Midwest travel: Do you have the chops to win Bruce Springsteen Singing Contest?
Chicago
Sing like Bruce, win a free stay
The West Loop's new Hotel Chicago - Illinois Medical District is giving away free overnight stays to anyone who can prove they are "Tougher Than the Rest," whether named "Rosalita" or "Sherry Darling." The "I'm on Fire" Bruce Springsteen Singing Contest takes place when the Boss plays the United Center Sunday, Aug. 28. The hotel lobby will transform into the Thunder Road music lounge with a Boss-only karaoke set. The hotel staff will rate each contestant's performance solely on merit. Winners will then be awarded a free overnight stay at Hotel Chicago for a later date. The contest is open to both hotel guests and the general public who stop in anytime to sing during open competition hours. 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 27-28, at Hotel Chicago - Illinois Medical District, 1622 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago. For details or to book a room, call (312) 243-2900 or see hotelchicago1622.com/.
They're watching you
See selected artwork from the Kinsey Institute Collection when Intuit: The Center of Intuitive and Outsider Art exhibits "Private Eyes." The exhibit displays 16 works from Indiana University's Kinsey Institute that explore the complexities of human sexuality. "Private Eyes" features paintings, drawings, prints, carved figures and fabric crafts. Each piece was originally intended for private use, receiving little scholarly or creative notice since its creation. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Thursday; noon to 5 p.m. Sunday; closed Mondays. Exhibit runs now through Oct. 2 at Intuit: The Center of Intuitive and Outsider Art, 756 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago. Suggested donation is $5; free for members and kids younger than 12. (312) 243-9088 or art.org/.
Midwest
Smashing good time
French fry feed, potato-picking, mashed-potato sculpting, potato pancake breakfast and mashed potato wrestling? It must be Potato Days in the central Minnesota town of Barnesville. The festival features old-fashioned events such as a quilt show, pony rides and a dunk tank as well as spud-centric fun including potato peeling and eating contests, a potato cook-off, potato car races and a little Miss Tater Tot contest. Rated as one of the best festivals in the country by U.S. News and World Report, the fest offers activities for all ages. 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday, Aug. 26, and 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 27, in Barnesville, Minnesota. (800) 525-4901 or potatodays.com/.
Hopping mad
Hop harvest season makes craft beer lovers weak in the knees and very thirsty. West Michigan Beer Tours partners with Hop Head Farms in Hickory Corners, Michigan, for a glimpse into the hectic hop harvest season of late August and early September. There are two tours to the 30-acre farm where guests can visit the fields, view the processing equipment, learn about hop varietals and sample Michigan beer using Michigan hops. Visit at least two different breweries on each date. Tours last 6 hours. Noon Saturday, Aug. 27, in Grand Rapids and noon Saturday, Sept. 3, in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Tickets start at $75 and include samples or a pint at each location. westmichiganbeertours.com/tours/.
Pickin' and grinning'
Hundreds of musicians perform on 10 stages in northwest Iowa's National Old Time Country Bluegrass Festival. The largest congregation of acoustic, country, folk and bluegrass music west of the Mississippi features international performers, contests for nonprofessional musicians, storytelling, and rustic arts and crafts. The 2016 music lineup includes: Buffalo Gals, Yellow Belly Sapsuckers, Jacob Austin Band, T.J. Casey and Terry Smith. Expect plenty of victuals and beverages and some 10,000 music fans playing and enjoying old-fashioned tunes. There are RV facilities, new campground bathroom/shower facilities and hotels located nearby. 9 a.m. to midnight Monday through Sunday, Aug. 29-Sept. 4, at Plymouth County Fairgrounds, LeMars, Iowa. Single-day admission for adults: $15; free for 18 and younger. Seven-day pass: $60. (712) 762-4363 or bluegrassfestivalguide.com/national-old-time.html.
Worth the trip
The series may have ended, but "Downton Abbey" fans don't have to cry into their teacups. Global-tour operator Friendly Planet Travel has added a new six-day tour with exclusive access to the Downton Abbey Christmas Ball. Spend Christmas in London and experience the Christmas Gala at the film site of "Downton Abbey," Highclere Castle. Inclusions are round-trip flights (from New York (JFK) or Newark (EWR) to London); arrival and departure transfers; four nights accommodations in a first-class hotel; breakfast daily; gala Christmas Ball and a tour at Highclere Castle; three-course dinner with wine; after-dinner Christmas caroling around Highclere Castle's Christmas tree; and a half-day vintage bus tour of London with beverages. There are optional add-ons like a two-nght extension in Reykjavik, Iceland, plus London and Paris tours. Dec. 14-19. Six days in London costs $2,499; save $300 when booking by Aug. 30. (800) 555-5765 or friendlyplanet.com//london-downton-abbey.html.