The third annual April Sorensen Memorial Half Marathon will be run Saturday. It starts at 8 a.m. on the East Main Street service road in Albert Lea and ends 13.1 miles later on Main Street in Hayward.

The entry fee for individuals is $50 prior to July 9 and $60 on the day of the race. The fee is $100 for relay teams prior to July 9 and $120 on the day of the race.

For more information, go to www.livelaughloverun.com.

Hayward is also hosting Hayward Days on Saturday. The schedule includes mud bog races starting at noon on the south side of town. There will also be a softball tournament and the Hayward Lutheran Church laides will serve food from 8 to 11 a.m. Citywide rummage sales are planned and the Hayward 4-H Club will serve root beer floats.

In addition, New Richland will hold its annual Farm & City Days festival (the schedule appeared in Wednesday’s edition) this weekend and Lake Mills, Iowa, will hold its annual July Jubilee (see Page 6 today).

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

Friday, July 9

 The Conger Volunteer Fire Department will hold its annual pork chop feed from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Pork chops, potato salad, cole slaw and baked beans will be served. Cost is $10 for adults and $6 for ages 12 and younger. A hot dog meal for those ages 12 years and younger will be available for $4 per person.

The Pelican Breeze will hold a pizza cruise at 6 p.m. Cost is $20 per person ($5 for children 5 years and younger). Guitarist David Courey will provide the music. Reservations are needed by 4 p.m. Call 383-2630.

The Old Car Company will hold a car cruise, sponsored by the Big Island Bar & Grill, starting at 6 p.m. in the former Buy-N-Save parking lot on South Broadway Avenue. There are no entry fees, registration or awards, just fun cruising Broadway.

The Austin Area Singles and Solos will hold a dance starting at 7:30 p.m. at the Albert Lea American Legion, 142 N. Broadway Ave. The Buck Hollow Band will play. Admission is $7 for members and $8 for nonmembers.

Saturday, July 10

The Albert Lea Farmers Market will be open from 9 a.m. to noon in the parking lot at the corner of North Broadway Avenue and Water Street.

A Strike Out Breast Cancer charity bowling tournament will be held at Holiday Lanes starting at 11 a.m. Cost is $20 per person for a three game match. Prizes will be awarded. Sign up at Holiday Lanes. A wine-tasting and silent auction runs from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Cost is $10 per person Proceeds benefit the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure: Team Legacy (Chris and Doug Brown, Dave Miller, Melissa Burnett and Melanie and Valerie Priebe).

Mike McCall will present primitive skills from noon to 5 p.m. at Myre-Big Island State Park. The program will include demonstrations on ancient hunting techniques, primitive fire starting, and flint knapping, which is the process of making stone tools such as; arrow heads, knives, hand axes and more. These events are free, but a vehicle permit is necessary to enter Minnesota state parks and recreation areas.

The Pelican Breeze will hold a public cruise at 4 p.m. Cost is $15 per person ($5 for children 5 years and younger). No reservations are necessary.

A cancer benefit for Laura Knudsen will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. at Church of Christ, 1705 SE Marshall St. There will be a sloppy joe meal with salads and bars and a silent auction, live auction and bake sale. Knudsen had a stem cell transplant to treat her acute myeloid leukemia in May. She has been at the Gift of Life Transplant House in Rochester since.

Sunday, July 11

The Albert Lea Area Shrine Club will hold a pancake brekfast from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Freeborn County Fairgrounds. Cost is $6 for adults and $3 for children.

The Pelican Breeze will hold a public cruise at 1:30 p.m. Cost is $15 per person ($5 for children 5 years and younger). No reservations are necessary.