SHAKOPEE

Work off those holiday calories this Saturday in Shakopee.

On Saturday -- a change of date from the city's Park and Rec brochure -- the city's community center is hosting a Fitness Jam, with free 20-minute sessions allowing you to try Pilates, yoga, kick-boxing and more.

You can join in for a moment or two, or spend the entire two hours from 9 to 11 a.m. in various sessions. The event itself lasts till noon, with advice available on personal training and other topics, including reimbursement from health insurers.

Preregistration is required. Register online at www.ci.shakopee.mn.us, clicking the brochure in the left column. You'll need a user name and password; to get them, call 952-233-9500, weekdays during business hours.

BURNSVILLE

From appetizers to entrees, from culinary masterpieces to scrumptious desserts, there will be plenty to sample in the 2009 BITE event, which showcases more than 20 area eating establishments.

It's not only delicious fare that will be offered. More than 200 items, priced from low to high, will be offered in a silent auction. And for big spenders, there will be live auction items including a Twin Cities Pub Crawl, a Marco Island getaway and even a well-equipped, stocked bar, said Travis Martinson, program and event manager for the Burnsville Chamber of Commerce,.

"The BITE has found a lovely new home in the Burnsville Performing Arts Center -- located in the Heart of the City," Martinson said in a news release. "Two-story, floor-to-ceiling windows overlook Nicollet Commons Park and are a gorgeous backdrop to this annual celebration of food and finery."

The event will be from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 19. Tickets are $40, or four for $140. Call the chamber at 952-435-6000 to order. For more information, go online to www.biteofburnsville.com.

DAKOTA COUNTY

Even in the winter, there's a way to work on the garden.

The Dakota County Soil and Water Conservation District will be hosting Blue Thumb workshops in January to teach residents about rain gardens, native plant gardens and gardens that stabilize shore land.

Free introductory workshops will be held in a variety of Dakota County cities on evenings in January. Subsequent courses for participants who want to pursue a garden design for their property cost $25, though program funds may be available to offset costs of participants' gardens. Last year, 332 people participated in the Blue Thumb workshops and 32 new gardens took root as a result.

For workshop dates and registration information, call 651-480-7777 or visit www.dakotacountyswcd.org.

Those who are still confused about upcoming digital television transition may find answers at the Dakota County Farmington Library.

The library at 508 3rd Street in Farmington will host a DTV information session at 7 p.m. on Jan. 12. Representatives from Twin Cities Public Television will give a free presentation about the transition from analog to digital television. Stations across the country will be making the switch in mid-February, meaning some TVs will need converter boxes in order to work.

For more information about the free session, check out www.dakotacounty.us/library.

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