arts and crafts fair, and live music. For further information, dial 320/245-2648, or visit www.audubon-center.org

The TAMARAC FALL FESTIVAL will be held at the Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge in Rochert on September 29. Featured will be guided refuge tours, wildlife education programs, children's activities, endangered species success stories, a display by the Minnesota Raptor Center, and spectacular fall colors reflected on the many lakes, streams and marshes. To find out more, dial 218/847-2641, or check out www.tamaracfriends.org

Maplewood State Park at the city of Pelican Rapids will be the site of COLORED LEAF DAYS on Saturday and Sunday, September 29 & 30, with colored leaf tours by covered wagon, and a variety of hardy foods. This event will be repeated October 6 & 7. For more information, dial 218/863-1221, or visit www.pelicanrapidschamber.com

The William A. Irvin Ore Carrier in Duluth will be transformed into THE SHIP OF GHOULS, daily, from Friday, October 5 through Saturday, October 13. The haunting of the Irvin is put on by professional actors with the accompaniment of special effects. The Ship of Ghouls is open for tours on select days through October 31. For rates, times and further information, dial 218/727-0022, or check out www.williamairvin.com

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