Wednesday, Mar. 23

Friday, Mar. 18

Opens Friday, Mar. 4

Photographer, Alec Soth exhibition at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts.

New and recent portraits by photographer Alec Soth will draw on both his personal projects and editorial work. The subjects of the portraits featured in this exhibition range from everyday strangers to celebrated authors and artists whom Soth has encountered on his recent travels to Germany, Brazil, Iceland, China, and throughout the U.S. Admission is free. The Minneapolis Institute of Arts is located at 2400 Third Ave. S., Mpls. For more information, call 612-870-3131 or visit http://www.artsmia.org.

Opens Saturday, Mar. 12

Upstream: Fly fishing in the American west.

“Upstream” offers a modern look at the centuries-old tradition of angling through the atmospheric photographs of Charles Lindsay. Lindsay captures the turbulence of the river and the contemplative nature of fly fishing in a series of large, evocative images. Also opening Mar. 12 is the Bell Museum’s “Tricking Fish,” a playful exhibit that unravels the mystery of how and why lures work, as well as how fish adapt to elude a world of predators. The exhibit will be held at the Bell Museum of Natural History, 10 Church St. S.E., Mpls. Admission is free for members, children under three and University of Minnesota students; $3 for non-University of Minnesota students, seniors and children ages 3-16 and $5 for adults. Call 612-624-7083 or visit http://www.bellmuseum.org for more information.

Sunday, Mar. 13

Maple syrup festival at Wargo Nature Center.

March means tree tapping, sap collecting and syrup tasting. Celebrate Maple Syrup Madness and enjoy one of the first signs of spring. The festival will be held from 2 p.m.–4 p.m. Admission is $3. The Wargo Nature Center is located at 7701 Main St., Lino Lakes. Call 651-429-8007 or visit http://www.anokacountyparks.com/qlinks/wargonc/Mar2005_Programs.htm#Maple_Syrup_Festival for more information.

Monday, Mar. 14

Great Decisions: U.S. Intelligence Post 9/11.

The report of the 9/11 Commission and questions of pre-Iraq war intelligence have placed unprecedented attention on the workings of U.S. intelligence agencies. Are U.S. intelligence agencies out-of-date in dealing with post-Cold War realities? Are the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission adequate for reforming U.S. intelligence? In this continuing series of citizens’ dialogues, foreign policy expert Tom Hanson will facilitate an examination of issues in the 2005 Great Decisions program of the Minnesota International Center. The discussion will be held at the Edina Library, 5280 Grandview Square, Edina. Pick up a discussion guide at the library. Provided by a grant from the Library Foundation of Hennepin County. Call 952-847-5425 or visit http://www.hennepin.lib.mn.us/pub/events/AllEventsAction.cfm for more information.

Saturday, Mar. 19

Shakopee Remodeling and Landscape Expo

Over 100 exhibitors will be showcasing the latest trends and techniques in home decorating, repairs and landscape design. The event will be held from 9 a.m.–3 p.m. at Canterbury Park Racetrack and Card Club, 1100 Canterbury Rd., Shakopee. Admission and parking is free. Call 952-445-1660 or visit http://www.exploreminnesota.com/listing/index.cfm?id=15402 for more information.

Saturday, Mar. 26

Freezing Paradise—An evening with Kevin Kling.

Join storyteller Kevin Kling for a hilarious evening of observations touching upon universal human experiences, offered through the lens of Kling’s unique Midwestern perspective. Kling will perform at the Lyric Arts Main Street Stage, 420 E. Main St., Anoka. Show times are 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices are $15 for adults, $12.50 for students and seniors over 60, box seats are $17.50. Call 763-422-1838 or visit http://www.exploreminnesota.com/listing/index.cfm?id=16903 for more information.

Various dates through Mar. 27

“Don’t Hug Me”

“Don’t Hug Me” is a national award-winning musical comedy that takes place in a colorful, rustic north woods bar in tiny Bunyan Bay, Minn. It’s the coldest, most bone chilling day of the year and cantankerous bar owner Gunner Johnson is ready to sell the business and move to sunny Florida. Clara, his wife and former Winter Carnival Bunyan Queen, is perfectly content staying right where she is. Bernice Lundstrom, the pretty waitress, wants to pursue a singing career. Her fiancé Kanute Gunderson, wants her to stay home. It’s a battle of wills that tests their relationships until a fast-talking salesman, Aarvid Gisselsen, promises to bring romance into their lives through the magic of karaoke. The show will be held at Hennepin Stages, formerly Hey City Theater, 824 Hennepin Ave., Mpls. Ticket prices range from $22-$25. Visit http://www.donthugme.com/tickets.htm to purchase tickets or call 612-339-7007 for more information.

Various dates through Mar. 27

Home Sweet Home Again exhibition. A co-presentation of Intermedia Arts and the Family Housing Fund.

Rents and home prices have greatly escalated over the past several years. More and more working families find themselves unable to locate and afford a place to live. In addition, there are thousands of homeless individuals and families with children in our community.

To raise awareness and consciousness of these issues, Intermedia Arts and the Family Housing Fund partnered to present Home Sweet Home Again. This exhibition stems from the Fund’s successful 2000 Home Sweet Home exhibit. Home Sweet Home Again includes over 75 pieces of visual artwork and 28 poems by local artists and poets on homelessness, affordable housing, and the meaning of home. The Family Housing Fund is a nonprofit housing intermediary that brings together people, money, and expertise to support the delivery of affordable housing. Admission is free, but a $2 donation is suggested. Intermedia Arts is located at 2822 Lyndale Ave. S., Mpls. For more information about Home Sweet Home Again or the Family Housing Fund, please visit www.fhfund.org or contact Shawna Nelsen Tobechukwu at (612) 375-9644, ext. 13 or via email at shawna@fhfund.org.

Thursday, Mar. 31

Return to Titanic with deep sea explorer Robert Ballard.

Last spring, Robert Ballard, a veteran of more than 125 expeditions, many in search of lost ships and ancient history, led a return expedition to Titanic. His purpose was to assess the deterioration of the wreck during the two decades since its discovery. Sadly, Ballard learned that much of the damage to Titanic has been caused by human visitors. Submarines bringing deep-sea tourists to the site have damaged large areas of the ship’s deck, and an estimated 8,000 to 9,000 objects, including the ship’s bell, have been removed by relic hunters.

In order to avoid doing further damage to Titanic, Ballard’s team used remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) to explore the wreck. Using state-of-the-art technology, the expedition mapped the site in detail, both to document the changes since 1985 and to demonstrate new imaging technology that Ballard hopes will allow viewers to experience the wreck without having to visit it in person.

Don’t miss this National Geographic explorer-in-residence as he offers a firsthand sequel to the 20th century’s most famous underwater discovery, and outlines a new conservation ethos advocating that shipwrecks be preserved as historical monuments, not ransacked for private gain. The presentation will be held at the State Theater, 805 Hennepin Ave., Mpls. Tickets are $27 for general admission and $17 for students. Call Ticketmaster at 612-673-0404 or visit http://www.nationalgeographic.com/nglive/minneapolis/index.html#tickets to make reservations.