Take your binoculars and check out all these Bald Eagle Watch events happening planned up and down the Mississippi River this winter. For details, visit www.TravelMississippiRiver.org. The Mississippi River is the second most-visited U.S. natural resource (after the Grand Canyon). The bald eagles find it a pretty popular place to visit too. Click the title for the whole story.

The holiday season is suddenly upon us.  To celebrate, the Dubuque Museum of Art presents three new exhibits: Urban Landscapes by Mary Phelan, David Plowden’s Iowa, and Fire Department by Brent Houzenga.  Admission free and open to the public. Click the title for details.

Nov. 25 to Jan. 29
National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium, Port of Dubuque
A magical 15-minute 3D/4D version of The Polar Express movie starring Tom Hanks, The Polar Express 4-D Experience will open at the National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium on Friday, Nov. 25. It will run daily through Jan. 29, 2012 — with the exception of Dec. 25, when the Museum & Aquarium is closed for the Christmas holiday. Journey along with a doubting young boy who gets aboard a magical train ride to the North Pole in this classic tale of wonder and hope. The custom special effects of the Museum & Aquarium’s 4-D theater technology will give viewers an unforgettable multi-sensory adventure.  When the Polar Express train arrives in front of the young boy’s house, the theater will emit steam and rattle your seats. When the “Hot Chocolate” song and dance begins, the delightful aroma of hot cocoa will fill the air. The Polar Express 4-D Experience will show seven times daily, tickets are $6, and museum admission is not required.

When Chocolaterie Stam opened this summer in the Main Street storefront formerly occupied by Café Manna Java (269 Main Street) it created kind of a buzz downtown.  There were plenty of questions.  What kind of place is it?  What is gelato?  To what does that name refer and how do you pronounce it?  Click the title for the answers to these and many more decadent questions in the 365ink feature story and photos by Mike Ironside.

Eastern Iowa Outlaws Roller Derby’s Second Season @ Five Flags
By Mike Ironside
While kids and adults alike are excited by Halloween parties and some people are already getting wound up for the holiday season, a bunch of diehard skaters and their legion of loyal fans are excited for the start of another season.  Dubuque’s own Eastern Iowa Outlaws roller derby team kick off their second season with a home opener Halloween weekend at Dubuque’s Five Flags Arena. “Thriller,” scheduled for Saturday, October 29, will be a double-header with the Outlaws and their new second team, the Key City Krushers, taking on teams from the Quad Cities and serves as the first bout of the new season.

The work of twelve artists will be featured in the month-long exhibit, located in a cavernous warehouse at 10th and Jackson streets in Dubuque’s Historic Millwork District. An additional eleven artists will contribute to a special show-within-a-show to commemorate the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Many events fill the space all month long. Exhibit continues through October 7. Click the title for more information.

A Voice from the Warehouse:
Photographer, Artist and Storyteller of Hope
Mike McCaskey of Chicago Illinois By Brad Parks
There are a dozen good reasons to be attendance at the open night of Voices this year but let me give you four more. Four stories of hope and endurance that transcend destiny itself, each made possible by one remarkable man’s choice to leave behind every advantage of wealth, education and status over 30 years ago to serve those who had nothing but their own courage and will to succeed. Click the title for the rest of the story...

After getting another issue of 365ink put together we finally had some time to begin getting caught up on the backlog of photos from weekend events.  Here is a but a brief sample of the nearly 100 photos of Gaelic Storm at the Irish Hooley last Saturday.  Click here to see the full Facebook archive of a great band entertaining a capacity crowd on a beautiful August evening.  Slàinte!

Another big summer weekend of live music. Click the title to come inside for the full list of musical opportunities waiting for you across the tri-states this weekend.

Maybe you’ve heard that there is a new dance club experience coming to town. Maybe you read advertisements looking for dancers, hula hoopers, roller girls, bartenders, and DJs. Maybe you saw some crazy costumed characters in afro wigs at the July All That Jazz. Maybe you even heard it was to be called “Boogie Nights.” Maybe you’ve heard that there is a new dance club experience coming to town. Maybe you read advertisements looking for dancers, hula-hoopers, roller girls, bartenders, and DJs.  Maybe you saw some crazy costumed characters in afro wigs at the July All That Jazz. Maybe you even heard it was to be called “Boogie Nights.”