Take me to the much revered river, to take in 80-plus juried artists and such — with 40-plus artists added in an event across the lake and state line — then also go hear and see more as in music, by Lamont and many multiples. With all these different fests going on, and maybe to complete your barrel of fun, you’d do so by heading south to the county line and house some food within your art, packing it with a full, decked out and dressed up “pork barrel” of bacon, too. And you won’t go in hock, whether wanting jars of jelly or jukebox jams or jewelry, or doll clothes or decorations or dining dips, as admittence to all this weekend’s events are free, meaning that with your adherence you can hit more than one celebration in this region, and they are legion.
But for starters, go whole hog at the Spirit of the St. Croix Arts Fest, spanning two late mornings and afternoons, Saturday and Sunday, at Lakefront Park in Hudson.
Besides the artists numbering in the 80s, a baker’s dozen are the number of musical styles featured, by a total of six acts on the bill, including two straight shows to kick it off, the fittingly named Thirsty River and then Sawyer’s Dream with country vibes and more, that include Americana in their mix. There also is even an aerial silks performer, riverside. But despite our Midwesternhood, no polka band. For that you will need …
A Roberts Church, Cross Lutheran, and its sober Oktoberfest celebration, where there is root beer, not beer, and a beerly-there polka band, thus polka padres all, going all Saturday afternoon.
The other big fest of the weekend, Bacon Bash, brings a brash bounty of all such things, eating your food and playing with it too, by the way, to River Falls, boasting a booyah of activities going on all weekend, and well into Sunday, but starting Friday afternoon. There is lots of music also to be played, not as full a number of bands as in the Spirit of St. Croix, but still a bevy of killer names that include the longtime landmark Midwestern group, The Lamont Cranston Band, in a cool Friday evening coup to get the masters of the Minneapolis scene to this rather small town. I remember seeing the band leader pictured on a flyer back when I was a child and living way on the other end of the Badger State, looking cool in his ‘stach and rounded hat. Oh wait, that’s half the band.
Elsewhere, by the lake, only half but still as good. A full 40-plus artists and crafters gather at The Cedar Boutique across the pond in Lakeland, Friday through Sunday, with descending closing times from 7 to 5 to 4 p.m. A friend From The East End, going for a happy medium and having plans to hit it on Saturday, called the locality Afton (ouch) termed it her very favorite fall fest of this type.
But to kick off the weekend, also in River Falls, is a “key” installment of a chorale coffee series at a UW-RF auditorium, focusing on an international women’s day (or week or month and if not it indeed should be) and supplying a piano (not polka) duo as part of their seven-year coup in bringing in international artists. Music acts have included the Boston Brass and one brought in from Barcelona. But get your (free) tickets fast as the two acts open up at noon.