La Crosse, Wis., Des Moines & New Ulm, Minn.
Three popular Oktoberfests in the Midwest are expected to draw large crowds. In La Crosse, Wis., residents and visitors will celebrate Oktoberfest Sept. 26-29 with food, a carnival, a Thursday-evening parade and other activities (oktoberfestusa.com). The downtown Des Moines Oktoberfest will offer cultural funSept. 27-28 with German food, live polka music, beer gardens, contests and more (oktoberfestdsm.com). In New Ulm, the annual Oktoberfest will be held Oct. 4-5 and 11-12. Enjoy live polka bands, tours of historic sites including Schell's Brewery and more (newulmoktoberfest.com).
Cook County & Two Harbors, Minn.
Fall colors set against the backdrop of Lake Superior will bring art lovers to galleries and home studios during Cook County's Art Along the Lake Fall Studio Tour Sept. 27-Oct. 6. The tour includes sculptures, mixed media, paintings, drawings, glass, ceramics, weavings and beadwork. Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. For a map of locations go to tinyurl.com/yboxnsdc.
The Cooter Tonder and Friends Art Tour Oct. 4-6 in Two Harbors features over a dozen artists selling pottery, glass, jewelry and fabric work at two home studios. Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. (cooterpottery.com).
black hills, S.D.
Head to the hills for the Buffalo Roundup & Arts Festival (Sept. 26-28) and Volksmarch (Sept. 29). Weekend activities include live entertainment, a pancake feed, a barbecue cook-off and more. On Fri. thousands of visitors will gather at Custer State Park to watch more than 1,200 bison be herded into corrals for branding, testing and sorting from 9:30 a.m. to around noon. (Be advised: Get there early.) Starting at 8 a.m. Sun., visitors can register for the Volksmarch, a 10K walk up to the Crazy Horse Memorial (blackhillsbadlands.com/buffalo-roundup-arts-festival).
Colleen A. Coles
