The Hormel Historic Home will host the Eighth Annual Foodie Throwdown beginning at 6 p.m. on Saturday.

This year’s theme is “Winers & Diners” and the event will feature professional chefs and home cooks competing with what Hormel Historic Home Director Holly Johnson calls “upscale diner” dishes.

“There are going to be quite a variety of dishes,” she said.

This year’s competition will feature five competitors/teams: Kristine Wolner, Leah Erichson and Kim Schulte, Anthony Panichelli, Missy Toupin and Varinh Van Vugt, and Wade Kolander.

From 7-8:30 p.m., attendees will be able to taste and vote on their favorite dishes. The winning teams will be announced and receive awards at 9 p.m.

Items available for silent auction will be scattered throughout the Hormel Historic Home. There will also be several items up for live auction.

A limited number of tickets are still available for $35 per person. Tickets can be purchased at www.hormelhistorichome.org or by calling 507-433-4243.

All proceeds go toward supporting the preservation and mission of the Hormel Historic Home.

“This is a fun celebratory event for the community that allows us to celebrate food and history,” Johnson said.

For more information, call 507-433-4243.

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Schedule of Events

Friday

• Second Annual Growing Acres Conference, 8:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Riverland Community College. Inspiring local foods and niche markets in the region. This conference is a meaningful two days of networking and education involving our local, regional community of organizations, food growers, producers, and those thinking of beginning a local foods or niche market business. Interested in joining the planning team or looking for more information? Send an email to connect@growingacres.org.

• Valentine’s Meal, noon at the Mower County Senior Center. Bring your sweet heart or your friend for a fun-filled Valentine’s Day party featuring piano background music, photo opportunity, and a delicious meal of roast beef with béarnaise sauce, candied baby carrots, and cheesy potatoes as well as a special Valentine’s dessert. Cost for members is $8.50, non-members $9.50. Pre-paid cards available to purchase for this event. To sign up or for more information, stop by the Senior Center front desk or call 507-433-2370.

• “Snow White: The Queen’s Fair Daughter,” 7 p.m. at the Historic Paramount Theatre. A Matchbox Children’s Theatre production. Enjoy the original 1808 version of this well-known fairy tale – what truly happened to Snow White, according to the Brothers Grimm? Will the Queen triumph or will Snow White’s prince still save the day? For more information, go to www.matchboxchildrenstheatre.org or call 507-437-9078.

• D&R Star 3-Man Pool Tournament, at the Holiday Inn Austin Conference Center. For more information, call 507-282-6080 or 507-433-1000.

Saturday

• Second Annual Growing Acres Conference, 9:15 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Riverland Community College. Inspiring local foods and niche markets in the region. This conference is a meaningful two days of networking and education involving our local, regional community of organizations, food growers, producers, and those thinking of beginning a local foods or niche market business. Interested in joining the planning team or looking for more information? Send an email to connect@growingacres.org.

• Bird Banding with Austin Audubon, 10 a.m. at Ruby Rupner Auditorium, Jay C. Hormel Nature Center. Learn more about our cool winter songbirds with Larry Dolphin, Dick Smaby, and other members of Austin Audubon. We will enjoy an up-close look at these birds as we humanely trap, study, band, and release them. This unique event will be held in conjunction with the 22nd annual Great Backyard Bird Count, so we will also spend some time observing and counting birds at the auditorium’s feeders. FREE event, but please RSVP by Feb. 15 (info@hormelnaturecenter.org or 507-437-7519).

• “Snow White: The Queen’s Fair Daughter,” 7 p.m. at the Historic Paramount Theatre. A Matchbox Children’s Theatre production. Enjoy the original 1808 version of this well-known fairy tale – what truly happened to Snow White, according to the Brothers Grimm? Will the Queen triumph or will Snow White’s prince still save the day? For more information, go to www.matchboxchildrenstheatre.org or call 507-437-9078.

• D&R Star 3-Man Pool Tournament, at the Holiday Inn Austin Conference Center.

Sunday

• “Snow White: The Queen’s Fair Daughter,” 2 p.m. at the Historic Paramount Theatre. A Matchbox Children’s Theatre production. Enjoy the original 1808 version of this well-known fairy tale – what truly happened to Snow White, according to the Brothers Grimm? Will the Queen triumph or will Snow White’s prince still save the day? For more information, go to www.matchboxchildrenstheatre.org or call 507-437-9078.

• D&R Star 3-Man Pool Tournament, at the Holiday Inn Austin Conference Center.