It's starting to feel like spring out there. But if you're not ready to say goodbye to winter yet, here are some festivals happening this weekend across Minnesota that have a little chill to them:
Grumpy Old Men Festival — Friday and Saturday, Wabasha. It's probably to warm to ice fish, but the National Eagle Center will be
hosting two screenings of "Grumpy Old Men" during the festival on Saturday.
Snow Piles of the Upper Mississippi by Matt Fluharty — through Wednesday, Winona. We've been light on epic snow piles this year (rip Mount Target
). But here's a chance to celebrate the "most ubiquitous, temporary and under-appreciated sculptures of winter" with a photography and public art exhibit that will fill that empty parking lot in your heart.
Northern Lights Tubing at Buck Hill— through Sunday, Burnsville. There are still some tickets left for this tubing adventure with choreographed lights and music.
Let's get a state fossil, Minnesota!— Saturday, Bell Museum in St. Paul. Minnesota is one of just four states in the U.S. without a fossil state symbol. In a recent vote, the clear winner was Castoroides, the ancient giant beaver and a favorite at the Bell’s open glacier diorama. See fossil evidence of giant beavers and other great Ice Age beasts from Minnesota, and learn how you can help make Castoroides the official Minnesota state fossil.
What are you looking forward to next weekend? Let us know at tell@mpr.org and your event might be featured in The 'sotan!
Ice cover is at record low levels this month on Lake Superior and other Great Lakes. Lake Superior continues to hover around the record low 1.7 percent ice cover observed in the middle of this month. The average ice cover for Lake Superior this time of year is around 40 percent.
When Usher glided across the stage for his Super Bowl halftime show last Sunday, it re-sparked a roller-skating obsession. James Adams, CEO of Twin Cities Skaters, has noticed more interest in his skating services — finding more followers on social media, inquiries about lessons and questions about skate purchases.
More than 10,000 skiers are expected in northwest Wisconsin this weekend for the 50th annual American Birkebeiner cross-country ski race. For 76-year-old Ernie St. Germain, the only skier to participate in every race since the Birkie was founded, his 50th race will be his last. But he's going to keep skiing to teach his grandson "to love skiing the way I do."
Theater Mu takes on the horror genre in the world premiere of Keiko Green’s play “Hells Canyon.” Ian Valor creates a "conceptual dreamscape" with his solo art exhibit "Wild Imagination." And H3O Jazz Trio performs its debut album "TafelJazz."
Fairbanks was the first Native American to serve as Force Master Chief Petty Officer, the highest-ranking enlisted Navy Seabee. In December 2005, Fairbanks became the 13th Force Master Chief of the Seabees.