Series

For 50 years "Sounds of Blackness" has brought moving music to the world. This year the Minnesota-made group is celebrating five decades of song and pushing to change the world for the better. Dawn Stevens sat down with music director, Gary Hines, to talk about the past, present and future of the Grammy-award winning group.

The pandemic has brought on a surge in home renovations as people add home offices and improve the flow of their space. And if you?ve thought about a remodel, this weekend is your chance to see the latest home remodel trends on display and to chat with the pros in-person. The Parade of Homes, Remodelers Showcase runs October 1st ? 3rd.

Use them for jack-o-lanterns, thanksgiving decorations, curries, bread and, of course, pie! Garden Guy Dale K visits the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum to check out over 318 different varieties of squash.

Hardworking pups will be competing this weekend for the title of top dog. Saturday, September 25th is the ?Star of the North Sheepherding Trial? at Gale Woods Farm in Minnetrista. Border collies and their handlers will showcase their skills for all to see. The farm will also be celebrating the start of fall with llamas available for walking, feltmaking, a traditional Mongolian yurt and a taste of the garden tour.

Minnesota ? A state synonymous with frigid weather, ice fishing and ten thousand lakes -- may not sound like a budding up and coming wine region. But did you know our North Star State is one of Americas fastest growing wine regions? Garden Guy Dale K checks in at a local winery to learn how this year?s harvest differs from other years.

Oktoberfest is underway across the Twin Cities and it?s an opportunity to hang out with your family and friends while enjoying traditional German food, beverages and tunes. But at Utepils Brewing Co. in Minneapolis, they?ve taken it one step further by embracing its origins as a celebration of love. The festivities continue Friday September 24th and Saturday September 25th.

For many, their favorite version of golf is the mini one. This week is the lead-up to the Miniest Mini Golf Open at Lilli Putt in Coon Rapids. Anyone who plays a round between now and Saturday evening will be qualified. The putters with the top scores will play one round Sunday morning for the title and a chance to get their name embroidered on the yellow jacket of champions. The tournament is hosted by the team behind www.AcoupleOfPutts.com. The local couple had their first date at a mini golf course and were eventually married on a mini golf course and have now visited nearly 400 mini golf courses around the world.

Angel Food Bakery has moved, and opens in its new St. Louis Park location on Friday. The bakery has expanded its offerings adding a coffee bar and an ice lollie shop called FrioFrio. The ice lollies are handmade and come in unique flavors like avocado lime, grapefruit-carrot-ginger and strawberry-balsamic-basil. They can be dipped in icing and sprinkled with toppings like fruity pebbles and oreos. The shops are in the newly renovated Texa-Tonka Shopping Center.

It?s always bittersweet as the vegetable garden season winds down for summer. Learning how to freeze and dry herbs is an easy way to preserve the tastes, flavor, and aroma of summer garden herbs. Garden Guy Dale K shows us which ones are best for freezing and which ones are best for drying.

Feeling a little blue about your lawn's lack of green? Summer heat was merciless on lawns this season. The good news is late summer and early fall is the perfect time to get your lawn back in shape.

There are plenty of home tours throughout the year that open the doors to some of the area’s most exquisite houses and this weekend’s event is specifically designed to highlight the most creative ideas from our region’s top architects. The Homes By Architects tour is September 18th and 19th from 10am to 5pm.

Midwest monarch butterflies are gearing up for their long journey to Mexico and it?s an expedition we are learning a lot more about thanks to citizen scientists who capture and tag butterflies. Three Rivers Park District offers programs that walk people through the process but websites like www.MonarchWatch.org allow people to get involved on their own. Based on the migration calendar, now is the time to tag butterflies and be a part of this large-scale community science project.

Apple season has returned, so Garden Guy Dale K stopped by to talk with representatives with the University of Minnesota.

Minnesota?s oldest athletic association is celebrating 150 years. The Minnesota Boat Club has been rowing in St. Paul since 1870 and is still based in its original location on Raspberry Island. To commemorate the anniversary there will be rowing races, and historic boat house tours this weekend. The events run Saturday, September 11th from 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and Sunday from 10 to 11:30 a.m.

Classic slasher movies from the 80?s are the inspiration for the new season of ?Halloween Baking Championship? on Food Network and a Twin Cities baker is one of the competitors whipping up killer cakes in hopes of winning the $25,000 prize. Megan Baker owns The Thirsty Whale Bakery in Minneapolis. A customer who knew someone involved with the show, suggested giving Baker a spot in the competition. She spent more than two weeks filming. The show premieres on Monday, September 13th on Food Network and Discovery+.