South metro arts & leisure: Arts fair in Shakopee features live painting

Artists' booths, live painting competitions, music, kids' activities and historical tours are back at the Landing in Shakopee this weekend with the second annual Minnesota River Arts Fair.

The event also is expanding to include a literary element with 12 Minnesota authors doing readings.

The fair is 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the park, 2187 E. Hwy. 101. Admission is free.

Artists will be painting throughout the park this week as part of the fair's plein-air painting competition; they have a week to finish their pieces for the contest. There also will be a quick-paint competition at 2 p.m. Saturday, in which more than 35 artists will have 90 minutes to create paintings that will then be judged and awarded prizes.

At the Literary Landing pavilion, mystery author Erin Hart will be the keynote speaker, talking at 2 p.m. each day, and other authors will be reading throughout each day.

The event is a collaborative effort of the Savage Arts Council and the Three Rivers Park District, which operates the Landing (formerly Murphy's Landing).

For more information, including a complete schedule and lineup of authors, see www.mnriverartsfair.org.

The day includes unusual horse races featuring unusual distances and other variables, as well as exotic animals being raced by jockeys.

Animal trainer Joe Hedrick from Nickerson, Kan., will provide four African Grant's zebras for the race. "The zebras can buck a little bit, but they run fast," Hedrick said.

Gates open at noon, with the first horse race at 1:30 p.m. There will be a display area where some of the animals can be viewed before the races.

Admission is free for anyone 17 and under, $5 for 18 and older, and $3 with a Canterbury MVP Card. Canterbury Park is located at 1100 Canterbury Road. For more information, see www.canterbury park.com.