Scenes beyond the river Winona, Minn.

The Frozen River Film Festival opens Thursday and continues through next Sunday at Winona State University. The event features more than 40 films, workshops and panel discussions including the Minnesota premiere of "Dalai Lama Renaissance"; "Conviction," the story of three Dominican nuns; and "The Dakota Conflict," narrated by Garrison Keillor. The festival also features a concert by storyteller and folk guitarist Bill Miller, and explorer Will Steger via live Internet from Antarctica (1-507-459-8090; www.frff.org).

Cavalcade of sports Wausau, Wis.

Winter sports mania will be in full effect this weekend and next during the Badger State Winter Games and Winter Festival in Wausau, Wis. Competitors and spectators can enjoy the spills and thrills of skiing, ski-jumping, hockey, figure-skating, speed-skating, curling and other activities. Indoor activities will include bowling, billiards, soccer, art, badminton, a chocolate-sweets cooking contest and hourly live entertainment (1-608-226-4780; www.badgerstategames.org).

Iowa outdoors Okoboji, Iowa

More winter fun can be had at the Okoboji Winter Games Friday through next Sunday with snow tubing, ice fishing, a medallion hunt, broom ball, 5K/10K race and a Freeze Your Fanny Bike Ride (1-800-270-2574; www.vacationokoboji.com).

Spinning back in time Amana,Iowa

On Saturday Winter Fest in Amana Colonies highlights the region's German and colonial history and features ice-harvesting, log-sawing, hand-spinning and quilting demonstrations, storytelling, winery tours and more (1-800-579-2294, www. festivalsinamana.com).