Explore Minnesota Events Report: March 18

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Explore Minnesota Events Report: March 18


Southern Minnesota

Whitewater State Park, located just south of the town of Elba, will offer Maple Syrup Making Time each Saturday through March 29. Participants will tap trees, gather and boil sap, and get to taste and enjoy pure maple syrup! To find out more, dial 507/932-3007

A Maple Syruping Demonstration will be offered Saturday, March 22 at Sibley State Park in New London. Come enjoy a springtime tradition, and explore the history of maple syruping, the tools of the trade, sap collection and processing. All participants will have a chance to sample the final product. For more information, dial 320/354-2055.
 
The McLeod County Fairgrounds in Hutchinson will be the site of the Sportsman’s Boat & RV Camping Show, Friday through Sunday, March 28-30, featuring over 30 vendors offering motorcycles, ATVs, boats, RVs, and more! For further information, dial 320/587-2140, or check out www.kduz.com
 
The 2008 Jackpot Junction Blues Fest, featuring Jonny Lang, the Taj Mahal Trio, Koko Taylor & Her Blues Machine, Ivan Neville, Indigenous and Lamont Cranston, will be held Friday and Saturday, March 28 & 29, at Jackpot Junction Casino & Hotel in Morton. To learn more, dial 1-800-946-2274, or visit www.jackpotjunction.com

The Cenntennial Student Union Ballroom at Minnesota State University Mankato will present Africa Night on Saturday, March 29, with the fashions, music, dance, poetry and cuisine found in different regions of Africa. In addition, enjoy speakers, presentations, and a social dance party and DJ. To find out more, dial 507/389-1281, or check out www.mnsu.edu/iso/events.html

The 32nd Annual Rochester Woodcarvers Show will be held Saturday and Sunday, March 29 & 30, at the Olmsted County Fairgrounds in Rochester. Featured will be wood carvings, tools, blanks and various types of wood for sale, as well as the results of the People’s Choice Competition. Admission is free. For further information, dial 507/285-1620, or check out http://webpages.charter.net/rochcarve/

The Alltel Center in Mankato will be the site of the 14th Annual Southern Minnesota Home and Builder Show, Friday through Sunday, April 4-6, with a wide array of vendors and exhibitors, as well as demonstrations and seminars offering information on the latest in home remodeling and building. For more information, dial 1-800-697-0652, or visit www.greatermankato.com

The Minnesota Alpaca Expo will be held Saturday and Sunday, April 5 & 6, at the Four Seasons Center in Owatonna. Visitors will have a chance to interact with live Alpacas, and enjoy children’s events, a Minnesota Alpaca Expo Dinner Theater & Banquet, diplays, vendors, a silent auction, and seminars on topics such as Alpaca care and fiber preparation. To find out more, dial 651/583-2915, or check out www.MinnesotaAlpacaExpo.com
Twin Cities Greater Metropolitan Vicinity

The Science Museum of Minnesota in St. Paul will hold their giant screen film festival, Omnifest, each day through Sunday, April 6, with six film favorites offered daily. And while at the Science Museum, check out the various special exhibits, including Deadly Medicine, Animation, and Disease Detectives. For more information, and for tickets and times, dial 651/221-9444, or check out www.smm.org/omnifest

The annual Farm Babies exhibit and program will be offered Friday and Saturday, March 21 & 22, at the Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley. Come meet the newest members of the Minnesota Zoo family, and see baby chicks, piglets, lambs, calves, goat kids, bunnies and ducklings. Enjoy children’s activities, and “hands-on” interaction with the babies. And on March 22, Peter Rabbit will be handing out toy-filled, colored eggs, while supplies last. Farm Babies will also be offered each Friday, Saturday and Sunday through April 13. For further information, dial 952/431-9500, or visit www.mnzoo.org

The Northwestern Health Sciences University in Bloomington will offer a Spring Egg Festival and Hunt on Saturday, March 22. Highlights include prizes for guessing games and contests, face painting, balloon twisting, magic, and a chance to win a special prize by finding one of the “specially-marked eggs!” The festival begins inside at 9:30am, and the outside Egg Hunt begins at 11:00am. Admission is free–please bring your own basket. To find out more, dial 952/888-4777, or check out www.nwhealth.edu/community

The 8th Annual American Indians in Science event will be held Saturday, March 29, at the Science Museum of Minnesota in St. Paul, with a chance to meet scientists, engineers, educators and students from the American Indian community, learn about traditional science among America’s indigenous peoples, and try out hands-on experiments. To learn more, dial 651/221-9444, or visit www.smm.org

Canterbury Park in Shakopee will be the site of the Spring Home Improvement and Design Expo on Saturday and Sunday, March 29 & 30. This event includes builders, decorators, designers, remodelers, suppliers and other home and design industry professionals. There will also be local and national celebrities, and seminars by experts in the construction and design fields. To find out more, and for rates and times, dial 952/238-1700, or check out www.MediaMaxEvents.com

The 76th Annual Northwest Sportshow will be held at the Minneapolis Convention Center in downtown Minneapolis, Wednesday through Sunday, April 2-6, with everything needed for fishing, boating, camping, vacationing, and other outdoor adventures! Highlights include hundreds of boats and RVs, a wide array of outdoor gear and accessories, outfitters and resorts, seminars, casting demos and native fish in the 40-foot Travelin’ Fish Tank, wood duck nest box building for the kids, fishing in the trout pond, laser hunting games, and more! For rates and times, dial 612/335-6000, or visit www.northwestsportshow.com

And just some of the upcoming concerts and performances will include:
Jersey Boys at the Historic Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis, March 19-April 20
Avril Lavigne at the Target Center in Minneapolis, March 20
Bob Weir & Ratdog at the O’Shaughnessy Auditorium in St. Paul, March 21
D.L. Hughley at the Pantages Theatre in Minneapolis, March 22
Three Days Grace & Breaking Benjamin at the Target Center, March 24
Gary Louris at the Historic State Theatre in Minneapolis, March 25
The Blue Man Group: How to be a Megastar Tour 2.1 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, 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 Fairgrounds in St. Paul, April 3-6
Doodlebops Live! at the Xcel Energy Center, April 4     
Roger Clyne & the Peacemakers at the Fine Line Music Cafe, April 5
The Eels at the Pantages Theatre in Minneapolis, April 7
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
John Prine at the Historic State Theatre, April 12
Red House Records 25th Anniversary Concert with Lucy Kaplansky & Storyhill at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, April 12
Justin Currie of Del Amitri at the Fine Line Music Cafe, April 17
Orpheus & Euridice at the Pantages Theatre, April 18
The Backyardigans Live! at the Historic State Theatre, April 19 & 20
Santana at the Xcel Energy Center, April 21
The Mars Volta at the Roy Wilkins Auditorium, April 21
Casting Crowns at the Xcel Energy Center, April 26
Alicia Keys at the Target Center, April 30
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
Engelbert Humperdinck at the Mystic Lake Casino & Hotel, May 11
KT Tunstall at the Historic State Theatre, May 14
The Minnesota Dance Festival at the Fitzgerald Theater, May 16
Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons at Mystic Lake Casino & Hotel, May 17
Rush at the Xcel Energy Center, May 22
Eddie Izzard at the Historic State Theatre, May 27
The Honda Civic Tour: Panic at the Disco at the Myth in Maplewood, May 27
Jay Leno at Mystic Lake Casino & Hotel, May 31
Monty Python’s Spamalot at the Historic Orpheum Theatre, May 27-June 1
True Colors: Cyndi Lauper, The B-52s, and Very Special Guests at the Target Center, June 9     
The Kanye West Glow in the Dark Tour at the Target Center, June 11
The Steve Miller Band at the Target Center, July 3
Mark Knopfler at the Historic Orpheum Theatre, July 12
Tom Petty & 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
Northern Minnesota

The Corps of Engineers Dam and Campground Park in Cross Lake will be the site of the annual Children’s Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, March 22, at 10:00 a.m, with a goodie bag for each child 10 years old and under! The Easter Bunny will be visiting for pictures with the kids, and two lucky children who find one of two special eggs will receive an extra special gift basket. To find out more, dial 1-800-450-5835, or visit www.whitefish.org

The Duluth Peerless World Of Wheels will be held Friday through Sunday, March 28-30, at the Duluth Entertainment & Convention Center, with over 100 one-of-a-kind, custom-built trucks, 4×4s, racing carts, hot rods, street rods, race cars and cycles. In addition, meet the owners and creators, see the latest in automotive accessories, witness the finals of the Midwest Radio-Controlled Car Races, and enjoy live entertainment. For more information, dial 218/727-4344, or check out www.duluthworldofwheels.com

The Brainerd Lakes Commerce and Industry Show will be held at the Brainerd Civic Center on Friday and Saturday, March 28 & 29, with businesses from all over displaying and selling their products and services. In addition, enjoy live entertainment, demonstrations and events. To find out more, dial 218/829-2838, or visit www.explorebrainerdlakes.com
 
The IRA Civic Center in Grand Rapids will be the site of the 41st Annual Grand Rapids Area Jaycees Home, Sports & Travel Show, Friday, Saturday & Sunday, March 28-30. For further information, dial 218/326-2500

Boogie Bingo will be offered at 24 participating Fergus Falls retailers, March 28-30, with a chance to win a multitude of prizes. And on Saturday evening, March 29, head to the VFW for a 70s Flashback Dance Party & Costume Contest! There will also be classes in tie dyeing, batik and fondue, Rock ‘n Bowl Bowling, Spring Fling Barrel Racing, and other activities held throughout town March 28-30. And nearby, on Saturday, March 29, the Prairie Wetlands Learning Center will hold Marsh Madness, when visitors will discover the wonders of the wetlands and the magic of the marshes through a variety of family activities. To learn more, dial 1-800-726-8959, or check out www.visitfergusfalls.com

The Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center will be the site of the 42nd Annual Arrowhead Home & Builders Show from Wednesday, April 2 through Sunday, April 6. Highlights will include over 900 individual exhibitors, the Home Show Café & Lounge, live stage shows, seminars, and more! For further information, dial 952/431-9630, or visit www.shamrockprod.com

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