They turn up the heat in events this weekend, whether cooking chili or after selling it at the store.
– He knows his grocery produce and also provides the meat to help produce classic, contemporary and southern rock for the Hudson band Buck Tucker. That’s Dana Glade of County Market management that is on the guitar and vocals. You have seen him in the canned goods aisle, now see him live on stage. The band plays the Willow River Saloon on Saturday evening, Feb. 20.
– Kids love chili too, but this is now a full-fledged adult cooking contest. The event at Emma’s in downtown River Falls is now in its 21st year, and a sticky note alongside the announcement notes with tongue-in-cheek that it is now, finally, fully legal. As of Wednesday, there were 17 entrants, and if that equates to one per calendar year, it’s only one digit off the age of majority at the time the contest started. A bartender boldly predicted — like Namath did in a Super Bowl that was much more entertaining than last week’s — that he’s a lock to win the Saturday, Feb. 20 contest, even though his recipe is fully vegetarian. Patrons can sample the chili and that will tell the tale. Everything gets going at 1 p.m. Fee is $5.
– This is again, not once but twice, the case where a name says it all as far as the type of entertainment you’ll see: At Juniors in downtown River Falls, the River Falls Community Theater will conduct One Acts & Apps the next two Fridays, with 7 and 9 p.m. slots each night, featuring first Mike Munson and then Mike Gunther and Gabe Roy.
– Here is a chance for twice in two days, and at the same times, to show what’s in one of the cases some Badger State hospitality to a brew with connections to both Border Battle states. Barley John’s product will be served at the Village Liquor store in North Hudson on Friday, Feb. 19 from 4-6 p.m. Exactly 24 hours beforehand, at the next door down, Kozy Korner will offer a free wine tasting. Barley John’s has a brewery in New Brighton, but recently moved many operations to New Richmond, which was met with a howl “over there.”