Today’s blog is written by Michaela Schell, a local writer and business professional.

I love rummage sales. Especially now when turning shabby into chic is super trendy. But, I’m not the best at actually going to rummage sales. It takes a lot of time to drive from place to place all over town to try to find that one item that catches my fancy.

But, Grand Forks has a cure for people like me who love to rummage but don’t have the time or energy to drive from sale to sale. The solution…the Anything Goes Sale at the Alerus Center!

The Anything Goes Sale, Flea Market and Swap Meet is just what its name implies. It is a little of everything all under one giant roof. Over two hundred vendors will fill the Alerus Center arena on Saturday, May 4th selling their no longer wanted treasures. Tables are filled with everything from clothing to jewelry, furniture to knick knacks.

My family and I have gone almost every year and always seem to find something unique and creative. Here are just a few of the cool things we have picked up at the sale…

I stumbled upon an old stained glass window that once hung in Cottonwood Community Church. It was a steal at just $10. I took it home and converted it to a picture frame! It’s a little bit of Grand Forks history and a really cool piece to hang on my wall.

My husband is a musician, and he stumbled upon an old Wurlitzer keyboard in excellent condition. He took it home for just $150, and after a bit of research, found out it was worth more than double what he paid!

And, every year I always come home with some nice, gently used clothes for my kiddo at super low prices.

So in just one stop for just an hour of my time, I can shop 200 rummage sales and find some pretty great items. I highly recommend taking a quick trip to the Anything Goes Sale. You just never know what treausure you will find.

The Anything Goes Garage Sale, Flea Market and Swap Meet is May 4, 2013, at the Alerus Center, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is just $2/person.

Today’s blog is written by Michaela Schell, a local writer and business professional.

A new music venue has come to Downtown Grand Forks! You probably haven’t seen any big outdoor sign marking its location, actually you can’t even see the venue from the street. That’s because it is tucked away in one of Downtown’s already prominent landmarks… The Empire Arts Center.

What used to be a staging area behind the theater has be recreated into a trendy little social area the Empire is calling “The Backstage Project.”  The Empire’s website describes it as a place “designed to utilize creative, urban spaces for live music performances by local and regional artists.” I call it “pretty cool.”

Grand Forks is lucky to have the large scale concert venues such as the Alerus Center and Ralph Engelstad Arena and mid-size venues like the Empire’s and the Chester Fritz Auditorium’s stages for fairly large performances, but we have always been missing that small, intimate space where local artists can perform to an up-close and personal crowd. Until now.

The Backstage Project kicked off its first show of the series on April 5^th with music from local jazz band favorite, Jazz On Tap. Jazz On Tap performed to a group of about 60 people scattered throughout the cozy space on chairs, couches, and standing around the bar.

“I couldn’t be happier with the success of our first Backstage Project concert,” said Emily Burkland, Executive Director of the Empire Arts Center. “The concert-goers loved the relaxed, intimate feel of the space. It felt just like a bar in New York or LA. It’s the perfect place to enjoy music and conversation with friends in a venue unlike any other.”

The Backstage Project has a series of concerts lined up for the coming months featuring

Chase Burkhart on April 27 @ 8pm
Rosie Sauvageau on May 10 @ 8pm
Mike & Hanna Power followed by Black Cat Abraham on May 24 @ 8pm

More concerts are being planned throughout the summer.

The charge for the event is just $5 at the door with a bar provided by Rhombus Guys.

Preview of upcoming artist Chase Burkhart

Fargo-based singer/songwriter Chase Burkhart brings a unique voice to the Grand Forks music scene. Wielding the acoustic guitar to complement a set of tenor pipes, Burkhart draws from a vast array of creative influences to inspire his musical expressions. Tapping into over 2 decades of experience with musical expression in a various genres, his music is best described as an acoustic fusion of folk, indie rock, R&B, and jazz.

A football field full of easter eggs is every kids dream… and a heck of a lot of work for the Easter Bunny!  Thankfully, the Easter Bunny has some help from the Alerus Center staff to fill its 100 yards of turf with 20,000 brightly colored eggs.

This Saturday, March 30th from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM kids ages two through eight will swarm the Alerus Center arena filling their baskets at the 10th Annual Easter Egg Scramble. The kiddos won’t have to search too hard as thousands of eggs cover nearly every square inch of the arena’s main floor. Kids are divided into age groups, the youngest get first pick, and given a set amount of time to carry their baskets out onto the floor and collect their share of eggs filled with candy and small prizes.

For families staying in town for the holiday or guests traveling to Grand Forks, this is a must attend event. Can you imagine your little one’s face as they walk into the giant area and are dazzled by thousands of shining, bright eggs, all their’s for the taking? The look is priceless and the fun is totally worth the sugar buzz you will be taming on the drive home.

Eggs are not the only thing that will fill the area. Kids games, face painting, prizes, and an appearance by the Easter Bunny are just a few of the many activities families can enjoy while at the Egg Scramble.

This year the Egg Scramble is especially appealing as the snow and cool weather will likely keep families from having outdoor Easter egg hunts of their own. It’s a nice way to still honor your family tradition of an easter egg hunt without having kids, cousins, and friends overturning lamps and furniture to find eggs hidden in your living room!

Saturday isn’t the only day of fun for kids at the Alerus Center. Families can also drop in Friday, March 29th from Noon to 8:00 PM to enjoy games and prizes of all kinds.

On Saturday, games and activities will be held throughout the day from 9AM-1PM with the following specific times dedicated to egg collecting for each age group:
Ages 2-3 @ 9:30 AM
Ages 4-5 @ 10:30 AM
Ages 6-8 @ 11:30 AM

Tickets are $5 for kids. Adults are and children age two and under are free.

Fresh off its biggest concert in the arena’s history, the Alerus Center brings yet another big name in country music to Grand Forks.

Jason Aldean will fill the Alerus with chart topping tunes on March 23rd at 7:00 PM. He brings with him country star Jake Owen and new-comer Thomas Rhett.

Now, I’ll be honest, I like country music and have definitely heard of Jason Aldean, but if you asked me to name a song he sang, I couldn’t.  So, I googled him.

As I went down my google search list of Aldean’s songs, I quickly realized found myself saying “Oh, I love that song! I didn’t know Jason Aldean sang that!” Here are just a few of his many hits that you’ve likely heard and probably had stuck in your head a time or two. (Click the link to hear the song)

• Hicktown
• Amarillo Sky
• Big Green Tractor
• Tattoos on This Town
• Fly Over States
• Take a Little Ride with Me

Nine of Aldean’s singles have reached number one on the country charts and 16 have made it to the top 10. Aldean only released his first album in 2005, so that means he is just getting started!

As I saw just how many great songs Jason Aldean has to his name, I got more and more excited for this concert coming to Grand Forks. This will definitely be a concert the entire audience will be singing along with.

Now, if you are not yet anxious enough to get to this concert, maybe a few more toe tapping hits from Aldean’s opening acts will get you buying tickets.

Jake Owen joins Aldean on stage adding the country music hits of “Startin’ With Me, Eight Second Ride, and Barefoot, Blue Jean Night” to the music lineup. And, Thomas Rhett, a newcomer to the country music scene whose dad just happens to be country legend Rhett Akins, will get the night started with a few of his new, chart climbing singles like “Something to do with My Hands” and “Beer with Jesus.”

Will any concert beat the record George Straight and Martina McBride currently hold as the Alerus Center’s top ticket selling concert? I’m not sure. But, if I’d have to guess, I’d say Jason Aldean may just do it.

Jason Aldean: 2013 Night Train Tour

With special guests Jake Owen and Thomas Rhett

Saturday, March 23^rd

7:00 PM

Tickets: $54.75 & $28.75

Big Green Tractor Pre-Party presented by True North Equipment

Performance by the Silverado

Saturday, March 23^rd

5:00 PM

Tickets:  $10

Kyle Kosier from The Hockey Academy at Ralph Engelstad Arena tells us about Grand Forks’ first ever ball hockey tournament…

The Hockey Academy, in conjunction with the Ralph Engelstad Arena is hosting Grand Forks’ first-ever summer ball hockey tournament, the REA Ball Hockey Classic. The tournament, which will run from May 31^st to June 2^nd, will feature teams from North Dakota, Minnesota, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

Much like its on-ice counterpart, the rules of ball hockey should be pretty familiar to the local community. Playing a 3-on-3 co-ed format (with a goalie), games will be held on both the REA Main arena and Olympic surfaces and will feature two 15-minute halves.  Teams can have between 5 and 8 players and registration is $225.00/team.

Extremely popular in Winnipeg and other Canadian cities, ball hockey can be fun for everyone from seasoned hockey players to novices. No hockey playing experience is required, and the tournament will feature both open and elite divisions so that you can play against people of the same skill level. Each ice surface at the REA will be converted to hold 3 ball hockey floors, with games running “cross-ice”. The rules allow for a wide-open playing experience to emphasize scoring and offensive play. With an eye on safety, participants will be required to wear certain hockey equipment (helmets, gloves, shin-pads, etc.) and goalies will have to provide their own equipment.

Hockey Academy Director Karl Goehring notes with enthusiasm that “The Hockey Academy is very pleased to be able to bring an event like this to the REA, as it provides a fun experience for kids and adults alike.” In addition to the hockey, an all-ages concert is also being planned to provide some after-hockey entertainment.

Interested teams can sign up via the Hockey Academy website (www.reachockeyacademy.com) or contact the Hockey Academy at 701-777-6637.

Today’s post comes from guest blogger, Andy Magness, with Extreme North Dakota Racing and Ground UP Adventures…

Extreme North Dakota Racing, or ENDracing for short is now in its fifth year of putting on crazy, fun, and sometimes really really hard athletic events right here in this great state of ours.  2013 will involve a dozen events including family friendly adventure races, a marathon swim, a 24 hour adventure race (the hardest race in North Dakota), and halloween themed mountain bike/trail running.  But ENDracing doesn’t wait until the snow melts to give you a reason to train – we’re starting things off right in the middle of deep winter with the BeMobile Iceman Triathlon, coming your way on Feb. 23rd.

Co-organized by ENDracing and the Greater Grand Forks Young Professionals, the race is a standard winter triathlon – classic cross country skiing, biking, and running – with a couple of fun and adventurous twists.  To begin with some portion of each leg will take racers ‘off the beaten track’.  And to end with?  Well, we’ve added a final fourth leg – sledding – to make sure that no matter how tired participants might be approaching the finish, they’ll finish smiling.

The event is head-quartered at the Lincoln Park warming house and the course showcases stunningly beautiful terrain within the Greenway that even local Grand Cities Residents might be surprised to discover in existence.  A heated finish line tent, fabulous post race grub courtesy of the artisan chefs at Dakota Harvest Bakery, a great Iceman Buff for all racers, and awesome prizes of great cold weather gear you might actually use from Due North by Surefoot and Talus Outdoor Technologies further make the event one of the best values you’ll ever find.

Participants can choose between the challenge of racing as a “Yeti” or “Yetiess” (solo) or as part of a relay team.  Relay team racers each only complete one leg of the race but rejoin after the run leg for some exciting ‘team sledding’.  Each leg is short enough (3 mile ski, 7.5 mile bike, 3 mile run) that the relay category helps make the race more accessible for recreational athletes or those just looking for a bit less of a hardcore experience.

The event attracts racers from throughout North Dakota, Minnesota, and southern Manitoba.  It is generously supported by many local businesses and organizations including BeMobile Verizon Wireless, Due North by Surefoot, Dakota Harvest Bakery, the Ski and Bike shop, Greater Grand Forks Special Events, and The Greater Grand Forks Convention and Visitors Bureau.  Proceeds from the event support Ground UP adventures, a local non-profit dedicated to bringing adventure based activities to the regions youth.

For more information about the event or to register, go to www.endracing.com/end-it.

Grand Forks is lucky to see the Lincoln Park Golf Course Clubhouse transform into Santa’s Village every December. The Grand Forks Park District takes the venue to a completely new level with 40 beautifully decorated trees, Santa and Mrs. Claus, a horse-drawn sleigh, hot cocoa, crafts and event an upside-down tree! The building even has a scent of Christmas in the air!

Santa’s Village is open to the public December 13-16 and 20-23 (Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sundays noon to 6 p.m.). Santa is on site Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is only a non-perishable food item or a new toy donation. Santa’s Village will open on weekdays for daycares by appointment (701.746.2790).

The Greater Grand Forks Convention & Visitors Bureau did as many groups do and rented the venue for our holiday gathering, and it was nothing short of amazing. Not only was the venue filled with the season’s spirit, but it is all ready to set up for groups of various sizes. The catering was done by Eagle’s Crest Grill, and the food was top-notch. All you need to do to reserve for your holiday gathering is to contact Lynne at the Grand Forks Park District at 701.746.2790.

Have you been to Santa’s Village? What is your favorite part? Will you be going this year? If you want to see more pics, you can check out our Flickr page here.