Best bets

friday-saturday: music

Saints march into town

Minneapolis folk group Painted Saints and Duluth blues man Steve Johnson will take the stage at 9 p.m. Friday at the Eclectic Cafe in downtown Brainerd. At 7 p.m. Saturday, five bands - Menage-a-Bation, Phat Sack, Captain 6 Pack, Some People's Kids and The Mechanical Asparagus Project - will join forces. Admission is $5 on Friday and $10 on Saturday.

friday-saturday: music

Get in the Gruv

Minnesota jam band Absolute Gruv will perform at 9 p.m. Friday and Twin Cities show band Belladiva will perform at 9 p.m. Saturday outdoors at Villella's Bada Bing on Highway 371 North in Brainerd. Admission is free.

saturday: music

Lamont sings the blues

Lamont Cranston and his legendary Minneapolis blues band will perform an outdoor show at 8 p.m. Saturday at Hawk on Bay in Bay Lake.

wednesday: music

A band to Krow about

Kentucky classic rock band ScareKrow returns by popular demand for a show at 9:30 p.m. Wednesday at Prime Time Food and Spirits in Breezy Point. It's the first of four-straight nights of music from the band. Admission is free.

thursday-monday: fair

On the grandstand

The Minnesota State Fair continues through Monday at the fairgrounds in St. Paul. The grandstand schedule is:

B.B. King Blues Festival featuring Al Green and Etta James and her Roots Band, 7 p.m. Thursday, $42.

"A Prairie Home Companion" with Garrison Keillor, 8 p.m. Friday, $22.

MercyMe with Aaron Shust, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, $32.

Amateur Talent Contest finals, 8 p.m. Sunday, free.

Def Leppard with Styx and Foreigner, 6:30 p.m. Monday, $54.