Minnesota B&B Blog » marvineggert

Candle Light Ski Lanesboro – Plan Your Winter Getaway

marvineggert — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:57:24 +0000

Lanesboro looks good in snow. We received a fresh covering in the past week that has transformed the Root River valley into a winter wonderland. The Root River Trail is groomed for cross country skiing for over 20 miles. There are also two great snowshoe trails nearby.

Lanesboro Decked out in Snow

Schedule your two night winter getaway at the Hillcrest Hide-Away B&B or Anna V’s Bed and Breakfast. We’re ready to help you with your winter getaway. Cedar Valley Resort rents cross country skis and snow shoes. Enjoy a horse drawn sleigh rides in the bluff tops. Savor a couples massage at the Prana Healing Center. Chef Brett from the Pastry Shoppe has his smoker going on weekends at the “Smoky River Barbeque”. It is a quaint joint near the river that has received rave reviews. You can check trail conditions at: http://www.lanesboro.com/lanesboro-rootrivertrail.php

In February Lanesboro begins to wake up from its winter hibernation.

Feb 4: 20th Annual Whalen Candle Light Ski - The Root River Trail is lit with candles for a mile with bonfires at both ends.

Feb 4: Flamenco, Pure and Strong at the St. Mane Theatre, with dancer Deborah Elias and guest singer Vicente Griego - feature raw, soul-baring solos, lustrous and spirited company dances and driving guitar rhythms.

Feb 4: Dinner on the Bluff Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center hosts dinner and and a presentation by Gene Merriam, of the Freshwater Society sharing the status of the protection, enhancement and restoration of our freshwater resources. Dinner menu include: strawberry-orange salad, roasted red pepper & tomato soup, trout, wild rice stuffing, roasted asparagus and cheesecake with assorted fruit topping.

Feb 10 7PM. Over the Back Fence - locals call this Lanesboro’s version of A Prairie Home Companion, An hour and a half of fun entertainment plus 30 minutes of pre-show live music.

Feb 10, 11, 14, 17, 18 The Old Village Hall features a special four course dinner with optional wine pairings to share with your special Valentine.

Feb 27, 28: Lanesboro Community Theatre presents: “Moon Over Buffalo”-upIt’s 1953 and a washed up acting duo, George & Charlotte Hay, are touring New York.. BUFFALO, New York. They just one shot at leading roles in a film by THE Frank Capra, and he’s coming to see today’s matinee! Everything goes wrong – with hilarious results! This plan is nothing less than a love letter to live theatre.

Lanesboro is a quiet destination for your winter getaway. Comfortable inns, great food, and beautiful scenery all await your visit.

Lanesboro Holiday Inn Tour Nov. 19 – 20

marvineggert — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 15:04:44 +0000

The popular Lanesboro Holiday Inn Tour is coming soon, and this year it comes with a special twist. The Tour welcomes people to visit the Bed & Breakfasts and inns that have made Lanesboro the Bed and Breakfast Capital of Minnesota.

Bed & Breakfast Decorated for the Holidays

This year the Tour will happen over two days: November 19th and 20th. Six inns will be open on Saturday November 19ths and six more on Sunday the 20th. Each inn will be decorated for the holidays and will offer a warm welcome to their special homes. The Old Village Hall Restaurant and Pub will also be serving Amuse Bouche (bite-sized appetizers) to all ticket holders as part of the tour. Visit the inn tour web site to purchase tickests and see the inns participating in the tour. The times of the tour each day are 2-6 p.m.

Tickets purchased in advance are $20 for a one-day visit, $35 for two days.

Guests who are staying at any of the sponsoring inns that weekend will receive half-price inn tour tickets.

Enjoy the charm of Lanesboro and the beauty of the decorated B&Bs as a way to begin your holiday festivities. For more information, call 800-944-2670 or 507-467-2696. Tickets—which are limited—can be purchased online at or in-person at the Lanesboro Visitor Center in downtown Lanesboro. Advanced ticket purchase is recommended. Tickets purchased on the day of the tour are $30 for one day and $45 for two days.

Make your visit to Lanesboro complete by dining downtown and attending the holiday play “Parfumerie” at the Commonweal Theatre. See you at the 3^rd Lanesboro Holiday Inn Tour!

Fall colors peak soon in Lanesboro, MN

marvineggert — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 20:37:58 +0000

Cool, crisp nights are upon us and the maples are starting to show their fall colors in South East Minnesota. It looks like colors should peak around Oct 8-15 and we could get 3 good weeks of color in October. It is time for you to book a fall foliage tour to Lanesboro.

Fall colors in the Root River Valley

During the week is a great time to visit. The Root River bike trail is quieter. All you can hear is the wind rustling in the trees and the crunch of new fallen leaves under your bike tires. MBBA member inns are ready to welcome you to our pretty corner of the state. Hillcrest Hide-Away B&B, Habberstad House, Anna Vs, Scandinavian Inn, and Berwood Hill Inn each offer unique lodging, bountiful breakfasts and welcoming innkeepers.

Lanesboro offers more that bike touring. You can visit the Amish community nearby. The Amish will soon be harvesting corn for winter storage. You can see the corn shocks drying in the fields. The Amish bakery is one of my favorite stops. Fresh, glazed donuts, cashew crunch, home made bread, and apple turnovers are just a sampling of what you will find.

Fillmore County Rolling Farmland

As you visit the Amish, tour many of the ridge roads that offer mile after mile of beautiful fall foliage throughout Fillmore county.

The Commonweal Theatre is performing two plays this month: “Little Shop of Horrors” and “To Kill a Mockingbird” Both plays have been lauded as outstanding performances. Plan your fall leaf color tour to Lanesboro: “a quirky combination of the outdoors and the arts.”

Too Kill a Mockingbird – Commonweal Theatre Lanesboro, MN

marvineggert — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 22:58:49 +0000

To Kill a Mockingbird

“To Kill a Mockingbird” is one of the plays running in repertory this fall at the Commonweal Theatre in Lanesboro, MN. This play is based on the Pulitzer Prize winning novel of the same name by Harper Lee. There is little debate that Harper Lee based “To Kill a Mockingbird” on factual events during the civil rights movement of the 1960s. Many believe the Tom Robinson trial in the novel was inspired by the infamous Scottsboro Boys trials – a case where nine black men were accused and convicted of raping two white women, despite overwhelming evidence to their innocence.

The novel is adapted for the theatre by Christopher Sergel and brought to the stage by the Commonweal Theatre Company. The play is presented on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays through October. The play runs in repertory with “Little Shop of Horrors”.

Plan a fall getaway to SouthEast Minnesota, enjoy the fall colors, breathe in the crisp fall air, and take in the theatre. Lanesboro’s innkeepers have the welcome mat ready for your visit. There are five MBBA member inns located in Lanesboro: Anna V’s, Hillcrest Hide-Away B&B, Berwood Hill Inn, Habberstad House, and Scandinavian Inn.

Lanesboro’s Summer Theatre Season is in Full Swing

marvineggert — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 23:03:50 +0000

Many visitors come to Lanesboro, MN to ride the “Cadillac” of bike trails, the Root River State Trail. Others come for the quiet and the beauty of canoeing or kayaking the Root River. After a busy day outdoors many guests head downtown for an evening of quality, professional theatre. The Commonweal Theatre has been entertaining Lanesboro guests for more than 20 years. From May through October the theatre offers two plays in repertory from Thursday through Monday each week. The 2011 season offers three plays: “Sylvia” by A.R. Gurney, “Little Shop of Horrors” by Alan Menken, and “To Kill a Mockingbird”.

Lanesboro's Commonweal Theatre

Sylvia is an outrageous comedy that challenges everything we know about love, sex, relationships and the meaning of life. A financial trader facing career burn-out adopts a stray dog who turns his home, life and marriage upside-down. Commonweal’s Sylvia includes a woman playing a dog and a man playing two women. That makes the play sound merely silly, but it turns out to be a fresh, entertaining and ultimately rewarding production (read the full review). Sylvia runs through August 19.

Playing opposite Sylvia is Little Shop of Horrors. Seymour is a lonely flower shop clerk living on Skid Row when an unusual talking plant – with a very unusual appetite – promises him fortune and fame…at a price. Don’t miss this smash hit musical comedy! Little Shop of Horrors was a Broadway and Hollywood hit, and with good reason. The music is an irrisistible combination of girl group-pop and ’60s R&B, given a showtune polish. The comedy is twisted, but is not threatening (read the full review). Little Shop runs through October 28.

Starting August 26th is “To Kill a Mocking Bird” based on a novel by Harper Lee and adapted by Christopher Sergel. The warmth of childhood and the bitter loss of innocence surround one woman’s recollections of growing up in the South during the Depression and the summer her father risked everything to defend a black man falsely accused of a horrible crime. To Kill a Mockingbird plays through November 13th.

Make your visit to Lanesboro complete by staying in an MBBA member inn. Lanesboro’s innkeepers have their welcome mat ready and waiting for your arrival. When you stay at the Hillcrest Hide-Away Bed and Breakfast your stay includes a just-baked loaf of home-made bread delivered to your room each morning, plus a hearty breakfast. Hillcrest guests may redeem a voucher for a $5 discount to the Commonweal Theatre.

Artist Iron Pour July 7 – 10 in Lanesboro MN

marvineggert — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 15:05:26 +0000

Lanesboro Arts Center will host the 2011 Iron Pour in Lanesboro, Minnesota’s Sylvan Park on Saturday, July 9, from 1-6 p.m. This is a free public event for all ages. The pour will be led by nationally-acclaimed local artist Karl Unnasch, and is held in cooperation with the City of Lanesboro. Bar-b-que food and beverages will also be available during the Pour, and a live band will play onsite after the Pour beginning at approximately 6 p.m.

Melting the iron in the "furnace"

Folks might be wondering, what exactly IS an Iron Pour? It is a FREE “Public Art Event” where people can enjoy the excitement of “Art in the making.” Artists, community members, and workshop participants will have prepared sand resin molds ready to transform into iron sculpture. Artist Karl Unnasch and his crew will stoke the furnace, and melt iron(hundreds of pounds of old radiators and brake liners) to the hot, hot temperature of 2700 degrees Fahrenheit.

Pouring the iron into the molds

Then, throughout the afternoon, the hot molten iron will be poured into the molds and allowed to cool overnight. The next morning at 10 a.m. will be the unveiling of molds, clean-up, and patina/surface work. As soon as the crew turns the furnace blower off, at the last tap, the live music will start (around 6 or 7 p.m. on Saturday, July 9). Molly Maher and Paul Bergen and their band will perform.

There are two free opportunities during the week of July 4 where folks can find out more about the iron sculpture process. First, the public is welcome to come and watch “Open Studio” as lead artist Karl Unnasch works on the community medallions. People can stop by the shelter at Sylvan Park anytime Monday, July 4 – Friday, July 8 between 12 – 4 p.m. Also, in another free public event, theCommonweal Theatre Company will host Karl Unnasch in an Artist Talk on Thursday, July 7 at 6:30 p.m. in their events hall. This precedes the Commonweal’s performance of the “Little Shop of Horrors” performance at 7:30 p.m.; for tickets to the play, call 800-657-7025.

The public will have a chance to make their own 6” round Iron Plaque

Workshop participants making their own mold

in a workshop. Workshop participants can choose from one of two sessions: Thursday, July 7 from 5-7 p.m., or Saturday, July 9 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. The workshop will be held at Sylvan Park in Lanesboro and is open to all ages. Participants will carve a reverse relief design into a pre-made sand mold to prepare it for the iron pour (any imagery or text is possible, and tools & professional assistance will be available). Finished works can be taken home on Sunday, July 10 at 10 a.m. — that will be the unveiling of molds, clean-up, and surface prep/patina finishing on the plaques (otherwise, participants may pick up their plaque at a later date at the Lanesboro Arts Center). The workshop is $25 per mold, with registration in advance or day of each workshop. Scholarships are available; call 507-467-2446 for more information or to register for the workshop.

The Lanesboro Arts Center serves as a regional catalyst for artistic excellence and educational development in providing diverse art experiences for people of all ages. For more information: 507-467-2446 / info@lanesboroarts.org/www.lanesboroarts.org.

While visiting Lanesboro, stay in one of the MBBA member inns. A stay at the Hillcrest Hide-Away Bed and Breakfast includes a just-baked loaf of bread delivered to your room followed by a hearty breakfast. Our gardens are in full bloom with day lilies, honeysuckle, calla lilies, mullein, and many more.

Lanesboro offers plenty to do for a multi-day visit. During the week is a great time to ride the Root River State Trail where you can enjoy the serenade of many birds that surround us. Eagles cruise overhead riding the updraft of the currents that rise from the bluffs along the trail. Kayaking and canoeing is available on the Root River every day.

New Life for Lanesboro’s Over the Back Fence

marvineggert — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 00:26:06 +0000

Many who have visited Lanesboro on summer weekends have enjoyed the “Over the Back Fence” Radio Show hosted in the Commonweal Theatre on Sunday evenings.

Over the Back Fence Radio Show

For the past 15 years “Over the Back Fence” has entertained us with local humor, outstanding music and just a good time. We locals like to refer to it as the “poor man’s Prairie Home Companion”.

On September 5th, 1010 Over the Back Fence took its’ curtain call as a live radio show.

Over the winter, a dedicated group of volunteers has been planning for the next generation of “Over the Back Fence”. “Over the Back Fence” is moving next door to the St. Mane Theatre and play on the 2nd Friday of the month from February through November. Plans include retaining much of the original character of the show and surely introducing new features for all to enjoy.

Plan a winter weekend getaway and join us for the inaugural version of the new and improved “Over the Back Fence” on February 11th. Make it a complete Valentines weekend getaway by staying at one of Lanesboro’s lovely Bed and Breakfasts, enjoying fine dining at the Old Village Hall, cross country skiing on the Root River State Trail, or dashing through the winter wonderland on a horse drawn sleigh ride.

Little Women – Community Sing Along

marvineggert — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 00:28:04 +0000

This weekend (Dec. 17 – 18) you can enjoy 2 special events celebrating the Christmas season in Lanesboro. The Commonweal Theatre has masterfully adapted Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Women” – telling the story through the perspective of a Christmas family gathering.

Performances are scheduled for Dec. 16th – 22nd. Tickets are limited so plan ahead. Tom Weber from the Rochester Post Bulletin calls Little Women “simply sublime … [Little Women] seems to effortlessly create the kind of warmth we seek in any holiday story“ All who have seen the play and treasure the original book have come away touched. View a Little Women Trailer to learn more. For tickets call the Commonweal at: 800 657-7025.

On Saturday Dan Choinard returns to Lanesboro to host a community sing along. Dan will bring his accordion and heart warming stories to help us enjoy the evening. Dan is a Minneapolis native who plays, tours and records regularly with an ever-expanding roster of musicians and writers.

Dan will be joined by many local Lanesboro musicians to make the evening complete. Contact the Lanesboro Arts Center for tickets at: 507-467-2446.

Lanesboro’s bed and breakfast community offers you choices of many lovely homes to stay in addition to fine dining to complete your visit.

Lanesboro Winter Escapades

marvineggert — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 23:58:07 +0000

Community Christmas Tree

Lanesboro invites you to their Winter Escapades

Downtown Shopping District

Lanesboro is ready for the Christmas holiday season! Join us for 3 weekends of fun during the month of December. See calendar_of_events for details.

All 3 weekends:
Shopping! Historic downtown district filled with specialty shops.
Theatre: Commonweal Theatre performances: “Little Women”
Dining: Three fine dining restaurants, some with special menus.
Lodging: Twelve Bed & Breakfasts to make your visit memorable.

Downtown Theatres

December 3-5:
Sat: free movie “Elf”
Sun: Christmas Inn Tour, Visit 15 historic inns decorated for Christmas and serving holiday delicacies
Tickets $20, Call 800 944 2670

December 10-12:
Sat: $1000 Medallion Hunt – advanced clues to lodging patrons.
Breakfast with Santa
Indoor/Outdoor Carnival
Torchlight Parade

Downtown Christmas Decorations

December 17-19:
Friday: Holiday sing along with Dan Chouinard and friends at the St. Mane Theatre.
Saturday: Christmas Tea
Free movie: “Muppets Christmas Carol”

There is so much more going on all three weekends. See schedule of events for more details. If we have snow, the state trail will be groomed for cross country skiing.

Take a break from the holiday rush to connect with friends and enjoy a leisurely weekend away.

Lanesboro: The Bed and Breakfast Capital of Minnesota

Lanesboro Christmas Inn Tour

marvineggert — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 17:28:28 +0000

Vicorian Inn Ready for Christmas

You are Invited to the Lanesboro Christmas Inn Tour

December 5, 2:00 – 6:00 PM

The innkeepers of Lanesboro extend a warm welcome to join them December 5th, from
2:00 to 6:00, for the Lanesboro Christmas Inn Tour. The inn tour features 15 of Lanesboro’s gorgeous Inns and Bed & Breakfasts decorated in period and holiday trimmings. We look forward to offering you our finest holiday refreshments and some unexpected surprises. Bring your family and friends and make the Lanesboro Christmas Inn Tour the highlight of your season.

Tickets: $20, tickets are limited, available online at
www.lanesboro.com or 800 944 2670

Guests who stay at a participating inn the weekend of the tour receive half price tickets. We look forward to your visit.