Minnesota Events Report for October 9

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Minnesota Events Report for October 9
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SOUTHERN MINNESOTA

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! For further information, dial 320/693-7750, or visit www.nelsonfarm.com

The Holiday Inn and downtown New Ulm will be the site of 26TH ANNUAL OKTOBERFEST celebration on Friday and Saturday, October 12 & 13, featuring local, regional and European entertainment, as well as wonderful German food and drink. For more information, dial 507/233-4300, or check out www.newulmoktoberfest.com

A HAUNTED CORN MAZE & FEED MILL--LOST IN THE DARK returns to Farmamerica in Waseca on Friday and Saturday, October 12 & 13, when visitors will enjoy thrills and chills as they wander the haunted corn maze and mill. Lost In The Dark will also be offered October 19 & 20. For rates and times, dial 507/835-2052, or visit www.farmamerica.org

McGowan's Farm in Mankato will be the site of HISTORY FEST on Saturday, October 13th. Children will have fun learning about history, and enjoy re-enactors from 17th-Century Scotland and the Old West, as well as belly dancing, fire-eaters, catapult-launching, cider-making, cannon shooting, and much more! For further information, dial 507/469-1499, or visit www.historyfest.com

CUISINE OF THE PRAIRIE: A LOCAL FOODS DINING EXPERIENCE will be held Saturday evening, October 13, in Montevideo. This dining experience features locally-grown foods and products, local wine tasting, a full-course meal prepared by chef Jenny Breen of the Minnesota Arboretum, and speakers Rebecca Kolls and Carrie Tollefson. For rates and times, dial 1-800-269-5527, or check out www.montechamber.com

Oak Leaf Park in the city of Glencoe will be the site of a CORN MAZE FESTIVAL, Saturday and Sunday, October 13 & 14, with a 5-acre corn maze, a pumpkin patch, hay maze, corn pit, hayrides, and special daily events. In addition, enjoy the Creepy Corn Maze on Saturday evening, from 7:00-10:00 pm. To find out more, dial 320/864-3650, or visit www.glencoechamber.com

The 41ST ANNUAL RED WING FALL FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS will be held in downtown Red Wing, October 13 & 14. This juried art fair features over 90 artists, including painters, photographers, jewelers, sculptors, furniture makers, fiber artists, glass artists and potters. Visitors will also enjoy a Children's Booth, artist demonstrations, live music, and mouth-watering foods, such as chocolates, caramel apples, gyros, greek salad, kettle corn, hotdogs and brats. A WOOD CARVERS SHOW will also be offered October 13 & 14 at the nearby Riverfront Centre in Red Wing. To learn more, dial 1-800-498-3444, or check out www.redwing.org

Bluff Valley Campground in Zumbro Falls will be the site of a LIGHT MAZE & KTTC LIGHTS AT BLUFF VALLEY, the first autumn season drive-thru light show, October 18 through November 25. Highlights include a 1.5-mile drive-through light tour, with 19 theme areas featuring over 450 light displays. In addition, enjoy nightly live entertainment, wagon rides, and Pepsi NightLight Park & Play activities, including nightlight glow-in-dark miniature-golf, disc-golf and basketball golf. For rates and times, dial 1-877-GO-SEE-IT, or visit www.BluffValley.com

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TWIN CITIES GREATER METROPOLITAN VICINITY

The city of Taylors Falls will offer its annual LEAF SPECTACULAR through October 14. Festivities include tours the 1855 Folsom House Museum, boat cruises and canoeing on the St. Croix River, walks through the village and hikes through Interstate State Park, store specials, lots of scarecrows and pumpkins, and of course, beautiful fall color! For further details, dial 651/465-6315, or visit www.taylorsfallschamber.org

SCREAMTOWN, located in Shakopee, will be open to the public each Friday and Saturday through October 27, as well as October 17, 18 and 28, with three haunted houses and a huge haunted corn maze. For rates and times, check out www.screamtown.com

Zywiecs Landscape and Garden Center in Cottage Grove will be the site of a HAUNTING EXPERIENCE, Friday and Saturday, October 12 & 13, with a horrific journey through the Mind Shaft, the Garden of Evil, and the 15-room living-nightmare mansion! Then, board the Hayride of Horror that creeps through miles of graveyards, swamps and haunted forests. Afterwards, enjoy treats, a bonfire, and live entertainment by Mr. Freaky. A Haunting Experience will also be offered October 17-20 & October 24-31. For more information, dial 651/459-3001, or visit www.hauntingexperience.com

HALLOWEEN HAUNT AT VALLEYSCARE will be offered at Valleyfair in Shakopee, Friday through Sunday, October 12–14. Guests entering the gates of Valleyscare will be greeted by over 200 ghosts, goblins, mutants and other strange creatures lurking in the fog, and hiding in horrifying mazes and shocking scare zones. To find out more, dial 952/445-7600, or check out www.valleyscare.com

Lowertown and downtown St. Paul will be the site of the 24TH SAINT PAUL ART CRAWL, October 12-14, to allow interaction between the arts community and the public. Art lovers of all ages are invited to visit over 200 artist studios, view a wide range of artwork, and enjoy the historic architecture of St. Paul. Special events, music and other live entertainment will add to the weekend’s ambiance. The Art Crawl is free, with free shuttle service available between various buildings and from some of the parking lots. To learn more, dial 651/292-4373, or visit www.artcrawl.org

The TRAIL OF TERROR will be held October 12–14 at the Minnesota Renaissance festival grounds in Shakopee. Featured will be a 3/4-mile indoor heated maze, a haunted hayride, bonfires, Phantom Feasts, Club Scream, the Terror Tavern, and the Halls of Horror, which offers five haunted halls with unique themes and more than 200 props and animatronics. The Trail of Terror will also be open October 17-21, 25-28 & 31. For more information, dial 952/445-7361, or check out www.trailofterrorfest.com

Minnetonka Orchards in Minnetrista will be the site of an APPLE FESTIVAL on Saturday and Sunday, October 13 & 14. In addition to apple-picking, enjoy three shows by the Mini-Apple Circus and M.J. Madden the Magician each day, as well as hayrides, a corn maze and nature trails. For further iformation, dial 763/479-6530, or visit www.minnetonkaorchards.com

A FESTIVAL OF INDIA will be held Sunday, October 14, at the Landmark Center in St. Paul. Come celebrate Indian culture, and visit the various states of India, learn about its cultural diversity, and enjoy native Indian dance, music and foods. Lots of children’s activities will also be offered. To learn more, dial 651/292-3233, or check out www.landmarkcenter.org

And just some of the upcoming concerts and performances will include:
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 in Minneapolis, October 13
ANDRE RIEU at the Excel Energy Center in St. Paul, 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 in St. Paul, October 30
GOV'T MULE at the O'Shaughnessy Auditorium in St. Paul, October 31
OZZY OSBOURNE & ROB ZOMBIE at the Target Center, October 31
BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN AND THE E STREET BAND at the Excel Energy Center, November 2
JEFF DUNHAM at the O'Shaughnessy Auditorium, November 2
KELLY CLARKSON at the Historic State Theatre, November 2
KID ROCK at The Myth in Maplewood, November 8
STEPHEN LYNCH at the Pantages Theatre in Minneapolis, November 10
A PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION with GARRISON KEILLOR at the Historic State Theatre, November 10
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
Peter Ostroushko at the Fitzgerald Theater, December 22
For further information on any of these performances or events, please contact Ticketmaster at 651/989-5151

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NORTHERN MINNESOTA

The William A. Irvin Ore Carrier in Duluth will be transformed into THE SHIP OF GHOULS, daily 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 will also be open for tours on select days through the end of October. For rates, dates and times, dial 218/727-0022, or check out www.williamairvin.com

MOLITOR'S HAUNTED ACRES will be offered each Friday through Sunday, October 28, in Sauk Rapids. Highlights include the Wagon of Doom hayride, the dark and musty Mine Shaft, the Corn Trail, the Maze of Misery, a 100-year-old Haunted House, and The House of Spirits! Afterwards, enjoy a bonfire with all your friends. Molitor's Haunted Acres will also be open on Wednesday, October 31. To find out more, dial 320/253-1672, or visit www.molitors.net

The city of Pelican Rapids will be the site of an OKTOBERFEST CELEBRATION, Thursday through Sunday, October 11–14. Featured will be dinners and dances, a wine tasting & silent auction, a store front decorating contest, fire department open house, the crowning of Mr. & Ms. Oktoberfest, a pancake brunch, children's activities, store sales and specials, open mike jam sessions, a "Best of the Wurst" sausage contest, beer tasting, and an Old-Fashioned Sunday Afternoon Polka Party. For further information, dial 218/863-1221, or check out www.pelicanrapidschamber.com

A HAUNTED CORN MAZE will be offered at Paul Bunyan Land and This Old Farm in Brainerd, each Friday and Saturday, October 12–27, with ghosts and goblins hiding within a huge corn maze. And, while in Brainerd on October 13, check out the FALL ARTS & CRAFTS FAIR, with over 150 vendors participating. For more information, dial 1-800-450-2838, or visit www.explorebrainerdlakes.com

The city of Williams will present the 54TH ANNUAL POTATO DAY celebration on Saturday, October 13. Festivities include a parade, a wonderful dinner featuring many delicious potato recipes, a potato cook-off, live entertainment program, games, a queen coronation and dance. Williams is a nationally-recognized seed potato quarantine area. To learn more, dial 218/783-4801

The 3RD ANNUAL KIDS & PARENTS EXPO will be offered October 13 at the St. Cloud Civic Center, with over 90 exhibitors, hands-on activities, educational resources, stage shows, and giveaways and free items for parents and kids of all ages. To find out more, dial 320/309-4304, or check out www.kidsandparentsexpo.com

The Prairie Wetlands Learning Center in Fergus Falls will celebrate National Wildlife Refuge Week with a FALL FESTIVAL on October 13. Come celebrate wildlife and explore the prairie and wetlands through special events, guided walks, games and crafts. For more information, dial 218/736-0938, or visit www.fws.gov/midwest/pwlc

A PUMPKIN FEST will be held in the city Aurora, on October 13, with craft displays, a quilt show, children's activities, stagecoach rides, a variety of foods, and plenty of pumpkins. For further information, dial 218/229-2245, or check out www.ci.aurora.mn.us/events.htm

Ruttger's Bay Lake Lodge in Deerwood will offer OKTOBERFEST AT RUTTGER'S, Friday through Sunday, October 19–21. Highlights include German music, food, beverages and costumes, as well as Friday and Saturday evening dinner buffets. In addition, enjoy an arts & crafts fair, games and activities for the kids and a family polka dance on Saturday, and a Sunday brunch with musical entertainment. To learn more, dial 1-800-450-4545, or visit www.ruttgers.com

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