What to do this weekend: Festivals and fairs

The Stand Still Parade
The Stand Still Parade will celebrate its 20th anniversary in Whalan, Minn. this year.
Courtesy of The Stand Still Parade

The forecast is calling for a warm and stormy weekend, but the calendar is packed with festivals far and wide, so bring an umbrella and a sense of adventure.

The Stand-Still Parade | May 16, Whalan, Minn.

On Saturday morning, at exactly 11 a.m., the national anthem will play on Main Street in Whalan. The streets will be packed with a pep band, dancers, antique cars and more. After the anthem, the parade will kick off — and it won't move an inch.

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Saturday is the 20th anniversary of the Stand-Still Parade, where the parade stands still and the spectators are the ones who move. The quirky tradition is the brainchild of Dave Harrenstein, and it draws thousands of people to the tiny town. "The sign says 63," said parade co-chair Joan Johnson. "But it's smaller than that."

This year's theme honors the town's Irish roots with plenty of Irish whiskey cake for sale and cloggers in the parade — dancing in place, of course.

The Stand Still Parade
In Whalan, Minn., the parade doesn't come to you — you go to the parade.
Courtesy of The Stand Still Parade

Art-A-Whirl | May 15 to 17, Minneapolis

Explore the artistic whirlwind that is Northeast Minneapolis on this annual open studio tour. Step into artists' studios, catch live local music and sip on Minnesota-brewed beverages.

Detroit Lakes Festival of Birds | May 14 to 17, Detroit Lakes, Minn.

Becker County is a birder's paradise, with more than 250 different species. The 18th annual festival includes birding field trips and workshops, including an in-depth look at the migration connection between Minnesota and Costa Rica.

Orange City Tulip Festival | May 15 to 17, Orange City, Iowa

Make a weekend haul to the Hawkeye State to take in the tulips. The festival, which has been going strong for seven decades, includes parades, Dutch delicacies, a dozen replica windmills and, of course, thousands of tulips.

Dandelion Day at the Ard Godfrey House | May 17, Minneapolis

Ard Godfrey house in 1886
A wedding party at the Ard Godfrey house in 1886.
Courtesy of the Minnesota Historical Society

The Godfrey House is the oldest surviving wood frame home in the city. Volunteers in 1850s costumes will staff the celebration and share the story of how Harriet Godfrey was the first to bring dandelion seeds to the St. Anthony Falls area.

Trout Days 2015 | May 15 to 17, Preston, Minn.

We're not above bad puns when it comes to weekend fun: the Trout Days festival will reel you in. Barbecues, garage sales, beer gardens, beanbag tournaments and fishing contests await.

Wisconsin State Polka Festival | May 15 to 17, Oconomowoc, Wis.

Polka is the official state dance of Wisconsin, so pull out your best moves or hang back and watch the experts at the weekend-long tribute to the much-loved folk dance.

Minnesota Tree Climbing Championship | May 16 and 17, Shakopee, Minn.

This isn't the tree climbing you did as a kid — this contest comes with a rule book. Sponsored by the Minnesota Society of Arboriculture, the annual event brings together the state's master arborists.