Albert Leans and visitors alike are ready for a weekend of rock ’n’ roll, classic cars and maybe even some exercise.

The 26th annual Eddie Cochran Weekend starts tonight with a social at the Country Inn & Suites on East Main Street in Albert Lea starting around 5 p.m. There will be trophies awarded including “Oldie but Goodie,” “People’s Choice” and “Long Distance.”

On Saturday the fun continues. Starting the day at 7:30 a.m. is the walk/run for the hospice program at Mayo Clinic Health System in Albert Lea.

Registrants can sign up for the car show and swap at the fairgrounds from 8 to 11:30 a.m. The show will be from noon to 4 p.m., with trophies awarded around 3 p.m. There is a $10 fee for registering.

Public can attend the car show for $2. There will be food vendors at the show. The Freeborn County Historical Museum will have extended hours Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. for the public to view an Eddie Cochran display. There will also be a record collectors show in the Fairlane Building from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The new 12-mile cruise will start at the fairgrounds at 4:30 p.m.; there is no cost to participate. The cruise will end at the fairgrounds and is open to all cars, motorcycles and trucks. After the cruise there will be entertainment by the band Endless Summer in the Grandstand. The Nasty Habit will bartend from 7 to 10 p.m.

On Saturday there will also be a motorcycle rally put on by the Southern Minnesota H.O.G. from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

On Sunday, United Methodist Church in Albert Lea is having a rock ’n’ roll worship at 10 a.m. The worship will be followed by a lunch.

The weekend celebrates Albert Lea native Eddie Cochran. Cochran was born Oct. 3, 1938, in Albert Lea. He started playing guitar when he was 12 years old and toured as a country music performer in California. He switched to rock in 1957 with “Sitting on the Balcony.” Other hits of his include “Summertime Blues,” “C’mon Everybody,” “Something Else” and “Jeannie, Jeannie, Jeannie.” Cochran died in 1960 when the cab taking him to Heathrow Airport crashed.

All events will be held rain or shine. This year the Albert Lea Convention and Visitors Bureau, Freeborn County Historical Museum and volunteers Jerry Monson and Terry Perkins planned the event.