Lake Agassiz Regional Library will offer a series of enriching and entertaining programs as part of its Spring Legacy Event Series, which kicks off in early-April. From painting workshops and historical presentations to musical programs and author visits featuring beloved Minnesota authors Patty Wetterling and Joy Baker and Kent Nerburn, the library has something for everyone this spring. Admission is free and presenters will visit multiple locations around Lake Agassiz Regional Library’s seven-county region. More information about each of the programs offered in the series is available at www.larl.org/legacyseries.

• Barn Quilt Painting Workshops, April 7-June 13

Unleash your inner artist and celebrate a beautiful tradition that defines Minnesota’s rural landscape.Join us for a hands-on workshop and paint your very own Barn Quilt under the expert guidance of Mary Jo Schmid from Crooked Lane Farm Folk School. Registration is required for these programs, which will be offered in 12 communities in northwest Minnesota. Register by calling a participating location or by visiting larl.org/barnquilt.

• Ridin’ The Skally Line: A Musical Journey Through Minnesota History, April 13-16

All aboard for a high-energy trip through the heart of American roots music! Join The Skally Line, featuring the talented trio of Fred Keller, Bill Cagley and Dave Tousley, as they navigate the soulful curves and bends of early American melodies. From the haunting echoes of Appalachian ballads to the driving rhythms of bluegrass and string band blues, this performance brings the past to life. The music is perfectly paired with forgotten, rip-roaring stories plucked straight from the wilder pages of Minnesota’s history. While this family-friendly program is geared toward adults, listeners of all ages will find something to tap their toes to. Concerts will be held in eight communities in northwest Minnesota. 

• Never Forgotten: Colonel William Colvill, Minnesota’s Civil War Hero with Historian Steve Hoffbeck, April 9-May 28

Why did Minnesotans so deeply admire Colonel William Colvill, the 6’5″ Civil War hero? Join your library for a presentation by Minnesota author and historian Steve Hoffbeck bringing the legendary deeds of the First Minnesota Regiment to life. In his latest book, Colvill Smiled, Hoffbeck weaves together the powerful recollections, speeches and writings of William Colvill and Martin Maginnis, two officers from Red Wing who led their men through the smoke and fire of Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. Hoffbeck will visit 10 libraries in the Lake Agassiz Regional Library system as part of this tour. Detroit Lakes Public Library, Thursday, April 23 at 6 p.m.

• Lone Dog Road featuring Author Kent Nerburn, April 28-29

Join your library for a hopeful evening of storytelling featuring acclaimed author Kent Nerburn as he discusses his latest book, Lone Dog Road. Renowned for his deeply empathetic portrayals of Native American life and the American landscape, Nerburn returns with a haunting and beautiful story of a wanderer, a young boy, and a journey across the vast, wind-swept prairies of the Dakotas. Nerburn will appear at libraries in Detroit Lakes, Moorhead, Ada and Crookston. 

• Dear Jacob: Author Visits featuring Patty Wetterling and Joy Baker, May 11-May 13

Join us for a deeply moving program as we welcome Patty Wetterling and co-author Joy Baker to discuss their memoir, Dear Jacob: A Mother’s Journey of Hope. For thirty years, the disappearance of Jacob Wetterling was a story that haunted Minnesota and transformed the nation. In this special author visit, Patty Wetterling shares the intimate, behind-the-scenes account of those decades – not just as a search for a missing son, but as a testament to a mother’s unwavering love and a community’s resilience. Together with Joy Baker, the blogger whose independent research helped lead to the breakthrough in the case, they will discuss the bond they formed and the power of never giving up. The co-authors will visit six Lake Agassiz Regional Library locations, including stops in Breckenridge, Moorhead, Mahnomen, Crookston, Bagley and Detroit Lakes. 

All events are sponsored by the Lake Agassiz Regional Library and offer free admission, thanks in part to funding from the Minnesota Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund. 

About Lake Agassiz Regional Library

Lake Agassiz Regional Library is a consolidated public library system comprised of 13 branch libraries and nine LINK sites serving the residents of seven counties in northwest Minnesota. For more information on this and other LARL events and services, contact the Lake Agassiz Regional Library office at (218) 233-3757 or online at www.larl.org.