Hastings

Market and art show planned at Leduc Historic Estate

Arts, crafts and plenty of apples will highlight the Leduc-Simmons Country Market and Mississippi-St. Croix Art show at the LeDuc Historic Estate in Hastings on Saturday.

Patriarch William Gates LeDuc was a Civil War general, U.S. Commissioner of Agriculture, farmer and poet; his daughters were artists who helped support the family with the Hastings Needlework Co., and his son was a poet. Saturday's event will celebrate the combination of agriculture and art.

The Friends of LeDuc of Historic Hastings will hold their flea market and bake sale, and visitors can make their own apple cider using fresh apples. Other food demonstrations will include grinding heritage corn into meal and wheat into flour.

Art in a variety of media will be offered for sale by members of the Hastings Prescott Area Arts Council, and many of the artists will be demonstrating crafts such as weaving, spinning, glass fusing and painting.

Organizers also plan children's activities including corn husk doll-making, face painting and storytelling, and there will be a barnyard with calves, goats and rabbits.

The event is 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the estate, 1629 Vermillion St. The house will be open for regularly scheduled tours at 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. For more information, see www.hpaac.org or call 651-321-2090 or 651-208-6665.

SOUTH METRO

Young musicians, take note

Musicians and vocalists in grades 7-12 are being invited to enter the Dakota Valley Symphony's annual young artist concerto/aria competition.

Students must memorize a piece of music from a list of qualifying pieces, bring an accompanist and perform for judges on Jan. 8. The list of qualifying pieces and the application can be found at www.dakotavalleysymphony.org. The deadline to enter is Dec. 27. The winning musician will have the opportunity to play with the symphony at its spring concert in April.

Past winners include Leo Wexler-Mann and Colton Peltier, both now members of the junior class at the Julliard School in New York.

DAKOTA COUNTY

Young writers, too

Dakota County libraries are holding a teen short story contest in October, open to anybody ages 12-18 who lives in or attends school in Dakota County.

Entrants must write a story of 1,000 words or less inspired by a designated photo. Beginning Oct. 1, the contest photo can be found online by visiting www.dakotacounty.us/library and searching "short story." Contest rules and an entry form will also be available online or at any library branch.

Six winners will receive a year's subscription to Teen Ink magazine and a Barnes & Noble gift card. For more information, contact Jennifer at jennifer.verbrugge@co.dakota.mn.us or 651-450-2942.

STAFF REPORTS

Send your south-metro arts news to dylan.belden@startribune.com.