County fairs, summer festivals on tap across state

This is the Explore Minnesota events report from the Minnesota Office of Tourism.

CLINTON will be the site of the Big Stone County Fair today through Sunday with a carnival, 4-H and open-class exhibits, live entertainment, an Enduro race, horse show, demolition derby, bingo, antique machinery and more. For further information, dial 320/325-5963.

The 22nd annual 2002 Blueberry Art Festival will take place at Whiteside Park in ELY Friday through Sunday. This art fair features 225 exhibitors of original art and handcrafted items, as well as ethnic foods and a variety of musical entertainment. There will be a petting zoo, pony rides and a moon walk. To learn more, dial 1-800-777-7281.

FRANKLIN will present Catfish Derby Days Friday through Sunday. Activities will include a fishing contest, a pageant, flea market, street dance, parade, food and beer stands, and chess, horseshoe, softball and volleyball tournaments. To learn more, dial 507/557-2259.

Downtown FRAZEE will be the site of Turkey Days today through Sunday. Highlights will include three blocks of flea market stands, a street dance with Billy Dee and the Crystals, kids' games, a soap box derby, turkey luncheon, a large parade and demolition derby. For more information, dial 1-800-407-2488.

A Water Carnival will be held in HOYT LAKES Friday through Sunday with water-ski shows, open-air dances, turtle races, fireworks, a pancake feed, parade and more. For further information, dial 1-888-450-2617.

The annual Minneapolis Aquatennial will run through Saturday in MINNEAPOLIS. Highlights include a kids' sailing regatta, Shakespeare in the Park, a water ski show, the Festival of Neighborhoods, the Torchlight Parade, Queen of the Lakes Coronation, fireworks, a sailing regatta, milk carton boat races, sand castle competitions, a fishing school and more. For more information, check out www.aquatennial.org.

Corn Capital Days will be held throughout OLIVIA through Sunday. Highlights include a Corn Capital Maze, the World Championship Corn Toss, a corn-lympics, free sweet corn and corn token hunt. To find out more, dial 1-888-265-2676.

The Song Of Hiawatha Pageant will be held at the Hiawatha Pageant Grounds in PIPESTONE Friday through Sunday and Aug. 2-4. Based on Longfellow's poem, this pageant is held in an outdoor amphitheater, with elaborate lighting and costumes. To learn more, dial 1-800-430-4126.

Leprechaun Days will take place throughout ROSEMOUNT through Sunday with a Taste of Rosemount, a carnival, street dance, a grand parade, fireworks displays, bathtub races and various children's activities, including a fishing derby, big wheel races and blarney stone picnic. To learn more, dial 651/322-6000.

A Truman Days Celebration will be offered in TRUMAN Friday and Saturday with a parade, hot air balloons, softball games, an antique tractor pull, pork sandwich feed, live music and dance. To find out more, dial 507/776-3311.

WALNUT GROVE will offer its annual Pioneer Festival on Saturday and Sunday. Held along the banks of Plum Creek, this festival celebrates Laura Ingalls Wilder, with displays, children's activities, creek wading, horse-drawn hayrides, heritage foods, demonstrations, bluegrass, old-time and folk music. For more information, dial 1-888-859-1670.

And, just some of the upcoming concerts and performances in TWIN CITIES vicinity will include: Korn and No Name at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Saturday; Dave Pirner at the Minneapolis Women's Club Theatre, Sunday; Olivia Newton-John at the Historic Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis, Sunday; Melissa Etheridge at The Northrop Auditorium in Minneapolis, Tuesday; Wilco at The Historic Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis, Tuesday.

The Anger Management Tour with Eminem at the Xcel Energy Center at RiverCentre in St. Paul, Aug. 2; They Might Be Giants at First Avenue in Minneapolis, Aug. 3; Cold Play at First Avenue, Aug. 3; Alicia Keys at the State Fair Grandstand in St. Paul, Aug. 23; Boz Scaggs at the Historic Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis, Aug. 24; Vince Gill and Trisha Yearwood at the State Fair Grandstand, Aug. 24; Santana at the Xcel Energy Center at RiverCentre in St. Paul, Aug. 25.

Bonnie Raitt and Lyle Lovett at the State Fair Grandstand, Aug. 27; Billy Ray Cyrus at the State Fair Grandstand, Aug. 28; REO Speedwagon and Styx at the State Fair Grandstand, Aug. 30; Cake at the Roy Wilkins Auditorium in St. Paul, Aug. 31; Poison at the State Fair Grandstand, Aug. 31; Tool at the Xcel Energy Center at RiverCentre, Sept. 4; Michael Bolton at the Historic Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis, Sept. 5; Powerman 5000 at the Xcel Energy Center at RiverCentre, Sept. 8; Cher at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Sept. 15; The Who at the Excel Energy Center at RiverCentre in St. Paul, Sept. 24.

For more information on any of these performances, contact Ticketmaster at 651/989-5151.