THE LIST: Home Design and Garden Show ... ‘Greater Tuna’ ... UND Opera Gala

Home Design and Garden Show

•   Today through Sunday at Alerus: The Forx Builders Association is hosting the 2014 Home Design and Garden Show at the Alerus Center. The event includes local chef demonstrations, gardening seminars, kids activities and more. Hours are 4 to 9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 12 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Cost: $5 adults, $4 seniors, children 12 and under free. Info: (701) 746-4536.

‘Greater Tuna’

•  Today through Sunday at Warroad American Legion: Warroad Summer Theatre presents “Greater Tuna,” a play about the third smallest town in Texas and what makes life so special. The meal will be served at 6:30 p.m. followed by the show at 7:30 p.m. For those who miss this showing, the theatre will present it again April 9-12 at Rock Harbor Lodge. Reservation: (218) 386-3435. Cost: $30. Info: www.warroadsummertheatre.com .

UND Opera Gala

•  Today, Saturday at Hughes: UND will be hosting a full opera production at 7 p.m. at the Hughes Fine Arts Center. The double-bill gala features both “Doctor Miracle” by Georges Bizet and “Trial By Jury” by Gilbert and Sullivan. Cost: $6 adults, $3 students/seniors, military free, $12 family pass for two children and two adults. Info: (701) 320-1593.

‘The Spitfire Grill’

•  Today, Saturday at the Empire: The Empire Arts Center presents their latest production, “The Spitfire Grill,” starting at 7:30 p.m. The play follows Percy Talbot, who has just been released from jail and moves to a small town in Wisconsin to get a fresh start, where she gets a job working at Hannah’s Spitfire Grill. Cost: $15, $12 students and members. Info: (701) 746-5500.

‘Shrek the Musical’

• Today, Saturday at Stephen School: Stephen-Argyle Central presents “Shrek the Musical” as their 15th annual musical theatre presentation at 7:30 p.m. in the Stephen School Auditorium, 500 School Ave. The musical adaptation of the beloved classic features great songs, costumes, sets and humor. Additional 2 p.m. showing: Sunday. Cost: $8 adults, $6 preschool, students and seniors. Info: (218) 779-8871.

Ember Birthday Party

•  Today at Ember: Join the Ember at 9 p.m. for a birthday party featuring acoustic singer and songwriter Cody Qualley. Cost: Free. Info: (701) 203-2877.

‘Blending – New Beginnings’ Art Exhibit

•  Through Saturday at Muddy Waters: Muddy Waters Clay Center is hosting an exhibit by Don Miller, one of the founding members of the center, featuring clay work expressing the North Dakota landscape. Cost: Free. Info: (701) 772-1998.

Family Day at NDMOA

•  Saturday at Museum of Art: The North Dakota Museum of Art is hosting Family Day from 10 a.m. to noon at the museum. Children and adults of all ages are invited to come together to work on projects that help us understand the museum exhibit or learn about techniques and materials. This month’s family day will also feature guest artist Bradford Hansen-Smith. Cost: Free. Info: (701) 777-3599.

Polish Food Fest

•  Saturday at Minto Community Center: The ninth annual Polish Food Fest will be held from 3 to 7 p.m. at the Minto (N.D.) Community Center, 114 Harvey Ave., with a special performance by the Polish National Alliance Dancers at 4 p.m. Food specialties include pierogies, potato pancakes, kielbasa (sausage), kluski (potato dumplings), golabki (cabbage rolls) and kapusta (sauerkraut and pork ribs). There will also be a live auction at the event. Cost: Donations. Info: (701) 248-2005.

‘Picture This!’ Art Reception

• Saturday at Arts Council: The Northwest Minnesota Arts Council has opened a new exhibit featuring mosaic art by Sherri Kruger and photographs by Lynne King. A reception for the artists will be held from 3:30 to 5 p.m. March 29 at the East Grand Forks gallery inside the River Walk Artists Shop and Gallery at the River Walk Mall. Cost: Free. Info: (218) 745-9111.

‘70 and Better’

•  Saturday at Fire Hall: Six local girls ages 10 to 17 recently interviewed women ages 72 to 93 in a writing workshop at the Greater Grand Forks Community Theatre and turned them into original monologues. They will be airing a 15 minute documentary about the making of the monoluges at 7:30 p.m. as well as performing the monologues written from the interviews. Cost: $10. Info: (701) 746-0847.

Red River Piano Trio

•  Saturday at Muiderman Theater: The “New” Red River Trio will perform at 8 p.m. at the Muiderman Theater, 1410 Elm Coulee Dr., Thompson, N.D. The trio consists of vocalist Anna Andersson, cellist Kara Harttan and pianist Keith Teppen. The concert will be accompanied by a silent auction. Cost: Free. Info: (701) 599-2348.

Northern Valley Youth Orchestra

•  Sunday at Empire: The Northern Valley Youth Orchestras is performing its final concert of the season at 3:30 p.m. at the Empire Arts Center. Each youth orchestra will present music inspired by and drawn from around the world. From African to central Asia to New York, the orchestra will take you on a virtual tour around the globe. Cost: $5 adult, $3 military and educator, children 12 and younger free. Info: (701) 213-0310.

UND Writers Conference

•  Wednesday through Friday at Museum of Art: “Imagine: A Literary Festival on the Prairie” is set to take place at the North Dakota Museum of Art. This year’s lineup includes United States Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky, UND alumnus Brian Maxwell, Jessica Lott, Geoff Dyer, Sarah Leavitt and Colson Whitehead. The event includes a mix of panel discussions, author readings, film screenings and a special performance by Robert Pinsky and the UND Jazz Ensemble. Cost: Free. Full Schedule: www.und.edu/orgs/writers-conference or the Herald calendar.

‘Paper-Cuts: Sanbian Folk Customs’ Reception

•  Wednesday at Hughes Fine Arts Center: Visiting Chinese artist Hua Yuexiu will exhibit her works Monday through Thursday in the Myers Art Gallery in the Hughes Fine Arts Center. The exhibit will feature Hua’s paper cuts, which depict festive scenes and folk customs and are displayed in major museums in China. Hua will also give a gallery talk and demonstration at 12:15 p.m. Thursday. Cost: Free. Info: (701) 777-5529.

Jazz Series

•  Thursday at ’l Bistro: Jazz on Tap will be performing Thursday at ‘l Bistro as part of an ongoing Jazz series on Thursdays from 7 to 10 p.m. Additional shows: Downtown Jazz April 10, Matt Strand Group April 17, Sneaky Wild Oats April 24. Info: (701) 792-1960.

‘Peter Pan Jr.’

•  Thursday, Friday at Central High School: Valley Middle School students will perform a special adaption of the famous play and Disney film at 7:30 p.m. The 60-minute musical tells the story of the boy who wouldn’t grow up and the girl who has to, featuring classic songs “You Can Fly!” and “The Second Star to the Right.” Cost: $5. Info: (701) 871-0206.

One-Act Comedies

• April 4-5 at Reynolds City Hall: Reynolds (N.D.) Community Betterment is hosting its spring play production at 7:30 p.m. at the Reynolds City Hall, 206 Morrison St. Two one-act comedies performed by local actors, “Blind Date” and “Sagebrush Sidekicks,” will keep audiences laughing all night long. Additional 2 p.m. showtimes: April 6. Cost: $10 adults, $7 students K-12. Info: (701) 872-6188.

‘Northern Exposures’ Photography Exhibit

•  Through April 5 at EGF Campbell Library: The East Grand Forks Campbell Library will host “Northern Exposures,” a juried photography exhibit featuring artists throughout the region, through April 5. Awards will be presented at the exhibit opening from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. March 3. Cost: Free. Info: (218) 773-9121.

‘This is Personal’

•  Through April 6 at Blue Door Gallery: Only five percent of the art currently on display in U.S. museums is made by women. The Blue Door Gallery, 2 N. Third St., Grand Forks, is helping to correct that with “This is Personal: A Women’s Exhibition.” Cost: Free. Info: (701) 772-3710.

Adult Art Classes

April at Museum of Art: The North Dakota Museum of Art has two upcoming art classes that are open to all levels, with no previous experience necessary. The first is “Painting Through the Ages II” with instructor Pirjo Berg. The class, which costs $200, will meet from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. April 7, 10, 1, 17, 21, 24, 28 and May 1. Students will practice contemporary and classic techniques and explore how they changed painting and the history of art. The other class is titled “Human Figure Drawing” with instructor Guillermo Guardia. It will meet from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. April 8, 15, 22 and 29 for a fee of $100. Each session will emphasize human proportions, body structure and drawing the human body at rest and in motion. Cost: $200, $100. Info: (701) 777-4195.