Visit Bluff Country

A guide to Historic Bluff Country

Visit Bluff Country

Winter blues, be gone!

by

By Charlene Corson Selbee

Start your day with a freshly baked cookie and a cup of coffee at Cabin Fever Fest.
Photo by Charlene Corson Selbee

Chase away those winter blues in Lanesboro, March 10-12, at the town’s annual Cabin Fever Fest. Three days of memory making fun – solving a mystery puzzle, consuming delicious food, enjoying craft beverages, and listening to live music.

Where to start? First, book a room in the Bed and Breakfast Capital of Minnesota. Second, purchase your tickets to guaranteed-to sell out events.

If you like mysteries, you are certain to enjoy the interactive puzzle room style mysteries at the Scandinavian Inn. Plan on spending about 90 minutes solving a well-designed puzzle.

Check out a theatrical performance “A Murder Has Been Renounced” at the St. Mane Theatre. Take in “The Pillowman” at the Commonweal Theatre.

Need a breath of fresh air? Schedule a guided fishing trip with the Root River Rod Company. Catch and release winter fishing trips are available Thursday through Sunday.

Lanesboro comes alive! Listen to the acoustic sounds of Fukawe AC at Sylvan Brewing on Friday night. On Saturday evening, Ben Scruggs, a Mankato-based musician will perform at the High Court Pub.

Lanesboro is the art hub of southeast Minnesota, so make sure to include a visit to the Lanesboro Arts Gallery for the 2023 Emerging Artist Exhibition. Visitors will also find eight local artists demonstrating and selling their work on Saturday.

Did I mention food? Check out the St. Patty’s Day dinner prepared by guest chef Paul O’Little at Root River 102 or enjoy a traditional midwestern fish fry at the American Legion.

Settle in and enjoy a card game or a board game at the Burmeister game-a-thon at the Sons of Norway Lodge. Attendees are welcome to bring their own board game.

End your evening sitting around a firepit reminiscing while enjoying a hot beverage or snacks at High Court Pub, Root River Inn & Suites, Sylvan Brewing, or Stone Mill Hotel & Suites.

Upcoming Bluff County events

•MN Trout Fishing Opener, April 12-13, statewide

•Lipmasters Fishing Tournament, April 22, Rushford

•Bluff Country Studio Art Tour, April 28-30, Bluff Country area

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.

It was a dark and stormy night

by

It was a a dark and stormy night. Mason Keel and Taylor Fishwild, as Nick and Darla Dashell listen in to a conversation among society ladies Miss Mendacio (Bonnie Hulsing), Miss Heinspiele (Pam Butler), and Mrs. Ludos (Sandy Webb) as the stoic maid, Diedre (Val Tindall), looks on. Doruk Evcim, playing Captain Trucage, was unavailable for the photo.
Photo submitted

A Victorian vampire and a zombie nurse. Mix them together with a shifty eyed captain, a sarcastic maid named Diedre, and three society ladies who all like to play games and you have a perfect combination for a comedy murder mystery. It’s a dark and stormy night. Stranded travelers arrive at a spooky house looking for a phone after their car breaks down. Yes, many cliches, but the game is afoot. Watch out for surprises.

Join Lanesboro Community Theater for “A Murder has been Renounced.” Performances are March 3,4,10, and 11 at 7 p.m. Sunday matinees are March 5 and 12 at 2 p.m. at the St. Mane Theater in Lanesboro.

New faces, Doruk Evcim and Taylor Fishwild, join some of the LCT regulars onstage. Delia Bell and Kieran Dixon join the LCT regulars back stage, without whom none of this comedic mayhem could happen.

Kari Berg is back for a second year directing for LCT’s winter production. She has just as much fun as the family of actors on stage rehearsing their lines and figuring out how to tell this story that “turns a cliche on its head,” as playwright Lee Mueller states.

Tickets are $15 (plus 3% if paid by credit card), available at the Parkway Market in Lanesboro and online at www.universe.com. Also some tickets will be available at the door.

Let’s welcome spring with laughter.

It’s a hoot!

by

By Charlene Corson Selbee

Prepare to have a hoot at the International Festival of Owls, March 3-5.

Second place winner, Yoonjeong (Gina) Yang (age 18) USA in the 2023 International Kids’ Owl Art Contest will be on exhibit during the International Owl Festival.
Photo submitted by the International Owl Center
The event originally started at a “hatch-day” party for Alice the Great Horned Owl in 2003. The celebration has grown from 300 attendees to over 2,000 visitors from all over the United States, Canada, Jamaica, England, Finland, Italy, Netherlands, Germany, Norway, Nepal, Taiwan, Japan, Kenya, and South Africa.

“Expect to be immersed in owls,” explained Karla Bloem, International Owl Center executive director.

The entire town of Houston, Minn., is actively involved in the celebration. The Cross of Christ Lutheran Church will once again host the favorite owl-face pancake breakfast. Barista’s Coffee House specialty is owl-themed drinks, and SubZero Pizza & Ice Cream will feature owl shaped pizzas on Friday night.

Looking for owl-themed gifts? Visit the vendor show at Houston High School, 306 W. Elm, and the International Owl Center’s Gift Shop, located in the Owl Center, 126 E. Cedar, for a wide selection of owl-themed gifts.
Check out the self-guided Parade of Owls art tour. eleven public owl sculptures are located throughout the town. Watch for the street banners featuring kids’ owl art from around the world. Note that three of the banners feature artwork from Ukraine. Over 2,007 entries from 34 countries and 20 U.S. states were submitted this year.

First place winner, Alexander Xu (age 16) USA in the 2023 International Kids’ Owl Art Contest out of about 2,007 entries from 34 countries and 20 US states.
Photo submitted by the International Owl Center
Roar Solheim from Norway is the 2023 World Owl Hall of Fame keynote speaker on Saturday night. The presentation will focus on Solheim’s encounters with owls and owl people in North America. Owl-themed refreshments will be provided by the town’s Forget-Me-Not Garden club.

Other activities include live owl programs, owl crafts, medallion hunt, kids’ owl art contest, kids’ owl calling contest, birding and natural history bus trip, owl nest box building, owl pellet dissection, and owl prowls.
Some events require registration. The schedule and registration information are available online at festivalofowls.com.

Bloem emphasized, “Sunday programs are much less crowded than Saturday.”

The three-day celebration is the center’s largest event of the year and is a fundraiser for the center.

Upcoming Bluff County events:
• March 2-5, Oneota Film Festival, Decorah

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 festivals and events in Historic Bluff Country, vacation ideas for lodging, recreation, dining, and shopping.

Green Mountain Grill winner claims prize

by

Photo by Jason Sethre
Wendy Pfremmer, of Preston, Minn., stood by her brand new ($900) Green Mountain Grill Ledge Prime she won in a recent contest.

On September 30, 2022, Visit Bluff Country Magazine conducted the fifth Best of the Best prize giveaway drawing of the tourism season, which was a brand new Green Mountain Grill. As the magazine celebrates 37 years as the premier tourism publication of Historic Bluff Country (a.k.a. The Driftless Area), they have conducted prize giveaways each month from April through October. Prizes have included kayaks, a Grizzly cooler, and a Green Mountain Grill.

Jackie Steberg, of Zumbrota, Minn., won a brand new Grizzly Cooler 40 from the August 31, 2022 drawing.

Alyssa Ritter, of Decorah, Iowa, won a brand new kayak from the July 31, 2022 drawing.

Jami Schwickerath, of Lime Springs, Iowa, won a brand new kayak from the June 30, 2022 drawing.

Audrey Staggemeyer, of Caledonia, Minn., won a brand new kayak from the May 31, 2022 drawing.

Thanks to all of the participants of this annual contest.  The results of the Best of the Best Contest will be published in the 2023-2024 Visit Bluff Country Magazine, which will debut in April of 2023.

The Visit Bluff Country Magazine publishes 50,000 copies that are 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 gave away over $3,500 in gift cards and prizes with four different contests to help promote tourism Bluff Country.

The Visit Bluff Country Magazine Golf Tour Guide offered an opportunity for participants to win $25 gift cards a contest on the Visit Bluff Country Facebook Page.

Golf Tour Guide gift card winners:

  • Michael Clobes of Lewiston, MN… Chosen Valley Golf Course
  • Randy Swestka of Cresco, IA… Old Barn Resort & Rivers Bend Golf Course
  • Heather Marg of Houston, MN… Preston Golf Course
  • Amber Uhlenhake of Stewartville, MN… Harmony Golf Course

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

Brewery, Distillery & Winery gift card winners:

  • Ashley Ann Bucheit of Decorah, IA… RockFilter Distillery
  • David Hackman of Onalaska, WI… Trout City Brewing
  • Allison Holen of Ostego, MN… Sylvan Brewing
  • Cathy Severson of Grand Meadow, MN… Sugar Creek Vineyard & Meadery
  • Sandra Leonard of Lake City, MN… Reads Landing Brewing Co.
  • Erin Swenson of St. Charles, MN… Karst Brewery
  • Morgan Henry of Owatonna, MN… Four Daughters Winery & Vineyard
  • Amy Trygstad Flickinger of Kasson, MN… Harmony Spirits
  • Annette Evenson of Harmony, MN… Eagles Landing Winery
  • Andy Wojciechowski of Winona, MN… Empty Nest Winery
  • Tara Wieczorek of Winona, MN… Winneshiek Wildberry Winery
  • Ashley Hansen of Plainview, MN… Hoppy Girl Brewing
  • Annette Mueller of Rochester, MN… Frisky Fox Vineyard

Visit Bluff Country Magazine also gave away $100 in gift cards every week for 10 weeks with the Choose Your Adventure Contest, for a total of $1,000 in gift cards given away as prizes.

Choose Your Adventure gift card winners:

  • Jenny St. Mary of Spring Grove, MN… $100 at Rushford/Peterson businesses
  • Diane Marzolf of Preston, MN… $100 at Prairie du Chien/Marquette/McGregor businesses
  • Renee Majerus of St. Charles, MN… $100 at Preston businesses
  • Marie Christopherson in Spring Valley, MN… $100 at Harmony businesses
  • Janice M. Murphy of Austin, MN… $100 at Spring Valley businesses
  • Anastasia Rocksvold of Decorah, IA… $100 at Chatfield businesses
  • Dale Baker of Rochester, MN… $100 at Caledonia businesses
  • Rhonda Fitzgerald of Amery, WI… $100 at Lanesboro businesses
  • Shianne Bellinger of Denver, IA… $100 at Decorah businesses
  • Jen Oberle of Byron, MN… $100 at Waukon businesses

The team at Visit Bluff Country Magazine has plans for even more prize giveaways in 2023.

Grizzly Cooler 40 winner claims prize

by

Jackie Steberg, of Zumbrota, Minn., held her brand new Grizzly Cooler 40 she won in a recent contest.

On August 31, 2022, Visit Bluff Country Magazine conducted the fourth Best of the Best prize giveaway drawing of the summer, which was another brand new Grizzly Cooler 40. As the magazine celebrates 37 years as the premier tourism publication of Historic Bluff Country (a.k.a. The Driftless Area), they have conducted prize giveaways each month from April through October. Prizes include kayaks, a Grizzly cooler, and a Green Mountain Grill.

Alyssa Ritter, of Decorah, Iowa, won a brand new kayak from the July 31, 2022 drawing.

Jami Schwickerath, of Lime Springs, Iowa, won a brand new kayak from the June 30, 2022 drawing.

Audrey Staggemeyer, of Caledonia, Minn., won a brand new kayak from the May 31, 2022 drawing.

Thanks to all of the participants of this annual contest.  The results of the Best of the Best Contest will be published in the 2023-2024 Visit Bluff Country Magazine, which will debut in April of 2023.

The Visit Bluff Country Magazine publishes 50,000 copies that are 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 gave away over $3,500 in gift cards and prizes with four different contests to help promote tourism Bluff Country.

The Visit Bluff Country Magazine Golf Tour Guide offered an opportunity for participants to win $25 gift cards a contest on the Visit Bluff Country Facebook Page.

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

Visit Bluff Country Magazine also gave away $100 in gift cards every week for 10 weeks with the Choose Your Adventure Contest, for a total of $1,000 in gift cards given away as prizes.

Photo by Jason Sethre

Third kayak winner of the summer

by

Photo by Jason Sethre

Alyssa Ritter, of Decorah, Iowa, stood next to her brand new kayak she won in a recent contest.

On July 31, 2022, Visit Bluff Country Magazine conducted the second Best of the Best prize giveaway drawing of the summer, which was another 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 April through October. Prizes include kayaks, a Grizzly cooler, and a Green Mountain Grill.

Jami Schwickerath, of Lime Springs, Iowa, won a brand new kayak from the June 30, 2022 drawing.

Audrey Staggemeyer, of Caledonia, Minn., won a brand new kayak from the May 31, 2022 drawing.

The next drawing for a brand new Grizzly 40 Cooler will be August 31, 2022. Please to go www.visitbluffcountry.com/thebest to enter this drawing.

The Visit Bluff Country Magazine publishes 50,000 copies that are 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 $3,300 in gift cards and prizes with four different contests to help promote tourism in Bluff Country.

The Visit Bluff Country Magazine Golf Tour has been in full swing, and $25 gift cards have been 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 includes 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.