Madison, Wis.
Three days of festivities centered around all things equine will draw visitors to the Midwest Horse Fair, one of the largest of its kind in the U.S., Friday-next Sunday at the Alliant Energy Center. Dozens of seminars and demonstrations will be held as well as a Legendary Night featuring entertaining horse acts and a mustang challenge competition. Also breakfast with horseman Dan James, children's pony and carriage rides, a world championship blacksmithing contest, live music, shopping and more. $13-$40 (midwesthorsefair.com).
Rapid City, S.D.
Celebrate the world's mountain adventure culture through films during the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour April 15-16 at the Elks Theatre. The event is part of the 15th annual Dahl Mountain Culture Festival that continues through April 20 at the Dahl Arts Center. The films run from two to about 40 minutes and highlight everything from canoeing the Inside Passage to biking, rock- and ice-climbing, skiing and snowboarding. $15-$20 (thedahl.org/banff.html).
Marietta, Minn.
A weekend of birding is on tap for the 44th annual Salt Lake Birdwatching Weekend April 26-28. On Saturday, visitors can enjoy a continental breakfast at 7 a.m. at the Marietta American Legion and afterward follow guided caravan teams of birders to Salt Lake and other sites in Lac qui Parle, Yellow Medicine and Big Stone counties. Also on Saturday the Sons of Norway will host a banquet at 7:30 p.m. at Madison (Minn.) City Hall ($12), and a bird count will follow. On Friday and Sunday, birders can head out on their own to count species (moumn.org/saltlake).
Colleen A. Coles
