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Arts Meander News Page 2007 Meander Features Milan "Prairie Star" Karen Jenson Preparations are being made for the fourth annual Meander ~ Upper Minnesota River Art Crawl to be held from 2- 6 p.m. Friday, October 5th; 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, October 6th; and 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Sunday, October 7th, 2007. The Meander is a regional self-guided tour of artist studios, galleries and shops featuring the work of more than 50 local artists and craft workers from Madison to Danvers, Granite Falls to Ortonville and all points in between. The event is free an open to the public. For more information and to receive a brochure about the event, visit www.artsmeander.com or call toll free 866-866-5432. Visitors along the Meander route will have the opportunity to view the award winning work of professional artist Karen Jenson of Milan who recently received the distinguished Prairie Star Award from the Southwest Minnesota Arts and Humanities Council- "SMAHC" for her lifetime achievement as an internationally regarded folk artist and creative force in the region. Visitors to Jenson's studio will be able to view and purchase her work and have the option to tour her amazing home for a small fee which features a stunning array of Scandinavian decor and furnishings. "The Meander is a great fall getaway for people looking for an authentic rural experience," stated Dawn Hegland, Meander Coordinator and Senior Staff for the Upper Minnesota Valley Regional Development Commission (UMVRDC) and Western Minnesota Prairie Waters. "We believe that visitors from the Twin Cities, Sioux Falls and the Fargo Moorhead area are hungry for a "trip on a tank full" destination that combines scenic drives, a rich variety of artistic products, and the personal opportunity to connect with local artists and the individual destinations." Recent studies conducted by the University of Minnesota Tourism Center have revealed an emerging trend toward this type of "nature and culture" tourist travel. According to the Tourism Center's research conducted with 178 participants in 2005, the Meander was a successful event where a average of $70 per participant was spent on art purchases and a where high majority of those who attended indicated they would be "very likely" to attend again. Surveys also showed that participants traveled to the region from seven different states and 3 foreign countries to attend the event.

more info?...call us at 1.866.866.5432 www.prairiewaters.com