The Wisconsin Maritime Museum will put models on display for Wisconsin Museums Week. Credit: Journal Sentinel files

SHARE

All Around Wisconsin:Wisconsin Museums Week and International Museum Day. Visit a Wisconsin museum this week for free or at a discounted admission. Visitors to the Waukesha County Museum, 101 W. Main St., on Tuesday can follow in Les Paul's footsteps and get free guitar lessons. Wade House, the living history museum at W7965 Highway 23, Greenbush, will put visitors to work filling straw ticks, airing out quilts or planting the garden Saturday and next Sunday. Get up to Manitowoc's Wisconsin Maritime Museum, 75 Maritime Drive, on Saturday for the Midwestern Model Ship & Boats Contest and Display. Find other museums and opportunities worth exploring at wisconsinmuseums.org.

Keshena:25th Annual Veterans of the Menominee Nation Powwow Gathering of Warriors. This year's gathering will honor World War II and Menominee code talkers Friday through next Sunday at the Woodland Bowl, N559 Liberty Road. The powwow opens Friday with the Blessing of the Grounds at 6:30 p.m. On Saturday, there will be grand entries at 1 and 7 p.m., honor songs, a princess contest and the veterans snake dance. Next Sunday's grand entry at noon will be followed by an honor ceremony and the Rolling Thunder Table ceremony. Admission is $8 for the weekend or $5 per day; free for veterans in uniform, elders and children under the age of 5. See powwows.com.

La Crosse:The Chicago & North Western Historical Society Annual Meet Sale and Swap Meet. As the Chicago & North Western traveled north and west through Wisconsin and other states, it created a lot of jobs and a lot of rail fans. This meet, held next Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Days Inn, 101 Sky Harbour Drive, features railroad memorabilia, model trains, books and other items. Admission is $5 for people ages 12 and up; free for younger visitors. See cnwhs.org.

King:2014 Open House. The Wisconsin Veterans Home at King, N2665 Highway QQ, will have an open house next Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visitors are invited to tour the home and grounds, enjoy some live music, take a boat ride and enjoy some special activities for the kids. There will also be an encampment, old car show and a display of vintage military vehicles. The open house is free and open to the public. See dva.state.wi.us/PA-events.asp.

Oconomowoc:2014 Wisconsin State Polka Festival. This polka extravaganza taking place Friday through next Sunday at the Olympia Resort, 1350 Royale Mile Road, features two ballrooms filled with music and dancing. The dancing starts Friday at 3:30 p.m. and continues (with breaks for sleeping and eating) until 6:15 p.m. next Sunday. It's open to the public. A three-day pass is $38; show up on Friday or next Sunday for $14 or Saturday for $15; dancers under the age of 14 can party for free. See wisconsinpolkaboosters.com.

Michigan:National Morel Mushroom Festival. Get the asparagus and cream ready — we're going morel hunting. That lacy, meaty delight takes center stage this time of year, especially in Boyne City, which has hosted morel hunters and this festival for more than 50 years. It opens Thursday and continues through next Sunday. There will be morel hunts, dinners and seminars. There will also be a craft show, carnival and live entertainment. See bcmorelfestival.com for details.

Michigan:11th Annual Empire Asparagus Festival. Speaking of asparagus...What rhymes with spring's favorite vegetable? Oh yes, a poetry contest for odes to the flowering perennial is one of the events taking place Friday through next Sunday in Empire. There will be an asparagus recipe contest, parade, live entertainment and lots of food featuring asparagus. Think pickled asparagus, asparagus brats and let's not forget asparagus beer. See empirechamber.com for a complete schedule of the fun.

Minnesota:26th Annual Midwest Comic Book Association SpringCon. If you're walking through St. Paul on Saturday or next Sunday and happen to see Spider-Man talking to Wonder Woman, fear not. They aren't in town to protect the city from evil-doers. They're here for the comic-book convention taking place at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds Grandstand Pavilion, 1265 Snelling Ave. N. There will be a huge comic book marketplace, a costume contest, panels, autographs and an art show. It is open both days from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission (good for both days) is $12 for adults and free for children ages 9 and under. See midwestcomicbook.com.

—Roberta J. Wahlers

Please send notice of events three weeks in advance to: All Over the Map, Travel Section, P.O. Box 371, Milwaukee, WI 53201 or to jsfeat@journalsentinel.com, with All Over the Map as the subject.