Center Stage

Sweet Adelines perform Saturday

The sweet tones of the Zumbro Valley Chorus of Sweet Adelines will be heard as part of "Harmony Collage," from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Trinity Lutheran Church, 222 Sixth Ave. S.W., Rochester.

Songs to be performed will include "Dancing Queen," "Kokomo" and "Happy Together."  In addition to music, there will be refreshments and a silent auction. Admission is $5.

New members are welcome to attend rehearsals of the Zumbro Valley Chorus of Sweet Adelines from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Tuesdays at Trinity Lutheran Church; call (507) 288-0013.

Movies opening in Rochester this weekend: Marvel's The Avengers

For two years we've waited. It's here! After you see it, come back here and tell me what you thought.

-- Chris Miksanek
-- The Med City Movie Guy

 

 

 

 

Welcome Stag No. 5

Drawing inspiration from one of the world's oldest brewpubs in Prague, Czech Republic, the August Schell Brewing Co. recently released Czech Dark Lager, the fifth beer in the brewery's Stag Series collection of limited-edition, experimental brews.

The New Ulm-based brewery describes the new lager as a "medium-bodied Czech specialty that has a dry, toasted, dark bready malty character and spicy earthiness," with aromas of grain and hints of licorice and dark fruit.

Other beers in the Stag Series include Barrel Aged Schmaltz's Alt, the Burton Ale, Rauchbier and Schell's Stag Series No. 2, a wild rice farmhouse ale.

Established in 1860, Schell's is the oldest brewery in the state, and the second-oldest, family-owned brewery in the United States. It's a German-style brewery that specializes in brewing craft beers.

— Marissa Block, Life section editor and Out & About columnist

Beethoven tickets

Tickets for individual concerts of the 2012 Minnesota Beethoven Festival in Winona go on sale Tuesday. The festival features nine concerts from July 1 to July 22, including performances by Branford Marsalis, the Eroica Trio, the Leipzig String Quartet and the Minnesota Orchestra. Season subscriptions are sold out, but some tickets were held back for individual sales for each concert. Tickets are $25 for adults, $21 for students; call the box office at (507) 457-1715 to reserve tickets.

Spanish rockabilly band Cat Club comes to Rochester Tuesday

Cat Club, a rockabilly trio from Valencia, Spain, is headed back to the North Star Bar to headline a concert Tuesday, May 1.

You may have seen these guys at the North Star last year with Luke n' Bob Texas. Now they're back again to show Rochester how to dance, swing, and Rock out.

Opening the show is Go Amelia featuring their new drummer, The L' Assassins from Minneapolis, Rochester's blues punk band Liquor Beats Winter.

As always there's no cover.

Have a Ball at annual fundraiser

What's better than a night out? A night out to support the fight against cancer.

For a third year, IBI Data Relay for Life team and the Austin Holiday Inn are teaming up for the annual Black & White Ball fundraiser for the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life. Everyone is invited to celebrate in honor or in memory of all who have battled cancer.

As part of the event, attendees will enjoy music, door prizes and a variety of auction items, including sports memorabilia, handmade fire rings, lawn services from Morem AgriLawn in Austin and a gift basket from the Mall of America, packed with tickets to Nickelodeon Universe, Moose Mountain Adventure Golf, Sea Life Minnesota Aquarium and House of Comedy.

New this year will be a Celebration Wall to honor those who have been affected by cancer. Guests are encouraged to bring a photo of anyone who has lost the battle against cancer, who is currently fighting cancer and those who have survived.

The event kicks off with social hour at 7 p.m. Friday at the Austin Holiday Inn, 1701 Fourth St. N.W., followed by dancing at 8 p.m. with Total Music DJ Alan Reed.

Tickets are $15 in advance, available at the Holiday Inn, Austin Hy-Vee, or by calling 437-6258. Tickets are $20 at the door.

All proceeds benefit Mower County Relay for Life.

— Marissa Block, Life section editor and Out & About columnist

Movies opening in Rochester this weekend include "The Pirates! Band of Misfits" and John Cusack as Edgar Allen Poe in "The Raven"

Also "The Five-Year Engagement" and the 17th Annual Rochester International Film Festival (see below). Rochester: what are your movie plans this weekend?

-- Chris Miksanek
-- The Med City Movie Guy

 

The 17th Annual Rochester International Film Festival opens Friday

Details in Thursday's Post-Bulletin and at rifg.org

-- Chris Miksanek
-- The Med City Movie Guy

Laugh out loud, for a cause

Whether you have a joke or two to share, or you'd just like to sit back and let others tell them, laughs are guaranteed to be had at the annual comedy night fundraiser this week at the Rochester Elks Lodge, 1652 U.S. 52 N.

Social hour begins at 5:30 p.m. Friday, followed by dinner and open mic time from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. and the comedy show at 7:15 p.m. The comic lineup includes David Harris, a Minneapolis-based stand-up comedian, magician and winner of two Emmy's for Comedy TV; Kevin Cahak, who's based in Wausau, Wis., and performs at clubs throughout the Midwest; and Rochester's own Kelly Powers.

Canadian Honker is providing a dinner of chicken cordon bleu, au gratin potatoes, lettuce salad and dessert.

Only 100 tickets — available for $20 in advance, $25 at the door — will be sold. Proceeds benefit the Elks Scholarship Fund.

— Marissa Block, Life section editor and Out & About columnist

Fuel Rochester celebrates three years

Looking for more local networking opportunities? You could start with Fuel Rochester's third birthday celebration.

Starting at 5 p.m. today at Wildwood Sports Bar, 1517 16th St. S.W., Rochester, meet and mingle with young professionals from throughout the Rochester area.

An initiative of the Rochester Area Chamber of Commerce, Fuel Rochester held its inaugural event in April 2009. The mission of the group is to "inform, network and connect aspiring community leaders to help make Rochester a better place to live, work and thrive."

"We make sure we offer quality networking events for our members," says Allison Weckman, event coordinator at the Chamber. "We're continually trying to provide new opportunities for people to meet others in the community, and invite people to come check it out and get engaged in the Fuel process."

The event is free and open to the public. The first 100 birthday party attendees receive a free goodie bag and cake while it's available.

— Marissa Block, Life section editor and Out & About columnist