Children can tour a fire truck, police car, and an ambulance, have photos taken with Sparky and McGruff and take part in a variety of activities and at the annual Family Fun Festival at the Northbridge Mall Saturday, April 12, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Admission to all of the events is free, but children must be accompanied by an adult.

The Family Fun Festival is sponsored and coordinated by the Freeborn County Interagency Early Intervention Committee. The IEIC is a collaborative group of parents and professionals working together to provide and improve education, social and health services for young children and their families.

Following is a roundup of other events happening in the area this weekend:

Friday, April 11

&045; The Junior/Senior Freeborn County High School Art Show continues at the Albert Lea Art Center. Gallery hours are from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Admission is free.

&045; Skyline Mall hosts a spring craft show during mall hours.

&045; The third-annual Regal Liquor Charity Wine Tasting will be held form 6-8 p.m. at the Budget Host/Dillan’s Restaurant. There will be an hors d’ouevre buffet and silent auction. Cost is $10 per person in advance or $15 per person at the door. The event is sponsored by Regal Liquor, Albert Lea Eagles Club and Hy-Vee. Proceeds will benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Minnesota.

&045; The Disabled American Veterans and Albert Lea Community Education present &uot;Main Street Music Hall,&uot; a music, variety and comedy show from Lake of the Ozarks, at 7 p.m. in the Albert Lea High School auditorium. Cost is $15 for adults and $10 for children 14 and under. Tickets are available at all Andersen Hallmark stores, the Community Education office at 211 W. Richway Drive, or from any Disabled American Veterans member. For more information, call John Petersen at 373-9059 or Community Education at 379-4834. Proceeds from the show will benefit both the DAV and Community Education.

Saturday, April 12

&045; Skyline Mall hosts a spring craft show during mall hours.

&045; The Junior/Senior Freeborn County High School Art Show is open at the Albert Lea Art Center. Gallery hours are from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Admission is free.

&045; Austin Singles and Solos will hold a dance at the New Richland Legion from 8 p.m.-midnight. The Don Holton Band will play. Alumni are welcome.

Sunday, April 13

&045; The Southeastern Minnesota Pigeon Association will hold a swap and sell beginning at 7 a.m. at the Freeborn County Fairgrounds. Gate charge is $3 per person. Those 16 and under will be admitted free. There will also be a silent auction, drawing and refreshments available. For more information, call Dick Boberg at (507) 288-9251.

&045; The Conger Volunteer Firefighters will hold a pancake breakfast from 7 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Conger Community Center. The menu includes all-you-can eat pancakes, French toast, eggs, sausage, coffee, juice and milk. Cost is $5 for adults, $3.50 children 6-12 years, and kids under 5 eat free.

&045; The Hartland Firefighters’ Auxiliary will hold a pancake breakfast from 7 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Hartland Community Center. Cost is $5 for ages 10 and up, $3 for children 5-9 years, and those 4 and under eat free.

&045; The March of Dimes WalkAmerica, which raises money for the fight against birth defects, will start at Brookside Education. Registration is at noon. The walk officially begins at 1 p.m. For more information, contact Annie Burt at (507) 282-0649. Register by calling 1(800) 525-Walk, or log on to www.walkamerica.org.

&045; Skyline Mall hosts a spring craft show during mall hours.

&045; Northbridge Mall will hold a spring fashion show at 2 p.m. in center court.

&045; The Area Community Choir will present an Easter Cantata at 2 p.m. at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Wells. A freewill offering will be taken to defray expenses; any money remaining will be given to area food shelves.

&045; A benefit sloppy joe supper, silent auction and bake sale for Dan Hagen will be held from 4-7 p.m. at the Albert Lea Union Center. Hagen was diagnosed with non-Hodgkins lymphoma in February 2001. He has undergone numerous treatments and received a bone marrow transplant on Feb. 10 of this year. This benefit will help with his medical expenses. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans will be matching funds. Hagen is the son of Elwood and Marlys Hagen and brother of Lori Miller and Kris Lee.

&045; The Luther College Cathedral Choir will perform in concert at 4 p.m. at First Lutheran Church, 301 W. Clark St., Albert Lea. The concert is free and open to the public. A freewill offering will be taken. For more information call 373-6424. The choir will perform works by Handel, Ferguson, Kallman, Christiansen and Clausen, among others.

&045; A prayer service, hosted by local Evangelical Lutheran Church in America churches and Christ Episcopal Church in this time of world crisis, will be held at 5 p.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church. All members of the community are invited to attend.

&045; The Area Community Choir will present an Easter Cantata at 7 p.m. at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Alden. A freewill offering will be taken to defray expenses; any money remaining will be given to area food shelves.