Your Minnesota weekend: From Japanese lanterns to double dutch
Summer is winding down, but there are still plenty of opportunities to enjoy it.
MPR News meteorologist Paul Huttner says you'll notice some subtle changes in our forecast over the next few days.
Look for gradual rise in dew points and humidity, and scattered showers and thunderstorms to return to Minnesota by Friday.
Be sure to check your local forecast for the latest weather updates.
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The three-day celebration in North Hudson, Wisconsin, honors the community's Italian heritage. It includes a parade, a queen coronation, a variety of food and contests.
The festival's organizers explain its history:
The Pepper Fest began in 1954 as a way to raise funds to build North Hudson Elementary School and has turned into an annual event to assist community organizations throughout the St. Croix Valley.
Proceeds from the volunteer-run, non-profit festival are donated to local youth, school, community and service organizations.
2. Japanese Lantern Lighting Festival
The Como Park Zoo will have a Japanese lantern lighting at 8:15 p.m. Sunday. The lighting is followed by bonsai, martial arts, Ikebana, singing, dancing, drumming, food and other aspects of Japanese culture starting at 3 p.m.
The 17th annual Coffee Break Festival will take place in Stoughton, Wisconsin, Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The festival features a coffee brew-off where you can sample coffee from different coffee roasters and vote for your favorite. There will also be a car show featuring vintage and modern cars and motorcycles, an arts and crafts fair and a 5K run.
From the Stoughton website:
Way back in 1880 Stoughton's Coffee Street was having daily coffee breaks for coffee. The citizenry being 80% Norwegian (100% on Coffee Street) just had to fit in some time of day to send a batch of coffee through their system between meals.
With the T.G. Mandt Wagon Co. going strong, it became necessary for tobacco firms to hire women for the seasonal tobacco steaming. The Gunderson Tobacco Warehouse at Main & Coffee Streets was ideal for hiring women because it was so near their homes and they could run home to check on the kids, the house and see how the next meal was progressing.
With these chores done and a hot pot of coffee constantly on the stove, what was more natural than to have a cup? So began today's coffee break - a few minutes to relax and refresh with coffee.
4. Jump Jam Double Dutch competition
Jump Jam is having a double dutch competition Saturday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
The competition is the culmination of weeks of double dutch training at the St. Paul YWCA.