Visit Bluff Country

A guide to Historic Bluff Country

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Green Mountain Pellet Grill Winner

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Photo by Jason Sethre

On September 30, 2024, Carrie Warne, of Rochester, Minn., won a brand new Green Mountain Pellet Grill from a drawing for the Visit Bluff Country MagazineBest of the Best contest.

Marissa Ristau, of Preston, Minn., won a brand new Blackstone 4-Burner Griddle from the same contest on August 31, 2024.

Kelley Hudson, of Brooklyn Park, Minn., won a brand new kayak from the same contest on July 31, 2024.

Maria Stemper, of Caledonia, Minn., won a brand new kayak from the same contest on June 30, 2024.

Katie Semling, of Fountain City, Wis., also won a brand new kayak from the same contest on May 31, 2024.

As Visit Bluff Country Magazine celebrates 39 years as the premier tourism publication of Historic Bluff Country (a.k.a. The Driftless Area), they will be conducting prize giveaways each month from May through September.  Prizes include kayaks, a Grizzly cooler, and a Green Mountain Grill.

The last drawing of the season was held on September 30, 2024.

The Visit Bluff Country Magazine is delivered to more than 1,000 locations in 35 counties in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.  This magazine has a mission of promoting tourism in the Historic Bluff Country (Driftless) region.

For information on upcoming town festival and events in Historic Bluff Country, vacation ideas for lodging, recreation, dining and shopping, check out the magazine in print or online at www.visitbluffcountry.com.

Over the summer months, Visit Bluff Country Magazine will giveaway over $4,000 in gift cards and prizes.

Second kayak winner of the summer

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Photo by Jason Sethre

Jami Schwickerath, of Lime Springs, Iowa, stood next to her brand new kayak she won in a recent contest.

On June 30, 2022, Visit Bluff Country Magazine conducted the second prize giveaway drawing of the summer, which was a brand new kayak. As the magazine celebrates 37 years as the premier tourism publication of Historic Bluff Country (a.k.a. The Driftless Area), they will be conducting prize giveaways each month from May through September. Prizes include kayaks, a Grizzly cooler, and a Green Mountain Grill.

Audrey Staggemeyer, of Caledonia, Minn., won a brand new kayak from May 31, 2022, drawing conducted by Visit Bluff Country Magazine.

The next drawing for a brand new kayak will be July 31, 2022. Please to go www.visitbluffcountry.com/thebest to enter this drawing.

The Visit Bluff Country Magazine is delivered to more than 1,000 locations in 35 counties in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.  This magazine has a mission of promoting tourism in the Historic Bluff Country (Driftless) region.

For information on upcoming town festival and events in Historic Bluff Country, vacation ideas for lodging, recreation, dining and shopping, check out the magazine in print or online at www.visitbluffcountry.com.

Over the summer months, Visit Bluff Country Magazine will giveaway over $4,000 in gift cards and prizes with four different contests.

The Visit Bluff Country Magazine Golf Tour kicks off next week, and $25 gift cards will be given away with a contest on the Visit Bluff Country Facebook Page.

The Brewery, Distillery & Winery Contest runs on the Visit Bluff Country Magazine Facebook page.  This contest will include a weekly $25 gift card giveaway for 13 consecutive weeks.

Visit Bluff Country Magazine will also giveaway $100 in gift cards with the Choose Your Adventure Contest, accessible at www.visitbluffcountry.com/adventure.

Free Day for Local Minnesotans at the International Owl Center

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Residents of Winona, Fillmore, and Houston Counties, including college students, are specially invited to visit the International Owl Center for FREE on January 18 and 19. The Owl Center is located in Houston, Minnesota, just 30 minutes south of Winona.

Four live ambassador owls work at the Center: Ruby the Great Horned Owl, Uhu the Eurasian Eagle Owl, Piper the American Barn Owl and JR the Eastern Screech-Owl. You’ll also find touchable wings and tails, nine species of extremely lifelike mounted owls, owl art from children around the world, skulls, eggs, cultural items from around the world, and more. The gift shop is stocked with a wide variety of local, fair trade, and other owl items. Highly trained staff present programs each day at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

The Houston community has gotten on the owl bandwagon too. You’ll find 12 public owl sculptures located around town and Barista’s Coffee House is completely decorated with owls.

The Center is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Regular admission is $7 for adults, $5 for students ages 4-17, and children 3 and under and members are free. More information is available at www.internationalowlcenter.org or by contacting the Center at 507-896-OWLS (6957) or karla@internationalowlcenter.org.

Visit Bluff Country Magazine seeks photos

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Have you taken photos that represent the unspoiled beauty of Historic Bluff Country (a.k.a. The Driftless Region)?

The design team at Visit Bluff Country Magazine is asking the public for photos to appear on the cover of the 2020-2021 Visit Bluff Country Magazine.

For the 2019-2020 Visit Bluff Country Magazine, the following photographers were recognized for their photos contributions: Rich Aske, Madelyn Bergey, Jana Boyum, Tina Burmeister, Taylor Bushman, KJ Corson, Rylie Gatzke, Gary Gibson, Menno Hershberger, Jim Hoffman, Darla Kelchen, Mia Kelsey, Jennifer Lancaster, Felicity Lewandowski, Joni Mehus, Melissa Meyer, Adrianna Meiergerd, Addie Peters, and Taryn Raaen.

All photo contributors received a $25 gift certificate photo used from businesses that participate in the magazine.  Visit Bluff Country Magazine will again offer a $25 gift certificate per photo used for the 2020-2021 Visit Bluff Country Magazine.

If you are interested in having your photos published on the cover of 50,000 magazines that will be delivered to more than 1,000 locations in 35 counties in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, please submit your photos here or e-mail your photos to info@vistibluffcountry.com by no later than January 31, 2020.

Along with each photo, please indicate when and where the photo was taken.

Visit Bluff Country Magazine, the premier tourism magazine of the region, is affiliated with the Fillmore County Journal newspaper, and both publications are celebrating 35 years in 2020.

Field of Dreams Paint Out Night

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Date: October 9, 2019

Location: Field of Dreams Movie Site

Time: 6:00pm – 8:00pm

Sixty plein air (in open air) artists from 14 states will paint Dubuque scenes Sunday, Oct. 6 – Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019, and THEY’RE COMING TO PAINT THE FIELD OF DREAMS Wednesday evening, October 9 from 6pm-8pm!

Come to the Field for this FREE event and watch true artists at work at our corner of fantasy and reality while enjoying live music and food from a local vendor. Don’t forget to bring your glove and ball for a game of catch under the lights. And who knows, you may see some Ghosts make their way out of the corn!

First Responders Game at the Field of Dreams Movie Site

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Date: October 5, 2019

Location: Field of Dreams Movie Site

Time: 12:00pm – 2:30pm

The Field of Dreams Movie Site is pleased to announce we are holding a First Responders Game at the Field of Dreams Movie Site Saturday, October 5 at noon between the Chicago Police Department and the New York Police Department. Join the Field of Dreams for this FREE GAME and enjoy food from Manchester BBQ restaurant, Rockin 5k BBQ & Shack! Part of the proceeds go toward the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation and the New York Police Widows and Children’s Foundation.