Visit Bluff Country

A guide to Historic Bluff Country

Visit Bluff Country

Free Day for Local Minnesotans at the International Owl Center

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Free Day for Local Minnesotans at the International Owl Center
January 10-11, 2026
Houston, Minnesota

Residents of Winona, Fillmore, and Houston Counties, including college students, are specially invited to visit the International Owl Center for FREE on January 10 and 11. The Owl Center is located in Houston, Minnesota, just 30 minutes south of Winona, and is the only all-owl education center in the United States.

Five live ambassador owls currently work at the Center (Great Horned Owl, American Barn Owl, Eastern Screech-Owl, Barred Owls and Burrowing Owl. You’ll also find touchable wings and tails, 19 species of extremely lifelike mounted owls, owl art from children around the world, skulls, eggs, life-size wingspans, cultural items from around the world, and more. Highly trained staff present one-hour programs each day at 11 AM and 2 PM.

Houston itself also features a Parade of Owls art tour with 12 public owl sculptures, and Barista’s Coffee House is completely decorated with owls.

The Owl Center is open 10 AM to 4 PM Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays. Regular admission is $9 for adults, $8 for seniors/veterans/military, $6 for 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 info@internationalowlcenter.org.

2025 Green Mountain Grill Winner!

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On September 30, 2025, Katie Brown, of Millville, Minn., won a brand new Green Mountain Grill Ledge Prime+ Pellet Grill from a drawing for the Visit Bluff Country Magazine Best of the Best contest.

Paul Wagner, of Waukon, Iowa, won a brand new Blackstone 4-burner Griddle in August.

Nancy Brown, of Trempealeau, Wis., won a brand new kayak in July.

Shannon Knoepke, of Rochester, Minn., won a brand new kayak in June.

Tina Darr, of Rushford, Minn., won a brand new kayak in May.

As Visit Bluff Country Magazine celebrates 40 years as the premier tourism publication promoting Historic Bluff Country (a.k.a. The Driftless Area), they conducted prize giveaways each month from May through September. Prizes included kayaks, a Blackstone 4-burner griddle, and a Green Mountain Grill.

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 an ongoing mission of promoting tourism for 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 on this website.

Between April and October each year, Visit Bluff Country Magazine gives away more than $4,000 in gift cards and prizes.

Photo by Jason Sethre

Play Ball: Wykoff Fall Festival Hits It Out of the Park!

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In vintage baseball, players do not use gloves, only one ball is used for the entire game, and the bat is a round wooden stick with a maximum diameter of 2.5 inches.
Photo submitted

By Charlene Corson Selbee

The Wykoff Fall Festival is stepping up to the plate this September 25-28, bringing a weekend of crowd-pleasing events, and all-ages of fun that’s sure to be a grand slam for the whole community.

Festival organizers proudly boast that, “This year is bigger than ever!”

This year’s annual classic is shaping up to be the biggest inning yet, as Wykoff celebrates the 150th anniversary of St. Johns Lutheran School – meaning more activities, more excitement, and more reasons to join the fun than ever before.

As the baseball season winds down across southeast Minnesota, fans will get a chance to watch a vintage baseball game as it was played the old-school way, just like it was in the 1860’s. On Friday, September 26, the Rochester Roosters take on the Eagles at St. Johns Lutheran School, and this is no ordinary matchup. It’s a game filled with classic rules of sportsmanship (watch your language, or you’ll face a fine from the umpire!), and plenty of laughs. Stick around for a fireworks finale at 7:30 p.m., guaranteed to be a grand slam!

The festival gets a head start with a mysterious twist on Thursday, September 25. Step into the Wykoff Commons for the Murder Mystery Dinner, “Fall Fest Foul Play: The Big the Bad and the Deadly.” The social starts at 5 p.m., followed by dinner at 6 p.m. This historic stone building, built by the WPA (Works Progress Administration), is located at 201 W. Bartlett Street. Tickets are advanced sale only through Eventbrite or at Minnwest Bank in Wykoff or Spring Valley.

The Wykoff Fall Festival has a lineup that is sure to please all. Attendees will enjoy the egg drop from a helicopter, a pedal tractor pull, a garden tractor pull, a car show, street dance featuring “Door 49,” bean bag tournament, a puzzle challenge, plus a lot more.

What’s a German-inspired festival without classic German cuisine? The United Methodist Church leads off with a traditional German meal at 11 a.m. on Saturday. On Friday night, St. Johns will be serving up Ruebens and Things, while the Lions Club will dish out bratswursts on Saturday. 

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.  

2025 Blackstone Griddle Winner

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Photo by Jason Sethre

On August 31, 2025, Paul Wagner, of Waukon, Iowa, won a brand new Blackstone 4-burner Griddle from a drawing for the Visit Bluff Country Magazine Best of the Best contest.

Nancy Brown, of Trempealeau, Wis., won a brand new kayak in July.

Shannon Knoepke, of Rochester, Minn., won a brand new kayak in June.

Tina Darr, of Rushford, Minn., won a brand new kayak in May, as well.

As Visit Bluff Country Magazine celebrates 40 years as the premier tourism publication promoting 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 Blackstone 4-burner griddle, and a Green Mountain Grill.

The last drawing of the season will be held on September 30, 2025, for a brand new Green Mountain Grill pellet grill. Please go to www.visitbluffcountry.com/thebest to enter for a chance to win.

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 an ongoing mission of promoting tourism in the Historic Bluff Country (Driftless) region.

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

Third Kayak winner of the 2025 Summer

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On July 31, 2025, Nancy Brown, of Trempealeau, Wis., won a brand new kayak from a drawing for the Visit Bluff Country Magazine Best of the Best contest.

Shannon Knoepke, of Rochester, Minn., won a brand new kayak in June.

Tina Darr, of Rushford, Minn., won a brand new kayak in May, as well.

As Visit Bluff Country Magazine celebrates 40 years as the premier tourism publication promoting 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 Blackstone 4-burner griddle, and a Green Mountain Grill.

The last drawing of the season will be held on September 30, 2025, for a brand new Green Mountain Grill pellet grill. Please go to www.visitbluffcountry.com/thebest to enter for a chance to win.

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 an ongoing mission of promoting tourism in the Historic Bluff Country (Driftless) region.

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

Photo by Jason Sethre