THURSDAY, JULY 25
Shopkeepers in Downtown Park Rapids are bringing the “crazy” back to Crazy Days Thursday and Friday, July 25 and 26 with special events, street performers, live music in Pioneer Park, costume contests, sidewalk sales, 2nd Street Stage and an Arvig Summer Bash.
The fun will begin with a Downtown Dash and 5K Run at 8 a.m. Thursday. Both races will start and finish at 2nd Street and Main Avenue.
The Dash will be about a one-mile walk/run down Main to 8th Street and back. Participants are encouraged to wear crazy costumes with prizes for best costume (kids and adults). 5K Run participants will compete for Fastest Looneys in men’s, women’s and kids’ divisions.
The race registration form is available online at
www.parkrapidsdowntown.com
. Entry fee is $10 in advance, $15 on race day. Pre-register to guarantee a T-shirt. Registration and sign in will be open from 6:45 to 7:30 a.m. prior to the race.
During the day, street performers on Main Street will include balloon art and magic, caricature drawing, Taylor Schroeder (at Moose Creek Village) and Them Schillings (Angie and Ryan Schilling) with story time by the public library.
Entertaining in Pioneer Park will be: 10 a.m. to noon Eddie Kidd, noon to 1 p.m. Jody Ziemann, 1 to 2 p.m. Jake Helfrich and Craig Braunschweig, and 2 to 3 p.m. Just Us (Rick Amsberry, Dean Westby and Gene Blumberg).
The fun will continue with Patchouli performing at 2nd Street Stage from 6 to 8 p.m. Famous for her smiling voice that instantly turns a bad day into a good one, Julie Patchouli’s down-to-earth, hopeful, vibrant songwriting is new American folk music, inspired by worldwide folk styles. Using elements of folk, flamenco, jazz and world beat rhythms, Patchouli’s sound has been described as “Joni Mitchell meets the Acoustic Santana.” In the spirit of a crazy fun day, there’ll be a costume contest.
Arvig will join 2nd Street Stage festivities, too, hosting their Summer Bash customer appreciation event from 4 to 8 p.m. Bring the family, enjoy supper and watch as your kids and grandkids play on the bouncy games for free.
The FQ chapter of PEO will meet at 11:30 a.m. Thursday, July 25 at the home of Liz Smith.
RoJean Cummins will be the co-host. The program will be given by Nancy Neal.
The Crazy Quilters Guild of Park Rapids will meet from 3 to 9 p.m. Thursday, July 25 at the Park Rapids Area Library.
FRIDAY, JULY 26
Professor Marvel will share his Amazing Archaeological Adventures at 10:30 a.m. Friday, July 26 at the Park Rapids Area Library.
This “fantastic” show is sponsored by locally by the Park Rapids Area Library. Admission is free.
Professor Marvel “will have kids laughing, wiggling their fingers, and totally spell-bound. You’ll smile as the kids leave desperate to get their hands on some of the great books he’s promoted during the show.
As always, there is both comedy and audience participation. (Shhhhh … there is even some special fun built in just for the adults.)
SATURDAY, JULY 27
Audrey’s Purple Dream Motorcycle Fund Run will set off from the Akeley Municipal Liquor Store at noon Saturday, July 27.
Registration begins at 10 a.m. at the muni.
Stops will include the Legion in Pine River, Willard’s in Backus, Docksider in Longville, the Stompin’ Grounds north of Akeley and Paul’s Patio.
The entry fee includes a meal. Door prizes will be awarded. Live music begins at 7:30 p.m. There will be free camping behind the patio.
Proceeds benefit Audrey’s Purple Dream, helping financially those battling cancer.
Luther Phelps, a pioneer settler in Osage Township, will receive a Civil War grave marker and official graveside ceremony acknowledging his wartime military service at 1 p.m. Saturday, July 27.
He was laid to rest in 1910 in an unmarked grave at Riverside Cemetery in Osage. The cemetery was established in 1883 and is in its 130th year.
The dedication service will include participation of the Marine Military Honor Guard, Greg Remus, Veterans Services coordinator, and attendance of Denstedt.
The public is invited.
The cemetery is located on Washington Avenue, three blocks north of Highway 34. Bring a lawn chair.
For more information, call 573-3572 or 573-2772.
SUNDAY, JULY 28
A turkey dinner will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, July 28 at Our Lady of the Pines Catholic Church, Nevis.
The menu includes turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, dressing, vegetable, coleslaw, cranberries and assorted flavors of pie.
All are welcome.
MONDAY, JULY 29
The Hubbard County Historical Museum will present “The Minnesota Fur Trade” at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 29 in the lower level of the “new” courthouse, which is handicap accessible.
Refreshments will be served. Call 732-5237 for more info.
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WEDNESDAY, JULY 31
The Jumpin’ Jehosafats, a Dixieland, jazz and gospel group from Minneapolis, will perform Wednesday, July 31 at the Akeley United Methodist Church.
A dinner (with a freewill offering) will be served at 5:30 p.m. followed by the concert at 7 p.m.
The Jumpin’ Jehosafats have been blending traditional jazz and gospel for more than 25 years, raising money for charity and lifting spirits. The men and women of this group play a total of 13 instruments, as well as sing together.
Their venues have included community concerts, prisons, riverboats, churches, state fairs and homeless shelters in the upper Midwest. They have also toured Haiti and Jamaica.
They have been featured artists with the Twin Cities Jazz Society Concert Series and played for numerous local, regional and national events for the United Methodist Church.
July 31, the group will feature Nedra Groggins, noted vocalist, and Rev. Earl Harrison.
This is a fundraiser for the Jericho Ministry Vision Clinic, OC Ministries, which tests eyes and distributes free eyeglasses to those in inner Jamaica.
The clinic has distributed over 10,000 pairs of glasses in the last four years and is preparing for a fifth trip to Brown’s Town, Jamaica.
FRIDAY, AUG. 2
The Leech Lake Arts League, an organization of over 30 local artists from communities in northern Minnesota, will be having their annual show and sale of original fine art from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Aug. 2 and 3 in the commons of the Walker-Hackensack-Akeley High School in Walker.
The Art League was started in 1972 by Olive George and several of her painting friends, to promote the growth of art in the community and to provide a mutual learning environment.
Artwork will consist of original paintings in watercolor, acrylic, oil and pastel, as well as sculpture, fine jewelry, prints and cards.
Admission is free, several painting demonstrations will be conducted daily, and door prizes will be awarded each day of the show.
Over the years, the membership of the Leech Lake Art League has continued to grow; supporting the artistic development of its members, who have ranged in age from 17 to 99.
The group also sponsors workshops, has an annual show and sale, and is raising money this year to provide for the purchase of extra art supplies and resources for the WHA high school art department.
Artists from Walker, Park Rapids, Bemidji, Pine River, Longville, and Nevis, as well as other surrounding communities, meet every Thursday at 9:30am in the basement of the American Legion in Walker, to paint together and learn from each other.
Each year, at the annual show, the Leech Lake Art League showcases one of its artists. This years’ featured artist is Don Beadle.
Beadle creates sketches and paintings for the pleasure, challenge, and sense of accomplishment in creating a landscape or capturing the likeness of native birds, plants and wildlife.
SATURDAY, AUG. 3
The Class of ’54’s annual Logging Camp breakfast will be at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 3.
Call Julienne Malm at 732-7031 or Donna Massie at 732-3488 for more information.
All classmates are welcome.
MONDAY, AUG. 5
Monday, Aug. 5 from 10:30 a.m. to noon, the public is invited to “Arms Around the Armory” at the Armory building in Park Rapids.
Come learn about and be a part of the community collaboration effort to establish the Armory building as the Upper Mississippi Center for the Arts: a home for arts activity, arts education, and cultural events in the Park Rapids Lakes Area.
This event is co-sponsored by Park Rapids Lakes Area Arts Council (PRLAAC) and the Region 2 Arts Council (R2AC).
It is free and open to the public. Coffee and mid-morning snacks will be provided.
The agenda for the morning includes an introduction to PRLAAC and R2AC, a presentation on the Upper Mississippi Center for the Arts, time for Q&A and tours of the Armory.
Armory Square is located on Highway 71 and 2nd Street in Park Rapids.
An RSVP is required; email
staff@r2arts.org
or call 218-751-5447 or 800-275-5447 Thursday, Aug. 1.
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 7
Trinity Lutheran Church of Laporte will serve its annual chicken dinner from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 7.
No reservations are needed. A freewill offering will be received. Proceeds go to local, state and national charities.
