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EVENT / LA FAMILIA LATINO FESTIVAL
Oct. 10: The Midwest's largest event celebrating Hispanic heritage is back at the RiverCentre with more than 10,000 people expected to visit. La Familia Latino Family Festival and Expo features local and national entertainment, cuisine, more than 100 life and culture exhibits and an interactive children's area. New this year is the Quinceañera Expo, a one-stop shop for everything associated with the Mexican coming-of-age ceremony, including photographers, videographers, formal wear stores and cake designers. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; St. Paul RiverCentre, 175 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul; free; 651-265-4800 or rivercentre.org.
ARTS / CHILDREN'S ECOARTS FESTIVAL
Oct. 10: The third annual Children's EcoArts Festival features art activities and performances hosted by the St. Paul-based nonprofit ArtStart. New Mexico artist Amy Cordova narrates an adaptation of her children's picture book "Dream Carver," the tale of a Mexican wood carver, with musical accompaniment by Mariachi Flor Y Canto. There's also Japanese, Irish, Chinese and Mexican dance and a square dance. 1 to 4 p.m.; Mears Park, Sibley and Fifth St., St. Paul; free; 651-698-2787 or artstart.org.
DANCE / SAINT PAUL CITY
Oct. 11: Dancers and students from Saint Paul City Ballet perform excerpts from La Boutique Fantasque and Les Sylphides as a tribute to the 100th anniversary of the founding of Les Ballets Russes. The French ballet company was one of the most influential companies of the 20th century, in part because of its innovative artistic collaboration with contemporary choreographers, composers, artists and dancers. 1 p.m.; Landmark Center, 75 W. Fifth St., St. Paul; free; 651-292-3225 or landmarkcenter.org.
ART / OPEN & CLOSED
Oct 11: Parents and their children can explore doors at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts "Open & Closed" Target Family Day. Families can create pop-up illustrations, look at different paintings that use doors to convey a message and explore the differences among doors across cultures. 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Minneapolis Institute of Arts, 2400 Third Ave. S., Minneapolis; free; 888-642-2787 or artsmia.org.
THEATER / I LIKE ME
Through Oct. 25: Stages Theatre is serving up a season of page to stage plays based on well-known children's books. In this production, Louanne the pig trots on stage with her message of self-esteem in an adaptation of Nancy Carlson's picture book "I Like Me." Carlson, who lives in Bloomington, will be on hand after the 1 p.m. performance on Oct. 17 to greet fans and sign her book. Stages Theatre, 1111 Mainstreet, Hopkins; $5 to $15; 952-979-1111 or stagestheatre.org.
AMUSEMENT RIDES / CAFESJIAN'S CAROUSEL
Through Oct. 31: Mount one of the 68 horses on the antique Cafesjian's Carousel. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday and Oct. 15-16 (note: carousel does not operate if temperature is below 45 degrees); Como Park, Midway Parkway and Kaufman Drive, St. Paul; $1.50; ourfaircarousel.org.
HISTORY EXHIBIT / MINNESOTA'S GREATEST GENERATION
Ongoing: The latest exhibit at the Minnesota History Center, "Minnesota's Greatest Generation," uses recorded interviews, photographs, film footage and hundreds of artifacts to document the experiences of an entire generation, from childhood in the 1920s through World War II and into the present. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday; Minnesota History Center, 345 W. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul; $10 adults, $8 seniors and college students, $5 children ages 6-17, free for children age 5 and younger. 651-259-3000 or www.mnhs.org.
FILM / FREE FAMILY FLICKS
Ongoing: The Theatres at Mall of America shows free family flicks every Saturday at 10 a.m. Arrive early to get a seat. See theatresmoa.com to find out what's showing.
NATURE / BIRDING
Ongoing: See songbirds up close and watch experts band birds as part of an ongoing effort to help scientists learn more about bird migrations and habits. All ages welcome. Carpenter Nature Center has been capturing, banding and releasing birds for 26 years. 9 a.m. to noon every fourth Friday of the month, Carpenter St. Croix Valley Nature Center, 12805 St. Croix Trail, Hastings; free; please call ahead to let them know you're coming; 651-437-4359 or CarpenterNatureCenter.org.
