Entertainment Briefs - June 8

Lorna Landvik to appear in Wadena

WADENA-Author Lorna Landvik will appear at 11 a.m. Saturday as the June guest author at Book Ends, the monthly meet-the-author event at The Uptown in Wadena.

Landvik has authored many best sellers and is best known for her novel "Patty Jane's House of Curl" and she will premier her sequel to "Patty Jane, Once In A Blue Moon Lodge" at the author event.

Landvik, who performed standup comedy in Los Angeles and Minneapolis, bills herself as an author, comedian, actress and public speaker. Landvik published 11 novels including "Angry Housewives Eating Bonbons" and "Best To Laugh," which chronicles her time in California.

An Open Book brings Minnesota's best-selling authors and their readers together for an hour of conversation, followed by book sales and autographs and optional lunch.

For more information visit www.anopenbookmn.com or call Gillette Kempf at An Open Book at 218-632-2665.

Great River Strings art winners announced

Great River Strings announces its "Time vs. Eternity" art contest winners:

James Bzura, Crosby, took first place; Jan Lendobeja, Brainerd, second; and Betty Jean Mate, Aitkin, third.

For this contest artists were charged with developing the theme of time using a medium of their choice. Each entrant created art showing how people internalize, distinguish themselves and communicate the concept of time.

This was the first art contest sponsored by the Great River Strings. It was an educational collaboration with members of the Jacques Art Center. The art pieces were judged by Jan Hasselius of Jaques Art Center; Kimberly Meirose, art teacher at Aitkin High School; and Mary Beal, Great River Strings member. The winners' art pieces will be on display at the Jacques for the three weeks.

Diane Saumer to perform in Bandstand

Diane Saumer and Friends will perform at 7 p.m. June 8 in the bandstand at Gregory Park in Brainerd.

Saumer has been playing since she was 9. Saumer and her friends have performed in the Brainerd lakes area since 1990. As a solo vocalist, Saumer has performed locally with The Ladies of Elegance and Gentlemen of Note, The Jules Herman Orchestra and other area festivals.

This year's band includes guitarist Dick Wilt, who has performed since age 12, and is in the Minnesota Rock and Roll Hall of Fame; Pat Scrimshaw on harmonica and saxophone; Ryan Swartwood on drums, who is a student of Chris Fogderud, Brainerd High School band instructor; and Bassist Eric Johnson from Aitkin, who has performed for many years in the Twin Cities.

The concert is free and open to the public. People can bring a lawn chair and enjoy live music. Concert funding has been provided in memory of Helen K. Mills. Additional supporting sponsors are the Brainerd Community Foundation, Brainerd Lions, Mid Minnesota Federal Credit Union and BN Credit Union.

Rainout site is The Center, 803 Kingwood St., Brainerd. If the concerts are moved indoors, signs will be posted on the bandstand and it will be announced on WJJY radio.

Concerts in the park are a collaboration between Brainerd Parks and Recreation Department and The Center.

Motley June Fest coming

MOTLEY-The Staples Motley Area Chamber of Commerce will host Motley June Fest June 17 in Motley.

The festival is being held in conjunction with the longest running Morrison County Fair. Motley June Fest will begin at 11 a.m. with a parade and will be followed with a wide range of activities throughout the city and the fairgrounds. Motley is celebrating its 130th anniversary along with Morey's Seafood International celebrating 80 years in business. The celebrations will add additional flavor to the events planned for this celebration.

Leader Area Pig Races will have two one hour shows at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. at the Converse Park. Businesses, Motley Alumni and individuals will be sponsoring the Pig Races.

Other events include fireworks sponsored by the Motley Lions; Karaoke with Rita; Motley Sings Contest; a street dance featuring Kings Ransom; and a wings competition.

The Motley Sings Contest will be at 2 p.m. and feature singers from ages 15-25. Organizers will be looking for the best two voices to send to "Minnesota Sings" in September to represent the area.

There will be an ice cream festival and children's activities will be sponsored by the Motley Free Methodist Church. There also will be a bean bag tournament and other activities.

For more information call the chamber office at 218-894-3974.

Ruttger's to host Beer and Bacon Bonanza

DEERWOOD-Ruttger's Bay Lake Lodge will hosts its first Beer and Bacon Bonanza June 16-18.

Billed as a weekend-long celebration of bacon and beer, the event features beer samplings from area and regional craft breweries, bacon-themed buffets, a pig roast, a concert from Alpensterne and games such as a bacon "try-athlon," a pork belly flop contest, a Mr. Bacon pageant and pig races.

"Ruttger's is trying to answer the age-old question: Is there such a thing as too much beer and bacon?" Ruttger's President Chris Ruttger stated in a news release. "I guess we'll find out, but there will be a lot of both. I mean a lot a lot. It should be fun."

The event will also include coffee and bacon samplings and a chef demonstration from Executive Chef Terry Dox and Pastry Chef Sam Shaw. The leaders of Ruttger's culinary team are busy concocting foods starring bacon, including chocolate-dipped bacon, maple-and-bacon-filled cinnamon rolls and bacon-wrapped chocolate chip cookies.

"Food is a big part of the Ruttger's experience, and it will certainly be center stage at Beer and Bacon Bonanza," Ruttger stated. "It will not be a great weekend to be a vegetarian or on a diet, but it'll be worth every calorie."

There is no word whether Kevin Bacon will be appearing at the event. The resort made numerous tongue-in-cheek attempts via social media to get Bacon to attend the event, including offering him all the beer he can drink and bacon he can eat, and a chance to play pickleball with 87-year old Ruttger's Chairman Jack Ruttger. So far, Bacon has not responded to the resort's invitation.

"It doesn't look like Kevin Bacon will be at the event this year, but until he officially says no, there's hope," Ruttger stated. "Even if he doesn't attend, I have a feeling he will be represented in some way."

Art deadline at Jaques

AITKIN-The next exhibit at the Jaques Art Center is a Community Canvas event. The community is invited to make art on an 8-inch by 8-inch canvas and turn it into the art center by July 1. Over 325 canvases have been given out already which, when hung, will create a giant mosaic of community art. There is no age limit. All are invited to participate.

The Gala Reception for this exhibit will be noon to 3 p.m. July 15. Canvases are free and may be picked up at the from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

Nature Print workshops planned

PEQUOT LAKES-Sonja Larsen will lead two nature printing workshops June 17 and June 24 at the Jack Pine Center in Pequot Lakes. Emphasis will be on preparing paper and plants to make artistic prints, greeting cards and other applications. A deluxe printing kit will be included in the first session. Samples of this art form are showing now at the Serendipity Gallery in the Jack Pine Center.

Classes are limited to 12. Email natureprints@charter.net to register.

Local potter reveals work at Sprout

LITTLE FALLS-Sprout will launch the "Reci-Piece Project: A Shared Meal Pottery Experiment" to orchestrate opportunities for community members to connect over the sharing of food and story. The Reci-Piece Project makes locally made pottery accessible, communal and mobile in an effort to encourage community members to prepare and share meals, recipes, memories, and cultural traditions with one another.

The project will launch at the cultural exchange cooking class on June 28 in the Sprout kitchen which will feature Somali recipes for sambusa and tea. That class will be led by Mahado Ali, a Community Health Worker with CentraCare and longtime member of the St. Cloud community.

Community members are invited to "check out," like a library book, a piece of locally made pottery to bring home, prepare and serve a meal, and document the experience through photos, recipes and reflections on the experience.

Local artist, Linda Holliday of Holliday Pottery, created the collection as commissioned art pieces through Sprout's placemaking initiative.

"I'm deeply honored to be a part of this important regional effort," Holliday stated in a news release. "Minnesota has a rich history of making and sharing functional pottery. Like the making and sharing of food, it has no cultural boundaries and can play an important role in building inclusive and caring communities."

Riley Nelsen, owner of Dying to Film, captured video footage and photos of Holliday creating the pottery for the project and will release a video featuring her story on the Sprout Growers and Makers Marketplace Facebook page. In addition to pottery-making, Holliday leads Impact Minnesota, a consulting company dedicated to providing high quality services in order to help nonprofits, for-profits and public organizations make an impact on people and communities. She co-hosted a three-hour grant writing and evaluation workshop for growers, makers and artists with Stacey Stockdill of EnSearch in May at Sprout.

The activities are funded through a grant awarded to the Region Five Development Commission by ArtPlace America's National Creative Placemaking Fund. The ArtPlace funds will offer the Sprout Growers and Makers Marketplace and partners the support needed to host an expansion of economic opportunities, social and cultural experiences, and learning for local growers, artists, makers, producers, chefs and the public. Sprout and partners will also build out the Marketplace's physical space over the next three years using commissioned functional art from local artists, with priority granted to Latino, Somali, Amish, grower, youth and tribal communities. These pieces will be revealed at monthly markets and events. The Reci-Piece Project was named as such after a play on words around pottery pieces and a suggestion from Sprout's Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe partners who expressed that teaching "peace" is both a family and community responsibility.

"We hope this project will serve to create empathy through shared experience in addition to a grand collection of cherished recipes," Arlene Jones, Sprout director, stated. "The results, however, are entirely up to our region in the ways community members influence and are influenced by one another through this work."

As a way of leveraging art, culture, and creativity as a transformational power, placemaking is gaining popularity as a tool for mobilizing community growth and change. Sprout believes local food systems, cultural food traditions and art are pillars of placemaking for our region. Sprout's unique partnership with the Region Five Development Commission will bolster economic development through the placemaking initiatives.

or more information or to participate in these Sprout activities, visit www.SproutMN.com or follow Sprout on Facebook.

Next Crosby Art in Park set

CROSBY-Dariann Leigh and Avery and Duncan will perform 5-8 p.m. June 22 at Crosby Memorial Park, as part of the music series sponsored by the Cuyuna Lakes Chamber.

Sponsored by Mid Minnesota Federal Credit Union, the event will include games for youth and refreshments.

Singing a variety of music, 17-year-old Leigh has been singing since she could talk. She has performed and won first place at the Kick'n Up Kountry karaoke contest, Minnesota State Fair, and much more.

Avery and Duncan are an acoustic duo from the Brainerd lakes area who take popular songs from across the years and give them an acoustic twist. They are Influenced by artists like John Mayer, Amy Winehouse, City and Colour and The Local Natives.

Music in the Park continues the second and fourth Thursday night through August. Those attending are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets and sit back and enjoy live music.

Visit www.cuyunalakes.com for more information.

Registration deadline for green fair in July

LITTLE FALLS-Registration to be a vender in the 2017 Green Fair Folk Festival Aug. 2 at St. Francis Convent in Little Falls will end July 19.

The Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls sponsors the festival, which seen more than 1,000 people last year including 50-plus vendors and various food booths. Green vendors are encouraged to attend. The festival will include music along with environmentally friendly ideas and is free and open to the public.

For more information, or to pre-register by July 19 to become a booth exhibitor can visit www.fslf.org or contact Jeff Odendahl at gfff@fslf.org or 320-632-0649.

1/5: Prints like this can be created in Sonja Larsen's nature printing workshops. She will host the workshops June 17 and 24 at the Jack Pine Center in Pequot Lakes. Submitted

2/5: Jan Lendobeja

3/5: Diane Saumer and Friends will perform at 7 p.m. today, June 8, in the bandstand at Gregory Park in Brainerd. Submitted

4/5: Great River Strings' “Time vs. Eternity” art contest winners Rich Aulie (left), Mary Aulie, Betty Mate, Jeannie Hanson and James Laura. Submitted

5/5: Local artist, Linda Holliday of Holliday Pottery, created the collection as commissioned art pieces through Sprout’s placemaking initiative. Submitted/Dying to Film