A weekend for outdoor art in Afton, Stillwater

Art lovers have two opportunities next weekend to check out wares by local, regional and national artists. Billed as the largest art festival in the St. Croix Valley, the Rivertown Art Festival is expected to draw more than 15,000 people to Lowell Park in downtown Stillwater on Saturday and next Sunday.

The biggest change is that this year's event is being managed by the Greater Stillwater Chamber of Commerce, taking over the festival after it had been run by St. Croix Events for 14 years. That organization ran into financial difficulty.

As usual, the festival will feature ceramics, clothing, drawings, fiber, glass, jewelry, leather, painting, paper, photography and wood by 130 artists.

Smaller, but just as charming, is the Afton May Fair. More than 70 artists will display their works from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and next Sunday in the town square and surrounding streets. The 20th annual event also includes live folk and jazz concerts, kids' games and a pie-baking contest.

Artist wins top honors in Wyoming art show Will Ersland's "Buckin' Outa Chute 5" was named best acrylic painting in last month's Western Spirit Art Show at the Cheyenne Frontier Days Old West Museum in Cheyenne, Wyo. The Stillwater artist won $500 for his work, which featured a cowboy participating in a bull-riding competition. More than 100 artists participated in the 31st annual nationally juried art show, which included 26 in the acrylic painting category.

Emmy-winning composer is featured Singers in Accord will give thanks to the Earth and its beauty and sustenance through a program of songs and readings called "Sing With the Earth." Nancy Grundahl will direct the chorus on Sunday as it performs the works of five Minnesota composers who write music to and about the Earth, including Paul Winter's "Missa Gaia," or the Earth Mall. The piece celebrates the Earth as a sacred space.

The free concert starts at 4 p.m. at White Bear Lake Unitarian Universalist Church, 328 Maple St. Emmy-winning composer Steve Heitzeg will lead a pre-concert discussion at 3:30 p.m. in which he will talk about his music and advocacy for the peaceful coexistence of all species through music. For information, call 612-597-5483 or go to www.singersinaccord.org.

DNR firearm safety training for women The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is sponsoring firearm safety training for women on Saturday as part of its Becoming an Outdoors Woman program series. Participants must be 16 or older and complete an online firearm safety course at www.huntercourse.com to participate in Saturday's training, which runs from 12:30 to 6 p.m. at Bald Eagle Gun Club, 6557 N. 125th St.

The field training will include gun safety and hands-on training on using small-bore rifles and shotguns, tree stand safety demonstration, tracking and recovery of game, and a written exam. Cost for the online course is $24.95 and the field day course is $7.50. To register, call 651-674-2705 or e-mail bruce.lawrence@state.mn.us.

TIM HARLOW

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