Entertainment Briefs — May 11

The Brainerd Book Club will meet at 1 p.m. Wednesday, May 11, outside the Brainerd Public Library at 416 S. Fifth St. for its next book discussion: “This Is How It Always Is” by Laurie Frankel.

Library staff members lead the discussion and often recommend related books and other materials available through the library.

When Rosie, Penn and their four boys welcome the newest member of their family, no one is surprised it’s another baby boy. But at least their large, loving, chaotic family knows what to expect, according to library officials about the book.

But Claude is not like his brothers. When he grows up, Claude says, he wants to be a girl. Rosie and Penn aren’t panicked at first. But soon the entire family is keeping Claude’s secret. Until one day it explodes.

Copies of this book are available for checkout at the front desk of the Brainerd Public Library at 416 S. Fifth St. The Friends of the Brainerd Public Library support this book club by providing the funds to purchase 10 copies of a title for patrons to borrow.

Want to get out this spring, and learn more about birds and have a morning hike on the trails at the Northland Arboretum? Kickoff spring at 8 a.m. Wednesday, May 11, at the Arb at 14250 Conservation Drive.

The Brainerd Lakes Area Audubon Society and the Arboretum will be sponsoring short, morning birding hikes this spring. Join an experienced birding guide Wednesdays and Saturday mornings in May and learn more about the many birds that inhabit or migrate through our area.

The cost is free for Northland Arboretum members and $5 at the gate for nonmembers.

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

The Friends of the Aitkin Library will host a used book sale from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday, May 13, and Saturday at the Aitkin Library Community room at 110 First Ave. NE in Aitkin.

Hardcover books will be sold for $1 and softcover books for 50 cents. There will be a bag sale from 1-3 p.m. Saturday where a bag can be filled for $3.

Travel back in time for an evening of elegance featuring fine food, swanky drinks, music and dancing at 6 p.m. Saturday, May 14, at the Gather on 3 Event Center in Brainerd.

“Speakeasy Night” will include a cash bar, sushi and sweets, and the eight-piece band The Jazz Authority performing live at 19624 Crow Wing County Road 3.

The cost is $35 in advance or $40 the day of the event. People can also choose a VIP seven-course Mediterranean dinner for $89 per person.

For more information, call 218-822-4330 or visit www.thewoodsmn.com .

The National Loon Center and the Brainerd Lakes Area Audubon Society will host Migratory Bird Day at the Crosslake Recreation Area for bird walks led by BLAA and Minnesota Master Naturalists at 8:30 a.m. and 10 a.m. Saturday, May 14.

The walks will feature the debut of the National Loon Center's newly installed birdwatching pier. The walks are open to birders of all levels and binoculars plus bird checklists are available. In between the bird walks, play Backyard Bird Bingo! Meet for the bird walks under the large pavilion.

Also visit the informational tables from the National Loon Center, Brainerd Lakes Area Audubon Society, Master Naturalists and Get the Lead Out MN. This event celebrates migratory birds and Crosslake as a Minnesota Bird City.

JoAnn Weaver is a nurse by education and a gardener by passion but she has spent a lifetime learning how to grow, cook and preserve vegetables, fruits, herbs and flowers from the family kitchen garden and over the years has given many lectures and published numerous articles on these subjects.

Herbs are plants with leaves, seeds and flowers that you can use for many things, including flavoring, food, fragrance and/or medicine. They are easy to grow and can enhance a garden with color, texture and form.

Her presentation from 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Saturday, May 14, at the Northland Arboretum at 14250 Conservation Drive will cover selection, cultivation and culinary uses.

The cost is $10 per person for members or $15 per person for nonmembers of the Arb, and pre-registration is required because space is limited.

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

The Crossing Arts Alliance will distribute creativity kits from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 14, on tables inside of the Crossing Arts building at 711 Laurel St. in downtown Brainerd.

These kits have two art projects, a coloring sheet and more. This month, the kits include a dreamcatcher and stitchery project. Creativity kits are free to the public, but kits are available first-come, first-served.

Contributed / Crossing Arts Alliance

“Creativity kits are a way of engaging our young artists and spreading the joy of art to our community,” Martin Nelson, media support specialist and gallery exhibition coordinator at Crossing Arts Alliance stated in a news release.

“Our goal is to offer projects that show the many different ways of being creative because you never know what's going to light up a kid's imagination and help their creativity bloom,” Nelson stated.

The kits are brought to the community by Crossing Arts members and supporters, and sponsored by Alpha Delta Kappa Xi Chapter,

“We offer them for free so that everyone can enjoy them, and receive the support of numerous businesses, individuals and Crossing Arts members who believe that the arts are for everyone,” Nelson said about the creativity kits.

The kits are partially funded by the voters of Minnesota through grants from Five Wings Arts Council and the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

For more information, contact the nonprofit art center at 218-833-0416 or info@crossingarts.org .