Minnesota Events Report for February 12

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Minnesota Events Report for February 12

Northern Minnesota

The Carlton High School and Chub Lake Park in Carlton will be the site of the Carlton Winterfest, Friday through Sunday, February 15–17. Highlights include a chili cook-off, fishing tournament, dog-sled races, children's activities, and much more! And on Saturday, February 16, enjoy Hook n' Slice on Ice, when friends and family join together for 18 holes of golf on ice, with fairways lined with hundreds of pine trees. To learn more, dial 218/384-3322, or visit www.cloquet.com

The 29th Annual International Eelpout Festival will be held February 15–17 throughout the city of Walker. Featured will be a torch lighting ceremony, Eelpout Encampment Judging, the Eelpout Peelout race and run, International Ice Drilling Championships, the Eelpout On-Ice Auto Race, the Eelpout Idol karaoke contest, a swimwear fashion show, an Ice Fishing Olympics, a Polar Plunge, dog sled rides, and awards ceremony. Please check out www.eelpoutfestival.com for more information, or contact the Walker Visitors Bureau at 1-800-833-1118

The city of Nisswa will hold the 36th Annual Nisswa Winter Jubilee, February 15-17, with activities such as a snow sculpture contest, wood-splitting contest, live music, games, great food, a winter parade, broomball tournament, medallion hunt, ice fishing contest, and the Miss Nisswa pageant. For further information, dial 218/963-2620, or visit www.nisswa.com

The 20th Annual Sportsmen's Boat, Camping and Vacation Show will be held at the St. Cloud Civic Center in St. Cloud, February 15-17, with roughly 200 exhibitors participating. In addition, there will be seminars, the Great American Bear Show, and custom-made ice fishing houses. To find out more, dial 763/755-8111, or check out www.cenaiko.com

Buena Vista Ski Area, located just north of Bemidji, will be the site of the Paul Bunyan Sled Dog Races on Saturday and Sunday, February 23 & 24. Come see sled dog teams competing in various races, and enjoy skiing, tubing, and a variety of foods at this great spectator event. To learn more, dial 218/243-3477, or visit www.paulbunyan.net/sleddograce

A Winter Tracks Festival will be held northwest of Grand Marais, up the Gunflint Trail, from Thursday, February 28 through Monday, March 3. This festival celebrates winter and the vast array of outdoor recreation opportunities of the area, including cross country skiing, snowshoeing, dog sled rides, ice fishing, sledding and snow sculptures. In addition, there will be a Winter Tracks Day, various seminars, history presentations, yurt dinners, craft workshops, art exhibitions, games, and an abundance of food. Please note that lodging is limited--please make reservations early. For more information, dial 1-800-338-6932, or check out www.wintertracks.com

Twin Cities Greater Metropolitan Vicinity

The Home and Patio Show will be held Thursday through Sunday, February 14-17, at the St. Paul RiverCentre in downtown St. Paul, with over 400 local and national manufacturers and retailers offering everything to get inspired for upcoming spring home improvements and gardening projects. In addition, enjoy hands-on and how-to help from home improvement coaches from the Home Depot, as well as informative seminars. For rates and times, and for more information, dial 651/265-4800, or check out www.homeandpatioshow.com

The Science Museum of Minnesota, located in St. Paul, will celebrate the 16th Annual African Americans in Science event on Saturday, February 16 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Be inspired by the best and brightest scientists, inventors and educators from the community, try your hand at experiments with science educators, and meet the students who were awarded this year's Science/Math Good Job Award. This event is free with museum exhibit admission. To learn more, dial 651/221-9444, or visit www.smm.org

The Twin Cities Pet Expo will be held Saturday and Sunday, February 16 & 17, at the Minneapolis Convention Center in downtown Minneapolis. This is a one-stop venue for pet products and services, and includes demonstrations, presentations and the latest in top-quality products and services for pet owners and pet enthusiasts. There will also be a variety of live entertainment and attractions. For more information, dial 1-800-946-4611, or check out www.twincitiespetexpo.com

The Landmark Center in St. Paul will be the site of the 25th Annual Scottish Ramble, February 16 & 17. This much anticipated event features Highland Dance competitions, a wide array of Scottish music and dance performances, Songs for Children, educational presentations on Scottish history, wardrobes and weapons, the Great Kilt Demo, Scottish Country dance lessons, the Parade of Tartans, Scottish folk tales, bagpipes, meat pies and merchandise, and information on local Scottish organizations, activities and music! To find out more, dial 952/470-6300, or visit www.scottishramble.org

The Como Park Zoo and Conservatory in St. Paul will be the site of Kid's Fest, Saturday through Monday, February 16-18. Come enjoy free special activities throughout the Zoo and Conservatory, with animal enrichments, storytime, a ballot scavenger hunt, interactive stations, and special naming ceremonies for the recent baby giraffe and orangutan arrivals. There will also be opportunities to meet the keepers of the zoo and gardens, and learn what they do each day. Each day's event will have a different theme. To find out more, dial 651/207-0333, or check out www.comozooconservatory.org.

A Tropical Beach Party will be offered Saturday through Monday, February 16-18, at the Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley, when the entire family will enjoy the warmth and humidity of the beautiful Tropics Trail, palm trees, exotic animals, calypso music, zookeeper talks, craft projects, and a large, indoor sandbox. To learn more, dial 952/431-9500, or visit www.mnzoo.org

The Minneapolis Convention Center in downtown Minneapolis will be the site of the 14th Annual Twin Cities Food & Wine Experience, Saturday and Sunday, February 23 & 24, with 300 exhibitors offering samples of fine wines and gourmet foods from around the world, and showcasing the latest in culinary tools and gadgets. For rates and times, dial 612/371-5857, or check out www.foodwineshow.com

And just some of the upcoming concerts and performances will include:
The Chamber Ballet Of St. Paul at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, February 14
Frank Caliendo at the Historic Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis, February 16
The Jonas Brothers at the Target Center in Minneapolis, February 20
My Fair Lady at the Historic Orpheum Theatre, February 20-March 2
Playhouse Disney Live On Tour at the Target Center, February 22 & 23
Citizen Cope at the Fitzgerald Theater, February 24
The Smucker's Stars On Ice Tour at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, February 26
The Foo Fighters at the Target Center, February 27
Katt Williams at the Historic State Theatre in Minneapolis, February 28
Rain: The Beatles Experience at the Historic Orpheum Theatre, March 3
Rockstar Taste Of Chaos at the Roy Wilkins Auditorium at the St. Paul RiverCentre, March 4
Disney On Ice presents Disney/Pixar's Finding Nemo at the Target Center, March 6-9
Robin Hood, Esq at the Pantages Theatre in Minneapolis, March 7 & 8
Girls' Night: The Musical at The O'Shaughnessy Auditorium in St. Paul, March 8
Steve Earle at the Pantages Theatre, March 9
Jim Norton at the Pantages Theatre, March 15
Bon Jovi at the Xcel Energy Center, March 18
Jersey Boys at the Historic Orpheum Theatre, March 19-April 20
Avril Lavigne at the Target Center, March 20
D.L. Hughley at the Pantages Theatre, March 22
Three Days Grace & Breaking Benjamin at the Target Center, March 24
Gary Louris at the Historic State Theatre, March 25
The Current's Fakebook at the Fitzgerald Theater, March 28
The Blue Man Group: How to be a Megastar Tour 2.1 at the Xcel Energy Center, March 29
The Hotel Cafe Tour featuring Dan Wilson at the Fine Line Music Cafe in Minneapolis, March 31
Etta James at Mystic Lake Casino & Hotel in Prior Lake, April 1
Disney's High School Musical National Stage Tour at the Historic State Theatre, April 1-6
The St. Paul Osman Temple Shrine Circus at the Warner Coliseum at the Minnesota State Fair in St. Paul, April 3-6
The Kings College Choir Of Cambridge at the Cathedral of St. Paul, April 8
Bob Saget at the Historic State Theatre, April 11
The Harlem Globetrotters at the Target Center, April 11 & 12
Red House Records 25th Anniversary Concert with Lucy Kaplansky & Storyhill at the Fitzgerald Theater, April 12
Orpheus & Euridice at the Pantages Theatre, April 18
The Current's Fakebook featuring Chuck D & Brother Ali at the Fitzgerald Theater, April 19
The Backyardigans Live! at the Historic State Theatre, April 19 & 20
Santana at the Xcel Energy Center, April 21
Greg Brown at the Fitzgerald Theater, May 2
Jesus Christ Superstar at the Historic Orpheum Theatre, May 2-4
Dan Zanes at the Fitzgerald Theater, May 4
Church Basement Ladies 2: A Second Helping at the Plymouth Playhouse in Plymouth, May 6
The Honda Civic Tour: Panic at the Disco at the Myth, May 27
Monty Python's Spamalot at the Historic Orpheum Theatre, May 27-June 1
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers at the Target Center, July 23
Celine Dion at the Target Center in Minneapolis, October 30
For further information on any of these performances or events, please contact Ticketmaster at 651/989-5151

Southern Minnesota

Winterfest 2008 will be held through Sunday, February 17, throughout the city of St. Peter. Just some of the highlights include a medallion hunt, parade and fireworks display, the Festival of Lights home lighting contest, a Kids Against Hunger Soup Supper, a Dough For A Dog Park silent auction, snow sculptures, chili cook-off, a fiddle contest, the All-You-Can-Eat Belgian Waffle Feed, the BlastFest Chili and Deviled Egg contest, a Winter Olympics, bonfire and s’mores, cross country skiing and other winter activities for the kids, a spelling bee, Winter Carnival games and prizes, wine and beer tasting, the Freeze Your Buns Run, a Polar Plunge, and much more! For further information, dial 507/934-3400, or visit www.stpeterwinterfest.org

Eagle Spot Weekends will be offered at Colvill Park in Red Wing each Saturday and Sunday through March 16, when experienced volunteers will be on-hand to answer questions about the many eagles that spend their winter or stop during migration at Colville Park. Spotting scopes will also be available. To learn more, dial 1-800-498-3444, or check out www.redwing.org

Eagle Viewing will be offered at the National Eagle Center in Wabasha each Saturday and Sunday through the end of March, when the viewing deck will be staffed with National Eagle Center volunteers to answer all of your questions. The deck is located at the end of Pembroke Avenue near the Mississippi River, adjacent to the new National Eagle Center location. To find out more, dial 651/565-4989, or visit www.nationaleaglecenter.org

A Home, Landscape and Garden Show will be held Friday through Sunday, February 22-24 at the McLeod County Fairgrounds in Hutchinson, with over 80 home, landscape, and garden vendors offering products and services to help with remodeling, landscaping, and do-it-yourself projects. For further information, dial 320/587-2140, or check out www.explorehutchinson.com

The city of Wabasha will be the site of the annual Grumpy Old Men Festival on Saturday, February 23. Just some of the highlights include an ice fishing contest, softball in the snow, a pet pageant, bingo, cribbage tournament, Raghetti's Spaghetti, a stretch raffle, live music, the Frostbite Dog Frisbee contest, a Firemen's Party, and minnow races. For more information, dial 651/565-4158, or visit www.wabashamn.org

An Indoor Flea Market will be held at the Mayo Civic Center in Rochester on Sunday, February 24, with over 100 dealers offering antiques, toys, coins, collectibles and gifts. To learn more, dial 641/832-2700, or check out www.visitrochestermn.com

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