Entertainment Briefs — Feb. 1

CROSSLAKE — For more than two decades, the WinterFest in Crosslake is a celebration of good old-fashioned winter fun for the entire family. The three days of indoor and outdoor activities throughout Crosslake are for all ages to enjoy! Begins Thursday, Feb. 2.

For a complete list of activities and times, visit https://bit.ly/3JqXf8d .

BAXTER — Jack Pine Brewery’s Pints for a Purpose event from 5-8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 1, in Baxter will benefit Lakes Area United Way.

Jack Pine Brewery will donate $1 for every pint that is sold during that time period. Pizza from Papa Murphy’s will also be served.

Lakes Area United Way representatives will be on hand to answer questions about the group’s activities. The brewery is located at 15593 Edgewood Drive in Baxter.

BRAINERD — Central Lakes College’s “Cultural Thursday” series presents: “Civil Disobedience and the Culture of the Civil Rights Movement.” The presentation will be at noon Thursday, Feb. 2, in the Chalberg Theatre, Brainerd campus.

Presenting will be a panel of Upward Bound Program students and staff, and sociology instructor Scott Foster, who were part of a trip last summer that looked at the U.S. Civil Rights Trail.

The trip helped participants better understand the legacy of historical and institutional racism as well as the resilience, persistence and civil disobedience of the Civil Rights Movement. The group visited Nashville, Montgomery, Selma, Birmingham and Memphis in just under a week.

For more information on the Cultural Thursday series, email Jason Edens at Jason.edens@clcmn.edu .

BRAINERD — Enjoy the fun of sugar cookie-decorating without all of the prep work or clean up by attending Knotty Pine Bakery's walk-in Valentine's Day cookie workshop,

Stop in between 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, at the bakery at 707 Laurel St., and get a set of Valentine's-themed cookies, then have fun decorating with frosting and sprinkles in our classroom space.

The cost is $14 per person and includes four cookies plus decorating supplies and a take-home box. No registration is needed. Simply stop by during workshop hours and have fun decorating.

BAXTER — The Northland Arboretum will host a snowshoe hiking event 7:30-8:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, under a full moon.

Bring snowshoes and/or winter boots and plan for an hourlong hike with hot chocolate to follow. And if it is cloudy, participants are encouraged to bring a headlamp to the event at 14250 Conservation Drive in Baxter.

The cost is $10 for Northland Arboretum members or $20 for nonmembers. To purchase tickets online, visit bit.ly/3FWOH5I .

For more information, call 218-829-8770, email info@northlandarb.org or visit northlandarb.org .

BRAINERD — Heartland Poets, an area chapter of the League of Minnesota Poets will meet from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, at the Brainerd Public Library at 416 S. Fifth St.

Bring your most beloved poems by your favorite poets to read at the podium commemorating other poets or your own poems.

Included in the meeting is time to discuss poems in progress; bring copies so others can review your work and best appreciate your efforts The meeting is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.

BRAINERD — The Friends of the Brainerd Public Library’s Brown Bag Lunch Author Series is back in person in the large meeting room of the Brainerd Public Library.

Local author Barbara Mack will discuss her memoir, “The Hand I’ve Been Dealt: A Life Lived with Epilepsy” from noon-1 p.m. Monday, Feb. 6.

Mack grew up in a loving home on a typical hardworking family farm. Her life as she knew suddenly changed at the age of 20 when a near-tragic car accident changed her life forever. Diagnosed with a seizure disorder when there was little information or support caused her to lean even more on her tight-knit family. Her new role as a single mom led to more challenges. But once again the support of friends and family helped her navigate trying times.

Through her whimsical stories of family life and heartbreaking years’ worth of medical challenges, Mack’s story educates and inspires others to better cope with the hand they’ve been dealt, according to a news release.

Mack lives on her family farm in the Brainerd lakes area. Through sharing her story, she hopes to shine a light on epilepsy awareness and an understanding of living with a diagnosis for oneself or a family member.

This presentation is sponsored by the Friends of the Brainerd Public Library through their volunteer and fundraising efforts. Attendees are free to bring a sack lunch or enjoy the light refreshments provided. All are welcome.

For more information, contact the library at 218-829-5574 or visit the Friends of the Library’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Friendsofthebrainerdpubliclibrary .

BRAINERD — Marcie Stokman, a Brainerd lakes area author and creator of “Well-Read Mom,” will present on “Why Reading Matters for Women” at the Brainerd Public Library at 1 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 2.

Stokman will encourage attendees to be inspired — in the fast pace of modern life, there is a need to read and discuss books together. She will speak about the benefits of reading and discussing literature, and that is possible to find time to read more, read well and grow in friendship.

This free presentation is part of a grant from the Five Wings Arts Council, and attendees do not need to register.

Stokman is the founder and president of “Well-Read Mom,” an international movement and book club. As a former clinical nurse practitioner in mental health and a longtime homeschooler, she writes and speaks to encourage women and share the power of reading.

For more information, contact the library at 218-829-5574 or visit the Friends of the Library’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Friendsofthebrainerdpubliclibrary .