Events & Entertainment

The holiday gifts of artisans and bakers, plus books and ‘Festival of Trees’ to be featured

The sixth annual Arts, Crafts, Edibles and Collectibles Sale will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Nov. 29 at the Backus Community Center.
A fund raiser by the center, a wide variety of items from crafters and artisans from around the state will be available for sale to the public.

Monroe Crossing and Sloughgrass to present concert Monday

They’ve been here before and based on their reception almost two years ago, Art Blackburn of Monroe Crossing said he believes that bluegrass gospel music has a warm following in Borderland.
But, he added, everyone would like his band’s music and he gave several reasons why.
Monroe Crossing will perform Monday on the Backus stage and the local band Sloughgrass will open the show.

American Veterans Day and Canadian Remembrance Day will be recognized on Tuesday.
Veterans Day honors military veterans and is a federal and state holiday. It began as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day, marking the end of the First World War. It later remained a day of recognition for veterans of all wars.
Veterans of Foreign Wars - Peter Graham Post 2948 of International Falls will take part in four events recognizing Veterans Day.

Borderland Community Orchestra to perform pop favorites at Backus Thursday

The Borderland Community Orchestra boasts an impressive range of ages — from 10 to 88.
And they will all be in their chairs at 7 p.m. Thursday at Backus Auditorium to present a Fall “Pops” Concert for the community.

Join Voyageurs National Park for an evening of fun and spooky events Friday for a “Halloween Howl: Creatures of the Night.”
The evening includes a short program on night senses and a naturalist-led hike on the Oberholtzer Trail, which will be lit by luminaries. Participants can learn about the night creatures of Voyageurs National Park as they walk along the trail. After the walk, a campfire and marshmallows will be offered.
Meet inside the Rainy Lake Visitor Center at 7 p.m. The evening offers fun for the entire family.

BCA concert and Citizens supper Monday at Backus

The Czech Chamber Music Society in Prague, under the auspices of the Czech Philharmonic, named the Graffe String Quartet winner of its 2008 prize for the most promising young ensemble.
The Graffe Quartet will be performing for the Border Concert Association on Monday at 7:30 p.m. in Backus Auditorium.
The honor, given to the quartet founded at the Brno Conservatory in the Czech Republic in 1977, is one of the most highly regarded musical awards in Europe.

Menopausal musical at Fitger’s, Duluth

Hot Flashes — “a menopausal musical,” will be presented by the Midi Change of Pace Dinner Theater from Nov. 1 through Nov. 30 on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at Duluth’s Fitger’s Complex in the Spirit of the North Theater.
The musical by Kate Finn and Rick Weiss is offered in a dinner or brunch package that includes the meal, show, tax and tip.

Russian pianist Alexander Ghindin, first-prize winner of the 2007 Cleveland International Piano Competition and soloist with the Moscow State Philharmonic Orchestra, will perform Sunday to open the seventh annual Bemidji Concert Series presented by the Bemidji State University Department of Music.

Food, sales, art, crafts. demonstrations and The Clothesline Project part of Saturday event

Crisper temperatures and autumnal aromas create a setting that leads to Backus Community Center’s annual Autumn Arts Festival on Saturday.
Bustle within the revived historical building will include a combination of food, crafts and art work to purchase, art demonstrations and entertainment. Lunch will also be available.
The community is invited to partake in this fall event. Admittance is free of charge.

Pianist John McKay to perform recital at BSU
BSU Report
Classical pianist John McKay will perform a guest recital of compositions by Haydn, Brahms, Barron and Chopin at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 18 in the Thompson Recital Hall of the Bangsberg Fine Arts Complex on the campus of Bemidji State University.
The concert will be offered free of charge.
McKay retired from the music faculty of Gustavus Adolphus College in 2004 after teaching piano and music history for 28 years. His program will include music of the 18th and 19th centuries, as well as a newly commissioned piece by Mortimer Barron.