1. Splash Bash

It’s a party, and it’s the best kind of party for summer: a water party. Meet at the Splash Pad at the corner of Broadway Avenue and Fountain Street for an afternoon of outdoor games, music, bouncy houses and food for purchase. The splash pad will be ready for you from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. Friday.

 

 

2.Marathon

Are you an early bird? Are you a really, really early bird? You’ll need to be for Saturday’s marathon: It starts at 5 a.m. from the Brookside Boathouse. Early start begins at 4 a.m. Register online ahead of time or starting a half-hour ahead of the start time the day of. Pets are a no-go, but feel free to bring your stroller. The run is a part of Mainly Marathon’s Heartland series, and if a marathon isn’t your cup of tea, there’s also a half-marathon, a 10K, a 5K and, for the extreme runners, a 50K.

 

 

3. Pelican Breeze with Al Batt

Birds and a breeze? Sign yourself up for Sunday’s Al Batt Pelican Breeze II cruise, which leaves at 1:30 p.m. Al Batt is a naturalist out of Hartland, and will talk guests through some of the nature seen from the cruise.

Reservations are required, and the cruise lasts approximately two hours. If you’re interested in a more casual cruise, the boat also offers a 6 p.m. Friday cruise, no reservation necessary. Both cruises leave from Frank Hall Park.

 

 

4. Unique Junque

The unique junque sale joins others in the city-wide rummage sale. Unique Junque is an annual sale by the Albert Lea Art Center. Proceeds from the sale go toward Art Center operating expenses. The sale runs from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday at 1206 West Richway Drive.

 

 

5. Eddie Cochran Weekend

Highlights for the weekend celebrating Albert Lea-born rock ’n’ roll star Eddie Cochran include a 12-mile car cruise starting at 4 p.m. Saturday and live music both Friday and Saturday nights. The Johnny Rogers show will perform from 5 to 6 p.m. Friday at the corner of Clark Street and Broadway Avenue and then again from 7:30 to 10 p.m. The Whitesidewalls perform from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Saturday at Fountain Lake Park. The car cruise leaves from the Freeborn County Fairgrounds following the 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. car show downtown.