Town briefs: Celebrate winter with music, sleigh rides

The Frozen Apple Winter Concert Series kicks off Saturday, Jan. 17, at the Valleywood Golf Course Clubhouse with a performance by the jazz-funk group New Sound Underground. The event is set for 6 to 9 p.m. and is free, with food and beverages available for purchase onsite.

Future concerts will feature Uncommon Roots on Feb. 7 and Michael Monroe on March 7. Both of those are also scheduled for 6 to 9 p.m. at the Valleywood clubhouse, 4851 McAndrews Road, Apple Valley.

The series is sponsored by the Apple Valley Arts Foundation.

Apple Valley's 38th annual Mid-Winter Fest will be Saturday, Feb. 7, with events scheduled mainly for Hayes Park/Apple Valley Community Center.

Planned activities include a medallion hunt, horse-drawn sleigh rides, an adult snow kickball tournament, volleyball tournament, face painting, bingo, cross country skiing, ice skating and more.

Admission is free. For further information, go to www.cityofapplevalley.org or call 952-953-2300.

Burnsville residents age 62 and over are invited to take part in a snowshoe and nature walk on Thursday at Terrace Oaks West. The event is free and snowshoes will be provided, but registration is due Monday. To register, call 952-895-4575 or e-mail amber.jacobson@ci.burnsville.mn.us.

In conjunction with National Skating Month, the Schmitz-Maki Arena is holding a free open skate from 1:30 to 3 p.m. today. The arena is located at 114 W. Spruce St., Farmington. The phone number is 651-280-6960.

Eagan's Indoor Winter Farmer's Market will be open from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 17, at the Eagan Community Center, 1501 Central Pkwy. The winter market is held every other Saturday from late November until the end of February. Fare includes winter produce, meats, treats and more. For information, call Eagan Parks & Recreation at 651-675-5500.

Mayor Paul Hicks will give his State of the City address from 10:30 to 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 21, in the City Council chambers at City Hall. Hicks will discuss the past year as well as goals and planning for 2015.

The event is open to the public. In addition, it will be broadcast on KDWA-1460AM radio and by Hastings Community Television, Ch. 14.

School will be out on Monday, Jan. 19, in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday, and the Rosemount Community Center will hold a pair of free open gym sessions that day. The first is for students in kindergarten through fifth grade and will run from 12:30 to 2 p.m. A parent or guardian is required to attend.

No registration is required. The community center is located at 13885 S. Robert Trail, Rosemount.

Future open gym sessions are scheduled for Friday, Feb. 13; Monday, Feb, 16; Friday, March 13; Thursday, March 26; Friday, March 27; and Friday, April 24.

A Jan. 20 open house in West St. Paul will feature a presentation on "inflow and infiltration," which involves clear water entering the sewer system from various sources. The event is scheduled for 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the Dakota Lodge at Thompson County Park, 1200 Stassen Lane. The city's consultant will explain in some detail what "I/I" is, how it affects residents and the city, and how to fix the problem. In addition to the presentation, diagrams will be displayed and city staff will be available to answer questions. For further information, contact West St. Paul Civil Engineer Luke Sandstrom at 651-552-4131 or at lsandstrom@wspmn.gov.