Entertainment Briefs - Feb. 2

Valentine's Dance planned in Little Falls

LITTLE FALLS-Brothers Tone and The Big Groove will present their third annual rock and roll Valentine's Dance party titled "Crazy on You" Feb. 10-11 at the Great River Arts stage in Little Falls. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the event will begin at 8 p.m.

Tickets are $18 for general admission and are available at Great River Arts, online at www.greatart.org or at Reality Roasters Coffee Co. Limited VIP reserved table seating is available at an additional cost for parties of six to eight.

The A.T. Black and White restaurant in Little Falls is sponsoring the event that will include a laser light show, dance party and live music. Brothers Tone and The Big Groove consists of a horn section-trumpet, saxophone and trombone; percussion and guitars, keys, lead and backup vocalists featuring between 11-14 local musicians. The band will cover sounds of Queen, Heart, Bruno Mars, Prince, Chris Stapleton, Chicago and more.

Tickets sold out early for both performances last year, so organizers encourage people to get tickets early.

Crossing Arts offers Needle Felting Workshop

Brainerd-area artist Lisa Jordan will teach the art of needle-felting, which uses specially-barbed needles and fluffy wool to create 2- and 3-dimensional forms, Feb. 11-12 at The Crossing Arts Alliance, located in the Franklin Arts Center in Brainerd.

In this class students will make a firmly felted 3-dimensional heart and embellish it with stitches. Methods for stitching, and discussion of some of the challenges of sewing on this type of surface will be covered. Students will turn this heart into a wearable brooch. No previous felting or stitching experience is needed.

Two class dates are being offered: 2-5 p.m. Feb. 11 and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 12, Class fee is $15 for TCAA members, or $20 for non-members. All materials and tools are included.

Each student will receive a reusable mat and set of felting needles, which is theirs to keep after the class. Additional wool and supplies will be available for purchase at the class. Students providing their own mats and needles will receive a $5 voucher towards supplies.

Jordan has been needle-felting since 2006 and enjoys combining techniques and materials in her art. Her work has appeared in a number of craft books, magazines, and online publications. She writes about her life at lilfishstudios.com under the poplar and pine. By day she is TCCC director.

For more information visit www.crossingarts.org or call 218-833-0416.

'Goin' to the Frozen Lake!' plans stop in Crosslake

WCCO-TV will kick off its fifth annual "Goin' to the Frozen Lake!" series, a winter version of the "Goin' to the Lake" summer series. The series will air every Thursday and Friday through Feb. 24. WCCO-TV will visit four of Minnesota and Wisconsin's best winter spots, which includes one stop in Crosslake.

The show on Crosslake will broadcast live today, Feb. 2 and 3 with Frank Vascellaro and Chris Shaffer during its 5 p.m., 6 p.m and 10 p.m. newscasts.

Visit wcco.com/laketrip to learn more about the lake trips.

Great River announces its spring schedule

The Great River String Ensemble has announced its 2017 spring schedule.

It's spring practice times are Tuesdays in the band room at the Crosby-Ironton High School in Crosby. Groups practice every Tuesday through April 18.

Ripple River Strings practices from 5:45-7 p.m. and is directed by Jill Lee.

Great River Strings practices from 7:15-8:45 p.m. and is directed by Richard Aulie.

The concerts are April 22 at Salem Lutheran Church in Deerwood and April 23 at First Lutheran Church in Aitkin.

Great River looking for donations

Great River Strings is looking for donations of stringed instruments.

These instruments are needed for players who are trying a new instrument or may not be able to purchase one to play or participate in the Great River Strings.

The nonprofit is looking for violins, violas, cellos, bass and harp.

Anyone who has an instrument to donate, can contact Mary Aulie, Great River Strings co-executive director at maryaulie@hotmail.com or 218-839-1085.

First Saturday at Jaques planned

AITKIN-The Jaques Art Center and Gallery in Aitkin will host a class at 10-11:30 a.m. Saturday titled "'Let's Make a Magic Window" taught by Angie Barnhart.

Students will learn about animation and will make a project.

The galleries at Jaques are open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and is currently exhibiting the work of the center's namesake, Francis Lee Jaques.

The center will resume it's regular exhibiting schedule on Feb. 24 with a show called "It's for the Birds." This is a multi-artist, multi-media exhibit in which every piece of art will feature birds in someway. A public reception will be noon to 3 p.m. Feb. 25.