A native willow chair welcomes Meander visitors to Stony Run Woods near Granite Falls, the studio of Dale and Jo Pederson. Photo by Pam Nedrud.
Jerry Ostensoe and Richard Handeen are among musicians performing Friday evening at the Old Milan School Building in Milan. Photo by Kristi Link Fernholz.
IF YOU’VE NEVER explored western Minnesota, this coming weekend would be the ideal time to pack up the car and head west. Or if you’re from the region, Oct. 2 – 4 offers an opportunity to explore your backyard.
The area is showcasing the works of about 50 artists during the annual Meander Upper Minnesota River Art Crawl. You’ll view a broad range of arts from photography, watercolor paintings, pottery, quilting, folk art dolls, rosemaling and more during this self-guided tour.
Visitors will experience the arts, history and culture in and around Ortonville, Appleton, Madison, Milan, Dawson, Montevideo and Granite Falls. It’s land I know, because I grew up in Redwood County, a bit to the south and east.
This is a place of big skies and open spaces and, in those areas where the Minnesota River twists through the land, an especially beautiful landscape in the fall. With trees changing colors and corn and soybean fields ripening to the shades of harvest, plenty of scenic vistas abound.
Artists will welcome visitors to locales like Moonstone Farm, the Milan Village Arts School and Java River Café. Those folksy names speak to the rural nature of this place.
Meander hours are 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Sunday. Special musical events are planned from 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. on Friday in Milan and beginning at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in Dawson.
For more information, including a downloadable brochure, go to www.artsmeander.com Or call 1-866-866-5432.
Special thanks to the Prairie Waters Convention and Visitors Bureau (www.prairiewaters.com) for sharing the above photos with the readers of Minnesota Prairie Roots.
Gene Tokheim displays a piece of stoneware. Photo courtesy of Minnesota Office of Tourism.
Shoppers admire artwork on display in the tiny town of Milan. Photo by Kristi Link Fernholz.
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
If I lived there I would be there, sounds like a lot of fun, I love art events.
Derek, The Meander and similar arts events seem to be growing in popularity here in Minnesota. Watch my blog for additional events like this in our state.