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Good things in store this weekend, both big and small:
— The Big Canadian is heading to, we hope, even bigger and better places. Bartender Kelsey, a stalwart at the Agave Kitchen and prior to that Dick’s Bar and Grill, is the guest of honor at a farewell party in his honor at Agave on Sunday night, Aug. 2. Is this the event of the day, if not the season? As the Agave marquee put it, #Canaduh.
— It’s now way past knee-high, which means it’s ready for the picking, and we’re not talking just fiddle music, although there might be that, too. The annual corn and chicken feed at the Willow River Saloon in Burkhardt is also Sunday, starting earlier and running from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., or whenever they run out, which might be sooner rather than later when it’s this tasty. Proceeds go to the town of St. Joseph Fire Department. As far as that other kind of picking, there is music by Drop Tailgate on Friday evening and Strangers on Saturday evening.
— There are a lot of groups with whiskey in their name, but try this one on. “Whiskey Stone” is not only a band that plays the Smilin’ Moose on Friday night, but also small soapstones that are added to bourbon in place of ice, to keep the spirit chilled without diluting it. As the members say about both, they’re never watered down, which is why Whiskey Stone calls itself the region’s most exciting new country and rock variety band. One thing to get excited about is that there set list includes about 40 different bands, with very little duplication.
— There are about eight different bands from each of Wisconsin and Minnesota during the Border Battle Weekend at the Somerset Amphitheater, on you guessed it, two different stages, as well as many craft brews and of course, camping. The festival goes July 31-Aug. 2, and get tickets as soon as possible via their web site. One band Hudson concert-goers may recogize from playing locally is Sans Souci, even though they hail from the Minnesota side. The fest bills itself as, “This is all out war … if your definition is a hell of a party.”

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