Holiday Events

Friday, Dec. 15

• Hormel Historic Home Holiday Walk-In Tours, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Historic Hormel Home. Come enjoy the beautiful holiday decorations throughout the Hormel Historic Home. Free for members of the HHH, or $5 per person. For more information, call 507-433-4243.

• Christmas Dinner Party, noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Mower County Senior Center. Come to the Senior Center for a traditional Christmas dinner featuring brown sugar ham steak or turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, garlic bacon green beans, yams, and dessert. Wear your Christmas best and take advantage of our photo opportunity – one picture included as part of your dinner. Members $8.50, non-members $9.50. For tickets or for more information, call 507-433-2370.

• Austin Bruins vs. Minnesota Wilderness (Teddy Bear Toss), 7-9:30 p.m. at Riverside Arena. Teddy Bear Toss with Power 96. All new or used stuffed animals can be thrown onto the ice after the first Bruins goal. All proceeds benefit the Salvation Army in Austin. Go, Bruins! For more information, call 507-434-4978.

Saturday, Dec. 16

• Austin Community Playgroup – Christmas Toy Exchange, 9-11 a.m. at the Austin Congregational UCC. Let’s make this a “green” Christmas – clean out your toy room and bring in gently used, clean, and non-broken toys/books/puzzles for a ticket to select an item. Kiddos can color grocery bags, provided by HyVee, creating one-of-a-kind gift bags. Downstairs gym will be open for play. Drop off items Dec 8 and 12 at the Playgroup. 3 volunteers needed – to volunteer or for more information, call Sheila at 507-399-1924.

• Kid’s Studio – Pinecone Christmas Trees, 10:30 a.m. to noon at the Austin ArtWorks Center. With Mackenzie Bentzin. For kids ages 4 – 14; cost $5. For more information or to sign up, call 507-343-0934.

• Santa at the American Legion, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the American Legion. Please join us for Santa, presents, treats and hot chocolate. This event is open to the public so we hope to see you all in the 16th. For more information, call 507-437- 1151.

• Open House – Nativity House, 1-5 p.m. at 606 Oakland Place NE. The public is invited to see our collection of over 900 nativity scenes collected from all over the world in all different sizes, styles, and materials. $1 donation requested which will go to the Salvation Army. For more information, or if you would like to make an appointment, call 433-2643.

Other Events

Friday, Dec. 15

• Second Floor Art Gallery, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Austin ArtWorks Center. Art Gallery featuring the work of AACA members as well as the photographs of Lila Lee Taft. Free and open to the public. For more information, call 507-434-0934.

• Bingo, 5:40-7:40 p.m. at the Austin VFW. Early Bird starting at 5:40 p.m. Open to the public. For more information, call 507-433-6039.

• Austin Packer Classic Girls U12-U10 Hockey Tournament, at Packer Arena. For more information, call 507-438-6777 or email http://tournamentdirectorayh@gmail.com/.

Saturday, Dec. 16

• Second Floor Art Gallery, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Austin ArtWorks Center. Art Gallery featuring the work of AACA members as well as the photographs of Lila Lee Taft. Free and open to the public. For more information, call 507-434-0934.

• Author Meet and Greet – Kiersten Hall, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Sweet Reads. Meet local author Kiersten Hall, who will share insights from her memoir “I Do – Fifteen Years of Wedding Misadventures”, her novel “Corner Confessions”, and her new novel “The Lies We Live”, being released in January 2018. For more information, call 507-396-8660.

• Driller MMA Fight, 6-10 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Conference Center. For more information 507-433-1000.

• Austin Packer Classic Girls U12-U10 Hockey Tournament, at Packer Arena. For more information, call 507-438-6777 or email http://tournamentdirectorayh@gmail.com/.

Sunday, Dec. 17

• Austin Packer Classic Girls U12-U10 Hockey Tournament, at Packer Arena. For more information, call 507-438-6777 or email http://tournamentdirectorayh@gmail.com/.