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Home , Camden State Park, Carley State Park, Crow Wing State Park, Fort Ridgely State Park, Fort Snelling State Park, Frontenac State Park

STATE PARKS'CENTENNIAL

HELP US CELEBRATE OUR 100TH ANNIVERSARY! Here's your calendar of 1991 centennial events Kate J. Brady

OIN THE CELEBRATION of the 100th newsstand in March 1991. If you birthday of want to know more about events at and the Minnesota state park Itasca State Park, you'll also want a system. The Department of copy of Itasca, available at the park. Natural Resources has planned For more information on a particular Ja year of programs for you to event and to confirm the date and discover new outdoor activities and time, contact the park. Or write or see what Mother Nature has been up visit the DNR Information Center, to in state parks. Special events will 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN bring to life the cultural heritage and 55155-4040. Phone: 612-296-6157. natural history of the parks. Toll-free in Minnesota: 800-652-9747 Here's a taste of the events in store (ask for the DNR). Telecommunica- for you. To find out more, pick up tions device for the deaf (TDD): 612- TJie Centennial Times at any state park 296-5484.

Feb. 22 Candlelight Ski. . Experience romantic cross-country skiing by candlelight (just two miles), sip hot cider, and warm yourself by a fire. Feb: 23 Classic Ski Race. . Challenge your- self on a beautiful trail that stretches for 22 km. March 16-17, Maple Syruping Workshop. Myre-Big Island State Park. 23-24 Learn the art of making maple syrup. Join naturalists as they tap trees and boil sap.

24 THE MINNESOTA VOLUNTEER DAN RUDA April-Sept. The Centennial Troubadour. Statewide. Sing along with centennial troubadour Charlie Maguire as he chronicles the history of Minnesota and its state parks. April-Oct. State Parks interpretive Pro- grams. Statewide. See nature and share history with the parks' interpretive staff. En- joy hundreds of programs scheduled at your state parks. Call individual parks for more information. April-Dec. Wilderness Safari Series. Se- lected state parks. See things Charlie Maguire. that croak, growl, or hiss! Naturalists will show you where the wild things are. Pro- grams are intended for all ages. April 20 Itasca Turns 100. Itasca State Park. Listen to Charlie Maguire sing about Itasca. Meet Jacob Brower, the man who lobbied to establish Itasca. View the Centennial Quilt for the first time. Stamp History on Your Letters. Itasca Post Office. Atten- tion, stamp enthusiasts and historians: Mail your corre- spondence to Itasca Post Office before April 20. Your let- ters will be stamped with a special cancellation stamp. April 20-0ct. The Centennial Quilt. Statewide. See the hand-stitched Centennial Quilt, featuring 65 natural, cultural, and histori- cal images, each one representing a state park. April 20-1994 The Hiking Club. Minnesota state parks. Earn perks— patches, fanny pack, and certificate—for hiking the desig- nated trails in 62 of 65 state parks. Club Fish. State parks with fishing waters. Cast your line, catch fish, and win prizes. Members of Club Fish buy a fishing hat and a one-of-a-kind book on where to fish in Minnesota state parks. Club members win fish pins, certifi- cates, and camping awards for their catches.

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April 26 Ceremonial Centennial Tree Planting. Minnesota state (weather parks. Plant trees with the park staff on Arbor Day. In permitting) southern parks, plant grasses or flowers. Take home seeds for your back yard, while supplies last. May-Oct. Lifetimes and Landscapes Series. Watch musicians, artists, and historians bring the history of Minnesota to life. Pick up schedules at any state park for program details. May 4 Seegwan—Eighth Annual Spring Festival. . Day-long activities, with the theme "The River Today and Tomorrow," include hikes, talks, demonstra- tions, and exhibits. Centennial Tree Planting. Itasca State Park. Help plant trees, and adopt an acre of forest. Bluebell Wildflower Festival. . Celebrate spring and see wildflowers on guided nature hikes. Children can paint Mother's Day cards. May 4,11,18,25 Children's Specials. . Listen to stories and see plays and animal demonstrations. May 4-Oct. 20 11-Km Volksmarches. . Hike a Sat. and Sun. challenging trail up to the bluffs. Enjoy spectacular views (few mosquitoes). May 25-Sept. 2 10-Km Volksmarches. . Hike along the lake, through open prairie and woods. June 1-Aug. 31 Crafters' Series. Itasca State Park. Come see a Sat., 1-4 p.m. demonstration or a display of a special craft, including basketry, whittling, American Indian beadwork, quilting, needlework, restoration of historical photographs, flower pressing, and more. June-Aug. Memories of the Tallgrass Prairie Series. First and third Buffalo River State Park. Join a naturalist on six Wed., 7 p.m., different hikes and discover the natural history of and Sun., 4 p.m. the Midwest's most endangered ecosystem, the prairie. Earn awards for hiking. June-Aug. Prairie Spirits. Buffalo'River State Park. Enjoy naturalist Joe Gartner's dramatic presentations, including: June 1 Native American Prairie Stories.

Kate J. Brady is centennial coordinator, DNR Division of Parks and Recreation, St. Paul.

26 THE MINNESOTA VOLUNTEER June 15 Alexander Henry, Northwest Fur Trading Co. June 29 Professor Emeritus Smarticus, prairie naturalist. July 6 Pierre LaFromboise, Red River Oxcart Co. July 20 Frank Jacobs, prairie pioneer. Aug. 3 Capt. L.H. Tenney, land agent. Aug. 17 Warren Upham, Glacial geologist. Aug. 31 Joey Prairieseed, promoter of prairie restoration. June 2 The Cake's on Us! Minnesota state parks. Come early for cake (while it lasts) and celebrate the 100th birthday of Minnesota's state parks. Park entrance is free today. We've Got a New Home. Beaver Creek Valley State Park. Celebrate the grand opening of the remodeled interpretive center. Tree plantings scheduled. Days and Fur Trade Encampment. . Step back in time and watch fur traders practice their trade and crafts from the 1800s. Canoe 10 miles from Brainerd to Crow Wing. Bring or rent a canoe. Old Wildwood Days. . Enjoy an old-fashioned ice-cream social, plays, music, and a children's fishing contest. Arts in the Parks, Fun Run. . Come see artists show and sell their wares. Win prizes for the two-mile fun run. Second Annual Archaeology Day. Mille Lacs Kathio State Park. Join archaeologists on a tour of Petaga Point. Enjoy demonstrations of pre- historic tools and technologies. White Fox 10-Km Volksmarch. Myre-Big Is- land State Park. Hike a scenic historical trail where Col. Albert Lea once saw a white fox. Time Capsule. Father Hennepin State Park. See treasures from the present, selected by park visitors and staff, buried in a time capsule. They'll be dug up in the year 2041. Ozawindib Walk/Run. Itasca State Park. Ozawindib led Schoolcraft to the source of the Mississippi. Join a five-km or 10-km walk/run on scenic trails. Proceeds from regis- tration fees go to the local American Heart Association.

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June 2-Sept. 1 Music in the Park Series. Itasca State Park. Bring a picnic Sun. afternoons supper or reserve an old-fashioned picnic basket special (except June 23) from Douglas Lodge. June 7-9 Volksmarches. Gooseberry Falls, Tettegouche, and Split

Rock Lighthous^ e state ^parks . Hike the woods along theni N DI ii North Shore. June 8 Beach Party. . Try sandcastle build- ing, medallion hunting, and limbo and Hula-Hoop con- tests for all ages. Music and food. June 8-23 Itasca State Park Centennial Wagon Train Ride. Wave to 25 covered wagons and 200 horseback riders as they leave the state Capitol on June 8 for a 16-day wagon train ride to Itasca State Park. Parades and evening Flandrau State Park beach party. campfire programs are scheduled for the public along the route. Watch the wagon train roll through Itasca on the 23rd and enjoy a chuck wagon dinner at 5 p.m. June 9 Commemorative Log Drive. Itasca State Park. Watch a ceremonial log drive on Lake Itasca to commemorate the lumberjack era. Free coffee too. June 14-Sept. 2 Pioneer Living History—Wegmann's Store. Itasca State Park. Come see a replica of the store and learn about the early pioneer settlement. June 15 Upper Festival and Centennial. . Watch films and demonstrations, listen to music, and play games. Cosponsored by the Bemidji Mississippi River Revival. June 15-16 Big Woods Storytelling Festival. Nerstrand Big Woods State Park. Enjoy a day filled with tall tales told by Minne- sota storytellers. A Window Into the Past. . Come to a

28 THE MINNESOTA VOLUNTEER creamery picnic, an early-1900s tradition. Enjoy ice cream, flour grinding, quilting, historic displays, fiddle and blue- grass music, and horse-drawn rides. June 21-23 Centennial CCC Reunion. . Step back to Civilian Conservation Corps days with park tours, historical programs, reunions, and meals. Held in conjunction with the Fort Ridgely Rendezvous. June 22-23 Fort Ridgely Historical Festival and Rendezvous. Fort Ridgely State Park. Music, dancing, military demonstra- tions, 1840s fur trade rendezvous, folk art, and food. June 23 Rocky Point Regatta Sailing Race. Lake Bemidji State Park. Compete with recreational sailors in three race classes. Cosponsored by the Bemidji Sailing Association. June 29 An 1890s Day. Split Rock Creek State Park. Experience life before the turn of the century. Play games, win prizes, and chow down at an old-time chuck wagon dinner. June 29-30 A Glance Back—An Old-Time Community Get-Together. Lake Bronson State Park. Something for everyone: children's fishing contest, classic car show, boat parade, ice-cream social, and evening barbecue. July 6-7 Centennial Volksmarch. . Join hik- ers on a 10-km walk along the scenic bot- toms, through native prairie and woods. July 13 Time Capsule. Itasca State Park. Watch what relics will be buried until 2091 for the parks' bicentennial. July 13-14 10-Km Volksmarch. Soudan Underground Mine State Park. Two km of this walk is underground. July 20 Miners'Day. Hill An- nex Mine State Park. Celebrate the history of mining on the Iron Range. Join a parade. Enjoy music and dancing, food booths, horseshoes, and a hayride. Guided tours of the mine. Tired tourist.

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July 21 Amateur Radio Day. Itasca State Park. Several ham op- erators will broadcast to the world for 36 hours, telling people about Itasca State Park and the centennial. July 27-28 Historic Fur Trade Rendezvous. FortSnell- ing State Park. Experience the sights, sounds, and charac- ters of an 1820s fur trade rendezvous, featuring a voya- geurs' camp, costumed traders, artisans, and music. Aug. 3 Snow Snakes in August? Itasca State Park. See this American Indian tradition in which children decorate and throw wooden spears. Aug. 3-4 Seventh Annual international Woodcarvers Festival. Lake Bronson State Park. Woodcarvers from around the world show and sell their art. Woodcarving judging. Listen to fiddle music. Aug. 4 Hayes Days. . Enjoy naturalist pro- grams and an ice-cream social. Aug. 9—10 Quarry Days. . Come for parades, exhibits, contests, dancing, and food. Aug. 10 Volksport Bicycle Ride. . Bike 25 km on Singing Hills Trail. Minnesota Prairie Days. . Cel- ebrate with naturalist-guided hikes, living histo- ries, and much more. Minnesota Prairie Days. Afton State Park. Enjoy guided hikes, historical entertainment, and refreshments. Minnesota Prairie Days. O.L. Kipp State Park. Enjoy hikes and see the rare goat prairies of the southeast. Aug. 15-18, Summer Theater. Fort Ridgely State Park See the 22-25,29-Sept. 1 Tightrope Theatre Company of New York perform "Charlotte's Web" and "The Diviners." Aug. 16-18 Lake Itasca Pioneer Farmers Reunion and Show. Itasca State Park. Learn how pioneers farmed. Watch old farm machinery in operation. Enjoy gospel and country music. Shetek Revisited. State Park. Participate in the historical re-enactment of the Dakota Conflict of 1862. Aug. 17 CentenniaFFort Ridgely Golf Tournament. Fort Ridgely State Park. Golf this challenging course. Win prizes. Aug. 18 Camden Wildlife Art Exhibit. . See

30 THE MINNESOTA VOLUNTEER and buy artwork from Minnesota and South Dakota. Aug. 31-Sept. 2 American Indian Movement Powwow. . Powwow with live mu- sic, dancing, speakers, traditional Indian art, and food. Sept. 1-2 Grinding Days. Old Mill State Park. Seethe old grist mill operated by a 1878 steam engine. Buy fresh flour and lis- Powwow, ten to tales of pioneers. Sept. 21 Itasca Fall Festival. Itasca State Park. An old-fashioned day awaits. See an apple cider press and corn-grinding machine in operation. Learn about composting and spin- ning. Crafts will be sold. Sept. 28 Headwaters 100. Itasca State Park. Bike 100 miles of scenic country roads between Park Rapids and Lake Itasca. Pro- ceeds from registration fees go to the American Youth Hostel. Sept. 29-30 Heritage Day Festival. Sibley State Park. Browse at this folk arts festival of local artists. Enjoy music, food, horse- drawn trollies, and nature walks. Oct. 4-6 Myre-Big Island Rendezvous and Festival. Myre-Big Island State Park. Step back in time to the 1840s fur trade era. See a fur trade encampment overlooking scenic Albert Lea Lake. Witness black powder marksmen. Music. Oct. 5 "Dog Gawn" Fun Run. and Willard Munger Trail. Take your dog on a 2 '/2-mile walk/run. Handcrafted awards will be given for the best costumes when dogs come dressed like people, and people like dogs. Proceeds go to the Friends of Animals Humane Society. Oct. 5-6 October Fest. William O'Brien State Park. See fall colors on a 10-km volksmarch, or canoe down the St. Croix River. And join the park staff for bratwurst. •

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