July 27, 2010 Explore Minnesota Events Report

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   July 27, 2010 Explore Minnesota Events Report
   

Highlights this week and weekend include the annual Riverboat Days Festival in the city of Wabasha, the Anoka County Suburban Fair at the county fairgrounds in Anoka, the RiverSong Music Festival at West Riverside Park in Hutchinson, the annual Taste of Dorset in the town of Dorset, and Tall Ships Duluth 2010 at Bayfront Festival Park in Duluth.

Southern Minnesota

The city of Olivia will hold their annual Corn Capital Days celebration Wednesday, July 28 through Sunday, August 1, with the 43rd Annual Grande Parade, a kiddie parade, art show and sale, family triathlon, the Lions fly-in breakfast, the Yellowstone Trail Car Show, the Battle of the Big Rigs, live music, and much more! For further information, dial 320/523-1350, or check out http://oliviachamber.org/images/stories/corn%20capital%20days.pdf

A Riverboat Days Festival will be held in the city of Wabasha, Friday and Saturday, July 30 & 31. Highlights include arts and crafts, an antique fair, River Run & Walk, Pancakes in the Park, the Grumpy Old Men fishing tournament, family entertainment, a firemen's waterfight, Grand Parade, and live music in the beer garden. To find out more, dial 1-800-565-4158, or visit www.wabashamn.org

The city of Le Sueur will hold their Giant Celebration, Friday through Sunday, July 30 through August 1, with a mini carnival, the Noteables "Goin' Broadway" concert, live music, the 5th Annual Car Cruise, a Giant Corn Feed, the crowning of Miss Le Sueur, and the Giant Celebration Parade consisting of more than 100-units. To learn more, dial 507/665-2501, or check out www.lesueurchamber.org

The Berne Swissfest will be held at Zwingli United Church of Christ in West Concord on Saturday and Sunday, August 7 & 8. Known to be the most authentic Swiss festival in North America, highlights include Swiss yodeling, Swiss wrestling, stone throwing, folk dancers, alphorn blowing, Swiss Flag throwing, handbell concerts, Swiss food, the Berner Platte Dinner, Swiss chocolates, and a costume style show. Artisan displays will include woodcarving, scissor cutting, bobbin lace, bauernmalerei, weaving, and spinning. West Concord is located between the Twin Cities and Rochester, 10 miles south of Wanamingo. For more information, dial 1-800-322-2478, or visit www.swissfest.org

The town of Bechyn will hold their annual Czech Heritage Festival on Sunday, August 8, to commemorate their Czechoslovakian heritage. Featured will be ethnic foods, live music, entertainment, folk dancers, children's activities, a Polka Mass, Roast Pork dinner, Kolaches, a pottery and farmers market, raffle, bingo, beer gardens, horse and buggy rides, and more! Bechyn is located 10 miles northeast of Redwood Falls. For further information, dial 320/826-2451, or check out www.czechfest.com
Twin Cities Greater Metropolitan vicinity

The Anoka County Fairgrounds in Anoka will host the Anoka County Suburban Fair through Sunday, August 1. Enjoy local and national favorites at the bandshell, live entertainment, a large midway, beer gardens, wide array of exhibits, and motocross racing, Great Frontier bull riding, Mutton Bustin', and the NTPA Tractor Pull at the Grandstand. Just some of the highlights for children include puppeteers, a Big Wheel contest, Diaper Derby, petting zoo, pony rides, and kids' coloring contests. For more information, dial 763/427-4070, or visit www.anokacountyfair.com

Little Canada Canadian Days will be held at Spooner Park in Little Canada, Friday through Sunday, July 30 through August 1. This festival celebrates the sister-city relationship with Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. Highlights include a corn feed, pancake breakfast, classic car show, 5k walk & run, kiddie and grand parades, a carnival, LC's Playland, fireworks, a Kid's Creative Corner, and more! For further information, dial 651/766-4029, or check out www.canadiandays.org

Grand Avenue in St. Paul will hold the 5th Annual Paws on Grand on Sunday, August 1, with the shops, restaurants, and other Grand Avenue businesses offering four-legged friends and their owners great sales, treats, and water for the pets. In addition to great sales and specials, learn about pet rescue partners, the Pet Project, enjoy free pet clinics, or more! For a full list of activities, visit www.grandave.com, or dial 651/699-0029

The 21st Annual Braham Pie Day will be held Friday, August 6, at Freedom Park in the city of Braham. Each year Braham, the "Homemade Pie Capital of Minnesota," celebrates its status with slices of pie, the Pie Art and Hat Show, pie baking and pie eating contests, and an auction of the winning pies. In addition, there will be live musical entertainment by the Pie-Alluia Chorus and others, as well as the Pie Collectors' Car Show, the Pi-Cycle Show, the ?Pie in the Sky-Pie in Your Eye? trivia contest, and Pie Day roving characters, Mr. Pastry, the Berry Fairy and the Queen of Tarts. And on Sunday, August 8, enjoy a Celebration of Praise at 6:30 p.m. in Freedom Park. To find out more, dial 320/396-4956, or check out www.pieday.com

Goodrich Park in Maplewood will be the site of a Taste of Maplewood & Friends Event, Friday and Saturday, August 6 & 7. This year?s festival will be held in the 24-acre Goodrich Park, with carnival games and rides, hot air balloon rides, Radio Disney Party Patrol, Nickelodeon Dora The Explorer, the Splatter Sisters, Walton?s petting zoo, arts and crafts, live music by Martin Zellar and G.B. Leighton, and "Heal the Soul,? a 100-meter high heel race to bring awareness to domestic violence. To learn more, dial 651/249-2023, or visit www.ci.maplewood.mn.us/taste

And just some of the upcoming concerts and performances include:
Titanic at the Burnsville Performing Arts Center, July 15-31
The Lowertown Music Fest in St. Paul's Lowertown District, July 31
Vans Warped Tour at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, August 1
Annie Jr. at the Burnsville Performing Arts Center, August 4
Glamorama at the Historic Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis, August 6
Marc Cohn at the Minnesota Zoo Amphitheater in Apple Valley, August 6
Melissa Etheridge at The O'Shaughnessy Auditorium in St. Paul, August 6
Hanson at the Minnesota Zoo Amphitheater, August 10
Wicked : A New Musical at the Historic Orpheum Theatre, August 11 through September 12
Phoenix at the Historic State Theatre in Minneapolis, August 12
Stone Temple Pilots at the Roy Wilkins Auditorium at St. Paul RiverCentre, August 13
George Thorogood & the Destroyers at the Minnesota Zoo Amphitheater, August 17
Jerry Jeff Walker at the Minnesota Zoo Amphitheater, August 21
Rush Time Machine Tour 2010 at the Minnesota State Fair Grandstand in St. Paul, August 27
Tim McGraw at the Minnesota State Fair Grandstand, August 28
Seether with special guests Hinder and Black Cherry Stone at the Minnesota State Fair Grandstand, August 30
Virgin Mobile Presents the Monster Ball Tour Starring Lady Gaga at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, August 30 & 31
Prairie Home Companion Concert at the Minnesota State Fair Grandstand, September 3
Crowded House at the Minnesota Zoo Amphitheater, September 4
KISS at the Minnesota State Fair Grandstand, September 4
Donald Fagen, Michael McDonald & Boz Scaggs at the Minnesota State Fair Grandstand, September 6
Wicked : A New Musical at the Historic Orpheum Theatre, September 7
Jonas Brothers in Concert with Demi Lovato and friends from Camp Rock at the Xcel Energy Center, September 8
The AMA Grand National Motorcycle Race at Canterbury Park in Shakopee, September 11
Pavement at the St. Paul RiverCentre Roy Wilkins Auditorium in St. Paul, September 12
The Dave Matthews Band at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, September 15
John Prine at the Historic Orpheum Theatre, September 25
Don Rickles at Mystic Lake Casino & Hotel in Prior Lake, September 26
Primus at the Historic Orpheum Theatre, October 1
Muse at the Target Center in Minneapolis, October 5
Buddy Guy at the Historic State Theatre, October 16
David Sedaris at the Historic State Theatre, October 21
The Script at the Historic State Theatre, October 22
Great Big Sea at the Pantages Theatre in Minneapolis, October 23
Celtic Thunder at the Historic State Theatre, October 24
Disney Live! Mickey's Magic Show at the Xcel Energy Center, October 24
Maroon 5 at the Target Center, October 28
Daniel Tosh - Tosh Tour Twenty Ten at the Historic State Theatre, November 13
Tony Sandler at the Pantages Theatre in Minneapolis, November 28
Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker at the Historic State Theatre in Minneapolis, December 3 & 4
Loyce Houlton's Nutcracker Fantasy at the Historic State Theatre, December 17-19
For further information on any of these performances or events, please contact Ticketmaster at 651/989-5151, or visit www.ticketmaster.com
Central Minnesota

The RiverSong Music Festival will be held at West Riverside Park in Hutchinson, Friday through Saturday, July 30 & 31. Come enjoy a weekend full of amazing grassroots music, a beautiful selection of creative artwork, a variety of food booths, and the great outdoors! For further information, dial 320/234-0789, or check out www.riversongfestival.org

The Red Horse Ranch Arena in Fergus Falls will be the site of the Wadena Summer American Quarter Horse Association Show Series, Friday through Sunday, July 30 through August 1, with 94 competitions throughout the weekend. For more information, dial 218/736-3000, or visit www.redhorserancharena.com

A Damsels & Dragons Workshop will be held at the Prairie Wetlands Learning Center in Fergus Falls on Saturday, July 31, with a chance to learn all about the biology and life cycles of dragonflies. Nature walks in search of dragonflies will also be offered. This event is free. To learn more, dial 218/998-4480, or check out www.fws.gov/midwest/pwlc

Downtown Aitkin will be the site of the annual Riverboat Heritage Days celebration from Wednesday, August 4 through Saturday, August 7. Festivities include human-pedaled riverboat races on the Mississippi, a community picnic, parade, the Miss Aitkin pageant, two street dances, four bands, beer gardens, a garage sale at the Historical Society, Mississippi Marketplace crafters, an Old-Fashioned Library Lawn Party, a beef picnic, Cabin Country Kids' Karaoke, kids' games, and more! A button is required for some events. For further information, dial 1-800-526-8342, or visit www.aitkin.com

Lake Lillian Fun Days will be held in the town of Lake Lillian, Friday through Sunday, August 6-8, with a Grande Day parade, community dinner, a Fun Days Raffle with cash prizes, a street dance and live music, Sunday pancake breakfast, ecumenical worship service, and fun and excitement for the kids, with clowns, train rides, a variety of fun games, and a raffle for bikes and other prizes. Lake Lillian is located 18 miles southeast of Willmar. For more information, dial 320/664-4440, or check out www.lakelillian.govoffice.com
Northwest Minnesota

The Becker County Fair will be held at the Becker County Fairgrounds in Detroit Lakes, Wednesday, July 28 through Saturday, July 31. This large county fair includes midway games and rides, 4-H buildings, exhibits, live music, and a variety of events. For more information, dial 218/847-8407, or check out http://beckercountyfair.tripod.com/premiumlist

The town of Dorset, located six miles northeast of Park Rapids, will hold their annual Taste of Dorset on Sunday, August 1. Dorset, also known as the 'Restaurant Capital of the World,' will offer an amazing array of great food, family entertainment, music and games. To find out more, dial 1-800-247-0054, or visit www.dorsetmn.com

WE FEST 2010 will take place Thursday through Saturday, August 5-7. This outdoor country music and camping festival includes performances by Keith Urban, Kid Rock, Kenny Chesney, Dierks Bentley, Gretchen Wilson and Blake Shelton! For further details, go to www.wefest.com/10. For tickets, dial 1-800-493-3378

Crazy Dayz will be held throughout downtown Thief River Falls, Thursday through Saturday, August 5-7, with awesome bargains and crazy savings offered by downtown merchants. And on Saturday, August 7, downtown Thief River Falls will be the site of the 2nd Annual BBQ Ribs Cook-Off. To learn more, dial 1-800-827-1629, or check out www.trfchamber.com

Downtown Bemidji and Lake Bemidji will be the site of the Lake Bemidji Dragon Boat Festival, August 5-7. Participate in or watch the Dragon Boat Race from start to finish. In addition, enjoy great food, practice sessions, a Retro 80?s Show and other live music at The Dragon?s Den, the Parade of Teams ceremonies, and an awards ceremony. For further information, dial 1-800-458-2223, or visit www.bemidjidragonboat.com

The Lake Itasca Family Music Festival will be offered at Itasca State Park in the town of Lake Itasca, Friday through Sunday, August 6-8. This annual family music and camping festival has become a favorite for music fans of all ages, with some great gospel bluegrass acts from throughout the country performing on the outdoor main stage. Side stages will feature broad interpretations of the genre by seasoned and first-time performers. For rates and times, and for more information, dial 218/333-1421, or check out www.familybluegrass.com
Northeast Minnesota

Tall Ships Duluth 2010 will take place Wednesday, July 28 through Tuesday, August 3 at Bayfront Festival Park as part of the Great Lakes United Tall Ships Challenge 2010. This is a rare opportunity to see, step aboard, and even set sail on some of the grandest ships. Tickets are limited to 25,000, and include access to the festival grounds, with the Grand Parade of Sail, a "Pirate School," musical performances, family activities, educational programs, a Green Village, and performances of Gilbert & Sullivan's "Pirates of Penzance." To pre-purchase tickets and to find out more, go to http://visitduluth.com/tall-ships, or dial 1-800-4-duluth

The Itasca County Fairgrounds in Grand Rapids will be the site of the 10th Annual Boundary Waters Blues Festival from Thursday, July 29 through Sunday, August 1. This blues music and camping festival includes roughly a dozen great blues acts. Admission is free! For more information, dial 218/365-2440, or check out www.RangeBlues.com

The 7th Annual Free Range Film Festival will take place on Friday and Saturday, July 30 & July 31, at a 1916 barn in Wrenshall. This annual event celebrates independent film and country living, drawing thousands of film buffs eager to see independent cinema. The old barn is located at the junction of County Roads 1 & 4. While there is officially no admission fee, a $10 donation is requested. For further information, dial 218/310-4703, or visit www.freerangefilm.com

The city of Cloquet will hold their annual Cloquet Classic Car Daze celebration on Saturday, July 31. In addition to a large car show, highlights include Trophies for the Top 20, a Burnout contest, car cruises, car parade, Fun Run Medallion Hunt, Model Car contest, Flame Throwing contest, Pipe/Muffler Rapping contest, Hydraulics contest, live music, great food and games. To learn more, dial 218/380-1484, or check out www.cloquetccd.com

The annual Fisherman's Picnic will be held throughout downtown Grand Marais, Thursday through Sunday, August 5-8. Just some of the highlights of this much-anticipated event include a variety of sports and fishing tournaments, a kids' carnival, live music, parade, fireworks, sidewalk sales, food vendors, outdoor dances, the popular Lions' fishburger stand, and a $10,000 grand prize raffle! To find out more, dial 1-888-922-5000, or visit www.grandmarais.com

The White Oak Fur Post in Deer River will be the site of the 22nd Annual White Oak Fur Trade Rendezvous, Friday through Sunday, August 5-7. Enjoy live music, great food, storytelling, traders selling their wares, family camps of the era, demonstrations in black powder shooting, primitive archers, an Ojibwa Village, and replica of the 1798 Northwest Co Fur Post with living history interpreters. Special classes will be held at several locations throughout the site. For rates and times, dial 218/246-9393, or check out www.visitgrandrapids.com

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