CURE hosting river history weekend of events

GRANITE FALLS - A conversation with emerging leaders from the millennial generation, a visit by author and poet Gwen Westerman, canoeing, bluebird watching, and an awards banquet and celebration with the music of James Hersch.
It’s just a sampling of the range of activities taking place as part of Clean Up our River Environment’s annual River History scheduled to begin Thursday.
Based in Montevideo, CURE is hosting its 22nd annual meeting as part of its work in the upper Minnesota River watershed.
The annual meeting and awards banquet will be held from 4-10 p.m. Saturday at Bootlegger’s Supper Club in Granite Falls. Natalie Warren, Anna Johnson and Nick Ryan of Wild River Academy will offer a presentation on their 11-person expedition by canoe down the length of the Mississippi River last autumn. Singer and songwriter James Hersch will entertain, and the annual Riverkeeper Award will be presented.
Here is a list of events by day:
Thursday: 7-9 p.m., K.K. Berge Building, downtown Granite Falls. A photo essay and exhibit on western Minnesota’s emerging Latino community “Estar in el Prairie.’’
Friday: 5:30-10:30 p.m., Granite Falls American Legion, “Don’t worry; we’ve got this covered,’’ a conversation by emerging leaders from the millennial generation.
Saturday: 9 a.m., stenciling storm drains in Granite Falls, K.K. Berge Building; 10:30 a.m., workshop to make kestrel bird houses; 10:30 a.m., Upper Sioux Agency State Park interpretive center, bluebird presentation and hike led by master naturalist Jill Haluska; 11 a.m. K.K. Berge building, artist Tama Isfeld will lead a hands-on opportunity to paint your own catfish; at 1 p.m. she will lead a class on how to paint your own sunfish; 1 p.m. K.K. Berge Building, Dr. Gwen Westerman, author and poet, will read from her latest work, “Following the Blackbirds;” 11 a.m. Wegdahl Community Park on Minnesota River, presentation on safe paddling on the river by Wild River Academy, followed at 12:30 a.m. by a self-organized paddle trip; 1 p.m. at Prien’s Landing in Montevideo, the Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center’s Eco-Voyageur Canoe will be offering a chance to paddle the river; and 4-10 p.m., Bootlegger’s Supper Club, annual meeting and award’s ceremony.
Sunday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Prairie’s Edge Casino and Resort Convention Center, Arts Extravaganza featuring the works of approximately 35 artists from Southwestern Minnesota.
For more information, visit the CURE website www.cureriver.org or call 877-269-2873.