A Tribute to Buddy Holly and Ritchie Valens is coming to the Marion Ross Performing Arts Center in Albert Lea Friday beginning at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale at Doyle’s Hallmark in Northbridge Mall. For more information call, 377-4372.

“Richie Lee is new to us,” said manager Patrick Rasmussen. “I’ve done two tributes to Buddy Holly in the past, but this is the first time Richie will be here. He’s played a lot of venues in southern Minnesota and northern Iowa, so he is familiar to quite a few people. He recently played at the Senior Citizen’s Center. So if you saw him there, come to the Performing Arts Center and catch the entire show.”

Lee, 19, is from Des Moines, Iowa, and was singing almost before he could talk. At age 8, he won a Buddy Holly look alike lip sync contest in Des Moines. His interest in Buddy Holly began at the age of 6, listening to CDs. He began taking guitar lessons at age 11 and drums at age 12. Lee has played with many Iowa rock’n’roll bands. He played 14 ballrooms by age 16. He has also gone as far as Boston to play a couple of shows with the Drifters and this summer will go to Memphis for an Elvis Tribute. He has been on shows with many famous people, too many to mention.

The performance will include songs of Ritchie Valens, but also all the greatest songs of Buddy Holly: “Everyday,” “True Love Ways,” “That’ll be the Day,” “Peggy Sue,” “Maybe Baby” and more. Lee is also a big fan of Eddie Cochran and is planning on playing a few of his songs.

General admission tickets are $15. The box office will open at 6:30 p.m. and the auditorium at 6:45.

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

Friday, Feb. 20

The Albert Lea Art Center’s 50th anniversary all-member show will be open from noon to 4 p.m. The works of some 70 artists are on display. Admission is free, but donations are accepted.

St. Theodore Catholic Church will hold a fish fry from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in Marian Hall. Fish, baked or mashed potatoes, cole slaw, rolls, and ice cream with toppings will be served. Cost is $8 for adults and $3 for children under 12 years. Kids 3 and younger eat free.

A ShineFest family fun night and kids’ carnival will be held at Crossroads Evangelical Free Church, 3402 Hoeger Lane, Albert Lea, from 6 to 9 p.m. Fourteen churches are involved in this event, providing booths, music and silent and live auction items. Admission is free, and punch cards may be purchased for food or the kids’ carnival for $5.

Saturday, Feb. 21

Ride Services of Freeborn County will hold a pancake breakfast at Applebee’s from 7 to 10 a.m. Pancakes, sausage, eggs, juice and coffee will be served. Cost is $5 per person. Advance tickets are available at the Senior Resources office.

The Humane Society of Freeborn County will hold a pet adoption event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Albert Lea Animal Shelter in Frank Hall Park.

 The Albert Lea Art Center’s 50th anniversary all-member show will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is free, but donations are accepted.

Northbridge Mall will host a sports card and collectibles show from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The Albert Lea Township Volunteer Fire Department will hold a hot beef and hot pork dinner from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Albert Lea American Legion, 142 N. Broadway Ave. Cost is $8 for adults. Children ages 5 and younger eat free. Proceeds will help purchase new firefighting equipment. In addition, the department is replacing outdated pagers to comply with federal mandates for narrow band radios.

Emmons American Legion Post 317 will host a chili and soup supper from 4 to 7 p.m. The supper is being prepared by the Sons of the American Legion. Donations will be accepted. There will also be a silent auction. The funds will be applied toward the Legion kitchen update project. A chili cookoff with a $5 entry fee/ winner-take-all contest is also being held.

Sunday, Feb. 22

The Albert Lea Sons of Norway Lodge will hold a pancake breakfast from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Pancakes, scrambled eggs, ham, ligonberries, juice and coffee will be served. Cost is $6 for adults and $3 for children ages 6 to 12 years. Children 5 and younger eat free. This is a benefit for the food shelf.

 The Alden-Conger School baseball teams will host a pancake breakfast from 8 a.m. to noon at the Alden-Conger School. Pancakes, french toast, egg bake, sausage, milk, juice and coffee will be served for a donation. Funds raised will help pay for baseball field upgrades and equipment.

 American Legion Post 56 will hold a breakfast from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Pancakes, eggs, sausage, potatoes, juice and coffee will be served. Cost is $6 for adults and $3 for children under 10 years.

Mardi Gras Sunday, an Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Youth Gathering fundraiser, will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. A jambalaya lunch will be served for $7 per plate for adults and $5 for 12 years and younger. Shrimp and sausage jambalaya and veggie jambalaya, corn muffins, applesauce, lemonade and coffee will be served. There will also be a silent auction, music by MegaForce and other entertainment. Advance tickets are available at Emmons Lutheran, First Lutheran, Grace Lutheran, Salem Lutheran and Trinity Lutheran churches.

Northbridge Mall will host a sports card and collectibles show from noon to 5 p.m.